Thursday, October 13, 2011

The Money Grab

Comment Up
Fire TAX

Back on August 18, 2009, only three months after the city manager was hired, the City commission, consisting of Lowe, Clemens, Golden, Jennings and Mulvehill, voted to approve resolutions 34-2009 and 35-2009 that reflected adjustment of our City's stormwater and solid waste rates for the upcoming year.

That night, the City was setting us up for the big bang. It was like taking candy from a baby. The City was directed to prepare Ordinance 2009-22 for Commission approval which set out in greater detail the process in which the City uses to grab your cash. This is the same Ordinance that the City is justifying the implementation of a fire assessment this year. The City also prepared Resolution 41-2009 for the special assessment for solid waste. That night, after a vote from the Commission with a motion made by Golden and seconded by Mulvehill, the City raised $2,816,567 from the taxpayers of Lake Worth over and around the advalorem tax.

No one really understood the repercussions of this vote. The Public was silent and instead concentrated on Mojito's wanting to stay opened until 5am. We were more concerned with a bar than we were with the money grab.

In the meantime, our cash reserves are gone in spite of grabbing all that cash starting two years ago. The city manager just keeps taxing and assessing like there's no tomorrow in spite of the fact that there no longer is a fire supplement of $1 million a year thus saving us $12 million on the Contract and the Sheriff negotiated its contract price down by $1,221,206.

Property values fell by 3.57% but the City just raised taxes 7% over the roll-back rate. It raised sewer and water and now hired Government Services Group to put the screws on you for even more money.

8 comments:

Michael said...

"Property values fell by 3.57% but the City just raised taxes 7% over the roll-back rate. It raised sewer and water and now hired Government Services Group to put the screws on you for even more money."

This is a sick game and we the citizens and homeowners who pay taxes are the ones who have to pay, just not fair, what can we do about it? Can't the county help us? When will all the spending and waste stop? Lynn, how can we all rally as a group from your blog and do something about this, this taxing and waste needs to stop, they need to be better problem solvers, now I will not vote for any of these clowns again.

Anonymous said...

Vote them all out and fire the city manager! Send them a strong message.

Anonymous said...

A better title for your picture would be, "WE MUST BE ASSES".

Greg Rice said...

Maybe the PB Post is going to stop endorsing their ineffective, wasteful and costly leadership decisions and endorse real change in our city hall. Look what they're saying in the Opion section today.

Short-circuiting residents
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/editorials/short-circuiting-residents-1910492.html

It's about time.

Anonymous said...

Get rid of Stanton that will solve most of the problems in the City

P.M.M. said...

This commission has always used the art of diversion when they want to keep our minds off the real issues. The city manager is a master at this. Just look at the uproar over PBSO. In the end after the citizens spoke out,they all said they supported it all along. Really?

Anonymous said...

Thanks Greg and frankly I don't think any respectable news organization should endorse ANY candidate....Obviously not unbiased news....which is why I do not subscribe to that bird cage liner.

Most of the cities troubles will not be solved by just firing the CM....although this is not the city for her. The commission needs to be lined with people who understands the bigger picture...knows how to read and question contracts and know that they represent US the people.

ASSES is so correct and that is what is happening in Lake Worth today. The really amazing part is actually WE the People are talking and actually coming to terms that many of us have more in common then ever and we want a serious commission that understands what the future and big picture holds.

We are all not so different after all and even though we do have different view points the big points for he most part are very similar.

Lets stop spanking the nodders and start supporting the doers.

It not us and them any more its the elected that must act like real decision makers...Fluff and Stuff is not what a city makes.

Anonymous said...

Lynn, you should also include the city manager, Stanton, in your picture here, she also is to blame for the assessments and the money grab. Likely the main reason for it.