This letter, although submitted in time for the last meeting, was NOT included in the minutes of the meeting as run, and controlled by ex-commissioner Blake -----
via city budget mangler McLemore !
Relative to the end of the Winter Springs citizen property tax reform mitigation study committee, please be advised of the following as I was deeply disappointed, and not in agreement with the final direction of our last meeting. I will not be present at city hall on July 16, 2007 due to my business travels -- thus I want to make it clear where I stand.
On July 5, 2007 we had our last committee meeting, but at the time of our meeting I was not expecting it to be our last. I did not realize this until late that night, and was not exactly enthused with the quick course of direction. I did not understand the urgency of a quick vote that late night if we are supposed to make a thorough logical recommendation. I certainly entertained many possibilities in the previous meeting, but none was talked about in our last meeting. The entire focus was the proposal offered by our city manager as possible cuts.
I was certainly in favor of certain cuts offered by the city manager, but it would miss other possible cuts like the defined benefit pension plan. I did address the pension plan at our last meeting, as no one wanted to talk about it? I was then informed that we also ran out of time to discus such material and should have addressed it in more detail earlier? I really needed more time with the total budget, but I guess most of the committee members wanted to end the meetings and some said they would not show if another meeting would take place.
My time would have been better served at city hall on the actual 2007 budget instead of hearing all the possible cuts in services with doom and gloom. Former committee member Steve Thompson definitely had the right idea and I regret the fact that I did not follow his recommendation.
I devoted a great deal of time and effort and I did attend all of the meetings. I was certainly prepared to go all the way no matter how long it would take. I was already making sacrifices with my employer, but now I even question on the true purpose of this committee after being spoon fed with the ways of the city with no compromise. It was also apparent on who will run in the next election as a political agenda emerged.
As said before, the entire presentation by the city was about cuts in services and not one proposal was offered to cut certain employee benefits to make ends meet. I’m all for compromise, but none was offered and I voted without meaning due to the limitations offered. To be honest, I did not even vote on several times because of my frustration with repeat and by that time it was all over on what would actually take place. We even had one committee member leave during the process and for the most part I wanted to do the same.
I think the whole meeting was about flooding committee members into the system and looking for a quick vote at the end with no more time. I assume other committee members feel different based on comments and their vote, but this is how I felt about the whole process. I think it was too easy to say add $50-$100 to your taxes and go home. It certainly was an exhausting experience and in some cases I was actually flying back into Orlando MCO just before the meetings.
A great deal of time and effort was placed in my previous document with factual data, but why is it that the city never responds to the data with corrective measures if any? I thought some committee members would at least question some of the topics for discussion, but that certainly did not take place. I can not speak for the other committee members, but for me this was time wasted with no real long-term solutions.
The entire focus was for the $1.3 million from the general fund for 2008 and zero consideration of the future. If the city was looking for that quick fix, then we should have used the 1 million plus surplus from last year and call it quits.
For the record, I do want the $1.3 million cut made, but not necessarily with the list we had and the conditions. Obviously some of my considerations were not accepted by the rest of the committee. If the commission does not want to cut 1.3 million from the total budget, then I will favor a 1.3 million cut from the general fund since that is the only option given to me by the city.
Again, the city only offered cuts in services on sensitive issues for most citizens. It is no different in the game of increasing millage rates where the city blames the increase on fire and police.
The defined benefit pension plan is going to have huge implications on future expenditures. It is also clear that most citizens do not understand defined benefit pension plans offered by the city. Most citizens are furious about the plan once they understand what it all means. I will fully agree that most citizens do not want cuts in services. However, many do want cuts in taxes and I mean all taxes, but they may not know where to look for cuts.
Does anyone realize that you have employees on the payroll that could retire at age 55 and receive $100,000 per year for life for serving 30 years? That would mean $3,000,000 if that person lives to be 85 and this is not even including scheduled payroll increases already above the national average. I have been with my employer for 20 years and all I receive is a 3% employer contribution in a 401k and this is what the average citizen receives.
I’m certainly not afraid to speak, as I don’t have a political agenda. The sad part is that some people have even approached me with sensitive data knowing that I would probably speak for them as they would never bring it out in the open themselves. The defined benefit pension plan is a perfect example that no one likes to touch due to political career and/or popularity with city employees.
In the minutes of 7/5/2007 I did mention terminating the current pension plan for general service employees as a start. This is what city manager John Litton did for Lake Mary, but in reality this will be a huge mess for fire and police expenditures as well. Let’s be honest; it’s a failed system of today just like the current property tax system.
To reiterate my position on the committee, my vote is for a $1.3 million reduction as a minimum from the total budget that would reduce the millage rate. If not, I fully support the $1.3 million cut from the general fund due to my options provided by the city. Why should the taxpayer compromise if the city does not? To say we had a unanimous vote in favor of the city is simply not the reality I had to work with.
The Florida sunshine law certainly limited open discussions. I guess it’s business as usual with state and local government at odds and no real long term solutions. Follow the donation trail and you quickly realize what this is all about. I had many more things of discussion but I have simply run out of time myself.
Writing this letter on Friday the 13th is probably the truth of all this horror.
Regards,
Ron Ligthart
Ad Hoc citizen property tax reform mitigation study committee.
The Study of the differences in the various municipalities in tax revenue structure is quite reveling !
Study and read both letters carefully then proceed to the publication of the TRUE figures --
( The charts giving you a precise view and municipalities standings are being worked on right now. )