BLOGS (Edited for spelling by the Shadow)

Date:  3/18/2011, 10:08 pm
Name:  bea

it looks like That’s Amore whose owner is on the CRA has used his position to further himself and his place. It is Friday night 3/18/11 and sure enough just as this archived article below from the Shadow says: he wanted to put tables where that bench was! And if that is not self fulfilling what is? What is the word I am looking for? when you use your position to further yourself????? whatever it is??? that is what he has done!

“Not satisfied with just eliminating the benches on the avenue, it appears that the owner of the That’s Amore Restaurant on Pine and Flagler also wanted to get rid of the bench on in front of his place on Pine. Waverly Company had the contract with the City to place its benches with advertising and paid the City for the privilege. Years ago It had placed a bench on Pine in front of what has now become the That’s Amore restaurant. The sign advertising space was rented to a prominent real estate company whose owner lives on Pine, but That’s Amore wanted to put a couple of more sidewalk tables on the City property. The bench company saw no reason to move it. After all, it is a public place not owned by the restaurant, has been there for years and the prior restaurant in the location had never complained. The bench placement company, Waverly, was being paid for the advertising on the bench, its customer was pleased, and the City had its cut.”

Date:  3/14/2011, 6:05 pm
Name:  NSBLocal

As to all of your comments about Adam and Judy, you are pretty much right on target, with one major exception. Adam is playing off every person to achieve his personal agenda and does not care who he offends or hurts unless they can do something for him. Case in point the giveaways to the MDC last year and the most recent scam on the canal dredging; all for people he thinks can help him get elected to Hukill's seat.

Judy on the other hand is so far out of her league she has no idea what she says or votes for half the time. To her everyone is sweet and wonderful, just like her church group, and thus they all must be righteous. In addition, she thinks if it came from a grant, it is a gift and not tax money.

Now there is nothing wrong with that attitude as long as you are not applying it to political decisions that impact the general public. She needs to wake up that everything is not "classy" or "neat". And most of a; she needs to stop idolizing Pam Brangaccio.

Otherwise she will be a one-termer when Brangaccio has sucked out all she can from here, retires and moves on.

FIRST IN THE STATE? The SHADOW thinks it was the first website newspaper in the State of Florida that provided an unedited method of posting comments. This is democracy at work and is free speech. That is what is one of the defining aspects of our system and is enjoyed by few other societies. It must be nurtured and protected.

Now the Shadow finds that its decision several years ago to published the complete W-2S of the City employees, which we also believe was the first in Florida for a website newspaper, has resulted in the W-2S of the all of the State of Florida’s employees being published by Governor Scott this week. Go to My.Florida and look them up.  As an aside, the State  probably used the same Microsoft program that the New Smyrna Beach Public Utilities says it cannot use to generate these files. Since the Shadow believes that this constitutes a violation of State law, perhaps the Governor or the States Attorney might become involved.
1. WHERE YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE COUNTS FOR QUALITY MEDICAL CARE

If you had a heart attack, the Shadow believes you would rather be near the Cleveland Clinic and not Bert Fish!  In New Smyrna Beach your choice for the best eye care in the world is Bascom Palmer in Miami (4 hours by car) or Johns Hopkins in Baltimore (less than half a day by air). Location counts.

2. 2008 SALARIES AT HALIFAX HOSPITAL

We do not like Bert Fish paying out more than necessary for its employees merely because it has access to tax money, but Halifax is no different. We asked for this information three years ago and see no reason to update the information. We know it has not gotten better.

Halifax Hospital salaries and benefits:

Jeff Feasel, Chief Executive Officer: $450,000

Harry Reese, Jr., Chief Financial Officer:  $300,000

William J. Griffin, Director of Systems Planning and Research: $278,000

Gerald Neff, Director of Finance: $125,000

Dan Lang, Administrator: $284,000

Eric M. Peburn, Assistant Administrator: $205,000

Lori E. Myers Chief Nursing Officer: $205,000

David J. Davidson, General Counsel: $275,000

PLUS BENEFITS

3. THE OBSERVER IS SUSPENDING PRINT PUBLICATION FOR FOUR WEEKS.

We are sure his wife noticed as well as what we think are a limited number of subscribers. We do not wish the publisher much good will, but Robert Burns is a good reporter and we wish him well.

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March 21, 2011
DEAR PAM

We realize that many City officials have limited resources available for pursuing cost reduction projects, so we have decided to help them and provide draft letters for review.  This will free them up for important things, like dealing with all the serious problems of the police and fire department pensions.
THE UTILITIES COMMISSION IS STILL STIFFING THE SHADOW ON INFORMATION YOU THE TAXPAYERS ARE ENTITITLED TO HAVE. CHECK HERE NEXT WEEK
NOTES

1. JUSTIFICATION FOR NO  PUBLIC COMMENT AT COMMISSION MEETINGS. YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING!!
Read the justification for why Pam thinks that there is no need or reason for public discussion by taxpayers at Commission meetings. It was filtered through a Commissioner, but we will bet a $1 beer Pam wrote it for the Commissioner who forwarded this nonsense. 

"……As for the public’s right to be placed on the agenda, [xxx], the agenda is published at least the Thursday prior to the Tuesday meeting [WHY NOT MONDAY?].  You can access it on line.  And then you can call me (which am best) or e-mail me with your concerns-from the consent agenda or not- or we can meet to discuss them prior to the meeting which helps me toward my decisions.  Grandstanding the commission is not always the best way unless you just wish to go on public record.  Allowing discussion on second reading allows the public to voice its concern on the record. Limiting comment to 3 minutes helps move the meetings along and give everyone a chance to speak."

We were considering how this comports with what we always thought was democratic government. What she wants you to do are talk it over privately. You know, let us engineer how it is handled. Then, consider that after the Mayor would not give Kenneth Taylor an extra minute to finish his presentation they gave another speaker a lot of time gratuitously. It is a wonderful world where the City Manager tells you that after the Commission has decided to approve a matter, called the first reading, you can have three minutes to tell them why they should change their mind. At the Commission meeting where they put this gag order in place, the City Manger invited everyone to come in and talk to her. Do you wonder why the Shadow believes she wrote the above quote?

2. CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SHADOW PUBLISHER AND THE CITY OVER F.I.N.D FIASCO

The Shadow believes that the City’s efforts to dredge the man made canal for the benefit of the Marine Discovery Center which currently has no deep water,  the current owners of the property of the defunct Island Town Center, and a half dozen boaters with deep keeled boats (and contributors to the Mayor in his election campaign). It is a total misuse and probably improper use of public tax money.


3. SE VOLUSIA CHAPTER OF VOLUSIA TAX REFORM NEXT MEETING

The Shadow is pleased that some citizens have seen the need to organize and begin the process of taking back our City from the politicians that have stolen it. We encourage more to attend the next meeting where committees will be formed to review next actions. The group meets on the second Thursday of the month at the Pine Island Gazebo Clubhouse located across the street from 712 Pine Shores Circle. The meeting starts at 6:30 PM. Contact Debbie at debvishnesky@aol.com for more information.

Directions: Wayne Ave, past City Golf Course, right on Pine Shores Drive, right on Pine Shores Circle, Gazebo on left.
FLORIDA AND TEACHER’S TENURE

Governor Scott is not straddling the issue of collective bargaining. He specifically says it is in the Florida Constitution and indicated no intent to try to change the Constitution. On the other hand, he says he sympathizes with the Governor of Wisconsin [see article below] and is certainly saying he will support significant changes in the current laws in Florida. The legislature is another matter and has all sorts of punitive bills, but absent the Governor’s support they will not pass.

The more punitive proposals apparently were put aside by the Florida Senate in the bill reported out two weeks ago on teachers’ tenure. This bill, S.326, also reported out this past week by the Florida House of Representatives, is viewed by the teachers Union as unfair because it is based upon what they believe are unrealistic performance standards with too much emphasis on student test results. It appears that the Governor will sign it into law. Interesting, it is dependent on available money, currently unfunded, and does not kick in until 2014.
The Shadow Website in under construction and may not perform correctly for a while. Please be patient as we move the site into its new format. Don't worry, we will still have the latest and freshest news to be had about how the City of New Smyrna Beach government is spending and wasting your tax dollars. Check back often......
Dear Mayor Barringer,

I know that you promised the Marine Discover Center and the boating crowd with deep keeled boats at Quay Assize that we would get tax money to dredge the canal, but the matter may now be before the Governor as to how the water right-of-way for the Intra Coastal can cut across dry land in a residential neighborhood. I know that they gave you  money for your campaign, but I am not going on the hook for you. Please do not ask me to defend it.
PAM
These are not easy questions to be resolved. We do not want teachers to have their jobs subject to political considerations. Nor do we want a teacher evaluated primarily on the teacher’s ability to improve the grades of a class composed of only underperformers or truants. Any teacher tenure attenuation should have a lot of qualifiers. and checks and balances.  Can the best teacher motivate a kid who refuses to sit on the  end of a log or attend class, and can the best teacher in the world teach a kid whose parents keep him or her up all night and the kid falls asleep in school?

All of these criteria have a subjective quality, but it is also axiomatic that not all human beings can teach and not all should remain on the payroll. The Shadow does not profess to have the qualifications for making these decisions. But Governor Scott is being advised by Michelle Rees, who negotiated a huge change in the evaluation and tenure provisions in Washington, D.C.  The Shadow wishes him well. But if you can remember the teacher in your life that motivated you in a positive direction that might have influenced your direction in life, you must wish the teachers well also.

The Governor also supports modifying the State’s pension involvement and he wishes to reform the Deferred Retirement Options Plan (DROP). His position is that he will attack the current laws which hinder reasonable negotiations on pensions and putting the negotiation system on a more level playing field as he views it.  Please hope he does not sink to bashing government employees. 

ATTACK ON GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.  WHY NOW?  WHY COUPLED WITH DEMAND FOR PAY CONCESSIONS.  JUST LIKE THE ARIZONA IMMIGRATION BILL IS NOT GOING TO BE ADOPTED HERE, NEITHER SHOULD WISCONSIN BE THE EXAMPLE ON UNION RELATIONS FOR FLORIDA.

What is going on in Wisconsin is a gratuitous attack upon the Unions after they have agreed to the demand for a change in their contribution to their pension and health funds. They folded and agreed to all of the money demands.  So, it is not the need for the money at the State level that is motivating the current effort to curtail union bargaining and cripple the Unions ability to collect its dues. After someone has said “uncle”, you do not kick him in the slats. It is not the American way.

An Op Ed piece in the Wall Street Journal (March 5th, Peggy Noonan) makes it clear that the Unions must learn that they cannot be unreasonable in redressing the current imbalances in their pay, pensions and benefits. If not, she opines, legislation will curtail their activities. Adding punitive provisions for Union bargaining rights to this fiscal bill in Wisconsin was designed as a Union busting effort despite the Unions’ recognizing the validity of what Peggy Noonan said they must do. Now that the issue has been separated from the fiscal demands, there is no question that pressing it now is to punish the Unions. The States of Maryland and Montana claim to have reached the same result through negotiations and not the rancor engendered by the new Governor of Wisconsin. The recently adopted new contract for police in Port Orange shows that locally the unions can be made to agree to significant concessions on all major issues of pay, pensions and benefits.

If the Governor of Wisconsin is correct in arguing that the Union’s will not be reasonable at the local level even though they have acceded to his demands at the State level, he could always propose provisions later that would affect their bargaining rights.  He has the votes. In Wisconsin the Unions having agreed to those changes, are angered because the Governor still demands a pound of flesh in arguing that their access to money should be curtailed. This is viewed by the Unions as designed to prevent them from funding opposition to him in the next election. Not very fair when there is no similar restrictions on your supporters like the Chamber of Commerce and rich industrial billionaires. Governor Walker’s latest end-run makes it clear that his intent has been Union busting and the legislation is now in court over issues of procedural irregularities.

Those who support the action now argue that the Unions deserve to be put down because of their past abuse of the system. This translates to the use by the employee Unions to help elect officials who then are beholden as elected officials to support unreasonable demands for pay, pensions, and benefits. That is not an unreasonable position, but what the Shadow is addressing is that there are many ways to reduce this influence, possibly including not permitting collective bargaining at all, but that is the “nuclear” response.  How these issues should be viewed should not be by force by a new majority, which may or may not be lasting, exercising a tyranny on a minority.

As stated above, and as represented by the Governor of Wisconsin, his demand was redressing a fiscal short fall in the Wisconsin budget, which he achieved. His determination to emasculate his opponents politically has nothing to do with this fiscal goal. That, and its timing, is what the Shadow believes is unfair. Unfortunately, here in New Smyrna Beach, we have two unions that represent police and fire, that have not heard or heeded the message from Wisconsin or Port Orange.

RED LIGHT CAMERAS

The latest effort to support the use of red-light cameras is flawed, the process is frequently subjective, and it is generally used as a massive fund raiser for the local community. It is by no means certain that there is a net savings in lives. What is certain is that most big cities have figured out a way to make a lot of money.

The following two quotes are from a Washington Post article on February 1, 2011, which stated that the use of the cameras saved lives:

“The institute study said there were five fewer deaths at the District's camera-equipped lights over five years. During that same period across the country, 159 fewer people died in the cities that use cameras, the study found. If cameras had been in use in all cities with populations above 200,000, the institute projected that 815 lives would be saved.

The institute used police reports gathered by the federal government to analyze intersection mayhem. The 2.2 million intersection crashes recorded in 2009 made up about 41 percent of all accidents. They resulted in 81,112 serious injuries and 7,358 deaths.”

When you read the statistics, reflect on the fact that over 7,000 of the auto deaths each year are the result of drunk drivers who are unlikely to be aware of whether an intersection has a red light camera. The costs of these cameras becomes a serious  issue of collecting fines and where to spend the taxpayer’s money.  Also remember that there are less miles being driven, and then factor in all the rear end collisions that have increased.

But then again, Washington,D.C., collected $7.2 million in profits off these cameras in 2009.  But, if a lot of motorists contest the tickets in a town like Casselberry, they become a lost money pit.  For additional comments on what is wrong with the red light camera study, see the editorial in the Daytona Beach News Journal on February 11, 2011. The point is that the jury is still out. 

A STATEMENT BY THE SHADOW
The Shadow generally does not edit BLOGS. Very profane comments, even in only first letters,  and attacks accusing anyone of a crime are deleted or reformed even when they are about public officials. Personal attacks upon the publisher that are devoid of content are deleted.  But not always. Not all postings are essays on important subjects. Not all are fully cogent. On the real positive side, there are way more than 100,000 postings over the last few years and many are excellent tip offs as to funny goings on in Mayberry. Many also are excellent essays on relevant topics.  Do our readers a favor and stop attacking the opposing political party as commies or reactionaries.

MEETING NOTICE:
FROM OUR FRIENDS AT VOLUSIA TAX REFORM

John Linder, Author and Congressman, to Join FairTax Town Hall

Daytona Beach, FL:  Embry Riddle Aeronautical University's President's Speakers Series has scheduled its 18th Town Hall with the topic of FairTax, HR25/S13; it is the 61st Town Hall for WNDB AM1150 where the Town Hall will be broadcast live on radio and Internet.  A panel of experts will convene to discuss FairTax, its benefits and its challenges.  The Town Hall is on April 7th at 7:00 pm.

John Linder, retired Congressman from Georgia, will sit on the FairTax Town Hall expert panel.  Mr. Linder was the original sponsor of the FairTax legislation in 1999; he co-authored The FairTax Book and FairTax: The Truth.

Steven Hayes, FairTax National Spokesman and Florida FairTax Educational Association (FFTEA) Board Member, is also part of the panel. Mr. Hayes worked as a tax attorney; he has testified before the House Ways And Means Committee and Jack Kemp's Tax Reform Committee. He has been involved for over 20 years in working to replace the income tax with a national retail sales tax. 

"Tax reform is a huge topic right now," says Marc Bernier, Town Hall moderator, Special Assistant to the President for Government and Community Affairs and host of the Marc Bernier Radio Show on WNDB AM1150 weekdays from 3-6 pm.  "Thanks to Embry Riddle for hosting this FairTax Town Hall allowing for some candid tax talk with nationally known experts.  John Linder used to be a fixture on the Marc Bernier Radio Show and I'm happy to finally have him live in Daytona Beach."

FairTax, HR25/S13 is a bill in Congress with 55 co-sponsors.  The legislation replaces the current income tax system with a consumption tax system.  The FairTax idea has been gaining momentum in grassroots circles and some claim it is the answer to America's economic issues.

The FairTax Town Hall will be held in the Gale Lemerand Auditorium inside the Willie Miller Instructional Center on the campus of Embry Riddle at 7pm on April 7th. www.ERAU.edu  Listen on AM1150 WNDB or online www.WNDB.am

***
Contact

Marc Bernier
Marc@MarcBernierShow.com

Kristina Bouterse
386-986-7215