After the preliminary count from Tuesday’s election, the Portsmouth city income tax increase has failed. After additional votes are counted, that could turn around.
But here is the fundamental problem. Portsmouth city government failed to promote its campaign. They used taxpayer money to put it on the ballot, then turned around and launched no campaign at all, somehow hoping people would vote for the tax increase. No mail campaign, newspaper, radio or advertising at all. We could find no mention of the initiative on the city’s website.
Firefighters are to be commended for going door-to-door in some places, but a media campaign was never launched. We can’t figure out why they invested in the ballot and not in promoting.
As it turns out, a nine-vote margin should leave city officials asking themselves, “What could have been the outcome if we had launched a campaign?” But just as people have said at City Council meetings time and again, they have no plan.
The city is sitting on an ever-increasing budget deficit they can not figure out how to balance. So, meeting after meeting they argue over this or that, and they go home — nothing accomplished — and still ask why people don’t want to trust them with more of their hard-earned money.
City Council asks Mayor David Malone to cut 20 percent across-the-board, and bring them a balanced budget. A week later he admits he can only cut 11 percent. City officials repeatedly demonstrate how they can’t make the big decisions.
Now the post-election reality check: We have the 2010 deficit, compounded by the 2011 deficit, and we’re nearly half-way to 2012 and no light at the end of the tunnel.
We were impressed when Malone stepped out and made a decision on the traffic lights. It was refreshing to see someone make a decision. Now another decision needs to be made — a difficult one to take action to balance the budget. Anything short of that will be considered surrender. And surrender is unacceptable in both war and government.
Decent living? Decent in Scioto Co. is around $25,000.00 per yr. What some of the firemen are making is closer to $100,000.00 per year with overtime, I've seen the figures. I would call that exceptional!
How about going to 3 shifts a day? That would cut out several hundreds of thousands of dollars in wages. How about paying $185.00 a week for family insurance package or 100.00 a week for single. How about the unions do their own collections of union dues.
How about someone reporting actually how many calls are made in a year?
In 2009, 6,631 hrs of overtime at a cost to the city of $172,158.00 plus the 93,467 of regular time at a cost of $1,391,245.00 totals $1,563,403.00 just in wages. Not including the couple hundred thousand they receive for the fire hydrants inspections paid out of the water fund. I think last year it was closer to a million.
The salary for the 21 Class 5 firefighters in Portsmouth in 2009 was $41,421.14 or $19.91 hr. the medium annual salary for this class of firefighter for this region is $31,760.00 or $14.21 hr. Thats for 40 hrs. no overtime. You can find this information here: http://data.bls.gov/oes/datatype.do
And how much will the new state budget raise our taxes?
Inquiring minds want to know oh wise one.
If you have lived in Portsmouth any length of time you will recognize nearly every name on the list.
Why should Portsmouth Taxpayers want to pay more income taxes when Portsmouth City Government gives this kind of money away. If you read the list you dont see any "No Names". Its all people in Portsmouth who dont need any FREE Tax Abatement.
This to go along with their 2 million dollar Martings building, Free Memberships at the Life Center for the Firemen, $10 million dollar water meters, then they want an income tax increase ? Do a story on all of this Portsmouth Times.
I am actually shocked this story appeared, did the Portmouth Times get a new employ ? Its the first time I have ever read anything, even semi / anti Portsmouth Government. Maybe now even the Portsmouth Times has woke up finally !
If they had plans, why dont they recruit some industy to locate in the city limits ? Industries pay taxes, workers who for for those industries pay taxes, then your cash flow problem is solved.
I would be willing to bet, if you ask any city office holder, what companies / industries in Ohio or any other of the 49 states are looking for cities or states to expand to, they could not list the name of 1 single company. That being they have no package / incentives to offer these companies. For this area New Boston gets everything.
Plus they need not use the excuse there is no land. Shawnee State University has town down all of the historical mansions and beyond on Second Street, Portsmouth City Schools tore down over 500 homes that produced property taxes also, plus the workers in those homes who paid income tax.
The current Mayor voted as a Councilmen to buy a 2 million dollar Martings building, that after the fact appraised for $400,000
Plus why did the City Firemen go door to door for this levy ? They have the most to lose.
Because they get a FREE membership at the Life Center yearly via the Portsmouth Taxpayer / City Government valued at $350 (Does K mart or Wal Mart pay for you a membership at the Life Center?)
They get $1,000 yearly shirts and pants uniform allowance. (Does Wal Mart or K mart or your company buy your clothes to work in?)
They get early 1970's rates for health insurance at $50 a month. (All city employees pay this amount). ( Can you find any business in Scioto County that will give you health insurance for this price ? )
Thats why Senate Bill 5 was passed to stop this robbing of the taxpayers. Now lets see if any of the 6 Portsmouth City Councilmen or Mayor have the backbone to stand up for the taxpayer, and stop this foolishness! No one has any backbone in Portsmouth City Government to do this. ( I am willing to bet, that the no brains of the Government of Portsmouth have any idea how to apply Senate Bill 5 now to stop this robbing of thte taxpayers by these city unions).
Maybe the levy failed because the citizens got out and campaigned and let people know about the waste and incompetence that goes on in Portsmouth, Ohio. So dont blame it on the City of Portsmouth running no campaign, maybe the taxpayers ran a better campaign.
Ashland Kentucky, Huntington, West Virginia, Chillicothe, Ohio all cities in all directions are progressive, because they have competent people on city council that no how to discuss bring industy to the city. Portsmouth City Council is concerned with a new city building, red lights, truck routes, and getting rid of the last Mayor. Have you in the last 4 years every heard any of these guys talk about recruiting industry ? The current Mayor was a councilmen before Mayor have you ever heard him at one council meeting talk of recruiting industy to the city ? No way!
Plus they are so concerned about dumping the current city building so the local developer can get a hold of this property too and screw the taxpayer!
Let the taxpayer see some fiscial responsibility. Gas is $4.30 a gallon and city cruisers drive their cars to and from work.
10 million dollars the city didnt have to install new water meters, but did anyways, when their was nothing wrong with the old ones. The new ones they dont have to get out of the truck to read, just drive by with a scanner and open the meter like the old ones, thats what 10 million dollars gets you. Stupid stuff like this, is why they cant pay their bills and now have a deficit. They cant think ahead ! Now "ahead" has came to reality and they are in debt !
Portsmouth, Ohio does not need higher income taxes, 70% of the municipalities on Ohio already pay cheaper taxes than Portsmouth and they balance their budgets.
Get some Industry in here City Council and Mayor, go over to Shawnee STate and take some classes and learn how to recruit industy.
They are playing both ends against the middle.
The Council allowed Malone to make decisions unlike Mayor Murray last year.
What's the "bait and switch?"
Is the PDT's finding Jesus? Coming out of their coma?
Tax Payer money? $22,000?
Is this a prep for when the BOE turns over the results?
Local government that would make "Deliverance" look like a convent or Monastery?
Oh, Malone made decisions in opposition and violation to legal professional traffic engineering principles and practices, only authorized by the State of Ohio