I have noticed that Mr. Rapp is not a very responsible person in many of his "professional" dealings with anyone who he has a problem with? I know me for one. Yet, when a so called "professional" cannot function as such when a good thing/ idea is presented to them; it is a sad commentary on their professional maturity. I don't care if he likes me; loves me or flat loathes me. That is his right and I accept it with the same grace that I accept it from the others in the City Council who do not like being called out for their numerous and far too often on going boo boos. But again when one allows their personal choices to interfere with the responsibilities of their professional positions, it could be considered dereliction of their duties or maybe Malfeasance in Office?
Now do not let the above confuse anyone. There are a large, large group of folks who work for the City and would if given the chance do not only their "A" game each day but go the extra bit for anyone that came/ called into the City for help. Some are restricted because they know helping some such as myself will get them sent to the woodshed. Others might well find themselves out on the street. It is a bit rough to be in a "work at will" State when little or nothing is required to get one fired.
I have advised in the long defunct "Public Forums", that any Government Employee at any level in ANY capacity as an Elected/ Appointed person who does not bring their "A" game each day and do the job the same for anybody and everybody is little more than a "thug with a badge". It is called abuse of position, power and authority. Usually noticeable in Cronyism, Favoritism and Nepotism. We all have seen it or experienced the results of it.
The above mentioned program just held to help Police Officer's stay alive and well just confirmed my thoughts from some months back. I was right then and am right today as I post this.
Noted the "Our Opinion" column today (21st), wherein the so called Editorial Staff advised "caution" in expecting any sort of Tax Relief for some time until the facts are in to support relief. Well allow me to say in reference to Vienna, it is a bunch of B.S. The money was there in 2011 when I first noted that the Taxpayers/ Residents deserved a reduction of $50./ per $100,000. of their property assessment. This would be per the City $200,000 in monies back then. At that time and even now, that would have been a MAXIMUM of $100./ year in reduction. And also note, many would not have gotten that. I say the "ASSESSED" value of the home. If one has a home worth $80K to the Assessor's Office and a Homestead exemption of $20K, than the home is ASSESSED at $60K. What would that be $30./Year? And I will admit to the Mr. Rapp's of Vienna and there are many; why give YOU a lousy $100. bucks? You could care less for that amount; but to many, it would be a welcome amount. I would suggest for those who don't make $48K/ year in salary as Mayor plus the extra $30K in benefits/ City payments (estimated $78K total), or whatever they make from wherever that $100 to them is not worth the effort?
To those many, many people with no increases in pay or pension, that $2.50/ month is a jug of milk, a loaf or so of bread and even a pound of burger for a little extra food on their tables. To them it maybe something? And what is exceptional is that it is the money YOU as Tax payers paid from what YOU earned/ received and is rightly YOUR money; not the Cities. The Council does not remember that? YOU have thusly paid an extra $150. over the five (5) years had the Council 2011 gave YOU the home owner that little bit of relief. Now we are talking real beer money! It adds up folks and is YOUR bucks.
Now this may have changed some due to increases in assessments and new buildings going up as some of the remaining land is developed. The fact is the money was there in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and now in 2016. What is NOT there is any desire on the part of than Mr. Nohe with the City Council up to Mr. Rapp and His City Council. The City Council has had four (4) changes since 1 January 2013. Mr. Nohe is out; Mr. Thornton is out. Mr.. Azinger and Mr. Stephens are in. This City Council does not believe in change other than its own self interests.
Any reduction would begin to slowly ever so slowly cost them some of the $450,000. up to $988,000 that has been rolled over each year into whatever the City chooses to call it as the "flavor" of the day be it, "Unencumbered Funds"/ "Encumbered Funds" or plain "SLUSH FUND" which in actuality it becomes. It is "alleged" by the City that it is looking at "possibly" $530,000 from the 30 June 2015 Fiscal Year into the 1 July 2016- 2017 Fiscal Year on 30 June 2016 when the current Fiscal Year ends. These mysterious dollars will roll from the "where ever the Hell they are now fund" into the Capital Reserve Fund.
The City has now began to hem and haw that they cannot give accurate numbers until AFTER the yearly State Audit which is to be "finalized" in April or May. In the past up to 2014, I was able to get the amount within weeks of the end of the Fiscal Year. Last year it took until September and for the end of Fiscal Year 2015, it took three (3) FOIAs to get that "estimated" $530K and where the $473K in the first two months of the 1% Sales Tax was being kept on the books? Now another Sales Tax payment (December to February), should drop in the middle of March or by the last half. And than one more (March to May) in June. And remember, the City just got $773K for September to November of 2015. Now let us think this: End of Fiscal Year 2015= $530K (estimated); Sales Tax payment in October 2015 of $473K and lastly the latest Sales Tax payment of $773K. This totals an "estimated" $1,776,000. sitting where? For what purposes? According to the City the $530K and the $473K are not yet "officially" on the books? I suspect the same will happen with the $773K? But most of it is still there.
Why do I say "most of it"? Because Mr. Rapp noted in the news article of the 20 January that the amount was $448K, not $473K. Now we have a $25K difference? Where has that money gone? Into His re-elect me campaign? Slid off for a special project that did not quite get the public exposure it should have? Is it more of the usual smoke and mirrors that go on up at 29th Street? Some interesting things happen to the Tax Dollars in Vienna?
IF and I repeat IF anyone thinks I am just blowing smoke, I am in the book. I have and will continue to point out that I will take a polygraph test administered by ANY reputable site OUTSIDE of West Virginia at what ever level. I do not expect or ask anyone else to take one. I am interested ONLY in my honesty. I have the documents to show most if not all of the numbers I am quoting. I am truly tired of the misinformation, misdirection, deceit and deception that appears to be a day to day process in this most wonderful little Community?
AND in the event that the Sales Tax went South, the City can replace most of the money by charging the full B&O tax again. That is if you remember about $1.8 million (20%), that was so generously given back to the City Businesses. But don't forget the City is STILL collecting the other 80% as I post this. The City is not about to let go of the B&O Tax completely if any more than now. It has its sights on the supposed Alternative Fuel Company that is hopefully going to build on most of the upper John Mansville land. This will bring in more B&O taxes in the million of dollars once up and running?
There are enough mug wumps who live in Vienna and are part of the very connected Elite to put out an Editorial as I just quoted. It is in their interest to do all in their power to insure Mr. Rapp or even for a brief time Mr. Azinger get elected to begin that campaign as of today.
In fact I have noted for years that "nothing" ever happens in Vienna. It is always the "Mayberry" effect which when I called the City on it a couple of years back has now been changed per Mr. Rapp to a "small town flavor". Think about it; no one ever got stopped/ ticketed for DUI, Drug Possession or Trafficking, no one ever smacked their significant other, no Breaking and Entering- NOTHING. Yet as some of my sources have said it was common knowledge these things were going on. I will again state what Mr. Nohe. told me in early 2008. There is not enough money in tickets to justify writing them OR as I put it there was not much Public Safety in Vienna if the money was not right. Remember the old song: "If you got the money Honey; I got the time"? Here it should have played as " If there is no money Honey; I for damn sure ain't got no time"? Need to think 20 or 30 times; vote once. 'nuff said.