On another issue; they want to increase the Income Tax rate for citizens and non-citizens of Portsmouth who work within the city limits!
Question: Why? According to newly selected City Council President, John Haas; "to meet expenses." Haas goes on to say; "one of the options is to put the issue on for two or three years versus a one time measure." "We will let the voters see, if they think we've wasted a bunch of money and spent money on things that should not have been spent on then they don't have to renew it."
Here comes the scare tactic! Haas said; "If they like what they see and like better roads and better services perhaps they would vote to keep it."
I want to just pause for a moment and reflect on what Mr. Haas just said and maybe just ask a few more detailed questions in regards to his comments.
"To meet expenses." That is pretty much a unsure and unknown answer to a question. I would say that he or the others don't even have the vaguest idea of what those expenses really are!
"One of the options is to put the issue on for two or three years versus a one time measure." "We will let the voters see, if they think we've wasted a bunch of money and spent money on things that should not have been spent on then they don't have to renew it." Well, thank you Council President, Haas for realizing that the citizens of Portsmouth, Ohio are skeptical and fearful of city officials wasting, spending a bunch of money on things they did or don't have to! Of course, how can you not be reminded of that waste when it sits on Chillicothe St.
"If they like what they see and like better roads and better services perhaps they would vote to keep it." Shouldn't we already have those better roads and services with the revenue that is already being generated? Hey! Here's an idea! Stop giving these generous tax abatements to already established entities in our business districts. Perfect example: Lute Supply's abatement matured and what did they do? Re-located outside of the city limits Now, you can't even get the Income Tax from those jobs!
Council President, Haas goes on to say; "if the voters would not vote for an income tax increase, we can't continue with this deficit, we are either going to have to find another source of revenue, or we're going to have to start cutting employees and services."
Haas stated; "the revenue generated would not be used to construct or move city offices to a different location." "what I would hope we would do with the money is maintain and possibly improve the services we have."
Thoughts on those comments.
"If the voters would not vote for an income tax increase, we can't continue with this deficit, we are either going to have to find another source of revenue, or we're going to have to start cutting employees and services."
I personally believe that this will fail at the polls by a landslide. And, he is right we can't continue with this deficit. Although, I agree with some of the remedies to cut the budget; the outcome wouldn't have to be pictured as so gray!
First, I was kind of floored but, amused by a statement that was made to me the other day about our newly selected mayor. Understand, I have not yet confirmed this to be the truth but, will put this high on my priority list. That David "The Messiah" Malone has employed a bodygaurd! Wow! A man who supposedly has God on his side. Maybe he should take the wise words of Robert Fulghum; "If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you got a problem. Everything else is inconvenience." I also, heard that this bodygaurd is none other than his brother. A created position on taxpayer dime! This tells me that he does not have faith in our police department! Or, he thinks he is a high ranking official now and deserves to be protected from what happened to Rep. Gifford in Arizona! Also, is this man being allowed to carry a firearm? Oh, well! That's another story in of it's self!
Cutting employees... Now there is a idea! I beleive the charter states that we are not to fall below 35 police officers. We have more than that now. I believe we have alot of city employees in the service department who are not putting in a full days work for a full days pay! Believe me folks, it's not just me that see's you loafing and napping in trucks! City employees driving vehicles home and using them after working hours for personal use. Mr. Williams should be including that into those employees 1099's as taxable income. Fire Department, awful lot of fireman sitting and eating at local restraunts on the clock with their vehicles sitting outside. Now, I know they need to take them with them in case of an emergency! By the way, who pays for the food that is kept at the fire station to feed the firemen? I seen a high ranking fire official driving a city vehicle with his wife in the car in the middle of the day! Why? How often are the department heads audited on their credit card use? How come the city's "Street Sweeping Program" doesn't do all of the streets?
Why do not all of the fire hydrants work throughtout our city? If home owners insurance company's knew of this information rates might rise. Why? When leaving the city limits the roads are better and when entering the city limits they are the worst almost anywhere you have been? How much does the city pay for city councilman to have insurance each year? Don't these people have insurance from their current jobs and/or retirement plans? By the way! No more new hires; no more wage increases! Period!
These are just some of the questions I would like for council and the mayor select to try and answer before you come to the citizens of Portsmouth and ask for more money for your "Slush Funds!"
By the way, how much is the deficit? $2.2 million dollars. What did the Martings Building intially cost us? Seems like every couple of years they want us to come up with a couple more million dollars! The buck has to stop here! And now!
To The Readers: Please feel free to leave your comments on this article good or bad!
Correction:
In the article above I stated that Charter said we were to only have 35 police officers. That is incorrect.
According to the charter it reads as follows:
SECTION 87. POLICE FORCE.
The City shall maintain a police force consisting of an officer directly in charge thereof
and of not less than forty-three other officers, patrolmen and employees, as may otherwise be fixed
in accordance with the provisions of Section 38 of this Charter. In case of riot or like emergency
the Mayor may appoint additional patrolmen and officers for temporary service who need not be
in the classified service of the City. The officer directly in charge of the police force shall have
control of the stationing, and other disposition, of all members of the force under such rules and
regulations as he may establish with the approval of the Mayor.
(Amended 11-3-87.)
According to the official website of Portsmouth, Ohio. The Police Department claims to have currently.
- Chief
- 2 Captains
- 4 Lietenants
- 8 Sergeants
- 26 Patrolman (Another page states 29 patrolman)
- 1 Administrative Assistant
- 3 Administrative Clerks
Thats a total of 45 employees in the department. 48 employees if there are actually 29 patrolman.
SECTION 89. FIRE FORCE.
The City shall maintain a fire force consisting of an officer in charge thereof and of not
less than forty-three other officers, firemen and employees as may otherwise be fixed in
accordance with the provisions of Section 38 of this Charter. In case of riot, conflagration, or like
emergency, the Mayor may appoint additional officers and firemen for temporary service who
need not be in the classified service of the City. The officer directly in charge of the fire force
shall have control of the stationing, and other disposition, of the force under such rules and
regulations as he may establish with the approval of the Mayor.
(Amended 11-3-87.)
According to the official website of Portsmouth, Ohio. The Fire Department claims to have currently.
- 38 sworn officers.
- 6 emergency dispatchers.
Thats a total of 44 employees.
You asked about the number of firemen and why there are the same number as police. The Charter is written that way. If there is a fire there has to be a driver of the truck and at least three others to fight the fire. Mostly the police handle each call with one or possibly two patrolmen. To keep fires from spreading and keeping the damages down there can be two or three trucks responding to each fire--each truck has multiple firemen. There also has to be a backup to be able to respond to another possible fire. If my house was on fire I would really appreciate having them there. You have a great blog here, we all need all the information we can get. We are in for a wild ride when they try to pass the budget.
ReplyDeleteThank anonymous for your comments regardng the Fire Dept. I really appreciate readers points of view.
ReplyDeleteI still would like to know the difference between the amount of calls between the two departments. I know we need adequate protection and coverage, but how much down time do they have between actual calls? And, this may be as simple as "It is what it is!"
But, once again thank for your comments.
I want to know, who do u have to b related 2 to get justice around here. I have been victimized, assaulted, my property vandalized and robbed repeatedly an officers upon hearing WHO did the crimes in question, Nothing happens. Some officers (the GOOD ones) have to wait for these certain officers (the Brewers (3)) to leave for them to do their jobs. like simply take a written report from the victim. I dare them to try to sue me, after all isn't the court only interested in the TRUTH. let's get rid of CORRUPT cops on our force, did u see how much they make? $60G a year the son at $35ish. So why don't they pay me the $20+g I lost in income and damages for their REFUSAL to do the job they have sworn an oath to do. Funny I pay their salaries, who they are proctecting DON"T.
ReplyDelete