Property Tax Reform: Will It Kill Local Government Services?
The Property Tax Reform Legislation recently enacted by our State legislature has created much debate. Additionally, the more impactful Constitutional Amendment (to be voted on by all of us in January 2008) substantially increasing the Homestead Exemptions is also a hot topic.
The Tax Reform efforts have placed local governments and our Tallahassee State government (i.e., Governor, legislators, etc.) in conflict. State government telling the local government you have to cut back, and local government retorting they will have to cut many essential services to do so. Importantly, many taxpayers are saying the legislation is inadequate in the savings provided to property owners.
Our county government, for example, will need to initially cut back spending by about 7% to comply with recently adopted spending caps via the legislation. The real problem comes on requiring more substantial local spending reductions in future years to comply with the Constitutional Amendment, should it pass in January.
We would like to hear from you. Is the legislature going in the right direction (or not far enough) or is it forcing local government to cut too deeply? Are we seeing political posturing by the legislature and/or some “crying wolf” at the local levels?
The Tax Reform legislation is complex. Here is a link to give you a relatively easy to understand summary of what has been enacted:
http://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPublic/id:5543.628249069/rid:0fd35931699c494784390035a997db3b
posted by Blog Master @ 9:01 PM
84 Comments:
I'll vote for the amendment for two reasons: 1. it saves me money on my property taxes if I sell my house and get a smaller one 2. it put pressure on city and county government to work on consolidation of services. That will be about the only way they can survive.
Voice of Reason says........
7% reduction is not enough. I will start tomorrow looking at what the local govt. spends our money on and give suggestions as to how they can cut back more.
I drive by the dump a lot - there is a pipe that releases natural gas that comes from the decomposing waste - the pipe puts out a huge amount of clean fuel 24/7. (More gas than in Steve Lemming and Ron Awful's school board seat foam.) Many local governments either pipe or bottle that fuel and sell it for energy. Why is that energy going up in flames?
Does anyone know about Sheriff Dean spending $350,000 to get some award for the Sheriff's Department?
Locals need to insist that the local govts. cut back pork and necessary services wouldn't suffer at all.
VoR
Gun Nutt says...
Local governments are always wasting money on things like "midnight basketball" to keep "at risk kids" out of trouble. The funny thing is they seem to think it takes a lot of money to accomplish this. All it really takes is a couple of hoops (which every city already has) and a basketball (which the kids already have). Stop spending our money like beverly hills brats at Christmas time with their daddys super duper gold credit card.
Watch the local governments around the State spend the taxpayers money to try to defeat the Constit. Amend. These guys are sweating that their Taj Mahal spending and life styles are going to be found out. I'm voting for the Amend. No matter what the local govt. types say.
Voice of Reason says......
Very good points!!
Here's how it works: the county administrator or school superintendent requests money (taxpayers') to go to some conference in San Francisco. While there, he/she sits through "workshops" where other administrators say, "this is how we were able to get more revenues - a half pennies for schools vote." And then another one gets up, "well we were able to raise more revenues by saying that our children would not get a nutritious and delicious school lunch." And, "Our district administrators all received a well-deserved 10% raise this year - something we all fought real hard for."
The administrators come back from their taxpayers' funded junked well armed to propose new ways to "raise much needed revenues."
VoR
If it kills local government, the sooner the better!
Governor Charlie has pulled the rug right out from under all those whining local government folks who criticized the state for picking on local budgets and not looking at its own. Charlie has ordered a 4% reduction in the spending for all state departments and ask each agency to have a backup plan to take out 10%. No more bitching from the locals. Way to go Charlie!
Do I dare bring up again the need for Zero Based Budgeting [ZBB] which the county ignored. instead permitting an increase in department budgets of 5%.
The arrogant attitude of General Howard who suggested that library services be cut,insults citizen intelligence.
Broward County recently enacted ZBB and will end up with a very substantial decrease which I think wll amount to at least 7% and closer to 10% in my opinion.
The excessive taxes collected by the over valued appraisel of real estate has been taken for granted .
The euphoric attitude that the good times will roll on forever and denial that they won't permeates county government.
The bullying scare tactics of General Howard is brought to heal, better yet replaced by a realist.
Clayton Ellsworth
The bullying scare tactics by General Howard will continue unless he is brought to heal or better yet replaced by a realist.
Sorry for not editing.
Clayton Ellsworth
county can save $150k or more by not replacing the gal the general brought from s florida as his assistant. county gov has gotten way bigger and no problems solved since he came here. nice guy but no clue how to solve anything and his dept heads aren't as effective as the colonels he managed in marine corps when he was city mgr at camp lejune.
Here are some informative sections from an editorial in today’s Wall Street Journal:
“Florida Tax Revolt”
{Florida family incomes have risen by a healthy 37% since 2001, but average property tax bills have climbed by 83%. In some communities, such as Boynton Beach, average property tax bills have tripled in seven years. For the first time in many years, more American homeowners packed up and left Florida than arrived in 2006.
A January 2008 ballot referendum must be approved by the voters. And already the liberal interests that feast on local spending---government employee unions, contractors and local politicians---are predicting Armageddon for schools and city services if the tax cuts are enacted. House Speaker Marco Rubio, who has led the charge for property tax relief, says local governments have already spent $24 million of taxpayer money to lobby against the initiative. With many municipal budgets having doubled in size over the past eight years, many Floridians are unimpressed with these sudden exclamations of empty city wallets.
The property tax fight in Florida is just heating up. That’s also true in at least a dozen other states. The American dream of homeownership is under assault from the local tax collector. This may be the real source of middle-class economic anxiety—and don’t be surprised if it becomes one of the sleeper political issues of 2008.}
Agree, it will be a big issue with any local politician trying to get elected in 2008.
This week I saw an article that may demonstrate why government gets into budget problems. Our good friend Bobby D is trying to convince the county, with the help of a Belleview city commissioner (not his wife), to invest nearly a million dollars to renovate a baseball field at the Belleview Sportsplex to bring it up to standard for a minor league baseball team Bobby is bringing to Belleview.
I hope someone is smart enough to look at the economics on the deal. I don’t see how in blue blazes a project like this one could have any payout for the taxpayers! Bobby’s team will play at Belleview H.S. until such time as a better location can be arranged. I admire Bobby’s efforts to help up and coming baseball professionals, but I’m not sure taxpayer money should be used for it.
Wow this thread is great! I am totally for Charlie on this property tax issue and remember....the Boston Teaparty was over a 1 percent tax.
So, this "Florida Revolt" would make our ancestors proud. Gotta start somewhere.....even if it is 1%.
My parent's generation (I'm 53) got us into this mess where someone convinced them "you can't fight City Hall?" Heard that as a child? So my parents generation just rolled over and allowed prayer to leave our schools with barely a battle. They allowed children to be moved around on transports like cattle to schools for racial balance and more focus was put on transportation than education. I don't agree with Bush on this Immigration crap BUT
the people he put on the Supreme Court have been the needed votes to reverse the mess that should have never started in the first place with busing. Thank God for his appointments to the bench! So, Supreme Court is on America's education system's side, Florida having a tax revolt, and the next thing we need is CONSTITUTIONALIST (sp?) on school boards!!! We are headed in the right direction. Education will set us free!!! That transportation money would have long been better spent by putting TOP NOTCH teachers in the black schools and hopefully that is what school boards will do. Ugh....instead they will probably hire more counselors (not good teachers) to help those students dream up more reasons why someone else is to blame for their
lack of success when all they really need to be successful is a good education for starters. Ugh....
Just noticed the post about bringing a baseball team here.....my feeling is this "when someone wants YOU to spend YOUR tax dollars to help him with his idea he is usually promoting himself more than he is promoting something good for you".
Voice of Reason says........
I can't believe that Bobby D is for spending taxpayers money on a ballpark. He's gone nuts. Every taxpayer has to ask him/herself: how will I make money off of this gvernment spending?
Does anyone but a very, very few make any money off of professional sports teams - even minor league? It is always a huge loss for the taxpayer. If the government wants to subsidize a business, taxpayers must ask: why not mine? Why doesn't Belleview build a new building for the local printer? Or the local Plumber? Just because those business don't wear colorful suits and do something with a ball doesn't mean they shouldn't get an equal subsidy as a sports team.
Shame on Bobby D.
VoR
V of R---There are some strange Republicans and they often times criticize one another.
You have those who are fiscally conservative and social issues liberal. Then you have those who are social issues conservative and fiscally liberal---like Bobby D.
I am all about horses but yet don't believe government should fund our Horse Park out on 475 but I am a social conservative and a fiscal conservative. Perfect description of Bobby D by the way to whichever Anon that was. Actually Dems are the same way....There are social liberal dems and yet they can be fiscally conservative too. I have known many of those. I guess in the Republicans they call them "moderates" and in the dems they are "conservative dems". Those are the 2 groups that cross over and vote split tickets a lot. I don't have to tell you guys/gals...I seldom vote a split ticket but have been known to on rare occasions. I personally think Dee Brown does a good job with her office or at least she has always been nice to me. Considering we are so opposite in our beliefs that says a lot to me that she can APPEAR fair anyway. LOL Maybe not to my back but nothing has never come back to me about that. She has always invited me to be involved with her campaigns so she must not think I'm to crazy or why would she want me associated with her? Tee hee
Nancy
Clayton Ellsworth said…
“The arrogant attitude of General Howard who suggested that library services be cut,insults citizen intelligence.”
I would appreciate specific citation as to time and place where Howard made this suggestion.
Brian, General Howard was quoted in the Star Banner earlier this week or last week.
It should be noted by all that the proposed county budget for 2007/2008 of $504,492,394 is 11.8% LESS than the 2006/2007 budget of $571,851,296.
I have not had the time to find out how the library fared. Obviously, overall, there have been substantial cuts.
Ongoing meetings are being held.
Information previously on this blog about departments being allowed as much as 5% were either wrong or the guidelines were changed and unreported by bloggers or elsewhere.
Clayton Ellsworth
Clayton,
Most people are on line now for research purposes and the library is used more as a meeting room for groups than a place to read.
So few people use the library anymore that we could have done with 2 in the County EASILY. That huge Scottys building is the biggest JOKE/WASTE of taxpayer dollars yet!! The building department side of the complex is just a ghost room in sections that taxpayers built and now must air condition. The library is way overdone and I know NO ONE that has been to these libraries for years except to meet there. I raised 3 children...all honor students and they used the school library or the computer for research.
Nancy
Nancy
Clayton, perhaps some of the people criticizing libraries should go to a libray and see just how they are used today.
I am surprised every time I am there at the crowds of adults checking out books to read. The use of the library by children and grandchildren (mine included) is spectacular, and rewarding.
I was part of a group shooting child ID photos at the Library June 2 and hundreds and hundreds of kids showed up with parents and/or grandparents, not sure how many, but we shot CD's for parents of more than 125 and probably only got one out of eight or ten -- all within three hours.
Libraries are more than meeting rooms, and while I do much of my research by computer, I still go to the library several times a year. As for students using libraries, drop by each day and there will be a quiet a number of students, many of them home schooled, some of them in public schools, who go to do their research and to study in quiet.
It was a testament to the culture of Marion County when we, as a conservative (large majority) Republican (majority of voter registration) urged the county commission to invest in the future of our education and culture with a good library system.
Could I find room to cut some there, probably. But during the time when I was spending 25-40 hours a week trying to cut budgets (with no help from the vast majority of those complaining today or even back then) it was so easy to find room to cut in other departments and the library had been neglected for so long, the trade-off was easy for me to swallow.
Someone suggested a spot for Gen. Howard to start -- eliminating the position of his Deputy and save $200K or so (including benefits) off the top. If he wants any more help, i will provide some more suggestions. I think I could hit a million at one sitting at the keyboard.
During the Committee from Hell meetings trying to find a solution to road financing, John Lund asked the members of the committee to come back with a specific suggestion.
Bob Taylor came back with one that implemented has saved more than $30,000 a month each year for the past half dozen years and this year will save over $60,000 per month.
Rhetoric and name calling does nothing, Specifics will help solve problems.
-- pwf
I hope most taxpayers are smart enough to realize that when it comes to property taxes, a huge portion of Marion County's expenditures is beyond the control of County Commissioners.
The five elected constitutional officers in Marion County - the sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, court clerk and elections supervisor - will spend a huge part of the property taxes collected by the county this year. I would estimate close to half—PWF can correct me if I’m off base.
By law, county governments are required to provide the budgetary needs of the constitutional officers. Yet the offices operate autonomously, WITHOUT County Commission oversight.
How did the budgets of these five offices grow in comparison to the rest of County government, and in comparison to inflation and Marion County’s population growth during the same period? Would be an interesting set of facts to have.
Before everyone starts jumping on the County Commissioners, let’s get the other half of the County budget story.
I was not critizing the librarys at all. I did not like hearing that the library system should be a first place to cut along with parks. I view this as an intimadation ploy to weaken a constitutional vote.
And for the record, both my wife and I consider the library to be a major sourse of intellectual fulfillment. The library in Dunnellon sees heavy use in all aspects of library usage. They have gotten anything we have asked for that they don't have
We have library cards from Marion, Alachua and Levy counties [We use the Yankeetown library]. I find that all three systems have their strengths and weaknesses.
I am hopefull that Marion County will continue to support it's library system.
Clayton Ellsworth
Lot Our Way Said "By law, county governments are required to provide the budgetary needs of the constitutional officers. Yet the offices operate autonomously, WITHOUT County Commission oversight."
Not quite so. The county commission DOES have budgetary control over the constitutional officers, BUT the constitutional officers have the right to appeal the commission's decision to a board (forget which one, it may be the Cabinet) in Tallahassee.
Historically, this has not been sccessful for either. Usually,the commission's decision pretty well holds, but the ill will lasts for years.
Other than the Sherif's budget, I dont have much info on the others, but I will be willing to bet lunch they have held the line more than the county administrators have held the line in recent years.
I will speak to the sheriff's budget later, but for the record, it has been less than six percent for the last nine years under the fiscal policies of Ed Dean, one of those dreaded Democrats. His Republican predecessor could not say that at all. --pwf
Clayton, As you pretty well say, every library is not the end to everything we may seek in information, but they are a valuable source of information, research, enjoyment and education.
Any public official who comes out with the CRAP that tax cuts will cut police, fire, libraries, parks, etc are fear mongering hoping to catch someone who is ill informed. They are not willing to look at their own budgets.
I happen to personally like Gen. Howard, and he KNOWS he can make whatever cut is required without cutting any necessary service. The Legislature didn't require a severe tax cut, they only wanted to render just a bit of the lard out of the local governments.
The problem is why WE have allowed it to happen in the first place. The answer can be found on this blog -- people who run their mouth about a lot they know little of but do not ever get in line to help those who try to make a difference.
That's why I quit wasting my time and do something I enjoy with all those hours. And from your background, you know of where I speak. --pwf
pwf,
I give credit where credit is due and you have done your homework over the years on gov't expenditures. So has John Lund. Regarding the Sheriff budget though I would be curious as to whether the high salaries of those at the top with Dean are any more necessary than the General's deputy's inflated salary is?? I think these silly little cars being driven around by elderly people making them feel important makes many of us believe Dean just did that to make "senior voters" his buds?? That is unfair to taxpayers and that money could have been better spent on deputy salaries. I will never fuss about the salary of the deputy on the beat BUT those salaries are often way lopsided as compared to the office deputy administrator. Course it is the same in education.....teachers salary compared to the office flunkies (aka administrators who are a bunch of old tired jocks NOT real educators) is likewise lopsided. Honestly PAUL....I think we could scream until our lungs burned about government waste and they would do their best to simply Baker Act us into Marion Citrus Mental Health Facility and then say....yep...look at how much the taxpayers are paying to keep Paul, John and Nancy medicated at the facility!!
Nancy
Clayton,
When I grew up in South Florida West Palm Beach had a large library and that served the city. People managed to get there as taxpayers couldn't afford one beside every small community and taxes were affordable. The library was grand! You say seniors enjoy the library? Well, they have plenty of empty time in their day to drive there even if it takes them a half hour. It is not the taxpayers responsibility to provide libraries within 15 minutes of every community in a county. Nor a park either by the way. Where in this world did Counties/Cities ever come up with the notion they should be expanding services that are used by so few?? Wonder why taxpayers were never given the opportunity to vote as to whether they wanted taxes increased for libraries and parks?? Ummm...we both know why. "That's a Fact"
Ugh...not teehee this time.
Nancy Stacy
You might want to examine the administration of the Sheriff's Deparment, as I have. You can talk about the "chiefs" at the SO, but the idea is not new to Ed Dean. In fact, our old friend Ken Ergle (I have known since he was but five or six years old) had a most expensive top end budget, but there was a difference. They work today. They have responsibility to go with their authority. Those funny little cars for old fokks to drive around in and there are the eyes and ears of today's aaw enforcement. He may be a Democrat, but there are few people in govertnment more fiscally responsible than Ed Dean. You might want to get a briefing on the budget. It will surprise you.-- pwf
pwf,
I don't have a problem with Dean at all. I still can't see the silly looking little cars and infact my mother is 76 and saw one and fell out laughing at the thought of the fellow 76 year old inside having any reaction at all to help if needed. I still believe it was nothing but a PR stunt that was taxpayer funded. Now what is this about this award Dean ALLEGEDLY paid for?? I'm really not picking on Dean as I know he is a pro life Dem and I respect him for that. I also know the Republican Sheriff before him did not have the business mind to do the job and infact I voted for Don Moreland. I love he and his wife.....I know they were Dems but I heard a rumor they have since switched but possibly not a bit of truth to that?
Nancy Stacy
This comment has been removed by the author.
While progress has been made in recent years, the resources of the Marion County Public Library System remain modest in comparison to other public libraries around Florida and are heavily used. Here is some of the latest annual data available from the Bureau of Library Development in the Florida Department of State.
Marion County reported 1,183,159 circulations for the year -- 785,209 adult and 397,950 juvenile. That’s an average of nearly four circulations for the year for every man, women, and child in the county right down to infants. We reported 150,417 registered borrowers so we had an average of nearly eight circulations for the year per registered borrower. There were nearly one million library visits and hundreds of thousands of reference questions were answered.
We also reported attendance of 31,835 at various library programs. I’d have to check, but I doubt that includes attendance at non-library related meetings held in public meeting rooms at the library.
Compared to our peer libraries in terms of service area population (100,000 – 750,000), we ranked 23 out of 29 in building square feet per capita. I estimate that even if the replacement branches in Belleview and Dunnellon currently existed, we would still be below the median on this measure. We ranked 14 out of 29 in books per capita and 15 out of 29 in full time equivalent staff per capita.
Some of my favorite information about library use isn’t statistical data, though.
When Randy Harris began his attack on the library collection over six years ago, then Star-Banner columnist Lucy Tobias polled the county commissioners on whether they had library borrowing cards and published the result. My recollection is Harris said there was a borrowing card in his family that his wife mostly used.
There were Christian homeschoolers who came to the December 5, 2000 witch trial of the library director who made specific reference to their public library use.
By the way, well over 100,000 of the registered borrowers reside in the county and are old enough to vote. During his 2002 re-election campaign, Harris ran a print ad touting the new library headquarters. The ad included an artist’s rendering of the then soon to be constructed building.
Harris supporter John Lund, who has been pushed on this blog by Nancy Stacy, has spent years attacking funding for our public library. He even reads aloud sexually explicit material on-the-air when children are home from school to try to whip people up against library funding. So much for concern about exposing children to sexually explicit material.
To my knowledge, Lund is yet to do a reading from one of the most sexually explicit books in our library collection – a sex manual co-authored by Tim and Beverly LaHaye – Tim being a conservative evangelical Christian minister and one of the original board members of the Moral Majority and Beverly being the founder of the conservative women’s group Concerned Women for America to which many Reagan administration wives belonged. Beverly is very big on the orgasmic rights of women, and the LaHaye’s spare no detail in explaining how to make sure Beverly and other Christian conservative women get their due while also giving attention to the needs of men. While pointing out the topic is divisive among Christians, they green light married Christians for oral sex based on the lack of a Biblical prohibition and provide survey data on the frequency of oral sex among married Christian couples.
Anyway, here’s an item that appeared on Lund’s website:
12/27/03 – BBJ says, “Perhaps you too can learn about economics. Buy or check out at the library Thomas Sowell book. This not a paid commercial or unpaid.” - PROFITS WITHOUT HONOR: PART III……………….
Apparently, even the anti-library crowd needs the library.
So much for the claim that people just go to the library to use meeting rooms. As the saying goes, people are entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts.
PWF : In response too you and probaly a few others.
I moved here in 2002, my wife in the early 70's with a backgound in contracting so she is well aware of Marion County politics and local government.
We both agree that Marion County political partys and governments are very insular. They listen poorly to newcomers like us who bring a lot to the table in past experiences as well as government, in my case. We also agree that this is not going to change no matter what any newcomers who are willing to work and participate want to do. Marion County is wasting one of it's natural resources,fresh new citizen thinking that comes from many parts of the country.
Our opinion, as well as that of many others we know, is that this county is still very backward in many ways. Contrary to what you personally think the county is ruled by the good old boys. [I know you said that you didn't know of any of them, that this a myth ]
Realistically, Florida is still a deep south rural state. It wasn't that long ago that open fencing existed in the state and some areas of this county unchanged from legislature that mandated fencing.
My point is that sadly, Marion County still is not doing enough not only to position itself as part of the new south, but wasting another natural resource, our children who have a right right to a first rate education that educates not teaches to the test.
Oh, I'm sure there will be a response,"If you don't like it here why don't you move or get out " Iv'e heard and read that response many times since moving here, both on blogs and letters to the editor.
Like you PWF,I don't like bigg mouths who aren't willing to participate.I have participated. I went to a very very hostile Ocala City Council and presented Zero Based Budgeting. The Finance director very rudely took aim at me and treated me like the village idiot as did a couple members of coucil.Fortunately I lit a fire under City Manager Nugent so it was not a total waste.
Does this mean I am going to climb through the ropes and get back into the ring ? Not on my life nor yours for that matter. Life is too short to waste on negatives thinking and action,that is something that became more evident to me last fall while fighting cancer.
This county is going to go on stumbling in the darkness until hard times hit and they are looking down the path of adversity. In other words it is going to take a rude awakening to move both Marion County politics and government into government for all it's citizens not just the annoited.
Clayton Ellsworth
Dear All:
Re: Major League Sponsored College Summer League in Belleview. Nobody is asking the city or the county to make a baseball field for the sole purpose of this project. The City of Belleview doesn't have a baseball field for children over the age of 12. We are just trying to help facilitate the City with keeping pace with other cities in the state. Can you imagine a city without a baseball field. Doesn't the saying go. Its as American as Apple Pie and Baseball. I guess people who don't want a baseball field in their city could be considered Un-American. Any facility we use we will obviously pay for unless we provide services in return for free rent. And as far as all these so called good fical conservatives, isn't public education and high school football and cheerleading publicly funded programs? Yes they are and they are killing the taxpayer everyday. By the way didn't the paper say that out of the 30 or so public schools in the county 10 schools dropped a grade, great use of taxpayer money. Once again the fiscal conservatives are only fiscally conservative unless we are talking about a government subsidized program that they utilize. You can't be fiscally conservative and pro-public education. Even the Rotary Complex that was donated by the citizens is now a goverment funded program, the maintainance is done by the county. In closing I would just like to add that I have had my disagreements with Brian Creekbaum, Paul Ferguson and some others on this blog but at least they have the courage to use their name. Even Nancy Stacy, who I believe has a lot of personal challanges, has the courage to put her money where her mouth is. This anonymous crap has got to go, what a bunch of cowards. But it is still good to know that people still hate me without knowing me, and keep listening even though the show stinks and i have no talent, no listeners, no sponsors and all the rest. Thanks for the free press and support.
Peace Bobby D
Thanks Brian---Facts always prevail over the unsubstantiated running off the mouth of Nancy Stacy.
Bobby D believes Nancy S. "has a lot of personal challenges".
That's an understatement if I ever heard one!!!!!!!!!!
Bobby D:
I hear what you say about anonymous bloggers. However, I have listened to call ins to your show (although haven’t listened recently) and they don’t identify who they are, and I don’t think you ask for any verification of identity. If that is the case, why should this blog be any different than your show?
I am interested in the ideas, opinions and facts presented by each post to the blog. Who posted the comment is not that important to me. As a matter of fact, knowing who said something may at times set off, in certain individuals, an immediate bias or rejection of what is said by that person.
A few months ago, I posted something about E-One on the blog and a County Commissioner read it, agreed with it and quoted the point to others. If he had known it was me, I doubt the idea would have gotten the time of day. As a matter of fact, I know it wouldn’t have.
I don’t like some of the personal attacks that go on here. However, they come from only a very small number of people and the vast majority (I’d say 90%) of other comments posted are relevant, interesting and useful. I’m willing to put up with the ridiculous ones from time to time.
If I were the Blogmaster, I would ban some individuals from the blog or delete anything they write! However, he has much more patience and tolerance for this stuff than I do.
Bobby D.
No, cheerleaders in public school pay for their uniforms etc. When my daughter cheered at Forest her camp fees, uniform, warmups, rain coat, etc cost me about 1300.00 per year.
My only personal challenge right now (you seem to believe I have one?) is my decision as to whether I should send the tape of your radio show into the FCC because you violated the radio station's license in it. However, I believe you have personal hangups that make you say and do the things you do related to your childhood and maybe you just can't help yourself??? The hoot is that even with all your rantings only 140 people wrote my name in and about 60 of those were Republican friends that said they loved Kurt and knew he would win but wanted to write my name in just to show me they appreciated my courage knowing Kurt would win anyway. The rest could have come from a handful of large families here with extended cousins etc. of folks on this little blog as generations don't leave this lovely area. So, I doubt a single one of my votes came from anyone listening to your rantings but yet you don't even seem embarrassed that no one listens to your advice?? They listen to you as though you are a comedian for goodness sake because in that way you are quite entertaining to some
I'm told. I'm sorry you didn't get the attention you desired as a child and have to keep popping up on radio stations until they boot you or go out of business but isn't it time to get a real job so you can build more bedrooms for your large family?? I can't relate to your issues because I
had a totally normal childhood
and was raised with a silver spoon in my mouth. Now as an adult married 7 years someone came out of the blue claiming he and not the man my mother was married to at the time I was born was my father but I never cared enough to even get a DNA test. My father at the time of my birth died when I was 3 so never knew him anyway.
Besides, the new father's children (my so called halves) weren't the type people I was even allowed to associate with as a child. LOL Whew, my mother would have died had I become preg in highschool like they did. Ugh...Besides, a DNA test would have broken my wonderful stepfather's heart
who raised me so he was never told. I tell this story only because many on this blog probably do have stepchildren and I'm here to tell you that you are very VERY important in their lives. I speak from experience because I had the best!
Nancy Stacy
Blogmaster,
What in h... does the conversation about Nancy's birth status and Bobby D's broadcasting history have to do with Property Tax Reform? Delete it!
Hello Again:
Anonymous is right. What the hell does any of this have to do with taxes. The original statement about the field had to do with taxes but it is amazing how people come so far off the track. As far as my childhood Ms. Nancy or should I say Dr. Phil, what the hell are you talking about. You are killing me, where did you learn all that psyc. stuff. You should write a book or better yet do a T.V. show you would be awesome. By the way, who pays the cheerleading coach, I think its the school system, Oh boy federally funded or socially funded cheerleading program. Like I said earlier you can't be fiscally conservative and pro public education. As far as the write in vote. You just don't get it. It wasn't about how many people voted for you it was how many didn't vote for your boy. It was the worst showing in the history of elections for a canidate with just a write in canidate. Kurt only got 83% of the vote against a blank line. That is a definite sign that the voters weren't happy. There were actually 77 people who went to the polls, who could only vote in the state 24 race and chose to send in a blank ballet. In the districts that only had the district 24 race 10% did the write in vote thing and 13% voted against Kurt. Believe me its not a slam dunk in a year if Damon runs again. But as you already know Nancy, Kurt is running for the State Senate seat next year. He really has no option. He knows that if he runs against Damon and Damon has his Dad to help him this time he will win. Lets not forget, Denise was not helping Damon. Everyone knows that Denise would have made up that 135 vote margin. Kurt knows that too so he has to move on to the Senate. Isn't anyone curious why Kurt mailed out an information mail piece into On Top of the World when he wasnt running there yet. Just something to think about. Well thanks again for proving my point and giving me some free ink. We all know I need it. Bobby D
As long as the school system does not have to take a big hit on budgets, I'll support the amendment. We are going to move in the next year or so and it would be to our advantage.
Nancy, the "award" you asked about at the MCSO is a study of management, its manner, its cost, its efficiencies, etc and is intended to help government and business become more cost effective and efficient. The GOP maintained for years that the old Democrat controlled government was inefficient and unwieldy, and now we are to criticize someone who brings good management techniques and business principles into government? The award is named after Malcolm Baldridge, who was Ronald Reagan's Commerce Secretary and noted for his management techniques and principles.
While everything costs money, the sum attributed to the MCSO award, I think the figure $350,000 was mentioned, is nothing more than a lie being used to conjure up opposition for the announced candidate against Sheriff Dean. I will get you the exact amount, anyone can get it by calling the MCSO, but while it may have been several thousand, maybe as much as $20,000 or so, it was not anywhere near $350,000 or even $100,000.
Was it a publicity stunt by Ed Dean? Afraid not; in fact, the first use it was put to was to help determine where budget cuts could be found at MSCO, as required by the new state law mandating that local governments (but not state government, Gov. Charlie). Since the Baldridge management model helps sort out priorities, it is being used to make whatever costs are possible without cutting into essential service.
Laugh at the little cars manned entirely by volunteers who want to help if you want, they perform a very valuable service, and are not a laughable matter to the people they help most – residents who have a need not served by others, and deputies who get tips that lead to solving crimes or better yet preventing them. And the total cost to Marion County is the gasoline to run the dual system cars. Wish my Suburban got that kind of efficient gas mileage!!!
Since I doubt many will care enough to get the cost of the Baldridge Award MCSO as been presented, I will get the amount next week and post it. -- pwf
AGK and Bobby have different views on public education. AKG says he will support the amendment if it excludes public schools, and Bobby just is against public education. I understand both positions.
First, I would support the amendment particularly if it required public schools to take a hit and use some of the techniques in the Baldridge management excellence program to clean up management and waste.
Second, my son attended ten years of school at grace Episcopal, and my grandchildren now attend Grace School, but public education is important, and overall does a good job, everything considered. My biggest test of public education is the graduates they turn out. Do they do everything I would like, of course not. But folks about 99.99 percent (no body knows the figure including the military, so you can not dispute my selection of a percentage) of the members of the United States Military now serving in Iraq, Kosovo before it, Vietnam, Korea, World War II and wherever received their education from the public schools. I applaud the job those kids teachers have done with them.
To toss out public education would be disastrous. Private schools simply could never meet such a challenge. Should there be improvements, certainly. Would I like to see the union play a smaller role, well, they play almost no role locally, but I suppose nationally the politicians of all ilk play footsie with them.
I understand Bobby’s claim that he saves taxpayers thousands by home schooling. His case is not the norm, however. His wife is more than a saint, first for putting up with him (I got one too Bobby, no slam intended), and second, she is likely qualified to home school. Far too many people keeping their kids put of public schools are not qualified to teach.
Nationally, the facts are that home schoolers many times excel as do students locally from Grace. But I wonder if we have two standards: one takes the cream of the crop from home schoolers and the second takes the dredges of the public schools and compares them.
Frankly, I have great admiration for most public school teachers. I could not ever put up with the kids many parents send to our schools, unclothed, unfed, unprepared, and most of all, many of them unloved. --pwf
Clayton, you said "Contrary to what you personally think the county is ruled by the good old boys. [I know you said that you didn't know of any of them, that this a myth ] "
My point, perhaps not explained, is I heard about “the good ole boys” when I came here as a working newspaperman in 1958 and I could actually identify 13 of them. 20 years ago, I couldn’t identify the “good ole boys” and today, I really can not identify them.
What I think has happened is as the original “good ole boys” retired and/or died, others took their place but not with the effectiveness of the ones in power when I moved here, and through the years their effectiveness is not as great.
And honestly, I could not give you a list of 13 today. I might come up with a half dozen, and this might be a great topic for Blogmaster: Who are the power brokers and why? How about it John?
And on specific issues, I will still get involved, but it just takes a lot to stir me up. Hope to sit down and enjoy a hamburger with you someday. --pwf
Bobby D
Who in the world is Denise???
Never heard that name so she must not be that significant in my world.
Public school isn't FREE....we PAY FOR IT!!! That is if you own something or work you pay for it. Those who don't work and pay no taxes do suck off our public school system. I paid over 50,000.00 income taxes last year so believe me.....I paid for the cheerleading coach (she gets about 800.00 per year after the girl's participation SCHOOL fees subtracted) myself. Now I'm still paying and have no kids in school along with all the others who were paying for my kids when they had no kids in school. I'm now paying to educate their GRANDS. Bobby, public education is not a government service......those who work and pay taxes PAY FOR IT. The poor folks who use private schools pay for their kids to be educated TWICE.
LOL
Thats a Fact!
Nancy
pwf,
Your description of public schools was excellent and I would appreciate the real figure on that award you spoke about for Dean. I don't even know what to really ask for to get it? Conservatives who support public schools where our taxes are routed don't mind paying for the schools but what they do mind is our tax dollars being squandered/mismanaged. I certainly did all I could to the point of total exhaustion for years to keep accountability in mind of the school board. Actually don't think I ever lost a battle with them because at the end of the day they ALWAYS seemed to come around to agreeing with our arguements. BUT, the energy it took to enlighten/inform them was rediculous when so many things were as plain as the nose on their face. So, yes, I have no problem funding education with my tax dollars but what I do have a problem with is them spending EXCESS dollars for trips to Calif, bonding sessions at resorts and "inservice" sessions at the Hilton when we have plenty of cafeterias and auditoriums with even more room. Now "that's a fact" and thank you pwf for your time you took to give an HONEST look at education. You are right on!
Regarding my post to Bobby D with our ongoing feud I actually thought I was over on the other thread and didn't realize I was on the tax thread. OWF..I too heard Bobby's wife is a "Saint"...same exact description from someone you don't even know.
Nancy Stacy (sorry about getting on the wrong threat anom last night)
PWF :
You will find the new breed of good old boys, AKA power brokers ,among the leadership ranks of OTB.
In the next couple of years the dynamics of Marion County economics are going to change dramatically puting the new breed of good old boys back into prominence. This will happen as the outsider influence brought here by developers like Pulte, Horton etc wane from the melt down from the housing bubble, which is turning out to be as bad or worse than I predicted.
Marion county economics will again be based on local dynamics which will of course include the equine industry.
Evidence of the above can be seen in Dick Hancocks emergence in to politics.
This will pose a problem since the equine industry is a cyclical one, overdue for a correction.
So, not only will a loss of tax revenues be a threat to government revenues and spending, but so will be, the inevitable slowdown in the economy .
I am cautiously optimistic that County government can come to grips with loss of revenues. If the proposed 2007/2008 with a 11.8 % decrease in spending is adopted, this will be a very positive first step in dealing with decreased funding.
Clayton Ellsworth
The thing government has to learn is a slowdown indicates less people are needed. The slowdown in building permits results in less people needed for inspections, plan review etc. To this credit, John O'Conner, a newcomer to Marion County, cut employees rather drasticaly. I don't know if it was all that needed to go, but it was a good start.
A caller today urged that we try to get the county commission to implemeent the Sterling Management Review Process on one or two county departments, similar to the process Sheriff Dean has implemented. This caller, who supports you Clayton on Zero Based Budgeting, suggests that this may be easier to sell to the commission, so I am going to give the the old college try. -- pwf
If you are interested in hearing Speaker of the House Marco Rubio talk about the Property Tax Reform effort, here is a link to a video (about 10 minutes) of an interview with him yesterday:
http://cbs4.com/video/?id=36782@wfor.dayport.com
Nancy said...
Just noticed the post about bringing a baseball team here.....my feeling is this "when someone wants YOU to spend YOUR tax dollars to help him with his idea he is usually promoting himself more than he is promoting something good for you".
10:12 PM, June 30, 2007
Isn't that what just happened to the taxpayers Nancy? TO the tune of $54,000 we had to have a general election cause you had be heard and seen.
Your pathetic
There is no question that ZBB is hard to sell.
It is interesting to note that Brevard County has used a combination of ZBB budgeting and "Program Performance Outcoming" [ I wonder who came up with that name ?] which is a departmental evaluation tool. The results have been modest, about 1% decrease so far.
Compare that to the proposed 11.8 % decrease in the Marion County budget and I am sure you will agree that Marion County is on to something.
Any program that emphasises accountibility and increased productivity is a welcome reform.
Local government needs to connect with it's citizens in positive ways so that government is proactive and respected.
People are suspicious of government today, there is a disconnect. This has to be resolved and can be .
I have participated in writing and working with a very successfull program that does just that.
Clayton Ellsworth
Dear Anom 8:19 (aka Bobby D)
The PEOPLE on the blog now support me as they voted to keep this COSTLY process going because there is simply a PRICE to be paid for our 2-party system of government. Only a communist would disagree! $54,000 is a small price to pay to keep elections honest and keep the party supporting "Religious Freedom" in office as our Founding Fathers clearly left instructions for us to do. Sorry, they have more credibility in my eyes than an ANOM does. My ideas are with George Washington and not a cowardly Anom. Thats a fact!
Nancy
$54,000 is a small price to pay to keep elections honest and keep the party supporting "Religious Freedom" in office as our Founding Fathers clearly left instructions for us to do.
give us all a break. we all kniw it was a fraud cooked up tween u and kurtie. take the test and prove u never had qany conversations with kurtie, then we'll believe it. til then, go do your horses.
REC dropout...You pay for the test and 100.00 an hour for my time messing with you and tell me where to meet for the test. If I flunk it I pay you. So it is win win for you!!
If you are telling the truth this won't cost you a penny because I will pay. But you know your are lying...all anoms do which is why they are ANOM. Tee hee
Nancy
Nancy,
you continue to make false statements.
Plain and simple.
I know who you have talked to and what you have done to manipulate the process over the last few months. Be careful about laying your hand on a stack of bibles and swearing.
GOD
God doesn't post under anom so I bet you aren't really God. You can't fool me....God speaks thru hearts not a blog. See fellow bloggers how Anoms believe they are God? My heart is SOOOOO peaceful. Tee-hee!!!
Nancy
FYI :
From Julie Seig, library Director,
Next week the library will be presenting to the commission a revised budget of $8,499,893 which is $177,708 less than last years approved budget.
Not affected are the new Librarys in Belleview and Dunnellon. Affected will be materials.
Under the circumstances, this is not alarming at all.
Clayton Ellsworth
You have conquered nothing on the other thread Nancy. You have made idle threats before about leaving this blog.
Either Kurt told you to shut up until after the election or people talking about how you came into this world got you to leave. (Maybe it should be posted)
You have no understanding of what happened in this special election. You are in a world of your own. Those that voted for you wanted to be heard not because of you but for other reasons that are going to bite you in the butt. No one is listening Nancy. No one!!!!
It says in the book of Proverbs, "...it is better to sleep on a rooftop than in a house with a brawling woman."
How many nites a week does Rocky sleep in the barn?
Anonymous, you are too good a writer to go by anonymous. I understand how vindictive people can get, cause they sure get that way with me and attack, attack, attack.
But you deserve credit for good writing. Personally, I am too proud and have too big an ego to let my work go unsigned. Hope someday you will join Clayton and me, even Brian too -- and sign your name. --pwf
Voice of reason, you assked earlier, "Does anyone know about Sheriff Dean spending $350,000 to get some award for the Sheriff's Department?"
That never happened, someone who doesn't like the Sheriff is telling that story.
I will get the figures for you next Tuesday and post them. You can then tell who ever told you that where to get the correct information. --pwf
Hey Nancy:
You obviously don't know me very well. If I want to call you pathetic I will call you pathetic to your face. Actually I have invited you in on my show to talk to you face to face but you turned down the invitation. Sorry Nancy bad guess, I am not anonymous.
My name is Bobby D and I am not afraid to use it.
Peace
Bobby D
Blogmaster--I checked out the video. This guy Rubio is very impressive. I've seen some references that Kurt Kelly might have sights on the Governor's office. I can tell you, he is not playing in the same league with Marco Rubio. Kelly has a ways to go to even be in the same room with Rubio.
I imagine Rubio has his eye on a future run at the Governor postion. He's something for a man of his young age!
Voice of Reason says.....
PWF, my mind is open - if the Sheriff spending $350,000 for an award is B.S., I'll chalk it up as a useless rumor.
Saw another waste of local money - the Supervisor of Elections is getting some type of building makeover. Does anyone but the few people working in that office believe a makeover is in order?
Also, you could fit an outlet mall in the building department's building. Why does the building department need such a large building?
VoR
Voice, I guarantee the $350,000 is a useless rumor political in origin and nature and in intent. Frankly, I am proud of the award itself, and I think you will be too when you get the full story, which I will post next week.
As to the Supervisor's building, (sorry about this next phrase) “in the old days,” this office at one time was a "once every two years and we have an election." In fact, I once had a Supervisor promise to whip my tail after I testified before a Legislative committee and asked how many minutes that Supervisor had to work a year to register the 1,250 voters in his county (and he got $50K a year for those minutes).
With the growth of Florida, with the new demands of the federal government, with everyone looking for a reason to scream something, with the 2000 “you stole the election,”, the “you are a racist” claims, the woman who couldn’t vote because they posted a Closed sign on the precinct at 5 p.m. (actually, the woman was trying to vote at a sewer lift station which h did close at 5 p.m. The precinct was two blocks down the road, but the Civil Rights Commission included her complaint in its “hatchet job” on Florida!), the “you dropped my name after I registered when actually I didn't claims” etc, things are unfortunately different.
The federal law promoted by the fraudulent U.S. Commission on Civil Rights following the 2000 election, and the state law changing everything from voting machines to how they have to report, requires far more equipment than I think we need because now everything is a “cookie-cutter-once-size-fits-all” situation.
So we got rid of perfectly good punch cards, and many counties went to touch screens. My friend Dee Brown was livid with me for a short while when I lobbied the county commission against touch screens (too new technology not fully tested yet was my argument) and we bought machines with paper ballots with an ability to actually recount. Other counties went to touch screens, had lots of problems, and now have to upgrade to where there is also a paper trail somehow.
Then came those with disabilities who insisted they have the right to vote in their precinct rather than at a central location for the relatively few in number, so there have to be so many touch screens for sight impaired for every so many voters. We have to have so many booths for so many voters even though we don’t need them because voters do not show up to vote. Then we started early voting which means staffers connected to the computers at various locations for a period of time before the election, and the huge number of people (like me most of the time) who vote absentee. We demand results immediately or the rumors start that someone is messing with the results. Since we demand those quick results, we have a rather large expense for telephone lines and modems to transmit the information. We have to have computers networked from precincts to the Supervisor's office.
Now that we have all that equipment which requires humidity control, we have to store it, and since it involves elections that Al Gore still believes was stolen from him, we have to protect it, and almost like evidence, it has to be under the custody and control of the people responsible.
All of which to say, if they had taken my advice in November 1958 and closed the gate AFTER I arrived, and if none of the extra 300,000 or so new residents who have come since I got here, we would not need that new building or most of the new equipment, and we wouldn’t have to maintain it.
I don't like it, but I'll not criticize them on this one. Later on the building department. –pwf
Marion County uses a mix of voting methods, including touch screen. I haven’t heard about big problems with touch screen here as we have heard about in other jurisdictions. Maybe the problem is the people in charge in those other jurisdictions, not the technology.
I timed a notice related to my father’s death to run in the Star-Banner three days beginning Sunday so it would get weekend circulation, but, contrary to my orders, the Star-Banner ran it for three days starting Monday, causing at least one longtime neighbor who only took the paper Thursday through Sunday to miss the event. Their head of classified advertising at the time blamed new software for their admitted error. Incompetent people frequently blame technology to hide their incompetence.
Consultants are another tool incompetents use to divert attention from their incompetence. Speaking of which, the blog needs a thread on the county utility situation.
PWF mentioned the Sheriff’s Department was a recent winner of, I believe, a Sterling Quality Award. This is a commendable achievement. The Sterling award is based on an organization meeting the very difficult assessment criteria of the National Malcolm Baldrige Program. I have experience as an evaluator under both programs, and can tell you just qualifying to have an assessment completed is not an easy task; winning one is even more difficult.
The Baldrige Program has been around since 1987 and is not one that many government agencies receive. It should be reassuring to taxpayers when any government entity we pay for wins either a Sterling Award or the prestigious Baldrige Award.
Like PWF said, it would be good to see more of our local government organizations use the Sterling criteria in measuring their contribution to supporting taxpayers. Sterling would also provide good criteria to help make sure each department can justify its existence in a Zero Based Budgeting approach. I’m not a big proponent of using consultants, but this is one approach where the return on investment can have a very favorable payout in savings to taxpayers; more importantly, validating a high level of quality service is being provided to taxpayers.
Like many good quality improvement programs initiated by the business community, government is usually slow to adapt them or ignores them completely. Hate to be a pessimist, but the Sterling and Baldrige approaches will likely go that route.
If you are interested in learning more about the Sterling or Baldrige programs, copy and paste the links below:
Sterling: www.floridasterling.com
Baldrige: www.quality.nist.gov
Voice of Reason says......
I'm said to say that I am more cynical than ever about the Sheriff's Award.
My gut is that the Baldrich and Sterling awards are like any other "name" award. Think of how the Academy Award and Grammy Award works: Fox owns music studios and producers, TV shows and producers, News, etc. "Fox and Friends" morning show tells about the importance of the upcoming Grammy Awards - hosts speculate as to who will win. Fox owns studio and writers who write songs for the Idol who they own. Fox hypes Idol and songs. Fox employs judges on the Grammy committees. Fox advertises heavily during the Grammys. Low and behold, minimally talented Idol wins 5 Grammys. Fox hypes Idols as "Grammy wining artists." Idols do the rounds on Fox's shows. Show hosts keep reminding everyone that Idol is a Grammy winner.
Same as for groups like NRA and NFIB: biggest contributor "wins" the "American Eagle Freedom Award" or something like that.
How about the "Who's Who of High School Students" books that you can pay to get your name into.
From trunk to tail these awards are just a big elephant walk.
It makes more sense than not that the Sheriff's Office had to buy whatever award they got.
VoR
I agree that valid reasons can exist for hiring consultants and make no comment on the sheriff’s department since I know little about it. I also stand by my earlier comments that blaming the computer and blaming the consultant when things go wrong are two of the favorite blaming strategies of incompetents.
As a political independent, I’ll be interested to see whether bloggers on the Republican leaning Politically Homeless blog are as interested in looking into the county utility situation as it has developed under Republicans on the county commission and our Republican county administrator as they are in commenting on the supervisor of elections office and the sheriff’s department, both of which are constitutional offices currently run by Democrats, and on our public library system which is also run by a Democrat.
I haven’t yet looked into the utility situation. I’m ready to be educated. Let’s get that thread going!
Voice of Reason:
Sorry, but you are totally wrong about these awards. They are not "bought". Many organizations can't even fulfill the basics to even undergo an extensive evaluation process.
How many of these quality programs do you have personal experience with? I do have experience and they are not like the awards you mention. Suggest you study up on them, talk to some organizations who have tried to qualify before you make some broad-based and non-factually supported comment about their value.
If you don't like Sheriff Dean, that's one thing. But don't let politics diminish an effort to improve the services taxpayers are receiving.
Voice of Reason says........
I hope that I'm not being partisan. I think that both parties are basically the same when it come to wasting taxpayers money.
With the Sheriff's Office, why is the office wasting any time or money trying to get an award? Will they then advertise this award somewhere like automobile manufacturers do in their commercials (i.e. "Honda - winner of the Malcolm Baldrich award three years in a row"..... or whatever.) Why would a public agency like the Sheriff's Office use taxpayers time and money to seek an award? Does the Sheriff want to go to the voters and say that he won some award? What is the purpose of seeking the award?
VoR
I thought you were the Voice of Reason.
The award has to do with measuring an organization's ability to keep expenses down and service levels up. How about clicking on the two links I gave you above and doing a little research before you jump to a conclusion. Isn't that what "reasoned judgments" are all about?
As for using the Award for PR. Of course, anyone would! Don't you think when UF wins the National Championship they use that for recruiting, to get more money from alumni, et.?
Yo Stan.....
V of R is beginning to sound like some politician who has been one-upped by an opponent with a better idea. If the sheriff’s dept. can keep costs down and service up and prove it to the community with facts, then that’s OK with me.
Voice of Reason says........
Don't get me started with a sports analogy - what did the students at UF get with the national championship? "Bragging rights." Those rights are worth about as much as the salt that the Indians got for selling Manhattan to the white man. The students got to waste their time that could have been better spent competing scholastically with the rest of the world.
I will do some research into the award. Something tells me that, in the end, it goes to the highest bidder.
I am only the Voice of Reason, it doesn't mean I am the "Voice of Right" though. You guys might be right. By the way, I would say that the Sheriff's is probably one of the best run agencies in the county - maybe the best. That being said, I'm sure that they would manage the same crime rate with half of the money.
VoR
Thank you Stan. Glad to see somebody with knowledge joining the thread . Certainly improves the quality of content.
More reasoned dialogue is badly needed on this blog site as well as The Star Banner Forum.
Bring it on.
Clayton Ellsworth
Voice, the "award" is just a piece of paper (or wood) that comes with the EVALUATION of your agency. The evaluation comes after extensive preparation and development of management techniques, most of which are not found in government. Fortunately, when the current Sheriff took over, he first developed a management plan.
Surprise, Surprise, Surprise, governemnt agencies at that time had no idea what a mission statement was, or moreover, had no idea what effective management was or is.
As for it being used in a campaign, I'd doubt it, and siNce I have been deeeply involved in the Sheriff's campaigns, I can tell you that first hand.
Brian is right. Two of the three best managed county departments are run by people who happen to have a D behind their name. The third department is the clerk's office who has a R behind his name. None of them are managed politically, however. They are just well managed departments.
If you want a list of the ones poorly managed in the past, look at the Park department Pn. (that is prior Niblock), the landfill, the utilities dept and engineering ALL prior to current occupants. The problem is that all of them are under the swag of the county administrator who is under the hand of the county commission, all of which has had a R behind their names bF - that is before Fitos.
Theirs is not a real good record for Republicans, about the same as the record of the dysfunctional board of all time, the school board. --pwf
A section of an article in a Tampa newspaper. May be something our local and county governments have to look at.
“Sick? Get a government job.
Nationwide, private employers have become stingier with health plans, trimming benefits and shifting premium costs to workers. But that's not true for most local government workers. However, with the new state law requiring local governments to roll back property tax collections in 2008, some leaders are eyeing health spending as one area to conserve cash.
It won't be easy. Governments have long argued robust benefits, for both health care and retirement, are key to attracting and keeping quality workers. And unions can be expected to strongly resist. Despite the difficulties, a shift in approach by local governments may be gaining speed due to the new tax climate.
Over the last decade, health care expenses have soared for both private companies and government. Many public employees have not been spared. Their annual contributions to their health plans have risen, and they have been asked to pay higher deductibles and co-payments. But governments have used public money, in the form of taxes and fees, to cushion the impact.
Seeking alternative ways to restrain health spending and a better sense of their place in the market, some in local governments are beginning to do what once would have been unthinkable comparing their health care coverage to those in the private sector.
Government workers should worry. A 2006 Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that state and local government employees paid 18 percent of the cost to provide health benefits for their families. The figure across all industries -- including private companies and government -- was 26 percent.”
aNONYMOUS SAYS IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH, "Government workers should worry. A 2006 Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that state and local government employees paid 18 percent of the cost to provide health benefits for their families. The figure across all industries -- including private companies and government -- was 26 percent.” "
State and local governments MUST reform their benefits. We pay 100% of a govt employee's pension. We paid 100% of an employee's health care. We provide more holidays than private business, and no longer can anyone claim government employees are under paid compared to private lives when everything is considered.
The pension costs are enormous, and we (the public employers) have no where to lay off the pension costs when we wasnt to go belly up and eliminate pensions. We can't get the government to take those costs cause we are the government.
My friends in government will hate me (or more) but reform has got to come soon. The state shot local government cost from about 9 percent of payroll to 18% several years ago until the stock market investment caught up with the shortfall we had, and now ity is around 10%. Show me a pribvate employer who puts that percentage of payroll into retirement for employees -- maybe for the bosses, but not for employees. - pwf
This could further complicate, in the short run, the property tax and budget situation for local governments:
Ocala/Marion County was ranked worst by the Florida Association of Realtors in home sales for the month of May.
According to their monthly report, the Ocala metropolitan area is down 50 percent in home sales compared to May 2006.
Just behind Ocala was the Tampa Bay region and Miami, with a 42 percent and 44 percent decline respectively. Overall in Florida, home sales are down by 34 percent.
Anon :
Thank you for the information on home sales, something i requested The Star Banner do when the national figures came out and hasn't done.
In my opinion, the dire local real estate numbers portent bad news for the local economy and revenues, something I predicted months ago.
This is a bigger story than e-one ever was.
Government services for those involved in the building trades, a large percentage of which are here illegally, will increase.
There is nothing to pick up this slack in our economy.
Normal barometers of economic growth are going to prove to be unreliable. Unemployment being the major one, as illegal aliens don't go there.
We all are going to feel the impact one way or the other.
Clayton Ellsworth
You nailed this one head on Clayton, and caught some guff for it. It was good thinking and analysis then and it still is. We are not home free by a long shot yet. --pwf
Voice of Reason says......
As the illegals start to use more services, will the legitimate locals increase pressure to send the illegals back home?
On another note, these salaries for govt. workers are outrageous. And the excuse is always, "We can't attract the best if we don't keep competitive with salary and benefits." Poppycock! The clowns in govt. would work for less because they have no other place to go. No business is going to hire someone like Yancy when there are more qualified competitors from the business world. Govt. workers would be forced to live with reasonable salaries because they couldn't get a job anywhere else.
VoR
VOR :
There is a very powerful lobby here for illegals for the same reason there is elsewhere.
Illegals provide cheap labor to our horse farms who in turn exploit them and look the other way as Marion County tax paying citizens pick up the tab for schooling, health care and other social services.
Of course the horse farms aren't the only ones. Contracters for the building trades regardless of the size of their business have depended on this cheap labor.
The reason I singled out the equine industry is that they are a very powerful lobby. Their spokes person, Dick Hancock, who wants a school board seat, told the Star Banner about a year to a year and half ago that there were no illegals on the farms. He gave cover to the farms by saying if there were any , it was because of false ID blah blah blah.
Nobody challenged Mr. Hancock, I presume because he was also giving cover to other violators and elected officials who needed rationalization for looking the other way.
As I have mentioned previously, with the building trades in dire straights, the voice of the equine industry will get louder and louder.
Now that the bogus Comprehensive Immigration Reform has gone down the tubes., citizens are going to demand that the immigration laws passed in 1986 be enforced. There is going to be a lot more show and tell by employers, a lot of deportations. It has already started nationally, but not locally that I am aware of.
18 states are currently enacting laws to deal with illegal immigration in self defense. Florida seems to be vasalating .
Illegal immigration is going to become a real hot button issue in Marion County before the end of 2008.
Something we all are going to have to wrestle with.
Clayton Ellsworth
Voice of Reason says.......
Clayton, I would hope that Marion County locals could get very active and vocal about sending illegals back home. I was really proud of the grass roots effort to kill the comprehensive illegal alien amnesty bill. It really showed that the US political system still works when people keep an eye on politicians and participate.
Another problem with the current bunch illegals is that they all come from the same ethnic origin. People were recognizing that government signs became english/spanish, labels were belingual, the governor was speaking spanish at press conferences, etc. The people were seeing that our culture was getting swept from under our feet. Lincoln said that a house divided cannot stand. Americans have been under enough pressure from "legal" immigrants from all over the world who don't want to assimilate and we are were facing amnesty for gazillions of illegals who don't want to assimilate.
From Gunn Nutt's Boston Tea Party thoughts, I have an idea: if any local politician does not do everything to send illegals home, we have an "Ocala Taco Party." We can dress-up anonymously and throw tacos at the politician's office.
VoR
Gun Nutt says...
The "Ocala taco party" I love that idea. I think for something like that, you wear a sombrero, a Mexican poncho, and a fake bushy mustache. This disguise should make the participants look something like the Frito Bandito.
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