Well folks, I wondered how long Mike Anthony could stay out of Crestwood politics, and now we know!
Mr. Mike Anthony, editor, and erstwhile resident of Jefferson County (not Crestwood,) has once again pontificated on "what's right for Crestwood!"
This guy is the one in the same that promised (in April) "no more slams against the Crestwood leadership!" Well, I guess he forgot that part of his diatribe because here he is in the "paper" low rating Crestwood again!
Mike, find something your qualified to report on and leave us alone, because we are all stocked up with liberals who have no stake in Crestwood, and we sure don't need a person who doesn't live here to tell us what to, or how to do it!
Tom Ford
NO. 500
This guy is the one in the same that promised (in April) "no more slams against the Crestwood leadership!" Well, I guess he forgot that part of his diatribe because here he is in the "paper" low rating Crestwood again!
Mike, find something your qualified to report on and leave us alone, because we are all stocked up with liberals who have no stake in Crestwood, and we sure don't need a person who doesn't live here to tell us what to, or how to do it!
Tom Ford
NO. 500
posted by Crestwood Independent at 19:24
41 Comments:
You sound just like your liberal Democrat crony, Mike Heins.
Just read the article in question. Wow. The Call sure saw this one coming a couple years ago. But remember. The mayor doesn't believe in "projections." Especially from a supposedly liberal rag newspaper. If they're so liberal, why are they skeptical of a tax increase. I don't know about you, fellow bloggers, but more taxes is a very liberal view.
I thought liberals loved tax increases, so does that make Tom and Roy liberals because they want a tax increase?
I guess there are some that would prefer to read fiction.
7:47 AM bigger: Glad you made it out of bed today! Do I really sound like that, or does he sound like me?
I hate to tell you but, I have never met the man. I do however admire the tenacity he so aptly displays.
Please don't forget your 60's outfit when you hit the street today, the local "I will change the world" groupies will love the throwback attire.
Tom Ford
10:47 AM blogger: No, that makes Tom, Mayor Robinson, and a host of others realists! Being liberal means you get everything for nothing!
Is that what your all about?
Tom Ford
My are we touchy today Tommy, the Mayors latest TAX Increase got you all upset?
What happened to the spirit of this blog is here for the people to vent? Changed a little when you see your man saying and doing the very same things he said he wouldn't do when he first ran for mayor.
Did'nt the owners of the Creston Center tell us what to do and they don't live in Crestwood?
4:03 PM blogger: The tone remains the same as before, and your right, I am not having a very good day on a host of subjects!
I will bow out till my mood changes because none of you fellow bloggers deserve to be in my "nightmare!"
Thanks for reminding me, and a thousand pardons!
Tom Ford
Just read the article......
Please remember the following. The citizens of Crestwood had a choice 4 years ago. Sell $14 million dollars worth of bonds(the future) and then have new taxes imposed because of the evil servant called debt or declare bankruptcy. The debt service calls the shots not the citizens. Thats how politicians (liberals) control you and me. I hate it.
Instead the citizens booted old line debt spending in favor of deciding what level of services are desired and paying for them as required. The present mayor and BOA have and continue to gain efficiencies in the adminstration of the desired services but cannot gain enough ground to out run the increasing rate of costs.
The citizens thus have taken control of the direction of the city by controlling the source of funding (property taxes). The mayor and BOA are obligated to inform the citizens about the state of Crestwood and have accomplished the obligation. The citizens of Crestwood will now have to decide the future of their city, as it should be.
Hmm, so if you own a business in Crestwood you don't have rights because you don't live here also?
Business owners pay and generate enough taxes to have their say.
Fine you want a tax increase. Can you at least tell us where $1 million number came from?
The amount of taxes that Webster or Sunset Hills residents pay does not justify a tax increase in Crestwood. City employees needing a pay increase just because they have not had one in awhile is not a reason either.
And how does taking a million bucks out of people's pockets help our local businesses...
Fellow bloggers: As far as I am concerned any business person in Crestwood, whether they live here or not should have a say. The business community has been very good to Crestwood, and I hope they feel the same way about us.
As far a taking a million bucks (if that's what's actually needed) out of our pockets, well it has to come from somewhere. The Crestwood Courts will not be a real revenue producer for at least 2-3 years, and we will need to make up the shortfall.
I know every body's mad at someone for saying we won't tax the citizens, but the entire landscape has changed(and not for the better,) since those statements were made.
As I sit here, I am having a very hard time believing that the Mayor, one man, could and did intimidate the entire BOA, the C/A, and whomever else you wish to mention.
If you ask me there is plenty of blame to go around, but that's water over the dam. I think now more than ever we must all pull together to do what is needed to right the ship.
We have some of the finest management minds in Crestwood up there on that Dias (Miguel, Nieder, Foote, Pickle, Roby,) so let's use them!
Tom Ford
Fellow Bloggers....
You are correct. Business people have a right to profit. After all profit is the first object on their minds. If the business want us to continue to supply the infrastructure(police, fire, streets) to allow customers access to what they sell, a contribution is required. The business votes when they decide enough potential sales exist to support a location in Crestwood. Without good infrastructure business votes to go elsewhere.
The million dollars is required to accomplish a few objectives. The BOA has debated for two years,(no intimidation by the mayor) about how to lesson the dependence on sales taxes so as to lesson the impact of sales fluctuations. What is the appropriate share? The share as it presently exists certainly is not effective. The percentage of participation from sales taxes will only be reduced about 2% which means we still rely on sales taxes for half the revenue. Is this the right balance? Not postive yet but it is a step in the right direction and I hope the citizens understand their share of the revenue is still far less than 20% of total revenue income. Crestwood citzens pay more to zoo zand museums than their own city. What statement does that make?
Lets pull together and stear the ship forward. We are in a better position than 3 years past. We just need make it through 5 more years of eliminating the evil servant called debt then we can call the shots again.
That is not what the Board members are saying is the truth. Also, if Miguel is ht end all, how come he doesnt support the tax increase?
So there was no "intimidation by the mayor"?
Looking at the quotes below, he seemed rather intent on NOT raising taxes, even AFTER the closing of Dillard's. Please notice his use of the word WE - "we're not raising the taxes."
""At the same time, Miguel said he was surprised by the closing of Dillard's and wants to make sure that the city is financially prepared if another such closure occurs.
"I personally was caught off balance by Dillard's' closing," Miguel said. "And I was lulled into feeling that we would see a continuation of the decline that we have been seeing over the years. But we, in effect, fell off a cliff."
"Well, I don't know what cliff you fell off of," Robinson said. "There's been no cliff falling."
"Well, I consider the closing of Dillard's as a major problem," Miguel said.
"That's, as far as I'm concerned, that's just a negative point," Robinson said. "And it's an overstated situation, which is backed by people who want to raise taxes and all things to be able to justify. We're not raising the taxes."
from Call Newspapers, 10-31-2007,
article titled "Crestwood mayor, alderman clash over need for 'Plan B' by Burke Wasson
callnewspapers.com
11:47 PM, May 05, 2008"
11:59 AM blogger: I still didn't see, or hear the mayor threaten Mr. Miguel, or anyone else, did you?
Sorry but I must have missed the article in the "paper," but you see my bird died, and we have no further use for it.
Tom Ford
well that settles if for me, If Tom never heard of it then it never happened. I mean, after all Tom is always at the Board meetings and he should know.
7:30 AM blogger: Glad you understand! Maybe you should try commenting in the evening, because your "tongue in cheek" seems to get stuck in the mornings.
Tom Ford
I still find it "squirrely" that no one really knows what they need it for. 1 week it's .25 and the next .35.
We are getting away from sales tax reliance? Then quit spending money like revenue is not declining.
Why are we giving out tax incentives for businesses?
Mall property taxes are down but what about at least 6-7 new developments in the last 2 years? Are they not going up in value?
Medical building at Sam's
Shop 'n Save plaza
Ace Hardware plaza
Starbuck Plaza - Sappington
New retirement home
New medical building next door to retirement home.
New Dental building at Pier 1.
These were all vacant not long ago.
"Then quit spending money like revenue is not declining."
Exactly!
"I still didn't see, or hear the mayor threaten Mr. Miguel, or anyone else, did you?"
I've seen the mayor give Miguel a hard time.
Yeah like every meeting. Why else do you think the mayor imposed time limits for aldermen to speak?
Yes, time limits. Whatever happened to freedom of speech?
Yes, time limits. Whatever happened to freedom of speech?
"As I sit here, I am having a very hard time believing that the Mayor, one man, could and did intimidate the entire BOA, the C/A, and whomever else you wish to mention."
Well you had better smell the roses. That is exactly what has happened. The BOA should be ashamed.
Don't know if the mayor intimidates the boa but he tries to bully them. that's what i see
Funny how things change
"That's, as far as I'm concerned, that's just a negative point," Robinson said. "And it's an overstated situation, which is backed by people who want to raise taxes and all things to be able to justify. We're not raising the taxes."
from Call Newspapers, 10-31-2007,
article titled "Crestwood mayor, alderman clash over need for 'Plan B' by Burke Wasson
callnewspapers.com
You're right about one thing: this is nothing but politics, or at the very least, an overriding desire to please everyone, no matter what the eventual cost.
Every single alderman on the board (except the recently-appointed Ward 2 alderman) was advised of the dropping sales tax revenues quite a while ago, and acknowledged the looming financial crisis that lay ahead. To their credit, they each tried to do something, whether it was proposing a tax or asking for a "Plan B" budget that would have required closer examination of spending. It was the mayor himself who stood in the way of these efforts. I attended the board meetings where the mayor barely allowed the subject of these options to be broached. He consistently spoke of vetoing any measure that would have a negative impact on residents (taxes) or city staff (spending cuts). Obviously, pursuing either option would be politically risky, so he chose to avoid both.
Unfortunately, once he relented and agreed to a tax increase, the result of his procrastination was that the board had little time to give the proper attention needed to create a viable, financially sound solution. Had the mayor allowed the board to pursue both methods of addressing the revenue shortfall at the times they were proposed, the impact on city staff, services, and the residents would likely have been minimized.
It takes strong leadership to make unpopular decisions.
Martha Duchild
This is probably plan A shoot high in November. If they vote it down we can ask for something more reasonable next time around.
Deals like this Mall redevelopment "fall through" all the time. I wouldn't be smiling at City Hall until cash registers are actually ringing again.
It looks like a phantom decided to take my comment from a previous post on a different subject and put it on this page, because at 8:09 PM tonight I was nowhere near a computer...
Martha Duchild
Martha, great points nonetheless, even if a phantom stole them from another thread. Our mayor was more worried about politics than he was the good of the city and he's been caught red-handed. Shame.
It really is very simple, Mayor and Board knew last fall that a tax increase was needed Members of Board tried to address same and in public meetings as he has been quoted on this blog, Mayor turned them away.
Reason, a tax increase on ballot in April might bring someone else out to run against current Mayor, and he knew City needed it. So Mayor went to Board and told them, "look don't bring up the needed tax increase till after the April election, and if you do that I'll be the front runner for the increase to be put on August ballot". As long as it gets passed before Sept'08 it's ok if we pass on the April election.
So the Board caves, and what happens is,the Mayor comes out in support of a Tax increase that is too little and with too short of a sunset, so the Board has to increase both and now he looks like the wise conservative, and the Board looks like the out of control tax and spend bunch.
Fact is the Mayor out thought and played the Board to the point that only one member voted against the increase being on the ballot and he was the one last Fall who was calling for a Plan B. If voters say no to 35 cents Mayor can say well I thought it was too high, if they pass it he gets to take the credit for working for it's passage.
Tip of the hat to our Mayor for some fine political infighting, nice job Roy.
I guess since Crestwood supposedly has a balanced budget for 2008 (anyone see it posted on the city's web site yet??) the mayor felt the tax increase could be addressed for the year 2009. Sad, very sad. Until the mayor and the BOA can come up with more specifics regarding the budget and expenses, I will not be voting for any tax increase.
Folks, I, (the Crestwood Independent) will be making a policy statement, Visa VE the tax increase after the Memorial day holiday. This may stun some of you, but it is the way I see it!
For now, please join me in honoring those that gave the ultimate sacrifice to this Great Nation.
Tom Ford
Yeah, considering they haven't even released their 2007 audit, which they said was a big reason why they pushed for a tax increase, I don't trust a thing. Put a tax increase on the ballot before the people know what happened last year? Smart, guys. Real smart. They know but we don't. That in itself is THE WHOLE PROBLEM. Until they give more answers than "I don't know" or "We don't know how bad it's going to be," I can't give another cent of my money to them. If they don't know, then I vote no.
The 2008 approved budget hasn't even made the city's web site yet!!!!!! I agree, no tax increase.
If Mike Anthony ever says one nice thing about Crestwood politics in this administration, be sure that it is only temporary to throw everybody off his original intent. Which is to malign and create chaos with this mayor and his administration that he personally dislikes.
As a journalist, a good one, you are suppose to put your personal issues aside; but Mike Anthony can't do that!! Never has!!!
Until such time as those he holds in high esteem such as Trueblood, Jim Robertson, Tom Fagan et al are back in politics, he may throw you a "bone" every once in awhile, but don't expect him to give you both sides of any issue. It just "ain't" going to happen.
There are those who possess journalistic excellence and use it fairly and appropriately; then there are those like Mike Anthony who will "sugar coat" things on a whim and with other issues that would incriminate "his benefactors" he does a slow and soft petalled tap dance.
I will never read The Call, and have taken my name off of their list. If I get a copy of it in error, I line my bird cage with it.
Well folks I wondered how Roger Anderson could stay out of politics and now we know.
4:49 pm Huh?
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