We think: Orlando's budget doesn't reflect struggles of city ta...

Save the Date Invitation What: Public's chance to comment on a proposed city budget that increases staff and expenses even while more local residents lose jobs and face mounting food and fuel bills.

[Eyes wide shut]

Once again the Ignorant that operate this Paper wish to remain so. The so-called Bloating (2003) within the City Hall operation was and still (2008) remains at City Hall! The lay-offs of 2003 only hurt Innocent Hard-working employees, and didn't get rid of the "Hire my Friends only" that went on through the "back-doors" of City Hall. It only served Buddy's abusive ambitions to mis-use Taxpayers dollars for his self-serving intentions....But you know that already. NO wonder this Paper is known through-out the Country as the Paper "Rejected-by-many a-Birdcage". I long for the day that Orlando gets a Real Newspaper!!

[gjv]

Any elected official who is opposed to reducing expenditures during these difficult economic times is not qualified for that position.

[Procurator]

The people can go to the public hearing and show the commission needs to cut the budget in order not to have a tax increase. Based on previous suggestions the total will be blip on the suggested increase as everyone wants their favorite program to be saved.

[Redogg]

How many people working for the city are pulling down $100k+ per year and what exactly do they do?

[Gabe]

I will be there to voice my objections to raising the millage rate. Thanks for time and locations Sentinel

Gabe

[Slim Ashley]

The Sentinel is worried about the taxpayer? If you read other articles in today's posting they advocate more taxes as usual. Follow the money and hang on to your wallet.

[Random Thoughts]

We keep hearing defenders of the ongoing building of the new Arena, Performing Arts Center, and the remodeling of the Citrus Bowl claim that that money is not able to be used to continue normal day to day operations of the City or County Government. My question is this: What would it take legally to make it available during these times of economic hardships and shortfalls and to delay the start of these projects till better times roll around again and the need to use that money didn't exist anymore? It is ludicrous, asinine beyond belief in my judgement to have two wallet in your pants - one almost empty, one bulging with money and to set some artificial prohibition against taking out money from the "fat" wallet to cover critical needs in the "thin" wallet and furthermore, to ask those who provide the money for the "thin" wallet to cough up even more from their already depleted and almost empty wallets they carry when they have to drive by and see over a billion dollars worth of spending going one using money that clearly would be logically used to keep the lights on in town and essential service going which we all depend on.

We must expand our fire stations, our police and sheriff's deputies, and all the vehicles and specialized equipment needed for our common protection. A new Arena, Performing Arts Center and a spruced up football stadium are "nice to have" but not "must haves" and we must have our emergency services. Any idiot with a brain prioritizes their budgets.

Let us discover now how to pull that money out of the one wallet into the other wallet and stop this nonsense about trying to wring blood out of a turnip.

[Interested Observer]

If anyone still believed in the "public servant sector" serving the interests of the public, they can throw those beliefs into the trash can.
IMHO, this administration is either totally out of touch with the masses; or it flat out doesn't give a damn about them. Either way, vote them out, elect a reformer, and clean house - or a lot of you will end up bankrupt.

[Steve]

The landscaping budget is one that needs to be seriously reduced. Properly landscaped areas require minimal maintenance. Native plants require no irrigation, and annual trimming.

The people of Florida have made their wishes clear. We want lower taxes, and we're willing to reduce nonessential services to reduce our tax burden. Any government official who isn't on the train needs to get off the tracks.

[Frost]

Agreed. I want the lowest taxes possible and won't be satisfied until we have the worst schools, least parks, crummiest roads, highest crime rate, and dirtiest air and water in the nation.
Until those things happen, I'll *know* we're still paying too much in taxes!

[Grandma Fudd]

I strongly suspect that most of those City of Orlando employees Dyer sent packing when he took over as mayor were Republicans or suspected of being Republicans. Don't give me that merde du vache excuse that these were simply done to curb expenses by a prudent mayor. He wanted to flush out those who didn't support his candidacy for the job and whom he knew probably disliked him and who didn't share his "progressive" viewpoints. It mattered not how long they had worked there or what good jobs they did or their expertise and experience - they simply had the "wrong letter" after their names.

[Eyes wide shut]

Grandma Fudd wrote:

I strongly suspect that most of those City of Orlando employees Dyer sent packing when he took over as mayor were Republicans or suspected of being Republicans. Don't give me that merde du vache excuse that these were simply done to curb expenses by a prudent mayor. He wanted to flush out those who didn't support his candidacy for the job and whom he knew probably disliked him and who didn't share his "progressive" viewpoints. It mattered not how long they had worked there or what good jobs they did or their expertise and experience - they simply had the "wrong letter" after their names.

Actually you are pretty close to the Mark on this one. Buddy even said in an old Channel-6 story of Dec.'03 that he thought it was okay to "get rid of people who didn't see things the same way he did". Point-in-fact is that he has discretion to do that with appointed people, but not with "Hired" personnel. Furthermore, it appears that the City Charter at that time did not allow him to release ALL those people without a City Council vote.....which never happened. Unfortunately, People's Rights mean little in Orlando, and the Media is too Lazy to care.

[Procurator]

Random Thoughts wrote:

We keep hearing defenders of the ongoing building of the new Arena, Performing Arts Center, and the remodeling of the Citrus Bowl claim that that money is not able to be used to continue normal day to day operations of the City or County Government. My question is this: What would it take legally to make it available during these times of economic hardships and shortfalls and to delay the start of these projects till better times roll around again and the need to use that money didn't exist anymore? It is ludicrous, asinine beyond belief in my judgement to have two wallet in your pants - one almost empty, one bulging with money and to set some artificial prohibition against taking out money from the "fat" wallet to cover critical needs in the "thin" wallet and furthermore, to ask those who provide the money for the "thin" wallet to cough up even more from their already depleted and almost empty wallets they carry when they have to drive by and see over a billion dollars worth of spending going one using money that clearly would be logically used to keep the lights on in town and essential service going which we all depend on.
We must expand our fire stations, our police and sheriff's deputies, and all the vehicles and specialized equipment needed for our common protection. A new Arena, Performing Arts Center and a spruced up football stadium are "nice to have" but not "must haves" and we must have our emergency services. Any idiot with a brain prioritizes their budgets.
Let us discover now how to pull that money out of the one wallet into the other wallet and stop this nonsense about trying to wring blood out of a turnip.

Ok..where would you spend the Tourist Tax ?

[meto]

At every level of goverment we see this same thing.These people have no idea what is going on in our country. May be it's time to sharpen the pitchfork and get the torchs ready.

[DSutter]

Until I read where our elected Representatives (of all Cities/Counties/State/Federal) , CEO's and TOP Corporate Executives have cut their own salaries, bonus's, benefits, drive their own vehicles to & from work and pay for their own gas to do so,...then and only then...will I feel as though they are in tune with reality and seriously 'working' with the current economic situation to reduce expenses and/or eliminate further layoffs.

[Linda]

I totally agree with DSutter. Elected officials, with their company cars (WE pay for the maintenance), gas allowances, per diems (WE pay for their lunches and fancy dinners), bonuses (WE pay for their comfortable lifestyles) and benefits (WE pay for their healthcare), have no idea what the people they "supposedly" represent are going through. Cut services to make up for the shortfall, fine. Raise property taxes, fine. But you have got to be kidding that once government cuts those services and raise our taxes, the employees of City Hall are going to get a raise? Take more money out of my pocket and put it in theirs, oh, wait, this is government, what was I thinking? Buddy Dyer and his crew have no idea what it is like to do without. When is the last time they had to worry about feeding and housing their families or how they were going to afford healthcare coverage or put gas in their vehicle? They don't because we, the taxpayers, support them in the lifestyle they have become use to, at our expense, while we do without. Shame on Buddy Dyer for even considering a raise for city employees.

[paintwhat]

I wonder if all of this was planned, when all of the elected officials begged everybody to vote yes to amendment #1, did they not say that services would not suffer, and the taxes would NOT go up? It's funny they are asking for more than what was lost on Amendment #1, could it be that it was all planned out before the vote, just like the arena, and Citrus Bowl......

[Informed]

Frost wrote:

Agreed. I want the lowest taxes possible and won't be satisfied until we have the worst schools, least parks, crummiest roads, highest crime rate, and dirtiest air and water in the nation.
Until those things happen, I'll *know* we're still paying too much in taxes!

We are spending too much. No doubt about it.
A student at Timber Creek just scored a perfect 2400 on his SAT's. So that means he'll probably attend a fancy college out of state, and take a high paying job out of state. If we were paying less in taxes he wouldn't have scored so well and would have to stay in Florida. We just lost a taxpayer, and now we all have to pitch in to make up for him and the high salary he'll earn elsewhere.

[payroll]

The city government is organized for the benifit of the people who work for it. 70% of the budget is payroll expenses---- the jobs and perks are great, not many fireman leave, they just work all the levers of power for added pay. When you run for office the fire union comes calling, they will hang the signs of the elected offical who will raise the pay. people who own land in Orlando get out before the next guy does because this process will break you.

[Frost]

Informed wrote:

<quoted text>
A student at Timber Creek just scored a perfect 2400 on his SAT's. So that means he'll probably attend a fancy college out of state, and take a high paying job out of state. If we were paying less in taxes he wouldn't have scored so well and would have to stay in Florida.

You totally prove my point. It would be much better if that kid had lousy grades and had to stay in state and work as a landscaper. Or Burger King worker. As a tourism state, we need to keep those low paying jobs filled and our standards low!