Tax and Spend and PB County Fire has a Reprieve

Fireman holding a banner and a sign--
Does he even live here?

Citizen believing what he reads

Anticipating a big crowd at City Hall, it didn't happen. But the same activists were there waving signs in support of retaining the Palm Beach County Fire MSTU. Although the rudeness was subdued, many were deliberately impolite in the chamber; it was much of the same crowd that was rude last week and rude during the PBSO fiasco.

City Manager, Susan Stanton addressed the mailer sent out by the Firefighter PAC and made all the corrections. I have to wonder about the cost of the mailer and if it was sent to every resident in Lake Worth but no matter who received it, the crowd was insignificant. It was much of the same who always protest about anything having to do with public safety and unions. The most significant discrepancy on the mailer (Stanton pointed out many) was the total Budget with the County Fire Budget. Stanton said that the County cost is $8.807 million and Lake Worth is estimating $5.5 million to start its own department.

I continue to have mixed emotions on this issue and would like to see a 5 to 10 year forecast on costs comparisons/projections. We now have been given a two month extension to make up our minds on what we are going to do. It is apparent that cost has much to do with this decision. I am very concerned when a Fire Chief and firemen get so actively involved in the issue, who do not even live here, and go so far as to support a mailer with inaccurate information. What is their pony in the race? Fire/Rescue is important. We had our own department for nearly 100 years. We did it then with efficiency and professionalism. We can certainly do it again and allow the city to contain costs and pension plans.

Solid Waste was discussed and it seems that the City projects a shortfall this year so they are upping that non-advalorem tax by $42 to all residences to $287.76 and going up 10% on all commercial accounts. This tax, justified in the minds of the Commission with Staff giving us some nebulous reasons, was voted in unanymously. The Staff mentioned that the rate would be comparable to similar cities. We had the second highest rate before this rate increase on the rate comparison chart they used. And what about the dumping fees that we are saving because of recycling? This is a tax; don't kid yourself.

Of course, the City is a 10! No surprise here when the Commission voted to raise our taxes to the max. Commissioner Scott Maxwell voted "nay" but this was a symbolic vote and meaningless as the tax will very likely be adjusted when it comes back to the Commission on September 6. Any politician voting to increase taxes is comparable to slitting your throat especially when you are running for office. The City better well know by September 6 what it's going to do with fire/rescue even though it has until October 1 to give the County its decision--stay with the County and charge us a fortune or start up our own and charge us a fortune. Either way, they have covered their costs by voting in the maximum millage set by law. Sticking it to us on the non-advalorem for fire/rescue is a big possibility. I want them to give us a cost per square foot for fire/rescue, not take the easy way out.

always good advice but nearly impossible to do