"These meetings are not designed necessarily to sell anything, but more-over designed to start the conversation with the community to let people know what we're thinking about and solicit their input."~ Scott Maxwell, Vice Mayor Lake Worth
Talking about the various community district meetings on the Lake Worth 2020 program and the 30 year general obligation bond that he wants voters to approve.
The truth of the matter is, this commission is pushing a hard sell on the voters so that they will approve the 30 year general obligation bond. The "drop-dead" deadline to get the legal language for the ballot is June 20. The city has one month (23 business days) to get it all done, sealed and delivered to the Supervisor of Elections in time for the August primary. There must be some strategy to having the election in August when half the city is gone. These district meetings will alert the City to citizen concerns and objections so that their legal eagles can mitigate them quickly.
This will be the biggest "sale" in their political history and the biggest debt in the history of Lake Worth.
But what's really important here? Is it Mr. Maxwell's opinion of the plan or is it the City's need for infrastructure improvements? I mean, I think we really need these things done and somebody has to pay for it. If my water pipes break in my house, I can either leave it to deteriorate further, or pay to have it fixed. I know it's a lot of money, but the city really needs these improvements, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteThey've convinced the media that it will pass. Now they need the voters. Who wants extra taxes for 30 freaking years and money goes missing like it usually does.
ReplyDeleteWe do need road improvements. The problem is the cost and work magnitude and the timing of it all. We are slowly coming out of this economic downturn and now the city wants the voters to put the property owners in a huge debt when many of them are struggling and will be for years. Work hours are being cut back and families are having a tough time. Everything is going up--homeowners insurance, auto ins, medical costs, food, you name it. 30 years is a very long time.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of possible problems with the "plan". It is figured based on our property values increasing 4% every year. It doesn't, and can't speak to what happens if we go into a double dip recession.
ReplyDeleteI also wish they didn't try to analogize the cost with food and drink. Insulting is an adjective I heard that fits. Tell me how many dollars please, not how many cups of coffee.
Bottom line is we need a huge amount of work. The longer we wait, the more it will cost. If they piece-meal it, they will hear criticism for doing it halfway.
I think most people agree we need infrastructure improvements. I think most people also agree that they don't trust the City to properly manage a project of this size. And I think most people realize that raising our taxes to the highest in the county will force businesses to flee and no new businesses or residents will come here. Finally, I think most people realize that it is unfair to ask only 30% of the City to pay for this project.
ReplyDeleteI will vote no and will urge my neighbors who are not paying attention to this issue to also vote no.
Amen to anon at 1:52. This is not a sell job? Give me an F'ing break !
ReplyDeleteDon't believe the sky is falling con job that Maxwell is trying to shove down our throats. Lake Worth is already one of the highest taxed cities around.
The problem is not the amount of money. The problem is the mis-management of our taxes by THIS commission and city employees.
We taxpayers have to live on a budget. It's time our "leaders" followed that example.
Regardless of all the opinions here, its is more important that everyone in District 1 show up and find out how the plan will improve our area's.
ReplyDeleteWhere will the oversight be and how will the city and especially politicians and city staff keep Every Single Penny spent transparent and how will they equally distribute the upgrades and repairs?
The city has a long history of not being able to account for the funding, not be able to maintain the grants and matching funds and especially not be able to account for who and where the funds are spent.
This is very serious and who will the city make it a fair burden for ALL the people who will benefit for all the upgrades and repairs. Do YOU TRUST the accountability to be fair and just and if there is a problem do YOU trust that it will be transparent? When was the last time anything in Lake Worth was Transparent that was not related to a Politician that has forgot the people?
Come one and all out to this meeting tomorrow and bring your pen and paper to take notes and be willing to ask the tough questions!!!
Thank You!
Robert Waples
Nothing is going to be "fair." Fairness, to those who will pay the tab, want everyone to pay regardless of property value. Those who will be paying the tab want everyone to pay even though nothing on their street will be fixed, changed or upgraded. Fairness to those who will pay the tab means anyone who lives in this city regardless of means or property value.
ReplyDeleteWhat would be "fair" is raising money and doing the absolute necessary first.
No one trusts this government to have this much cash when so much we have given them in the past is unaccounted for. Much more money will be diverted to the Park of Commerce, Mr. Maxwell's dream. We will get through paying for streets in thirty years and turn around and have to do it all over again. Live on your means, not taxing the people to death.
ReplyDeleteLynn, so you think its fair that 30% of the city's properties pay the entire $60 million tab for this project?
ReplyDeleteI just got finished saying that nothing is going to be "fair." The ONLY fair way to tax, however, is through property values and that is why that system has been in place ever since someone thought about taxing and when it began. And I believe that this is what our legal department has determined.
ReplyDeleteI have said before, assessing those properties that are on a particular block for the repairs made to that block might be "fair." But this city wants the money all up front to sit there and dole out at their discretion.
We have done that before. We have a fortune of debt on the books right now.
It was explained that assessing the property owners where the work would be done "fairly" was virtually impossible as well.
ReplyDeleteSince the bond repayment is essentially a property tax, and treated as such on the tax bill as debt, to commence such a comprehensive plan, the General Obligation Bond is the usual way a city does this type of project.
I can't imagine "saving up" enough money to install 170 fire hydrants and then choose who gets theirs first.
If it took 100 years to discover there are not enough fire hydrants and when you rip up a road you should do whatever you can at the same time, we have MUCH bigger competency problems than the 2020 plan!
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