BCC set millage rate at Last years rate

[Bob Wells]

When it affects the time it takes for someone to show up at your house because you have a medical emergency or fire, or the county road you live on gets washed out because of a natural diaster or you can't get your public records request in a timely manner or get it for free even if its in PDF format because those that manage these department are watching their employees time/ cost, it will matter. As we pay for the increase in indigent care because people are losing there jobs it will cost us more, when we cut services to the neediest in our communities then it will cost us more, so much for compassionate conservative. Wish Larry Jones and Scot Brannon had prevailed, disappointed in Sara Comander, Keneth Pridgen and Celcia Jones.

 

[Bob Wells]

BTW, last year I saved less than $120 dollars on my properties, man I will really be pissed if there are any layoff and I don't save a lot more than that. Sorry County employees its all about my wallet, sucks that some of you will be unemployed. Maybe you can sit out some place and see if your former employers can look you in the eye as they walk by.

Robert these are our friends and neighbors, these are the folks who shop our businesses. your business, these are the kids are kids go to school with. These folks have mortgages and debts they owe that will affect our county because they can no longer pay for them. These are not the ones who are turning their house back over to the bank because they aren't worth as much as they were when they bought them like some are. No these are our neighbors, friends and yes family. Not replacing employees when it is through attrition I have less concern than laying off folks in these times. As for the auto makers there are still layoffs and shut downs and job losses, to think that the bailout saved all those jobs is BS, all it did was prevent approx 3 million auto workers and associated employment from being out of work at one time. It took us a lot longer that the last 140 some odd days to get us in this position and it will take a lot longer to get out of it. We can do more locally than we can nationally or state wide.

 

[wrobert]

When it affects the time it takes for someone to show up at your house because you have a medical emergency or fire, or the county road you live on gets washed out because of a natural diaster or you can't get your public records request in a timely manner or get it for free even if its in PDF format because those that manage these department are watching their employees time/ cost, it will matter. As we pay for the increase in indigent care because people are losing there jobs it will cost us more, when we cut services to the neediest in our communities then it will cost us more, so much for compassionate conservative. Wish Larry Jones and Scot Brannon had prevailed, disappointed in Sara Comander, Keneth Pridgen and Celcia Jones.

You must know something I do not, because I have yet to hear that emergency services were being cut. (But that is the first thing they always tell union supporters to say at union school).

Yes we needed more tax dollars to provide extraordinary benefits to government workers. I agree, it should be perfectly acceptable for government workers to make twice what non-government workers make in a community. And we need more parks, and those need to be lit up at night, with running water and full restroom facilities. And someone has to pay for the guy to ride up and down the bike path at 35/hr to make sure the sprinklers are not getting anyone wet. And where would we be without 44 million dollar high schools to educate 900 students. We have not been able to get half of them to read in the last 8 years so I am sure that was money well spent. And the 500 dollar new Blackberry we bought for the public works employee last Wednesday, then we laid him off on Thursday. And we need to buy more shirts from Land's End and get our logos put on them, those things work really well at keeping the hurricanes away. And everyone needs to go to Washington DC, at least twice a year, or maybe more, so we can get 331 four laned, we have gotten so far over the last five years with that tactic, we do not need to stop now.

Curious though, do you work for the government?

 

[Here4Good]

According to the PowerPoint, they are planning on eliminating 10 positions, out of 595. That's 1.6%.

Some of those appear to be open, unfunded positions.

Please consider how much the BCC budget has grown in the last 5 years before you consider these small cuts as doom and gloom. It's just the reality of the economic situation - we are not only going to have to deal with a reduction in property values, but an increase in unpaid property taxes.

 

[beachFool]

You must know something I do not, because I have yet to hear that emergency services were being cut. (But that is the first thing they always tell union supporters to say at union school).

Yes we needed more tax dollars to provide extraordinary benefits to government workers. I agree, it should be perfectly acceptable for government workers to make twice what non-government workers make in a community. And we need more parks, and those need to be lit up at night, with running water and full restroom facilities. And someone has to pay for the guy to ride up and down the bike path at 35/hr to make sure the sprinklers are not getting anyone wet. And where would we be without 44 million dollar high schools to educate 900 students. We have not been able to get half of them to read in the last 8 years so I am sure that was money well spent. And the 500 dollar new Blackberry we bought for the public works employee last Wednesday, then we laid him off on Thursday. And we need to buy more shirts from Land's End and get our logos put on them, those things work really well at keeping the hurricanes away. And everyone needs to go to Washington DC, at least twice a year, or maybe more, so we can get 331 four laned, we have gotten so far over the last five years with that tactic, we do not need to stop now.

Curious though, do you work for the government?

Can you provide some documentation for your rant

 

[Bob Wells]

Robert, have you not looked at the power point, 2009 they were down 21 postions I think these are 911/ dispatched which were picked up by WCSO and for 2010 they have 3 unfunded and 1 eliminated position. There you go again, when confronted you throw out a what I suppose I am to think is a slam. Proud UNION Member here. First I am opposing all layoff, if they are through attrition and and they are not filling open positions I can't and won't argue, but if they are laying off then it would affect services even more. FYI maybe Robert you should look at the number of folks NFPA says should be on scene to fight a fire. The State of Florida says unless life is endangered you should have a 2 in 2 out rule at a minimum. Talk to Chief Rivers, oh never mind its all about the money. As for my employment, you know I do. I work for 2 departments, one part-time and the other full time. Maybe those things you have mentioned should be those things we cut instead of the folks. I am more than willing to stop improving parks and buying cheaper uniforms, and cutting trips and the such. Didn't you work for the county once? I guess to disagree with you, seems to alway bring an attempt at an attack by you. Sorry that my comments offend you.

Here4Good between 2009 and 2010 my count in positions lost whether thru attrtion, layoff or unfunded is 42.5 positions. I am also unsure how many more positions are going to be eliminated because we will not have the same money as last year. I will admit I am only reading what it says and I could definitiely not be interpeting it the same way you are. Although WCTA did say after the recent vote they would be reviewing the impact, so maybe there are going to be additional cuts to services and personnel.

 

[Bob Wells]

According to the PowerPoint, they are planning on eliminating 10 positions, out of 595. That's 1.6%.

Some of those appear to be open, unfunded positions.

Please consider how much the BCC budget has grown in the last 5 years before you consider these small cuts as doom and gloom. It's just the reality of the economic situation - we are not only going to have to deal with a reduction in property values, but an increase in unpaid property taxes.

Unless the property is not mortgaged, it would seem the Bank would ensure the taxes are paid to prevent the County from selling their property. I would be curious as to how many properties are delinquent and for how long. I think Wrobert brought up something about it in another thread. These small cuts as you call them are peoples lives we are talking about. How much money did you save last year and did it make a tremendous difference in your life?

 

[Here4Good]

Unless the property is not mortgaged, it would seem the Bank would ensure the taxes are paid to prevent the County from selling their property. I would be curious as to how many properties are delinquent and for how long. I think Wrobert brought up something about it in another thread. These small cuts as you call them are peoples lives we are talking about. How much money did you save last year and did it make a tremendous difference in your life?

The property can't be sold for taxes if there is a mortgage. The county sells tax certificates on past due taxes, which basically gives you the right to queue up for your money when the property is sold. This year, the number of tax certs was staggering, and they did not all sell. Check the uncollected property tax numbers that the tax collector can provide - they are very up front about it.

It's not about the money I saved; it's about the prospect of the valuations being even lower next year, and the county needing to be ready for that. It's arrogant for the county to just up the millage, because they can, when they need more money. I KNOW these are people's lives we are talking about. In my very, very small neighborhood, many people lost their jobs last year, others are looking at reduced income because of investment returns, and nobody is better off than they were last year. We are all economizing, some of us severely (I am talking about foregoing health insurance and rehoming their pets, not cutting back on dinners at Caliza).

 

[WCTA]

SWFD Ad Valorm Taxes

1998 $ 1,969,916.00
1999 $ 2,354,274.00
2000 $ 2,655,299.00
2001 $ 3,129,681.00
2002 $ 3,745,893.00
2003 $ 4,576,041.00
2004 $ 5,845,037.00
2005 $ 9,664,162.00
2006 $ 12,387,109.00


Between 1998 and 2006 SWFD

Ad Valorem Taxes Increased By +528.18 %

Population Growth +47.69%

Yes they built new stations upgraded their equipment and improved their employee compensation and benefits and improved their service level.

Between 2004 and 2006 their revenues from ad valorem revenue increase by 119.5%.

No one can sustain those levels of increase in a down economy. During those times the revenues we highly inflated due to the "balloon" in values that were driven by speculation.

The WCTA has never promoted a reduction in the level of service for Emergency Services, just a containment of costs for recurring expenses. We reminded those who grew the recurring expenses in proportion to the growth in revenues that it would one day end. That day has arrived.
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[Here4Good]

As of the end of May, the Tax Collector was reporting 8.8% of the 2008 property taxes are still unpaid.