IF YOU HAVE CORRECTIONS, OTHER ADVICE, OR WISH TO CONTACT US, PLEASE EMAIL THE WEBMASTER AT nsbshadowteam@gmail.com Published Weekly, Direct from the Web. Look to Us for the Latest Intrigues and Tell Your Friends About Us!
Thank you, enjoy your visit and come back ya' heah.
October 24, 2011
DEAR PAM
We realize that you have limited resources available for pursuing cost reduction projects, so we have decided to help you with draft letters. This will free you up for important things, like dealing with all the serious problems of the police and fire department pensions. Hope this helps you formulate your position to the Mayor.
NOTES
1. SO WHAT IS NEW ABOUT SALLY WANTING PUBLIC MONEY—NOTHING-SAME OLD STORY
Sally is at it again. She has concocted another scheme that depends on tax money. Worse it is another scheme which dilutes the current subsidy for the artist community, Artist Workshop, Atlantic Center for the Arts, Harris House, etc.
It is even more awful that she seeks money for a perfectly good building on Canal. It is like the money they wasted on Heath’s and That’s Amore. Oh you remember that grant to a CRA Board member and where the Barringer Company was hired without a completive bid. Legal but it smells like a pig farm.
2. IS BARRINGER CONSTRUCTION GETTING CRA FUNDS?
Yup. The Shadow does not cotton up to a deal where the Mayor’s friend is appointed to the CRA board, the CRA Board then grants the friend $20,000, and then the Mayor’s friend hires (Mayor) Barringer Construction a no-bid contract. But then the Mayor did abstain from the vote at the Commission - BIG DEAL AND A NO BRAINER WHEN THE DEALIS ALREADY SEALED
Mayor Barringer:
The reorganization is under way. Rather than just give pink slips, I will buy out our friends and everyone will be happy. I am still waiting for my raise over here in Ponce Inlet. I won't tell Bob Tolley.
PAM
1 MONEY TO SPEND ON OUR SELVES
The officials, elected and otherwise, view tax money as their own to spend on their friends. The Shadow calls it theft and grifting, but they see nothing wrong with it. That is the underlying problem. It will only be cured in an election where at least one Commissioner elected cares a about the taxpayer .
2. DISRESPECT
The best that can be said about the determination of the SVAA board is that its chairman has a tin ear, and, given that the County Council has taken over supervision of the kindergarten, you lay low. Nope, when you are David Kosmas, you are arrogant and put a sharp stick in their eye. The Shadow believes that David Kosmas should be removed for this arrogance he displayed.
Thanks for Stopping By and You Are Visitor Number:
102411 -
The Shadow Runs Best Under Internet Explorer.
Date: 
10/20/2011, 7:59 AM
10/20/2011, 7:59 AMName: Living in Orlando
Live in Orlando. Own some real estate in NSB. Can't vote in NSB. Check this site a couple of times a week to see what's up.
Based on what I hear from family friends, nothing seems to change in NSB.
Central Florida grows and adds resources and opportunities - employs more people, generates taxes from a larger tax base - NSB doesn't, just jacks up the millage rate. This has gone on for over 50-years.
But its no wonder. City "leaders", elected, hired and appointed are historically goobers and runaways.
Former Mayor Vandergraft made being Mayor his profession, selling away NSB's future putting dollars in his pocket destroying the City's potential (and destroying any legacy e might have had).
Former Mayor Sally was a known hippie chick past her prime - based on her historic wandering through life, liberal mindset and personal recreational practices, NSB shouldn't have been surprised that she deceived the citizens making a special deal with Anglers while hobbling growth (What happened to Save the Charm). Sally took NSB backwards.
Now, NSB has Mayor Adam (Boy Mayor), a transplanted dude (family is from New York) on the run from his past, and trying to make HIS future work in NSB, including extending his term in office. This dude hasn't kept a single promise to the taxpayer. But he sure has helped out his special interests while setting NSB back another decade.
You voters keep making the same stupid mistake.
BLOGS: 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. The Shadow does edit for spelling.
BULLETIN: NSB SHADOW publishes new page with editorials and commentary from our friends at NSB-911. Click HERE to go directly to their page. NSB-911 is a group of NSB taxpayers and citizens that have banded together to make the rest of the NSB population knowledgeable about their government's actions and inactions regarding the use of taxpayer money. We look forward to their contributions to the Shadow in the future. See the latest BELOW.
The County also requested its Personnel office to vet the proposed appointment process. And Well this Board does not seem to care that what they do continues to hit the proverbial fan. They voted their favorite $71,000 without posting and without waiting for waiting for the County review. To the best of our knowledge there was no application at this time either. Based on the recent News Journal article, it appears that the County Manager has demanded that she submit an application and undergo background and credit checks required of all count employees.
The Shadow says post it at $52,000. Tell the current would be appointee that when you remove an unneeded employee you do not add that salary to your own pay scale. Stop playing the “friend of the Mayor” game. He might not be all that popular in either Deland or Tallahassee after they review the Hampton Inn fiasco.
From day one the Shadow has figured that if the job was posted qualified applicants would line up around the block and many would take the job for the minimum salary, especially given the part-time nature of it. We do credit Kelly DeSoto with voting against this grab at the taxpayer’s money and note that he was not at the workshop where they voted her the $85,000 The condo and hotel renters that fund this operation should be storming the doors demanding a refund and a new board. The Shadow agrees.
We will print a list of the board members when we receive an updated list from the County.
2. ONE OF OUR BLOGGERS HAS ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE WELL AND WE REPRINT HIS COMMENTS BELOW:
Flashback to some 5 years ago. NSB hires John Yancey as the new golf course manager.
No job post, employment application, selection of other candidates or hiring process other than a city manager deems this is the person to be hired. After being on the job this hire's salary is reduced and an employment application appears.
[NOTE FROM THE SHADOW: John Yancey was originally hired at $80,000 a year. After it became public, the Commission cut it "back" to $67,000. The maximum in the City's range for the position is in the $50's. What does he or his wife have on the City Commissioners they do not want disclosed?]
Flash forward to now. Ad manager resigns. A county manager decides a board member is the only candidate for the job. Candidate hired at inflated salary. No job post, employment application, selection of other candidates or hiring process other than a county manager deems this is the person to be hired. After being on the job this hire's salary is reduced. Only this time salary reduced twice and an employment application appears.
What difference does it make to have reasonable hiring practices in place and only use them when it is convenient? After all it's only a job. If you are one of the unemployed as dealt by the economy it makes a huge difference. The amount of chances the unemployed get are limited by business opportunities provided. Especially when the job is a six figured compensation and is in the public service sector.
Why would any manager limit themselves to hire a single choice candidate (candidate referring to the already hired person who was never just a candidate)? Comparison of actual qualified persons could cloud the water. Why would a manager offer structured candidate salary and perks (then reduced) without considering education, past employment recommendation, work history and previous salary compensation? A manager that disregards hiring practices and offers salary compensation greater than necessary (twice) sends red flags flying. As an elected official, being a steward of tax fund expenditures is basic job principle. Does this manager have the common good of the tax payer at heart? How did this manager know this candidate is the best choice for the reasonable salary package?
This hiring is like the tip of an iceberg. You know the ship will be struck, you just do not know what kind of damage it is going to take. We have elections coming upon us. Remember this decision and ask yourself why should you vote for anyone making this kind of choice. Remember also that there are other candidates running that did not speak up, which may mean that they are in support of this hiring and may not be who you want spending your tax money. The life you lead are the decisions you make. The vote you cast according to how satisfied you are with who works for our government and what support they provide the taxpayers.
3. THE MAYOR GAVE A SPEECH AT THE WRONG POLITICAL CLUB LUNCH.
Of course if the purpose is to make a mockery of the Republican idea of cutting spending he got it right. This club is made up of RINOS—Republicans In Name Only. Were there no Florida Tax Party operatives there? They share the same goals as the national party. Did anyone ask the tax and spend Mayor how he has the effrontery to take credit for throwing away their money on special interest groups that return nothing to the City? Maybe we need an Occupy Wall Street sit in!!
Now come to think of it, the Tea Party stands for cutting back spending. But so should the Chamber of Commerce and nobody sees them at Commission meetings where it might count. But maybe our local chamber does not share the same goals. Worse, it appears that the Chamber is nothing more than a division of the city. Call it for what it is. It does not act like a business, it lives free at the taxpayer expense, and is in bed with those who tax and spend your money. Apparently it is taking big money again from the advertising bunch and the CRA. Does anything in New Smyrna Beach work correctly/ We think not!
4. NSB-911 SENT THE SHADOW ANOTHER ARTICLE FROM ED CONNER WHICH WAS AN EDITORIAL FROM A FEW YEARS BACK. WE PRINT IT HERE AS IT IS STILL RELEVANT:
Community Voices
Dear Sirs,
Every time I read an editorial denigrating attempts to reform the inequitable property tax system, I feel grateful the editorial staff of the News-Journal is not in charge of the Florida economy.
I guess I qualify as one of the "Tax-policy radicals" referred to in the opening statement of the 4/28 editorial. My "radical" hopes are that the benefits of consumption taxes will become apparent once we start to weed out the flawed public policy of the property tax. Before addressing the editorials fallacies point by point, a little perspective:
Robin Hood taxes such as the property tax and the income tax are flawed in that these redistributions policies simply don't work. After over sixty years of applying these socialist principles to our society we still have large inordinate gaps between rich and poor even with the top one percent of income earners paying 40% of the total tax revenue.
Rich people own things like apartment buildings, productive companies, and other fixed assets. When you continue to wage class war on their assets, they do one of two things. They pass the costs on to the middle and lower class by raising rents and costs of products until their assets become uncompetitive. At that point they move their assets out of the country as so many have already done.
Property taxes threaten our basic right to own our property by confiscation if we don't pay the "ransom". As public policy property taxes don't meet any of the basic criteria of sustainability. They aren't fair, they aren't visible and they certainly aren't simple.
If Robin Hood taxes actually worked wouldn't there be some evidence of it by now?
Now to the specific objections to the proposed tax swap:
Fallacy No 1: True, there is a gap between the proposed relief and the added revenue gained by the one cent sales tax increase. Even if we avoided taking on the powerful tax exempted lobbies by making the increase two or three cents, we would still not have the highest tax burden in the country. Several states have sales taxes higher than ours now in addition to a state income tax.
Progressivity in the property tax system is not a feature to be envied when it reaches the level where the tax affects the value of the property negatively by removing buyers from the market. Portability as provided by Amendment One does little good if there are no buyers for your property.
Fallacy No 2 proclaims the instability of sales tax revenue. Records show that sales tax revenues both in Florida and nationally have risen every year since the Great Depression in 1930. Even in a slow growth environment Americans buy things.
Fallacy No 3 suggests a higher sales tax or a tax on services would discourage economic activity not enhance it. I submit that few people ever make a decision to avoid visiting Disney World because they have to pay a bed tax in Orlando. On the other hand the approaching retirement wave of boomers is unquestionably making decisions on where they can afford to retire based on the tax burden of their target state. Florida is falling off the radar of many of these folks due to the inordinate tax and insurance burden.
When the Taxpayer Bill of Rights ( Tabor) Amendment passed in Colorado in 1994, the state experienced Per Capita Income Growth, revenue growth, revenue and population growth and unprecedented business prosperity until the attacks of 9/11 decimated the tourist economy on the cusp of the winter ski season of 01/02.
The tax base wants some degree of comfort in projecting future costs. They won't get it in Florida right now. Nationally property tax revenues climbed 62% from 2000-07. Two and a half times faster than per capita income. Florida, along with Arizona, Nevada, Indiana and Georgia are facing property tax revolts right now due to tax burdens that are chasing retirees to other states like Tennessee and the Carolinas.
Taxes are necessary. The manner in which they are applied is discretionary. Lets use our heads.
Ed Connor
Ormond Beach,FL
econnor@cfl.rr.com
1.SVAA DOES IT AGAIN; ARE THEY EVEN LISTENING TO THE COMPLAINTS?
Well the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority Board has done it again. Not post a three day a week part time job as director, then appointed a friend with good connections and offer to pay her an exorbitant salary and great healthcare benefits, given her minimum qualifications. When they thought no one was looking they set her salary level at $110,00. Well the County Council thought that was outrageous, and requested that the County personnel office give some direction. It did and gave a range starting at $58,000 and topping out at $93,000 for a qualified applicant. To make things worse, County personnel policy requires that all positions be posted and applicants submit an application. The board did not care and at a workshop gave her a salary of $85,000----not an action they could even take at a workshop, where no actions requiring a vote can be taken. That did not even come close to meeting the smell test for a part time job.
Date: 10/20/2011, 6:51 PM
10/20/2011, 6:51 PMName: Questions
Tomorrow will mark seven (7) weeks since anyone worked at the Hotel on Flagler site. When is someone from the city or the CRA coming forth with the truth about what is going on? If they were allowed to close without proof of 100% financing who will have to pay the price? Gummy? Hall? Otte? The mayor should have to get to the bottom of this now. Remember when he granted the first extension and said he didn't want egg on his face if they had to come back? They came back got a second extension that the mayor voted for. Where is the egg? Here's hoping it hasn't turned to s_ _ _!
Date: 10/21/2011, 8:40 PM
10/21/2011, 8:40 PMName: SpongeTruth
People are just wanting to know the truth about the situation [The Hotel on Flagler]. The way the process happened, it sure seems like things were being hidden from the public and deals were done under the table. Not one of our elected officials could give an honest answer for all the questions that were asked or give any written proof of the transactions. They just past the buck! Were all the PROPER procedures followed according to the State rules?
