"Larry, your second point indicates that VUB could reduce their budget to help cover "police fee" reduction. Is this possible since they are seperate from the General Fund and funds cannot be mingled"?
The answers I would like to give are that
1. The VUB has Storm Water in it even though it is said to belong to the Street Department. And because Mr. Rapp and crew refuse to adjust the Storm Water fees, it will need as has been the case for several years large infusions of cash to keep it functioning. It some respects, it is broke. We are taking around $130,000., in just the past two years. For this year, I do not know the number yet.
And because of the co-mingling of expenses for Personnel between the whole City, there are employees who work for the City, Sewer/ Water that also work for Storm Water. In the FOIA I got on how many full time Employees in Storm Water, I was told one (1) only. The other nine are from all over as needed it is said. Mr. Metz was only a 25% employee and the Ladies at the front counter in the City Building were charged 10% against Storm Water. In the attempt to hide as much as possible, the City has created very grey areas on what truly exists and where. Storm Water is in some respects a paper division.
2. By doing an honest reappraisal of the premiums paid by the Employees, it would be quite easy to free up the few thousand dollars needed by just VUB for the massively subsidized Health Insurance Coverage. And before the Rappites go off on me, I am not talking about taking away benefits, just asking a larger share of Premiums on a realistic basis for them. As a rough and I mean very rough gauge, just by doubling the Premiums would free up the few thousand needed. I.e., $32, to 64., $80. to 160., and $100. to 200/ month I have probably just freed up the whole $24K out of this one expense?
Allow me to continue with the comments from the Council Meeting on the 14th.
Mr. Bibbee was than at the mike and noted that two (2) years ago when the Home Rule 1% Tax was in the works to use some of it per Mr. Stephens to reduce Real Estate Taxes. Now the Council of the Whole is with the exception of Mr. Stephens who at that time said he now (than), understood what I had been pushing for in Tax Relief. This has been going on since 2011 and the Council based on the very mentality showing above AND their dislike of my open criticism for their Pi** Poor Performance since 2008 would not consider any relief. He was gracious enough to note he was pursuing my idea and requested the reduction as I had been asking for and also ran on in my Election Campaign of 2016. It was said to have been researched with the Tax Assessor at the time Mr. Shaffer and would cost about $78K for the City. In the vote the rest of the Council handed Mr. Stephens his head with resounding "NO" votes. In the 2016 year, he brought it up again and was told it should have been discussed in the Budget Processing that had just happened. He was the sole "NO" vote against that budget. I have thanked ever since for having that bit of decency for the Residents/ Tax Payers. But one need note ALL who voted NO than are still on Council- Mr. Rapp, Ms. Smith, Mr. Bibbee and Mr. Rogers. Birds of a feather do flock together. But it CAN be done and I took the time to think outside of the box and know how the City can do it.
Now Mr. Bibbee said he had Ms. Roberts do several scenarios but could not get the relief he wanted apparently in the 2017- 2018 Budget. I did NOT hear a single word in the whole process about Tax Relief so question who is blowing smoke up what? Now at the same time this was going on, is when Mr. Rapp as noted earlier interjected to wait on reducing the PD Fee till the Budget Cycle next year and the Health Insurance costs in February.
I was asked if I knew why Mr. Bibbee seemed to have changed his usual position as a "YES" on command voter? I said he could take cover on position that would not happen but still look like he was for the people. The person said "NO", that he was afraid of the Election. I said that was three years down the road. Response was that he was still afraid of not getting elected again. I gave it some thought and believe was right? Mr. Bibbee did not win as handily last time as he has in the past. Remember we got Mr. Miracle so the next weak link is now Mr. Bibbee and people are going to be madder than Hell from now on for what is happening. I also think that the poor attitude shown by Mr. Leach and some of his family to the poorer folks in the Community may well be the end of him too.
Than came Mr. Conley's turn and he was of course upset that he was being sandbagged even on a discussion. He noted that comments on losing PD Officers concerned him. That anything the PD asked would be approved. And that calling the $2.00 reduction "ludicrous" Lowering the Fee does not do a lot for the 65+ Seniors. Says City needs to do more than what is done for the people at the Senior Center on 29th St. Would support lowering 65 to 60 but need the reduction also.
If Department Heads need to look at budgets, than now is the time to start. He asked where do we go from here? Put it on the next Agenda?
Mr. Rapp said to talk to Ms. Smith for the next meeting on 4 January 2018. The 29 December meeting is being cancelled. Can you see where he has again been sand bagged? It need be noted that the scare tactics, no money and absolute "against" by rest of Council was so obvious? So you have some very, very accurate comments on that meeting.
We need to be aggressive in changing the direction of our Community. Remember: Men stutter, Bull S*** talks and Money walks. If we are not careful, our money is going to walk right up Rosemar.
Some may think I have been too hard on Council. But unlike most of you, I have listened to lie after lie for five (5), years. I have thought and can only question if Mr. Rogers as an example who is said to have taught so many of the young people in Vienna now when they were only children, plus their parents from the day, can understand the damage he has done to them over the years doing what he does? Every time he or any of the Rapp crew do something to help so few at the expense of so many, it is wrong. Be it questionably Criminal, Civil or just plain Ethics, Morals and Integrity issues, it is wrong?
I do not believe all of them are the "types" of family via High Income/ Powerful Position that are now the preferred Residents in Vienna? Some are just plain folks trying to get by and succeed in whatever capacity they can. So they are now the victims as are so many of the elderly to the corrupt system that has rolled over the Community.
For five years I have questioned via FOIA after FOIA trying to get honest and open answers to what goes on. It would seem a thankless job to many and they would give up in frustration. But each and every person deserves to know what is being done and what has been done and sadly what is going to be done to them. 'nuff said'.