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                              November 1, 2010
YOU ARE NUMBER:
THERE IS AN 800 POUND GORILLA IN THE LOCAL ELECTIONS IN VOLUSIA COUNTY FOR COUNTY COUNCIL POSITIONS--- UNION (IAFF). THE SHADOW HAS REFRAINED FROM TAKING A DIRECT VOTE ENDORSEMENT IN ELECTIONS IN THE PAST, BUT THE ISSUES THAT WILL BE TAKEN UP BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL THE NEXT FEW YEARS WILL BE ON PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES CONCERNING FIRE DEPARTMENTS. THE ISSUES INCLUDE STAFFING AND CONSOLIDATION, AMBULANCES SERVICE, PENSION PAY, AND BENEFITS.
THESE ISSUES SHOULD NOT BE WEIGHTED DOWN BY OFFICALS ELECTED AND BEHOLDEN TO THE UNION. NEITHER JOIE ALEXANDER (District 3) NOR MARGIE PATCHETT (AT LARGE) ARE IN THE POCKET OF THE UNION. THEIR ELECTION IS THE ONLY ASSURANCE THAT THESE ISSUES WILL BE ADDRESSED WITH THE TAXPAYERS INTEREST IN MIND AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. THE UNION HAS WORKED OVERTIME AND SPENT A FORTUNE IN TIME AND MONEY TO ELECT THEIR OPPONENTS. ELECT JOIE AND MARGIE IF YOU EXPECT THE LARGEST TAX ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED IN YOUR INTERESTS. THEY MAY NOT BE PERFECT, BUT THEIR OPPONENTS ARE FIRE DEPARTMENT UNION ALL THE WAY.

VOTE: PLEASE VOTE; VOTE TOMORROW: YOUR VOTE COUNTS: VOTE, VOTE, VOTE CUDOS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ALREADY VOTED.
1. FROM THE BLOG: REPRINT OF AN ARTICLE IN THE DAYTONA BEACH NEWS
Attached as a LINK is an article from the Daytona Beach News Journal that lays out like cold sliced turkey the unaffordable pension issue promoted by the local fire department unions. We were unable to request the Journal’s permission to reprint this article on the front page, but invite you to either read it in the Journal or the link.

2. THE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT REDUCTION IN PERSONNEL, A MOVING TARGET?
This year’s County budget provided for a reduction in 35 fire department union personnel through a reduction in staffing of two to a shift in 19 stations and the creation of 4 hubs. The County Management anticipated that there could be a requirement for as many as 23 fire fighters and the plan adopted was to retrain any surplus personnel on the County payroll as correction officers. The County Council we were told approved this plan. Over the year this plan apparently changed to only a reduction of 27 because the decision was made to create 2 more hubs. OK.
BLOGS
Date:  10/28/2010, 4:56 PM
Name:  Speaking of thieves

Steve Dennis our Downtown Clown was reappointed to CRA. The guy who got fired, and left the Chamber $20,000 in debt. The guy who has had his hand in every, good-ole-boy project in town. The guy who Boob Loot gave a mystery job at the nearly defunct Observer to stay in CRA eligibility ruling. He was reappointed by city commission. How does that smell?
 
Date:  10/28/2010, 4:53 PM
Name:  Waddler

Proposal from Karen Clancy to the waddler asked for $15,000 to go to surf contest - she said, she thought she would generate 5 that's FIVE room nights and those idiots gave her $5000. Do the math - consolidation sounds smart doesn't it? Boyd and the board are thieves.

Date:  10/24/2010, 12:44 PM
             OMG

Not overcharging someone, is not reimbursing them. You people against growth are so economically ignorant. All impact fees should be abolished. There is NO impact from growth. Every project and structure built, contributes to the tax base forever. They pay utilities forever. They pay for roads forever. In the case of a hotel, it has a very strong likelihood it will contribute to the business community forever and it will provide jobs forever. That's the impact of growth. Eternal benefit & community income. Impact fees are specious taxes put up by pirate politicians and their big spending minions (school board). Parks and squirrel farms on every corner are eternal drags on a community. Esther Street is the perfect example. Millions spent to park 43 cars for people too cheap to pay a beach toll.
NOTES
1. WHY DO THEY KEEP SMOKING POT: WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR CITY COMMISSIONERS?
The defrocked and dismissed former executive director of the Chamber of Commerce lives in Edgewater and his only tie now to New Smyrna Beach appears to be as some kind of funky employee of the Observer. That tie is ill defined and it is highly questionable as to whether that should be sufficient to say he works in the CRA district. The city commission continues the same old appointments of has-beens to the CRA in particular appointing Steve Dennis who was discarded for good reason from the Chamber. The Chamber is in the hole for at least $20,000 and he is reappointed to a board that that manages City tax money.

As stated above, his claim to the appointment slot is some tenuous relation with the Observer. Seen an Observer lately with the ad to take a taxi ride to Ponce Inlet on a boat that no longer exists? Then there is the appointment of a real estate agent whose license was lodged with a broker who has retired. The Shadow is told he never closed a sale. How about a couple of executives like Jack Housely or Dennis Higgenbottom who were appointed by these Commissioners to the Budget Task Force.

Steve Dennis claim to this position is partly that he has been there for 21 years. Remember the Housing Authority lady who was there for 49 years. Not necessarily a good qualification.

2. WHAT DO BOAT RAMP USERS BUY IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH
Not much. A wag suggested that boat ramp users from outside a municipality (meaning probably Orlando) primarily buy only ice and live bait from local vendors. They may buy fuel if they forget to top off at home where it costs less. Their boats are more likely stocked with food and fuel at home. Maybe they buy a Big Mac on the way into town. That is why the fast food places are on the in-bound side of SR 44. When they pull their boats out in the evening they are heading home.  The Shadow has not noticed a large number of restaurants on the North Causeway, they burned downed years ago.  We hear that it has been suggested to Edgewater that it consider improving its boat ramps and putting in a gas and diesel dock. It might even be true that Steve Dennis has applied for job there to pump gas, but is he qualified?
1. ENDORSEMENT OF THE ORLANDO SENTINEL ON AMENDMENTS
The Orlando Sentinel on Saturday October 23, 2010 published its recommendations for the Amendments on the ballot:
A. Vote “no” on amendments 1 and 4; UNLESS YOU WANT TO VOTE ON EVERY CHANGE TO THE COMP PLAN!
B. Vote “yes” on amendments 2, 5 and 6, and 8;
C. Vote “no” on “Balanced budget referendum”. UNLESS YOU WANT TO RESTRICT THE SCHOOL BOARD’S ABILITY TO REEGULATE CLASS SIZE!

PLEASE VOTE TOMORROW!

2. ADVERTISING MONEY FOR HOLIDAY CANDY
Every child should feel wanted on every holiday, including Halloween. The problem is that bed tax money is collected to bring tourists to town and Community Redevelopment money is to create better infra-structure for a designated area. The money is not well spent when it is given for a party for locals no matter how wonderful the gesture.
3. BERT FISH AND YOUR MONEY
While the City of New Smyrna Beach was racking up a tax increase of 6%+, the Bert Fish Board was trying to validate its prior failure to discuss how it was going to give the purchaser of its assets a 23 year hook into what could be a tax robbery for more than the City and the County take on property taxes.  These discussions by the same board that held 21 secret meetings should not occur.  We need a new board that is not tainted by its lame statement that some lawyer in Orlando told them that it was OK to exclude the public and not abide by the sunshine law.  They apparently schemed to give a private for profit organization the right to profit from indigent care money.  Why not abolish the tax if a private organization is going to pocket the money?
DEAR PAM
As we have stated in the past, we realize that various City officials have limited resources available for pursuing cost reduction projects, so we have decided to help them out and provide draft letters for review. As we have said, this will free them up for important things, like dealing with all the serious problems of the police and fire department pensions.

Dear Mayor Barringer,
Gummey does not work for me.  He works for you. As you know, he is required to submit a litigation report to you and tell the Finance Director how much we might have to put in a special permit fund if (when) he loses the Homebuilder's case?  He never did tell us what it would cost when he lost the Bill of Rights case.  Would you please direct him to submit this report so I can cover my posterior!

PAM