"Noted economist, Tom Ford's list of expenditure reductions!
Well here is the list I proposed to the Board on February 10, 2009. Now these are to be looked at as a starting point as to what we can do without if needed.
Our friends on this board feel we must have a TAX INCREASE in order to do anything in Crestwood, I say we need to make some REDUCTIONS!
In fact, I have sent a list of proposed cuts to three Aldermen for their edification, and two of them seem to agree with some (not all) of the proposed CUT'S.
After some soul searching I have decided to list the proposals here to get your input. Now remember, we cannot have everything, as our revenue stream is down, but I do believe these proposed CUT'S will be the least traumatic to our employees, and us.
Well, here goes.
We do not require new sources of revenue but a strong BOA that is prepared to make unpopular decisions and get the job done.
I ask the mayor and BOA to join me to make the unpopular decisions to:
Shutter Sappington House ( Foundation could accept the financial responsibility)$24k
Eliminate Animal Control $50k
Eliminate the security cost for the BOA meetings $11k
Reduce labor hour weeks in order to preserve jobs. $80k
Combine the two code enforcement officers duties under one person $46K
Determine the legal possibilities of considering an appropriate tax/special assessment for the citizens in Affton Fire districts which would eliminate the contribution required from the general fund. $330k
Restructure the police department to more closely reflect the cost other communities experience. $100k
Reduce/eliminate capital spending $300k
Freeze salaries at 2008 levels $100k.
Change the health insurance policies to reflect a greater contribution from the employee. $50k
Budget on a cash basis instead of an accrual basis.
Close the pool $70k
Charge rent for the Sappington House Manager $10K
Eliminate the $100 Sappington house Manager stipend $1200
Eliminate the 2009 raises $100k
Combine Executive Secretaries $100k
The one important benchmark we have yet to receive from either of the two city administrators is the revenue required to run this city at minimum level.
If you can wait until next Wednesday I believe there will be an interview in the Call that will expound on this a bit more. After you read the Call I hope we (the Citizens) can build on these ideas and offer the Board a plan to save the $1,000,000.00 they say we must have to continue business as usual.
If it continues to be an "everything for everybody" spending package, well look for the Tax increase crew in August! I am not interested in seeing another performance of the "tax follies," so the City will just have to reduce spending somewhere.
Tom Ford
NO. 595
Our friends on this board feel we must have a TAX INCREASE in order to do anything in Crestwood, I say we need to make some REDUCTIONS!
In fact, I have sent a list of proposed cuts to three Aldermen for their edification, and two of them seem to agree with some (not all) of the proposed CUT'S.
After some soul searching I have decided to list the proposals here to get your input. Now remember, we cannot have everything, as our revenue stream is down, but I do believe these proposed CUT'S will be the least traumatic to our employees, and us.
Well, here goes.
We do not require new sources of revenue but a strong BOA that is prepared to make unpopular decisions and get the job done.
I ask the mayor and BOA to join me to make the unpopular decisions to:
Shutter Sappington House ( Foundation could accept the financial responsibility)$24k
Eliminate Animal Control $50k
Eliminate the security cost for the BOA meetings $11k
Reduce labor hour weeks in order to preserve jobs. $80k
Combine the two code enforcement officers duties under one person $46K
Determine the legal possibilities of considering an appropriate tax/special assessment for the citizens in Affton Fire districts which would eliminate the contribution required from the general fund. $330k
Restructure the police department to more closely reflect the cost other communities experience. $100k
Reduce/eliminate capital spending $300k
Freeze salaries at 2008 levels $100k.
Change the health insurance policies to reflect a greater contribution from the employee. $50k
Budget on a cash basis instead of an accrual basis.
Close the pool $70k
Charge rent for the Sappington House Manager $10K
Eliminate the $100 Sappington house Manager stipend $1200
Eliminate the 2009 raises $100k
Combine Executive Secretaries $100k
The one important benchmark we have yet to receive from either of the two city administrators is the revenue required to run this city at minimum level.
If you can wait until next Wednesday I believe there will be an interview in the Call that will expound on this a bit more. After you read the Call I hope we (the Citizens) can build on these ideas and offer the Board a plan to save the $1,000,000.00 they say we must have to continue business as usual.
If it continues to be an "everything for everybody" spending package, well look for the Tax increase crew in August! I am not interested in seeing another performance of the "tax follies," so the City will just have to reduce spending somewhere.
Tom Ford
NO. 595
posted by Crestwood Independent at 17:18
12 Comments:
The National disgrace in Washington! Please remember that "all politics are local!" (Tip O'Neil)
$34,000: the amount of federal taxes that Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner (D) failed to pay during his employment at the International Monetary Fund despite receiving extra compensation and explanatory brochures that described his tax liabilities.
$75,000: the amount of money that the head of the powerful tax-writing committee, Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), was forced to report on his taxes after the discovery that he had not reported income from a Costa Rican rental property. His excuses for the failure started with blaming his wife, then his accountant and finally the fact that he didn't speak Spanish.
$93,000: the amount of petty cash each Congressional representative voted to give themselves in January 2009 during the height of an economic meltdown.
$133,900: the amount Fannie Mae "invested" in Chris Dodd (D-CT), head of the powerful Senate Banking Committee, presumably to repel oversight of the GSE prior to its meltdown. Said meltdown helped touch off the current economic crisis. In only a few years time, Fannie also "invested" over $105,000 in then-Senator Barack Obama.
$140,000: the amount of back taxes and interest that Cabinet nominee Tom Daschle (D) was forced to cough up after the vetting process revealed significant, unexplained tax liabilities.
$356,000: the approximate amount of income and deductions that Daschle (D) was forced to report on his amended 2005 and 2007 tax returns after being caught cheating on his taxes. This includes $255,256 for the use of a car service, $83,333 in unreported income, and $14,963 in charitable contributions.
$800,000: the amount of "sweetheart" mortgages Senate Banking Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) received from Countrywide Financial, the details for which he has refused to release details despite months of promises to do so. Countrywide was once the nation's largest mortgage lender and linked to Government-Sponsored Entities like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Their meltdown precipitated the current financial crisis. Just days ago in Pennsylvania , Countrywide was forced to pay $150,000,000 in mortgage assistance following "a state investigation that concluded that Countrywide relaxed its underwriting standards to sell risky loans to consumers who did not understand them and could not afford them."
$1,000,000: the estimated amount of donations by Denise Rich, wife of fugitive Marc Rich, to Democrat interests and the William J. Clinton Foundation an apparent quid pro quo deal that resulted in a pardon for Mr. Rich. The pardon was reviewed and blessed by Obama Attorney General and then Deputy AG Eric Holder, despite numerous requests by government officials to turn it down.
$12,000,000: the amount of TARP money provided to community bank OneUnited despite the fact that it did not qualify for funds, and was "under attack from its regulators for allegations of poor lending practices and executive-pay abuses." It turns out that Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), a key contributor to the Fannie Mae meltdown, just happens to be married to one of the bank's ex-directors.
$23,500,000: The upper range of net worth Rep. Allan Mollohan (D-WV) accumulated in four years time according to The Washington Post through earmarks of "tens of millions of dollars to groups associated with his own business partners."
$2,000,000,000: ($2 billion) the approximate amount of money that House Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-WI) is earmarking related to his son's lobbying efforts. Craig Obey is "a top lobbyist for the nonprofit group" that would receive a roughly $2 billion component of the "Stimulus" package.
$3,700,000,000: ($3.7 billion) not to be outdone, this is the estimated value of various defense contracts awarded to a company controlled by the husband of Rep. Diane Feinstein (D-CA). Despite an obvious conflict-of-interest as "a member of the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee, Sen. Feinstein voted for appropriations worth billions to her husband's firms ."
$4,190,000,000: ($4.19 billion) the amount of money in the so-called "Stimulus" package devoted to fraudulent voter registration ACORN group under the auspices of "Community Stabilization Activities". ACORN is currently the subject of a RICO suit in Ohio.
$1,646,000,000,000 ($1.646 trillion): the approximate amount of annual United States exports endangered by the "Stimulus" package, which provides a "Buy American" stricture. According to international trade experts, a "US-EU trade war looms", which could result in a worldwide economic depression reminiscent of that touched off by the protectionist Smoot-Hawley Act.
It's not just a culture of corruption. It's a culture of corruption and stupidity.
All of the aforementioned clowns are still in office, ruling like the royalty they've become.
Tom Ford
Thank you Tom for submitting these potential cuts to the board. Whether or not they go ahead with any of them, you have started the conversation along with Aldermen Miguel and Nieder.
6:17 PM blogger: Thank you very much. I hope the good citizens of Crestwood will come up with a few, and call their Alderman1
I don't know about you, but I will not support any tax increase unless something is done to reduce spending first!
Tom Ford
The Missouri Ethics Commission, at its February 9, 2009 meeting, took the following actions:
The following cases were dismissed as they were unsubstantiated:
08E195-08E205 Kevin McKoy, Stone County
08E206 Roy Robinson, St. Louis County
08E206A John Foote, St. Louis County
08E206B Jim Eckrich, St. Louis County
08E206C Mike Paillou, St. Louis County
08E206D Helen Ingold, St. Louis County
Nuff said...always trying to get people in trouble. What about the big Elliot Davis interview. Not much came of ANY of those.
I think Tom and some others owe apologies to the Mayor and staff members wrongly accused.
3:04 PM blogger: Well considering the FACT that TOM did not file the complaint (the aforementioned complaint,) co-sign it, author it, or speak to anyone about it, I wonder why I should apologize to anyone!
You need to look under a different tree on this one.
Tom Ford
7:06,
I’m trying to rationalize your statement that you “did not file the complaint (the aforementioned complaint,) co-sign it, author it, or speak to anyone about it.” You may not have signed or authored the aforementioned complaint, although the following blog comments would lead one to the contrary, so I’m confused about your role in the filing process. Regardless, you certainly have spoken to many on the topic via this medium.
8/2/2008 @ 5:26 PM -- What to do? Well, as for me, I will be filing a complaint with the State Ethics committee the day after the election. If you would like to sign it with me, please advise, and I will bring it to you for your signature prior to my sending it! This has got to stop somewhere, and here and now is as good a time as any! I want a definitive ruling from the State Ethics committee on this one, and may the chips fall where they may, what say you?
8/3/2008 @ 4:39 PM -- I agree, innuendo will not cut it, just plain hard facts, so I plan to refer this to the State, ethics commission and let them make the call on this one.
8/3/2008 @ 6:00 PM -- 5:33 PM blogger: Yes, I would, hence the "Ethics commission!" We may be "bamboozled" but I really doubt they will!
8/4/2008 @ 5:04 PM -- 10:00 AM Blogger: Actually several things I have questions on. I have no possible way to find out for myself whether the use of several items in tomorrows election was ethical, so I will ask the experts (so to speak.)
8/20/2008 @ 5:24 PM -- The State Ethics commission will be looking into the way the funds were spent by the City, and who was responsible for using public funding for a private P.A.C. (Political Action Committee.) I do disagree reference the "fun" part of your post, because this will be anything but fun for the parties who allowed this to happen.
10/16/2008 @ 3:49 PM -- I have moved on to the point that I have sent another 30 page packet to the Missouri Ethics Commission in the hope of getting answers to the questions I have asked, and been rebuffed on!
12/05/2008 @ 5:41PM -- I received a letter today from the commission stating that they have voted to close the committee portion of the complaint via a letter to the committee, "REMINDING them of the statutory requirements for the proper identification of campaign material." I feel this was the correct way for them to handle this as a fine would have served no purpose what so ever. We are now waiting for resolution of the second part of the complaint, the one that deals with City Hall, and the involved personnel there. As is the case now you will know where that went when I receive their reply.
Is that egg on Tom's face?
I was under the impression that this was the "Crestwood Independent" blog. It appears it is also the soapbox for national despair. Maybe if we could stay on topic "Crestwood" and keep the national politics on another blog, we could get closer to accomodating the problems at hand. We all know the persuasion of the blog master, it is well noted. But it isn't relevant to Crestwood 2009. I am assuming also that all ideas from concerned participants, as regards the city economy, are welcome irregardless of their political party affiliations. Please correct if this is a misguided opinion.
10:22PM blogger: Well it looks like we are talking about two different complaints here. I did file the complaint on the Prop 1 committee (known fact,) which was resolved by the commission in a letter to the committee.
As for the second complaint, I knew it was going to be filed,BUT, I did not work on it, write it, sign it, or send it!
If you wish to know anything further, please ask the complain tee's, I am quite sure they will tell you that I was not the one who filed it.
By now you should know that if I have an opinion, or complaint, I will put my name on it for all to see, unlike those who do not follow that line of thinking.
I know this falls on deaf ears, but now you have some idea of who did what.
Tom Ford
"Our friends on this board feel we must have a TAX INCREASE in order to do anything in Crestwood, I say we need to make some REDUCTIONS!"
I agree.
Why do they think that the taxpayers are better off than the city?
Many residents have been affected by the economic problems as much, or more than the city. Maybe that's why the recent tax increase was defeated.
Just like we have had to cut back on lots of things, so does the city.
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