Off the bat I want to mention Boynton Beach. They are special assessed for 1/2 of the cost of their fire/rescue or 4.7 million. Their cost went up this year from $68 to $88. The difference in Boynton and Lake Worth is the amount of money they are raising: $4.7 mil vs $1.8 mil. The difference also is that our fire/rescue is being paid by advalorem taxes. What was decided and discussed last night is a special assessment for pension costs! These differences were not mentioned last night by Government Services Group. Failing to tell the whole truth is inexcusable. We should be paying them for the whole story, not the part they want to sell.
Was this all a light bulb moment? Did the city manager awaken one day, jumped out of bed and said, "Wow, I found a way to grab the cash?" "We've spent all of our reserves over the past four years," she said. If you look at the Budget, the spending has all been since 2009...$12 million dollars gone--that was the figure mentioned last night. How dare they? That's like someone robbing your bank account without a gun.
Whoever imagined that all those hundreds of thousands that were passed on the Consent Agenda every month with NO discussion, were not in the budget? Who would have ever dreamed that the City was robbing our cash and the City Commissions voted YES to all of it, going along for the ride down that dark and deadly and dangerous road?
They talked about "Winners and Losers" last night. Depending upon where you are coming from in your status in life, it is subjective other than truthful and honest. To even believe that what they are doing is "fair and equitable" is only justifying the act. One former candidate for Mayor said it was about time...she implied that she was sick to death of paying for the poor who didn't pay any taxes. A few of her girlfriends said "Amen." The City was of the same belief. Screw the poor; screw the struggling merchant, grab the cash. Even the United States of America does not tax anyone who falls under a certain economic amount. The US government understands but not the City of Lake Worth.
The US government taxes you on your adjustable gross income. If I were making $15,000 a year and Joe Blow was making $300,000 a year, should I be taxed the exact same amount of money?
The County taxes you on the value of your property. If my residence is worth $40,000 and Joe Blow's is worth $300,000, should Joe and I be paying the exact same amount of tax?
To even think of taxing us on a square footage and other variables as does Gainesville was dissed because it was "not tested in Court," "not enough time," "too much work." No one wanted to make anything fair. Just grab the cash and make all residents pay...the same amount. This company took the easy way out with the City's blessing. To be taxed all of this money for Union pensions goes against my grain and it gives me a migraine.
The biggest and most unfortunate outcome of this Yes vote for Resolution 34-2011 by the Commission (4/1 with Maxwell dissenting) is that it opens the can of worms. And just like Boynton Beach whose fire/rescue special assessment is going up by 29% this year from last, the Resolution allows the City to charge us anything pertaining to fire/rescue other than the kitchen sink and Stanton's lipstick.
What do we have to look forward to next? Street lights, sidewalks, curbs, road repairs in front of your house, paying for parks? Ending the free lunch is something I have been harping on forever and a request that they will not heed. All of us should be screaming bloody murder the next time they spend one dime on anything that is the least bit questionable--no passing big expenditures on Consent--no waiving bids. Do they really need to spend $250,000 for a damn truck? Let me see the bids. Ask the right questions, Commissioners. It has been way too long that we have not known the full truth and our position.
Trust but verify was Ronald Reagan's advice. The "trust" part is getting much more difficult with the City of Lake Worth.
15 comments:
Good one, Lynn. We are all getting screwed as you put it so eloquently. Tax and spend is the only thing that these liberals know how to do.
It should have been entitled, Monster's Mash.
Who was the former candidate who spoke?
I will make a little wager with you: If you do not get rid of the CM and put your house in order, you will not be a city in a couple of years.
The CM is the biggest hypocrite, just like all the politicians in DC, they want your money any way they can, but they are not willing to take a 10% pay cut themselves. She doesn't even own property in the city so does not have to pay all these taxes and assessments. She could care less. How much more will she make now? I say vote all the bums out and fire the CM, she is so bad, she has not done anything for improving the city of all its blight and crime, codes are so bad here, her actions speak louder than her words, don't be fooled by this. I think we are all finally seeing how she if dooping us all here.
You know as I struggle to make ends meet day to day this is just so sad as with one other event and now this added cost to my home and a 600+ utility bill (even though I used LESS energy than last year) I have no choice but to file for BK....Not that Lake Worth has all the blame but thanks for adding fuel to the fire....Don't ask me to shake your hands or hug your necks any longer Commissioners (Thanks Scott for at least voting nay!)
I was there last night and I heard the CM tell the commission that for the past few years we did not charge the residents for the full cost of fire rescue and that as a result she had to take the needed money from our reserves. Since we have no real business people on our commission no one asked (except Scott, later): well CM how much did you need to take out of our savings last year? Here we have the CM telling the commission she needs 1.4 million and not putting her cards on the table. The commissioners seem to buy everything she tells them. It's like leading sheep to the slaughter. No one really stands up to her but Scott. No one says you can't do this, give us real alternatives to work with. All she talked about was that residents want the library open. Golden said nothing to help the residents and the business community. She needs to be sent packing. McVoy was even worse stating over and over again how fair this was. Mulvehill told usthis assessment will not stop business from coming here and that businesses are flocking here as if we don't see the disaster on Dixie Highway. The mayor did ask some good questions and I think she felt that she had no choice. I only wish that the public had a chance to rebutt what the CM said after we all spoke. Stanton needs to go. She told the commission not to worry if a business goes under the city will still get the tax money from the property owner. It's as if she has no idea that a failed business destroys a property's value. And finally she told the commission that businesses are not people. I guess the city is sending the message that we just don't care how this affects our business community because they are "not people". Well guess what, all of our small business are owned by good people trying to survive in a bad economy. Our businesses are real folks and that what we like about this town. The City Manager is out of her mind.
So $12 million spent since 2009 - how long has Stanton been the CM? Clearly there is a connection and the Commission is doing NOTHING to stop this. Last night Stanton said some people don't want the city to move forward as proposed in her budget. These people want to take a "crash and burn" approach according to her. What a bunch of BS. We want the Commission and CM to stop spending, pay the bills we owe, get the City in order, resolve all the litigation. Let's get this house in order before we start building a new mansion.
Agreed, Mcvoy was indeed the worst of the lot. Now that he is unemployed, I can't believe all the things that he said. All those illegals he supports will now have their rent increased.
Well good, maybe the aliens will move out of town. Maybe now the churches will get taxed and stop the encouragement of the homeless. Think about it. Perhaps it is all a good thing in disguise.
I would have been in complete agreement with Stanton last night if she had done a better job on the Budget. Those extra Conservation hires are just over the top.
I understand what commissioner maxwell was getting at last night by suggesting the Commission give up their salaries to set an example. Everybody at city hall earning over $100,000 should be taking some sort of a pay cut since we are laying off people.
Management taking a reduction in salary is just a drop in this very big bucket. For the commission to give up their meager salary to make a point and allow Maxwell to look like a hero is just plain silly. Sorry, I don't agree with that one at all. She eventually wants to put as much as possible on the taxpayers in the form of special assessments. If she can't get it from property taxes, she will get it and the commission will let her.
This website and the state of the city is making me very depressed. What a mess!
The Pitch Forks and Torches approach is starting to sound better each day...CM please go to the City Limit line, Step Over it and never come back.
For the rest of you sad wrong decision making commissioners you need to bow your heads in shame.
When anyone see these commissioners in public don't even recognize their existence. Send a simple silent message of disgust.
November is coming people so start making changes at the voting booth.
Lynn – once again, Lake Worth citizens have witnessed the many faces of Susan Stanton, AKA the City Manager. I personally appeared at a City Commissioner’s meeting to speak against the flat-rate fire assessment plan and was advised by her that a multi-tiered rate was being considered. Results: Flat rate One, Concerned Citizens Nil (must use international soccer terms because they’re preferable to American style sports terms). Upon reflection, I thought I heard her comment that the residential units assessments would be based on size or the value of the property, after all, that would be fair and equitable – a point I often stated. Why even our federal income tax is graduated! This
statement that was nodded to by at least one commissioner. When I left the podium, I thought that they had listened to what was said, not merely heard. Wrong!
Apparently speaking out of both sides of your mouth at the same time is a factor for consideration to be hired here in our sanctuary city – could this be one reason our taxable base is low? I’m convinced that pressing your clothes with a waffle iron is a recommended strategy for campaigning prior to election, after all, the “Pep Boy” head bobbers the dais must appear to listen intently before spending our money. Wouldn’t want Little Bo Peep at the panel’s south end to think they’ll act independently.
Lastly, I stated that elected and appointed officials were put into office to make decisions based on equity – and got the requisite nods of approval. Decision making is tough. So tough here that we’ve outsourced this task to a hired gun called GSG. Now whatever they recommend, we must obey. This way no one is responsible come voting time. What a perfect foil. “Look Mom, it’s not my fault, GSG did it.” GSG is the silver bullet here – they’re not subject to the vagaries of the electorate, they’re contract employees of the city and our record on contracts is unbeatable: Casino, Sheriff, and Fire Rescue just to call a few of the all time greats. It’s not my fault is the mantra of the month. It’s a great time to be a decision maker, just look at the growing line-up for November. Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full (of what)? Tune in next time, same bat time, same bat channel.
/s/ Joe Matthews
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