Pock,
I will attempt to clarify the new 'Refuse Enterprise Fund' created during the budget process. It is still rather amazing to me how many of our citizens were surprised when the big blue cans started appearing at their doors. I have answered quite a few calls and hopefully this will help get the information out.
This should not be construed as an official response from the city, but merely an explanation as I understand it. Every attempt has been made to ensure the facts are correct, but nothing has been reviewed by city personnel to guarantee accuracy.
First, I think it is important to recognize that the 'refuse fund' transferred trash collection, recycling and related services from the operating budget to this dedicated fund. As such, it must be self supporting. The reasoning presented by its proponents is to better contend with the eventual dissolution of SYPSA and/or changes that will occur once the city's contract expires.
I will attempt to "explain the math". Each household (approx. 32,000) is being charged $17.50 per month. This equates to approx. $6.7M income. The expenses are approx. $4.2M- $4.3M that was transferred from the operating budget to pay for day to day trash collection services plus the cost of TFC recycling is $4 per month per household which equates to approx. $1.5M. In addition, the hazardous waste program costs about $65,000 and the recycling convenience centers are budgeted at $70,000. Add all this together and you get expenses totaling roughly $5.9M. If my math is correct, that leaves about $800,000. This balance would be accommodate contingencies such as rising fuel costs, etc.
It should be noted that the recycling fee of $4 per month will appear on your semi-annual real estate tax bill.
I hope this assists your readers in their comprehension of this newly created fund and related costs.
Those of you who are cognizant of local government actions know my position and how I voted on these issues. If anyone would like to discuss this or any other matter further please call me at (757) 449-9688.
26 comments:
How refreshing, a Council member talks to "IS" with straight answers. No FOIA necessary, he did what the other's don't have the courage to do. And I don't think anyone will try to shush him, we want to hear from all leaders of our government. Mike knows how to do it right and we need more that will speak up.
Councilman:So you state these numbers are per the month and a year's time frame is the model for this. The city ends up with a estimated 800k fund for "fuel" adjustements and other possible reasons. Where would these funds be earmaked for? More wasteful spending? More money for the good old boy and woman network? Would these "profits" have their own account or would they be earmaked for the "cites general fund" which will be depleted because its there for the taking and spending by those with the drunken salior syndrome.? Or would it the next best thing that could happen to it by giving out more raises and bonuses to city employees including council and the mayors?
Wow! A response from a Council member that is both public and not drafted for him by the City.
Hades has frozen over.
The mayors Linda and Salena will respond in 1.2.3...but not publicly. Mike you think that Irene was bad?You have a pending catagory 5 coming your way and its name is LindaSalena.
Pock,
I need to clarify the billing. The amount charged on your semi-annual real estate billing is the entire $17.50 per month of which $4.00 is to pay for recycling.
Maybe for once a certain segement of Suffolkinas voted right. How unsual is it to find a rep who does what he or she said to get elected.
I had thought the money over and above the cost of recycling was being held for use to purchase land and landfill start up costs when spsa disbands in 2018. If Mike is correct in how the money is being used then when council was voting to increase the tax rate by 6 cents and acting like they were doing a great job to hold the increase that low, they had academy award performances. The new recycle/trash fee of $210 per year equates to over 10% increase in taxes on a $200,000. house. Add the 6 cents to that and you have really increased the taxes. Why didnt council raise the tax rate to cover this and be honest about what they were doing? There is a lot of confusion about what is the money being used for and an explanation from the city should be given to the citizens. What now happens to the funds in the operating budget that the recycle/trash fees have taken the place of?
How can anyone believe a city administration that suddenly finds four million in cash floating about, then gives it away (again) to city staff? Please Mike we're not stupid and we think you and your fellow members on council have spent our taxes and goodwill foolishly. Don't look now but Caroline is laughing at you.
Mike,
Thank you for having the nads to speak to the great unwashed masses, but do you really have the whole story here? What happened to the money that the city used to budget for trach handeling? How can such demands be made when they "find our money" and spend almost all of it on pandering for votes? The Public Works guy, I think his name is Nelson, seems to always make it sould like things are fair, when he is always hitting us up for new fees and teaxes and the guise for better service. Not so, and the use of smoke and mirriors must end and we need honesty here. The costs for a middle-class family in Suffolk has gone up by huge number over the last five years, since Johnson has been Mayor. What do you propose to make Suffolk more affordable? I would start with NO NEW TAXES OF FEES! That is what we need even if you cut back on so called services. Suffolk needs a new Mayor and more on council like Mike, who do care what happens to us!
Don't you love these Dumaniacs and how they swoon over their local hero and used car saleman. These are the same people that blast Obama and the Obamanites at every opportunity. Please grow up and realize you are twice being played for a fool.
I guess picking up the garbage has a cost and has to be paid in some mannner by the property owner. But having to pay $4 a month for recycling when I don't intent to separate my garbage so that a portion of it can be recycled bothers me the most.
Everyone needs to recyle as a way to extend resources and to lessen garbage. Now that everyone has recycling cans there is absolutely no excuse for failure to recycle except laziness. $4.00 per month to have your recycles picked up is a deal and everyone should take advantage of being able to do a good thing. It is cheaper to recycle than to buy property and run a landfill. Hopefully, most people wont take the attitude of the 7:27 am poster.
Of course. there are two sides to the trash issues and taxes.
However, the Caroline supporters need to let go now with the personal Duman attacks. The election is over, and we expect our losers to be supportive of the system they wished to lead and gracious in defeat.
Also, the SCCA/Mosaic situation is very fragile, and I would think Caroline supporters would the last people on earth to bring her role in this to more public attention.
11:19 taking your line of thinking further I suppose we should embrace Obama's agenda regardless of how fast and hard our nation's economy fails because of his actions? Please step out of the room into the fresh air and take a few deep breaths. I suppose you also want us to blindly support Mayor Johnson and her Plantation Manager Cuffee-Glenn with our sweat and open checkbooks.
To the 9/5-823pm comment:
I don't think it's asking too much of the Martinites to show some respect for Mr. Duman, and for her to do so could hardly be interpreted by anyone as you have to mean showing some respect and engaging in civil discourse is somehow supporting Obama or a "plantation approach" to our City government.
Of course we all want a better government, but to encourage Mr. Duman to respond to issues is hardly a 100% endorsememt of our City government or some kind of attack on the Martinites.
Mrs. Martin and you have had your fifteen minutes, and its time for you to move on. I agree with the other comment that the Cultural Arts and Mosaic mystery may cause the thing to implode, and Mrs. Martin as the "lady in charge" certainly has a challenge to face without needing to pretend the election didn't settle her first tantrum.
Warden you should refrain from attacking a woman without knowing all the facts. One would think that after the last local election issue of smear letters attacking Duman and Gardy's opponents at the 12th hour, IS's Rules of Comportment would have been followed. Indeed Duman and Gardy won a victory which was in reality a hollow victory.
To the victor goes the spoils, even the spoiled brats that want to claim some cosipricy to take the election from their wife or something. Mr. Martian and friends do the failed candiate no favor by continuing to bring up split milk any more than the braggards do for their support of our failed mayor and her cronnies.
Anything that Gardy does is a hollow victory.
Landslide Mike Duman won by a whopping 174 votes. He so coveted the position of city coiuncilman he employed a Richmond based firm to prepare a letter that could be construed as a disinformation campaign. Does any Duman supporter think that his opponent Carolyn Martin would have been in lockstep with Mayor Johnson as Duman has been?
Here is the disconnet in American Society thst one side will do just about anything to justify the outcome. Whether he be a friend, neighbor, good guy or politico. Rather than have opposition and a healthy dialogue to challenge the current administration's tax and spend policies, we have go along to get along councilmen in Chuckatuck and in Holy Neck. So stop complaining about property taxes, garbage fees and those awful blue recycling bins you deserve and earned them with your vote.
I tend to agree that Martin would make a good foil against the Midget Mayor. Martin is a calculating person, just like Johnson, so it might be a good match. I do hope she will run for Mayor, Martin would have my vote for that without a doubt, since I would vote for anyone but Johnson.
If she did win, could you imagine the roasting of Parr, Gardy and the boys?
First to be roasted would be the City Manager and her appointees including the Deputy City Manager and the Chief of Staff.
However we all overlooked one very important factor, that is control of the voter registra's office and those precinct managers who also happen to count the votes. Currently they are in the pocket of the Johnsons who also are automatically endorsed and protected by the Constitutional Officers. The Con Ofcrs for their endorsement receive funding from the city's coffers taken from your taxes. When the VR's Office is purged of cronyism then we will have a fair election. Election night 2012 will be close (ie: Duman's 174 vote landslide) with slander, trash talk and smear letters from nervous incumbents. Last national election we have instances of people voting twice because of a malfunction of the voting machines being accidentally unplugged.
anon 8:45
Obviously you don't pay much attention to what's happening since the election. Duman voted against the budget and against mandatory recycling two times. On all occassions he offered an alternative solution. Not much "lock stepping" here! It seems he is more than capable of thinking for himself. He has also made himself very accessible if you wanted to call. Next time do your homework before you start ranting.
For the sake of record and not a rant, this is the third time this comment is being sent the other two seem to have failed to pass the critics review. What are Duman's main accomplishments since he took office? Where has he drawn a line in the sand and firmly stood his ground? What has he achieved to help his borough or for that matter the citizens of Suffolk from the tax and spend policies of this administration.
anon 5:05
Can you count to five?
To Anon 505
How about this for an accomplishment:
He won!!
Anon 5:05,
He has said more to restrain taxes and spending that all of council combined. He has been the lone disenter for the garbage fee. And I do agree, he won the election. What has Ms Martin done since losing the election? Speak out on the tax hike? The Garbage fees? The budget? The new found money that all got spent?
No no one peep and that seems to show the type of leadership we could have gotten from her and her crowd at the SCCA. Sad but true, so what now say yeeee?
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