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                                        AUGUST 30. 2010
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1. HIGH MILEAGE RATE IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH

It is a myth that the mileage rate in New Smyrna Beach is low. It collects more money to provide services than it needs—and then spends the money poorly. We have addressed many times that extra unneeded tax money is spent unwisely. It does not appear that the budget this year will follow the Budget Task Force recommendations.

Our taxes are not low. Our taxes in New Smyrna Beach appear low, but are in fact some of the highest in the State when adjustment are made for the huge property base. Compare Edgewater with its non existent beachfront condos, with Beachside.   New Smyrna Beach has miles of glorious beaches.  Nor does Edgewater have Flagler Avenue. Luckily it does not have Canal Street.

Assume that the same amount of tax money is needed to provide similar public services in each of the two towns. Let us assume they each need $10,000,000 for fire police, and general public services. The square miles of the Cities are about the same as is the population; the public service needs should be similar.  The comparison is striking to any golfer teeing off after paying market rates for the right to do so.  Steve Edwards  THE SHADOW RESPONDS:
1. At the outset, the Shadow does not believe that anyone really thinks golfers at the Municipal Golf Course, including you, are paying market rates to play.  Membership in the golf course is far below the market rate. The Shadow estimates that a full $4,000 membership with cart is at least $10,500 below market if a member plays only half of the tee times that he or she is entitled to play---i.e. 365 plays at the best tee times. Yes, the other golf courses have the same fees for non members because the unfair competition of the City’s heavily subsidized course has driven the rates down.  (MORE)

BLOG
Date:  8/26/2010, 7:57 am
Name:  To Semper  Fidelis

Obviously you got hit on the head with one of the trash can covers at PI and never recovered after joining the NSPD. You are paying a higher millage rate on lower valued property; if you paid the same millage rate as last year on decreased value you would not be getting a tax increase. It is the value you are paying on not the dollar amount that indicate a raise in taxes. Beside, if you live in NSB you are further throwing money down a black hole of foolish and incoherent spending that keeps asking for more for their friends and employees. Oh but then I forgot you are an employee.
Have a nice day while you still can because the spending spree will be over shortly.

Date:  8/28/2010, 9:21 am
Name:  To 554

Nice work trying to get Judy out from under. The Angler gentlemen reference had nothing to do with sex; it had all to do with the backing she got from the Anglers in her election (some say forced contributions at the Club meetings and who knows where else) and she has consitently supported them in every vote and word uttered at the commission since last fall as opposed to voting on behalf of the taxpayer and forcing them to pay a market value rent on the property.

Oh I know you will come back that they have a lease; well the only written opinion available (Gummy refuses tosays that the lease is not valid. A simple declaratory judgement action will resolve that, but no Judy votes against that also as she must protect her Angler friends.

As to the MDC, she said last fall that the Fish Farm was a "neat idea" or something close to that when she voted to dump 130,000 dollars of taxpayer money(my money) into the Fish Farm farce, knowing full well it would cost city employee jobs and taxpayers a tax increase; all for her small segment, special interest, MDC supporters. She may not have been there in the beginning, but she is sure there now and there with my money,plus she wants more.

Then you can add to that canal dredging fiasco wher she jumped right in again for both the MDC and her Anglers friend that live on the canal. That has now gone to assessments where it should have in the first place (the county wisely told the City no money available); no taxpayer money should have been spent whatsoever, but then we must pay our political debts, must we.

Yes, Jack is a long time MDC and Angler supporter and yes he is dangerous because he is very limited in thought process; only sees politics and his free health insurance benefits. He is tight; check out the dump he lives in and you will agree.

The main point however  is that the MDC and Anglers need to be stopped from further theft of taxpayer money and Judy, along with Jack, stand in the way. The sad part is she promised she would do the opposite and save money and reduce taxes; did not take her long to forget her promises. Or is it Guy? Who knows.

Date:  8/28/2010, 10:52 am
Name:  MDC Scammers

Fish Farce project is a clear attempt to operate a shell game with tax money. There is nothing simplistic about this proposal. It is 120 pages of in-depth misdirection. Accounting and details require tremendous effort to compare. One part says they are raising fish for lagoon another says all this is to bring fish to the Gulf of Mexico. One conversation is about a "demonstration" hatchery and other parts act as if it is a real hatchery. They talk about billion dollar fishing industry and fail to take out offshore fishing revenue. A lure for offshore can cost $60.00 and a lure for red fishing costs $1.29. Their documentation is a nightmare on purpose. It is a ton of money and some pretty skilled shysters are involved.
NOTES

1.  BAD BONDS FOR MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES
There is at least one golf course that was built with public money that is worse than the one we own. The August 17, 2010, edition of the Wall Street Journal  (Section C) speaks to the City of Buena Vista, Virginia, borrowing $9.5 million to redo its golf course and mortgaging both its City Hall and its police station. Having not paid the interest due, both are in danger of being taken by the bank. The golf course has run in the red every year but one, and the City cannot make its current payments. Does this sound familiar ? See Also ABC news article (Google--Buena Vista , Virginia, newspapers) that says that golf course was recently appraised at $950,000. The Shadow wonders what the municipal golf course here would fetch in The current market.

Two weeks ago we asked for the “membership” list from our municipal course. They are on a computer but we still do not have the list.

2. THE BLOG
More problems for the BLOG.  Bloggers, please stop the personal abuse. You may criticize elected and public officials for their performance.  It is OK to say that an elected official or public official is not doing his or her job. It is another to say that they take bribes. When the Shadow says that a Commissioner has been “bought” by promises made to his or her constituents it is not the same as saying or implying that a little guy with a broken nose showed up at three in the morning at the front door with a little brown bag filled with green ones. Political “looting” and favoritism is OK to criticize, but saying money changed hands is not. Certain personages in town may like alcoholic beverages more than others, but saying they are crooks because they may drink more than you is not fair.

Last, we do not dislike some of the people we believe who have their priorities screwed up. For example, the Shadow does not personally dislike the City Manager. We think she is bright and capable, just not working for the taxpayer and that the position is overpaid in a bad economy. The same goes for overpaid employees at the Utilities Commission and Bert Fish. The Shadow publishes what we think they do wrong in the public arena, including pay scales that make no sense. The Shadow does not care and will not publish what they do when they go home. If the Shadow seems shrill it is because the business as usual approach is that a small few cronies continue to rip off most of the taxpayers and change has been slow.
 
Last, could we keep National politics off the BLOG? Post on Huffington or Slate.
1. LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS: FROM VOLUSIA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS

(LINK TO AND SCAN THE RESULTS FOR THE RACES THAT INTEREST YOU)

2. THE ANGLER’S YACHT CLUB TRIM ANALYSIS—ASSESSMENT IS UP FOR 2010
While your property assessments tanked in New Smyrna Beach (15% to 24%) depending on the neighborhood, the Angler’s club property increased in value to  $1.371 million on the Trim Tax notice.  Add 15% (property is assessed at 85% of real value) so it comes in at about $1.5 million. This was the bunch that negotiated with the City Attorney and City Manager to “buy” the property for about $700,000 with the City holding a mortgage at a low interest rates. The deal looked illegal and we figure the Attorney would not put in writing that it was legal. It also stunk. And all five of them now it.

3. THE WATER TAXI
The City we hope will save another $84,000 by not paying a “management” fee to run a failing business funded by a Federal grant of tax money. It might even get its money back on the sale of the boats.
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,
When it comes to health benefits you are no different than any other City employee. I think of you as that when I hear comments that we should force employees to contribute like most public and private plans. I do not plan to change anything and will protect the elected officials $12,000 policies just like I defend mine.  PAM.

MORE TAXES TO PAY FOR SALARIES, PENSIONS AND BENEFITS FOR CITY EMPLOYEES—A SCHEME TO GRAB A BIGGER TAX BASE

The City Manager of New Smyrna Beach is planning to submit a proposal that sounds in  blackmail of the unincorporated areas served by the New Smyrna Beach. Her plan is to force property owners to annex into the City so she can avoid cutting pay, pensions, and benefits for her privileged City employees. That includes the five elected officials, all of whom not only receive a salary but each of whom receives $12,000 in health benefits.

They spend, spend, and spend some more of the taxpayers money for employees pay and have done nothing to cut the privileged pay. The taxes from Silver Sands and Bethune Beach alone, for example, would bail her out so she can keep paying all of the fire department’s $100,000 retirees. We figure there are least 11 of them on the payroll for over $100,000 in cost to the City in salary, pension and benefits and they are also under the DROP program—collecting a pension and a $60,000 plus paycheck at the same time at the expense of the taxpayer. It is like going through Publix and being required to pay for the milk twice.   And she gets to pay the City Attorney’s over $6000 annual pay raise. He gets that under his contract on October 1, 2010.  His salary alone is going to be about $220,000 plus.

Go, Pam, go. The price will be paid by the City and County elected officials when a couple thousand irate taxpayers vote to throw them out if they let this blackmail type proposal occur. Taxpayers should call and write all of them and tell them how much you like this blackmail approach.

Oh by the way, when the County agreed to the Utilities Commission’s expansion, they agreed we are told that they would not charge owners in the unincorporated area more than the City property owners.  Mr. Eckerd who is the County attorney we are sure will find this document.

Subsequent to drafting this article, the Shadow’s observation and understanding is that the City Commission does not necessarily support her efforts in this regard.