To understand what took place you would have to listen to all the tapes.   The meetings were so manipulated by the City Manager not even ALL the Commissioners knew what was going on.    Just some of the ignorant dialog pouring forth from the mouths of your elected leaders was enough to realize just how dumb the whole charade came about, and their participation as direct by the dictatorial city manager.    It was more than a total farce ---

          Go to the middle of this page for a link to a very interesting "Citizen's Letter".

          The City Manager/Commission were trying to focus the public, and media, to the "total millage", or the "overall millage"-- the 8 mil published figure.    This was to move people's focus off of the operating millage.    The commission counted on public ignorance when it said its operating millage was 4.4126 in 2004.    We all know it was 4.3.    If  you look strictly at the operating millage they raised it .3126 (the .1126 mil from Parker and .2 mil Blake threw in), not .2 mil like Commission McGinnis is touting around town, and the Mayor gave to the Sentinel.    The other thing the commission misled the public on was that the operating millage, which generates ad valorem taxes, that they use to operate the city on.

          The commission then spun their heads after they closed public input, and said that the ad valorem taxes fund the General Fund, which is the city's "savings account".    Commissioner Blake said "you don't use the savings account to spend on operating expenses".    So the whole .2 millage increase they said they need for the police was a big fat hoax.   (There will be more to come on the police expenditures.)

          The City is getting those funds from someplace else, according to Blake's statement.   Now that they raised the OPERATING MILLAGE by 7.27% ----- the city manager got a guaranteed $1,287,000 extra dollars to blow on capital projects.    One example, never made public, is the city hall expansion needed for McLemore's growing government.

          In the Sentinel, the mayor was quoted that the increase in the total millage was the .2 mils and that was a 4% increase.    What he did not say was ----- they raised the operating millage by 7.27%.    According to a Blake's statement in an August workshop, he wants to keep chucking away at the Parker millage, which means he'll keep moving the difference into the operating millage. 

(As previously published -- the City Manager forgot to put that bond on the tax rolls resulting a City loss of over $750,000.    IT should be taken out of his salary/retirement package.)

Web site visitor -- you're right.   Glad you caught that 2003 "big-bond-blunder".

According to Blake's statement above -- this shouldn't be done --- but he VOTED for it !

Another email received concerning the millage issue.      Commissioner Blake hates this letter.

This letter says what the citizens are now beginning to think -- go to -- "The Citizen's Letter".

          This was the bond that the City coned the people into believing was merely an expansion needed for park property.     Little did the people know how they planned to use the interest rate in one HUGE scam.    This was the referendum voted on, and now they're jockeying the interest rate into the millage rate.

          The two commissioners who voted against the tax hike did what was only "political expedient" for them and their connections.     Most obvious, of course, is the McGinnis vote who has to run for re-election in 2006.     Maybe by then a more qualified candidate while come forth, and remove the "political cloning" presently used on the dais for the past 9 years.

          Gilmore's vote takes an entirely different aspect.   The scam pulled by ex-commissioner Martinez to get Gilmore on the dais will come to it's full circle when, in 2006, Martinez will run for commissioner  ---- AGAIN !    The Martinez residency changes of 2004 were well orchestrated by his THREE moves within one year.    One could say FOUR moves --- the phony listing of  205 Morgan Street was used as a ploy.  

(Martinez's move was monitored closely.   Documents not only from the City, but the County show his addresses and move deception.   His voting on the dais should have been disqualified.    It probably would have been if the City had proper legal representation on the dais.)

          Used was Moti Khemlani's permanent home address by Martinez in a tremendous move scam.     By the way --- the part of Tuscawilla he moved back into is not on the "special assessment" tax roll.    That was the scam pulled off by City Manager McLemore to overcome the defeat of that taxing bond.

          It was a coordinated move by a faction in the THOA breaking away from the Khemlani "Klutches".   Khemlani put not only his full support behind the candidacy of Rick Keel to replace Gilmore in the last election, but used THOA membership money in the campaign.    An illegal maneuver now before the State Elections Commission Board for final hearing in November*.

*(See the False Information published by the THOA in their "propaganda rags".)

           So the City Manager/Commission conned up the increase in millage to 8 mils just to throw the people off as to what they were REALLY up to as far as gaining capitol needed to continue the City's venture into "private development".    It was a scam --- ALL THE WAY !

          You cannot hear McLemore speak on the tape.   This is a common trait of the City Manager ---- he doesn't want people to know he is involved --- a joke in it's self !    McLemore blurted out when the audience was asking "what is the operating millage rate" --- he said "they" were asking it to be 4.4126.

         He said this just before Blake made his motion.. Then Blake said in his motion that the 4.6126 rate was for the operating millage (he add .2 mil to McLemore's number), and .1374 for the debt millage.    Now if you add those two, you get 4.75.
          Blake makes a motion to use 4.126 ---- PLUS the VOTING millage of .137 ---- to come up to the rollback rate of 4.75.    What is a "voting millage"?   Is this the bond issue?

• Property value increases were not considered before increasing taxes?     According to charts available from the County -- the residential property is declining while commercial property is increasing.    The chart isn't even complete, because of the "hidden projects" in the planning department that City Manager McLemore doesn't want the public to know !

• National crime statistics show a 57% decline in crime, while the expansion of low cost housing, and commercial blundering in the City of Winter Springs has increased the 2004 crime rate by 21% per cent !    That's why the Police Chief needs $324,000 dollars to beef up his police force.

• As to "what are they using"?   The figures used NEVER add up anywhere close to the 4.75. The .137 is used throughout ALL dialog as being a "voting millage" --- which is NEVER explained.

• There is NO OTHER "voting millage" figure mentioned or use to arrive at the 4.75.   The 4.65 mention by Miller is what he said the rollback rate should be with the addition of the .137.

• At no time is there ANY reference to the figures used on the County's tax notice as sent out.

• Miller uses, or throws the figure of 4.65 into the mix.  (No votes are taken yet).   That figure has yet to be explained.    The tapes will have to be reviewed again for Miller's usage of a 4.65 rollback rate.

• In Gilmore's statements he's talking about eliminating police department requirements for manpower, and put it all under the CM.

•  Both McGinnis and Gilmore voted against the millage increase, but then voted for the budget figures that including using the millage increases.     WHY --- they knew the three votes would pass the millage rate.    Also, they have NEVER voted against a horrendous expenditure put forth by the City Manager.

• McGinnis has to run for re-election in 2006, but she knew the tax increases would pass anyway.    Her vote wasn't needed, so it was "political expedient" to vote "nay".    McLemore HAD his votes.

• Gilmore was put in his seat by ex-commissioner Martinez who is going to run for Blake's seat in 2006.    You see --- he move BACK INTO Blake's district so he could run for commissioner.    He loves the huge salaries being made by commissioners, which he voted for through Gilmore.

• Blake has termed out.    He might run for Mayor, but that wouldn't afford him his opportunity to insert his ego with his scurrilous dais dialog.   He needs something to satisfy that ego -- maybe County or State.

• The Mayor should be put out to pasture.   He did nothing he promised his supporters in his campaign, and came back to headline his support for the cast-off City Manager.   The same should happen in Winter Springs as it did in Martin County.    He needed his consultants there also -- that's what got him fired !

• Miller has challenged people to throw him out of office.    Maybe it's time since he has three years of deception left on the dais.   PFGG shall publish recall procedures and requirements.

• Krebs is everybody's "yes" on the dais.    Put her in a minority --- she'll switch in a hurry.   Remember, she's the one that backed out of her campaign against McLeod, and mis-lead her supporters.    That is an obvious move by people seeking questionable "political status --- plus she got "McLemorized"!    That's a permanent sickness --- incurable unless recalled.

          Surely, there are enough decent people out there in the City of Winter Springs who are fed up with the McLemore tenure, and ready to seek a good and decent government.    Don't be bashful  --- anyone would be better than the "lapdog commission"  (Orlando Sentinel's description of the Winter Springs commission), and do the PEOPLE some good instead of developer and Rotary Club buddies --- (Gilmore is the president, and the taxpayer has been paying the city manager's dues since 1996 --- to a 'for-profit-organization.)     The majority of the elected officials even belong to this "for-profit-club".    In fact, for over nine years taxpayers have been paying the City Manager's club dues !

          The Rotary Club even benefits from the profits of the expensive taxpayer paid 4th of July City extravaganza, along with the profits of selling of products going to the City for private development usage.     Why don't you ask your commissioners how much of the police, fire, and park service costs are paid by the Rotary Club ?     Same goes for the "Scottish Games" when city official authorize the use of booze in your park, while the police could arrest you at home with a can of beer on your sidewalk!

          Sponsors of many of the park department's events go to private concerns, and the taxpayer pays dearly for the right to allow more outside participation in organized sports by outside interests.   Over 78% of the children, and adults using the City Central winds project ---

DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THE CITY !

YES -- the City, it's budget, and millage rate is just a McLemore game with the players being your elected officials on the dais.    Time for a recall -- for defective merchandise !

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