The following from Steve is addressed to "Everyone." It's not really for "everyone," of course. It's for the people on his special list. I got it from someone else, someone who himself is not on Steve's list.
"Everyone,
"There's [an] Agenda Item put forward by Commissioner/Candidate Rox Ross to proceed with annexation again.
"I think it should be pointed out that besides the fact that all of the financial benefits and/or detriments that accompany Annexing the area have still not been put together by our Planner (nor in the backup of the Agenda Item) - no maximum or minimum 'profits' to be gained, no word on Mitigation fees, or how much more of the area we would be asked to take over than just the prime properties that could affect both our bottom line and our branding, etc... there's been no financial study to determine if any of this is necessary.
"No forward looking projections, no detailed trends for expenses or revenues over the last 5 to 10 years. No examination of our reserves and why they may have gone down over the last decade. In other words, no actual proof, evidence or data that would allow anyone to determine if we need to do this. So why do we keep being asked to put the cart before the horse?
"The actual Resolution states, "RESOLUTION OF THE VILLAGE COMMISSION OF THE VILLAGE OF BISCAYNE PARK, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE VILLAGE MANAGER TO ENGAGE MUNICIPAL PLANNERS TO COLLECT DATA, PREPARE NECESSARY REPORTS AND A FORMAL APPLICATION FOR SUBMISSION TO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TO EXPAND A PORTION OF THE EAST BOUNDARY OF THE VILLAGE TO ENCOMPASS AND ANNEX AN AREA BORDERED ON THE WEST-SIDE BY THE FEC RAILWAY, ON NORTH-SIDE BY NE 121 STREET, ON THE EAST-SIDE BY NE 14 AVENUE, ON THE SOUTH-SIDE BY NE 119 STREET, REFERRED TO AS “LIGHT INDUSTRIAL PARK;” AND TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT", and can be found here -http://www.biscayneparkfl.gov/
"I hope to see you tonight.
Sincerely,
Steve Bernard"
This is fairly typical for Steve, at least when he's in his obstructive mode. Lots of questions, many of questionable validity. He asks his audience to assume that fiscal implications of annexation have not been addressed by the planner. This is of course not at all true, but it is true that some conclusions cannot be more than estimates preliminarily. Maximum and minimum revenue implications have without question been calculated, as best possible, and communicated in detail by the planner. As it happens, I was standing next to Steve the day the planner reviewed this with him.
We have also learned that there is no concept of "bait and switch," and if for some reason the County wished we would take more territory than we bargained for, they could ask us to, and refuse us any of it if we didn't take all they had in mind.
Steve was a Commissioner for over four years until two years ago. If he doesn't know "why this is necessary," it's because he wasn't paying attention, not because no one has told him. We have dramatic fiscal problems. Everyone knows it. Bryan Cooper gives us 10 years to live. Barbara Watts and Noah Jacobs are willing to remake the triangle to provide badly needed commercial revenue. We have an inadequate reserve. We can't do improvements.
As for any sense of ambiguity, or uncertainty, isn't that life? Don't we all make the best and most reasoned decisions we can, knowing that nothing is perfect? Haven't we all weighed pros and cons, risks and benefits, and done what we had to do to address our most serious problems? Don't we all tolerate assumptions and make decisions without every detail and every reassurance, especially in those situations where not everything can be known in advance? And the act Steve resists is not annexation. It's retaining the opportunity to learn more and get further into the process. Yes, in case you're wondering, we have to "pay to play."
Bryan Cooper tells us we're dying. Lee Evett agrees. Ana Garcia felt we needed to annex, and Ana was directly involved and took a very active role in doing anything else possible to save us. The other three Manager candidates think we need to annex. Our County Commissioner, Sally Heyman, thinks we need to annex. The planner did a study, which we commissioned and for which we paid $6000. Unless Steve thinks our one time $1.4 million reserve is now almost completely gone because someone embezzled it, he has to acknowledge that yes, we have unsustainable finances, we really do need to do something, and we need to do something out of the ordinary. Trying to figure out if we could do with four clerical people instead of five is not going to do it for us. Outsourcing public works might save some money, but there is still an expense, and it's most of what we pay now. Some complain about the cost of professional management. Not only did a past Commission decide we needed that, and the public through referendum agreed, but the suggestion came from a Charter Review Committee chaired by Steve Bernard. We're not going backwards on this decision. No responsible person I know has suggested reducing our police force, which accounts for half of our budget. We like great safety.
So I agree with Steve. Please do come to tonight's meeting. Listen, think, ask questions, and state your opinions, so they can be addressed. In fact, come to all the meetings.
Fred - once again feel free to post my comments.
ReplyDeleteI completely respect the right of Steve and any other resident to be opposed to annexation. And - they have a right and responsibility to plead their case. What I can't respect is his acting like he doesn't understand why our revenues and reserves have gone down so drastically. Here are just a couple of reasons:
Only a few years ago our property values tanked more than almost every other city in South Florida - an over 20% decrease. The come back has been slow - on average 2% while expenses such as pensions (which the state sets, the city does not control) and health care rise at a FAR greater amount.
For every house that sells at an increase there are several more selling for far less than the prior sale. That means the city is collecting taxes on that much smaller amount which if homesteaded will increase no more than 3% per year.
There are a couple of Workers Comp cases that will in fact continue for the rest of those former employees lives. They will not go away now that the city is no longer self insured as Steve in a prior email seemed to say they will.
He asks many good and pertinent questions - questions that can only be answered by taking this exercise to the next level as is suggested in the agenda item for tonight's meeting.
Janey Anderson
Janey,
DeleteAt the same time that the economy and real estate crashed, the homestead exemption was doubled. The public sector, that's the Village, took a huge hit.
Fred