On May 30 and on August 11, the city had workshops on these exact same funds:
Beach, Electric and General with all three again on the workshop agenda for tonight.
At that first meeting, City Manager Michael Bornstein said that "budget transparency was a buzz word batted around." He more or less stated that numbers are meaningless unless we understand them. Workshops are for discussion purposes, not for making policy decisions or spending tax payer money. That would happen at a general meeting where the public gets to weigh in.
Why then do the Minutes state that the following changes were made to the 2016 Budget on the Beach Fund?
- Keep the pool open 29 hours
- Fund office space for staff
- Fund additional staff
- Increase parking fees to $2.50 an hour
It was also pointed out that if we do NOT raise rates for 2016, we will lose $1,276,208 in income next year. Why would any commission approve of a budget to purposely LOSE money. This is a business. It shouldn't be about politics. It is no wonder our city is in such bad shape.
I am confused when you say this is a business and we need to raise electric rates. The fact is we have empty stores and a total lack of economic growth downtown and along Dixie because business electric rates are so much higher than FPL. You want this commission to raise rates because they have no choice? What about coming up with economic ideas to increase business? You can't have your cake and eat it. We need tax revenue but so far I have not read one solution from you relative to how we get that revenue. Instead you support higher electric rates to cover the costs of basic services that we can't afford. Our electric rates should not be an additional tax on our citizens. They can't afford it.
ReplyDeleteI can't explain this any better than I already have.
ReplyDeleteIf store fronts are empty, it is because of greedy landlords with high rental rates.
It is because of all the crime in our downtown.
There are many reasons but the city does not involve itself in private enterprise.
But what we must do is not operate at a loss and this means taking a $1.2 million hit in the 2016 budget on elec rates.
If you personally can't afford the rates, then you have an option to move your business. I can't continue to answer your types of questions. Elec rates are not an additional tax on our citizens as you claim. It is the rate you pay for service and what it costs us for that service.
2:13 a citizen asks a question and you insult them for it? Way to keep an open mind. The blogger's logic is confusing. If landlords are so greedy wouldn't they rent their buildings out at any cost to anyone just to make a dollar, having empty buildings is losing money for them and the city. You guys have had the same whiny gripe for 20 years but are incapable of offering any real solutions so maybe it's time to crawl back into your holes and get a job so you can pay your fair share of property taxes.
ReplyDelete@ 3:46--No, the owner (landlord) would just write it off as a business loss. These people don't care about the city. They care about what is the most advantageous tax wise to them and making money.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it is time for you to stop having foreclosures, bankruptici4es, etc. and crawl under your rental rock.
I want rate parity to FPL... And if you're so concerned about balancing the budget then shouldn't the albatross like the pool and Casino complex pay for Itself and not rely on the parking revenue to cover the huge short fall? That's why I want to see improvements made so more people are actually attracted to Lake Worth and we generate more tax revenue.
ReplyDeleteWe have a really cool little city, downtown and we're on beach! Come on people... Stop being against revitalization, it's our only hope to dig ourselves out of the quagmire! You know if the beach complex paid for itself, maybe parking here could be FREE! Or maybe parking fees could pay for FREE trolley service... Hmmmm.
Key West, Bayside in Miami, and Coconut Grove all had their time in squalor and decrepit mess... Now there are neat stores, interesting restaurants artist, galleries, residents, tourist, stuff to do, open space and yes - renovation. Ya gotta fix stuff or it all falls down..
Speaking of falling down, did you know the wall of the pool building fell down when the sidewalk was pulled up when they did the Casino renovation? It just fell down it was in such poor condition... But the pool complex was never part of the Casino project because with it's renovation included, it blew up the budget for the renovation... Same with 'green' building cuts ... With all cuts the city made (and I should add the commission at the time included Mayor Rene Varela, Vice Mayor Suzanne Mulvehill, Comm Cara Jennings, JoAnn Golden and Chris McVoy) now we're left with many lingering issues at the Casino and pool that looks like the 1960's flash back.
Sorry ass business plan we were all sold on, they built it so it would fail. I'm wondering if that former commissioner really wanted to shutter the pool forever... How quickly people forget!
Ok, we've heard all your sorry arguments before. The business Plan was developed not only by the chair of the FAB but by Steve Carr. Are you calling them "sorry?" The new team helping out the city manager here has given suggestions on our beach--reject both plans.
ReplyDeleteWe like our beach complex. Sorry you want to get your greedy hands on it and that some people will be fooled by you.
The pool is an amenity. You can't compare it to electric service. Start marketing the darn thing.
I really don't understand the group who says we are against revitalization when the Casino and beach park were just redone two years ago. We are not against renovation or revitalization, we just did that. We are against private developers stealing our most valuable asset b/c people are too stupid to understand that HH cares nothing about the City, nothing about the residents and solely cares about lining their pockets.
ReplyDeleteBeach property in Palm Beach County is extremely limited and extremely valuable, that's why HH wants ours. HH thinks we are all idiots and a fair number are, including our elected, but the majority of folks who live here understand the value of our waterfront land and don't want it taken away.
making rates to meet FPL, how crazy is that and they only have 1M more customers that we do with so much more revenue coming in and when we reduce our rates our revenue decreases hence brilliant people, so does the utility contribution to the general fund. We are some bright people running this city would you not agree. Of course we just go a whole lot smarter with our new Electric Utility Mgmt Staff, brilliant move CM. Oh and lets use the Electric fund to build POC so then we don't have the $ to rebuild our infrastructure that is falling apart. Another great decision, hell blame the previous director and manager that would be the easiest. Lynn I am glad you see the light. Seriously keep up the good reporting we just keep looking dumber and dumber all the time.
ReplyDelete