March 1st, 2010
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PORK IS PORK AT ALL LEVELS
OF GOVERNMENT
The best pork of all is taking money from someone who is broke; to do something you do not need and do not want to pay for.
Meet the $25,000 grant from the State to pay for planting trees at the Municipal Golf Course. The idea that grant money is a gift from God is a myth. It is tax money, yours or someone else’s. The only difference is that if it is County, State, or Federal money it may not be yours directly, but is someone’s tax money. So do not be taken in, remember maybe a friend or relative had to give up their earnings so that you could reap the benefit of their labor. Government wonks love tell you it is not what it is because you are usually so easily do not care if is someone else’s tax money. Let’s show them that is not true any more! If we cannot afford the trees do not plant them. Let the Golf Club members buy them.
RK;
The City Commission already knows its looking at a 15-17 percent reduction in property values when they start looking at their budget for next year, since those values were set on January 1st. They also know the State is facing a huge hole it is budget, (about $6 Billion) and therefore, the city can expect less in the way of State revenue sharing, sales tax revenue, and gas tax revenue, because they all pass thru Tallahassee......and nobody expects the legislature to let go of all that money, and be forced to raise taxes themselves....They would rather steal the City's and County's money, and have THEM raise taxes!
In the meantime, the City Commission continues to spend, spend, spend, and tie their hands, by approving union contracts that do little or nothing to reduce spending. ( The PD's contract was reported to have "saved" $50,000)(Whoopee!)
And considering that 80 percent of the city's budget is labor-related expenditures, how do they plan to balance the budget, without touching the union labor contracts?
DO THEY THINK WE ARE ALL STUPID, AND CAN'T FIGURE THIS ONE OUT.......?
Here's their Plan;
#1. They will Fiddle around with the union contracts until there is no time left to make changes to them, thereby making sure the union members are held harmless in any upcoming budget cuts.
#2. Later, this summer, they will announce that the Sky is Falling, because property values have dropped. ( like they didn't already know that) And then add, that they can't do anything about the union contracts....because the city is "locked in" to those contracts...
#3. Declare in a righteous tone, that they can't possibly reduce city services....especially public safety
#4. Propose a massive increase in the property tax rate to make up for the loss in revenue.
#5. After hearing a bunch of flack from the Taxpayers, they will agree to lower that huge rate increase just a little, and then steal more money from the reserves to balance the budget.
In other words, the upcoming Budget Hearings will be little more than Kabuki Theatre.....Where they will all put lipstick on this Pig of a City Budget, and sing Kumbayah, and dance right out the door, while holding hands with the union members....
After all, isn't that what they did last year, and the year before, and the year before that?
SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE...
1.
The Shadow has been informed that one of our erstwhile Commissioners took umbrage at our comments on her actions so far as an elected official. We think she has been too complaisant in her reaction to the city manager on issues of the budget, expenditures, pay and benefits. As a business person we expect her to be responsive to the taxpayers who elected her not the government employees who work for her city manager.
The Shadow has been informed that one of our erstwhile Commissioners took umbrage at our comments on her actions so far as an elected official. We think she has been too complaisant in her reaction to the city manager on issues of the budget, expenditures, pay and benefits. As a business person we expect her to be responsive to the taxpayers who elected her not the government employees who work for her city manager. 
“Best Blogs of the Week”
(Edited for grammar and punctuation)
A POTPOURRI OF CITIZEN COMMENTS IS
AGAIN PROVIDED THIS WEEK IN ORDER
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MOOD OF OUR READERS
2/22/2010, 6:44 am
A Former CALEA Assessor
To 579 and others: Let me jump in here with some facts. The VCSO would have had to demonstrate continued compliance every five years after their initial accreditation and not to some local buddies, but to out of state former police executive officers or chiefs who have been trained by the national organization and use a standardized set of guidelines and evaluative tools. It takes an entire week on site and they even have an open session where the public can comment directly to the assessors. I have seen large organizations (the PA State Police comes to mind) only get a temporary accreditation pending further steps to gain compliance. It is not a one person job although each agency has one person designated as the accreditation manager. So I think what you hear is really "legend or myth." Do not know much about the FL system but most state level systems model the national and even use some of the standards, but are usually a little easier to comply with and use in state assessors, thus lack some of the objectivity of the national. This little department (NSB) should have completed a state level accreditation within 12 months with a professional chief at the helm. But it seems that is what we are lacking, especially when you go to Hollywood, Fl to get a chief. What a mistake and a well known place not to go. Terrible reputation among police agencies in and out of FL.
2/21/2010, 11:14 am
Fed Up with Pagano and the NSB COPS
To 560 and 561: You live in the Pagano and Teamsters induced dream world. The cops here are Barney Fife at best. The county Sheriffs are far more professional. Think about it, the NSB Cops have been attempting to get accredited for five years under the innovative leadership of Pagano and Drossman. The Sheriff's Office has been NATIONALLY ACCREDITED for over 15 years. That has to tell you something about the less than professional law enforcement we have here. And then ask Jeff Candage from the Teamsters how much they get paid off the top for the union rep job they do here. A lot I am sure and we the taxpayer gets really very little for it. Remember the Teamsters and Jimmy Hoffa; that should give you a clue.
2/24/2010, 6:39 pm
BR
People or Citizens like Tolley and Reese sure mean well for the City. We need more people like them as our NSB City leaders keep voting yes. The Citizens need to be prepared for more taxes not only for the City but for the whole country. There is no doubt they will rise big time this coming year. Too much Government and too high salaries will be much of the cause. So be forewarned and prepared for big increases.
2/24/2010, 11:08 am
Mr. Ed
Kingfisher,
I dispute your claim that ISO ratings would suffer drastically, due to the County FD staffing cuts as proposed.
First of all, ISO rankings for Fire Insurance are based primarily ( over 60 percent) on issues that have nothing to do with the FD... the types of building material used, such as concrete block vs. wood frame, building and electrical codes, the availability of city water and the pumping capacity of the city's water system, the locations of fire hydrants....etc.
So only 40 percent of a community's ISO rating is based on its FD to begin with, and even less so on the number of its employees, since the location of the fire stations, and the types and numbers of equipment it has on hand, is more heavily weighted in ISO ratings, than whether a fire station has 4, 3 or even 2 firemen.
ps
I come from a small town in NJ, (pop 24,000) that is served by two fire stations, with a volunteer FD. ( the County is responsible for Paramedics) And its ISO rating is the same as here in NSB.
That doesn't say much for the NSBFD, since the vast majority of the buildings in that town in NJ, are old frame houses, built after WWI.
NOTES
1. DID A COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT MEMBER PROPOSE USING CRA MONEY TO BUILD HIS VERY OWN PARKING LOT?
We do not know. Tom Williams, the husband of the current Chairman of the useless Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the CRA Board. He allegedly presented a request for a grant that may be an indirect benefit to himself. There is a question that this may be a conflict of interest to seek for himself and his fellow investors a $60,000 or $70,000 gift as an “improvement” to the CRA District which just might be for a parking lot for a business where he has an interest. Could the City Attorney investigate this allegation and report to the Commission the facts?
2. READ BRFORE CRITICIZING
It would help if the writer of BLOGS read the material presented by the Shadow. Aside from the fact that the Shadow believes that it is now well understood that three to a shift staffing is unnecessary and reductions should be made in NSB, the Shadow endorsed the rest of the County deal. What the writer is upset about are arguments advanced by others which the Shadow rejected.
2/21/2010, 7:22 pm
KF
The article on the opening page shows that much of what you hear about the firefighters on here is a direct attack on them for some reason unknown by anyone but the shadow. Did you dream that one day you would be a firefighter, but were let down when you fell short? You stated the county should not pay for their training to become prison guards. If you had done your homework correctly you would have noticed this option is open to anyone who applies. You say they shouldn't be given privileges, but you want to treat them as if they are below a normal applicant and that they are not worthy of the normal compensation of any one else. You complain just to complain, and now it is evident you are just a hateful person. It is bad enough you have shown your ignorance on here by stating they need reduction in force, but now it is an obvious attack. Think before you make these comments. Pretty damn biased for a judge.
The publisher of the Shadow thinks of himself as warm and fuzzy and certainly not biased.
THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE CITY OF PORT ORANGE. LETS HOPE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE SMARTER THAN THEIRS, AT LEAST WE HOPE THEY ARE MORE HONEST!
1. FIXING THE COURT DECISION—BRIBING THE JUDGE
The discussion over the fire department contract in Port Orange has gone into an ugly phase that highlights most of the things wrong with the current system. Worse, as originally unfolded it seemed that the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) had commitments from EACH of the elected officials not to review their own staff’s presentation on the contract terms.
It started with the statement made by Mr. Meeske, the IAFF representative that:
"It’s important to note (that) ALL members of the Port Orange city council were interviewed by the union when they ran for office. Each were asked that if a situation ever got to the point of having to go before a Special Magistrate would they support the recommendations made. EVERYONE OF THE COUNCIL SAID THEY WOULD SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF A SPECIAL MAGISTRATE!!!!! It will be interesting to see if the city council lives up to their word."
Well the way it supposed to work is that the Port Orange staff and the union make their arguments before a Magistrate, who then issues his or her opinion which either side can accept or contest. The idea is that the elected officials then hear the appeal and decide each issue on its merits. Both the staff and the IAFF
DEAR PAM
As we have stated in the past, we realize that the City Manager is limited in the resources available to her for pursuing cost reduction projects, so we have decided to help her out and provide draft letters for her review. As we have said, this will free her up for important things, like dealing with all the serious problems of the police and fire department pensions.
Dear Mayor Barringer:
I cannot put in words how proud of you the backers of the municipal golf course are that you joined in the decision to take grant money for the trees, after all it is not our money. Since this is grant money and comes out of some one else’s pocket, it will not have to be repaid unlike the $3.8 bond for renovating the Golf course that the members owe.
PAM
UNIQUE MUSEUM FOR NSB—HALL OF SHAME
THIS New City MUSEUM SHOULD BE LOCATED IN THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUILDING ON CANAL STREET
NOMINATIONS FOR HALL OF SHAME EXHBITS:
1. The Angler’s Yacht Club. At least one picture of a member spitting in the face of a taxpayer. A group picture of the whole membership in black-face for the “Mummer” parade in Philadelphia would also be included;
2.The CRA buying a $9,000 plastic Christmas tree, and pictures of the tree with the throngs of revelers looking at it on Canal Street at 7 P.M. each night during the Christmas season;
3.A panoply of pictures of property owned by the City producing no revenue, particularly the Angler’s Yacht Club, the Chamber of Commerce building, the S.O.S building, Esther Street on the Beach, Dunn Lumber the AOB building, the old UC power plant building, the Woman’s Club, and the Garden club;
4. Pictures of Beachway with not only palm trees in the City right-of-way but of the paved brick driveway extended into the middle of the street by the neighbor to the South. Could have an NSB code enforcement officer holding a sign saying “no blacks or Hispanic fishing after 2 P.M.”;
GOLF COURSE LOSSES
The Shadow finally got a copy of the first four months of operations of the Municipal Golf Course. LINK If we figure it correctly it is another piece of how to take a big loss, red ink everywhere, and wrap it up in a fancy ribbon and say you are operating in the black.
It is a budget slight of hand, having nothing to do with actual real losses. As far as the Shadow is concerned it is a fraud, but the financial director and City Manager will tell you it is acceptable book keeping. You decide.
In August of 2009 the City leased the golf course restaurant, lock stock and barrel to the owner of a new Italian Restaurant on the premises. His lease started on September 1, 2009, with no payment for six months and $500 a month for the next four and one half years.
At the same time the City Budget was wending its way through finalization that started October 1, 2010. Interestingly, although the restaurant had been converted to a lease and the City was no longer responsible for its profit or loss, it also no longer had a budget obligation of $194, 000 for the operation of the restaurant. Nonetheless, it remained in the budget as a City obligation. That could be considered false bookkeeping by some. There should be no money spent for any of these budgeted line items so that by the end of the year it would look like an offset against the continuing operating losses. The Shadow believes that this is not good bookkeeping and you should get the “sucker” award for the year if you believe in this fairy tale.
For the last four months, October 1, 2009 through February 1, 2010, the operating costs at the municipal golf course the Shadow believes exceeded revenue by about $75,000. Since these are the best months for golf play, and they have been bad, the yearly projections are that operating losses will again exceed $300,000.
But then there is that phony $194,000 in the budget, not spent, which the munchkins will claim to be a savings. See, all you have to do is play with the books to make money.
