garbage "Slush Fund" fees may have bought for the city !
damn the environment -- the city needs the money !
Below is an aerial photo of the new "Slush Fund" purchase. We had published this photo shot on a previous page as the location desired by the City Manager for a pumping station on Lake Jesup. The City is calling this a "Park Expansion", and they've made it so that IT MUST BE USED AS SUCH, by making it a one-way street system. This a very cleverly conceived deception.
By using that disguise, they have made the entrance to this area a one-way circular drive, through the main entrance of Central Winds, with the exit being ONLY through this property. In other words, they CREATED the need by eliminating exits from Central Winds Park. But, included would be an ACCESS road for the pumping station. The exit is onto SR434 ---- With NO LIGHT!
The layout below will show the forests, and the green areas of the property purchased. This property was purchased for $900,000 as you see it. Moneys from City Manager McLemore's "SLUSH FUND" were used in the purchase. So, the money you thought was for your garbage pick-up service, was indeed a "HIDDEN TAX", and was used in this very questionable manner.
Should not tax money be used by the City for land purchases? The money used was NEVER approved as a tax! So, for SEVEN YEARS the public has been conned into paying higher taxes than those touted by your City Commission. When they quoted you a millage rate --- was it correct? The answer is NO --- the citizens were in essence lied to about the City's tax base, and you didn't even know about it!
The above acreage is to be stripped bare, and more ball fields are to be built. There is one big problem, however. The population of Winter Springs could never justify the vast expanses of ball fields constructed by the City. Probably less than 10% of the participants, playing on these ball fields, are children of Winter Springs residents.
The big catch is, however, those children of the taxpayers of Winter Springs pay the same to play on those fields as those not living within the City. Not only that --- the majority of the leagues are not even Winter Springs based leagues. They use a Winter Springs PO box, but are based in other Central Florida cities. They may have an officer, or two from Winter Springs, but the main offices are elsewhere -- look them up.
You say -- so what? Well, put in proper prospective, the citizens of Winter Springs have paid the MILLIONS of dollars to build, maintain, and staff those fields, but yet they pay the same as out-of-town players. Shouldn't they play for free? Out-of-towners DON'T pay taxes in the City.
think about it --- citizens of winter springs --- you pay extra !
Since the money they're spending from the "McLemore Slush Fund" is actually your money, call City Hall and tell them to refund the money they stole from you as a "trash service". They won't give it to you, however, because the City has spent itself to the hilt. Wait until the latest bond figures are available from Tallahassee, and you'll see how much the City has indebted you for the future decades to come. The City of Winter Springs owes more money than ANY city in Seminole County!
( It has been rumored the 1 cent sales tax "Road Improvement Fund", Water Sewer Fund, General Fund, Park Impact Fees (?????), Land Water Conservation Grant (more taxes), and who knows what else, were used to purchase this property. Does that mean the $900,000 dollars is still in the McLemore "BFI Slush Fund" ? Good --- maybe the City will give the money back to the citizens who weren't even aware of this "Hidden Fund" that was being collected on their garbage bills. )
Don't you think they Will --- or should ?
now from the greenery and trees to ---- the bareness below !
The trees in the background border Lake Jesup.
The trees on the right side is a thin line separating this area from Central Winds Park, and, of course, those in the background border the Lake. One has to laugh when you think about the "Boat Dock" ordinance the Commission passed ---- it's a joke. They have no intention of saving the Lake.
This picture shows the thin line of trees. You can see the lights from the Central Winds Park behind it. Gees, what a pretty picture of some wild flowers. Somebody forgot to tear them down!
This picture shows you how vast the project is. The road on the left parallels SR434. It comes from the entrance of Central Winds Park, and goes nowhere. They'll probably dig it up for more barrenness. Remember --- this complex will have no traffic light onto SR434 --- so watch out!
