ACTION ALERT: City Fees Assessment 83% increase proposed. This is a tax increase!

[Patricia M. McBride]

We need to stay on top of this.  This IS a tax increase and a large one at that on everyone including those out of work and struggling to make ends meet.  This is an absolute travesty and is being done in such an underhanded, sneaky way, the city council and the new mayor should be VERY ashamed!

 

2010 Solid Waste Certified Assessment Amount

Solid Waste Fee82.95

Certified Solid Waste Assessment: $82.95

2011 Proposed Assessments

2011 Stormwater Proposed AssessmentAmount

Stormwater Fee $90.00

Proposed Stormwater Assessment: $90.00

2011 Solid Waste Proposed AssessmentAmount

Solid Waste Fee151.80

Proposed Solid Waste Assessment: $151.80

Proposed assessments subject to change until final assessment is certified.

THIS REPRESENTS AN 83% INCREASE !!

AND WE WERE TOLD OUR TAXES WOULDN’T BE INCREASED !!

First public hearing is at 5:00 PM Tues. 13 Sept. 2011

At Council Chambers, 117 W. Duval St. across from

Hemming Plaza. PLEASE show up and speak against this

“Robber Baron” action being attempted!!

[DURWIN WALTER DAVIS]

City council meets tonite @ 1700, St. James, E. Duval St.  Bill 2011-400 More mis-malfeasance by council.  They want to appeove $4(?) million to KAMAN CORP. by corrupt J.E.D.C. for moving from one side of Imeson Airport Industrial Complex to another.  These funds are to be used for attracting outside companies to come to Jacksonville to compete against already existing businesses and put them out of business.  This is how Government does business.  Below is a well constructed letter from Mr. Carr addressing this issue.  Go to the meeting tonite and complain about this wastefull spending of taxpayers money.

Subject: Bill 2011 – 400 Vote on 23 August 2011

Both the Mayor’s Transition Team and the TRUE Commission are made up of extremely knowledgeable and competent people. They have both issued recommendations on this subject in the form of Resolutions or Reports.   

From the Transition Team’s submitted report to the Mayor dated 08 August 2011:  “ It is with a strong sense of urgency that we report to the mayor our findings and recommendations regarding the City of Jacksonville’s defined benefit pension system. The combination of pension fund deficits (unfunded actuarial accrued liabilities),  for the total of all city plans was last reported to be over $1.6 billion. It is expected that Jacksonville's pension costs could skyrocket by more than 50% in the next 5 years if the current pension structure remains in place.” Unquote  

Those are the experts’ words.  

The 2011- 400 bill does NOT cure the problem. At BEST, it’s a band-aid on a city that’s hemorraging taxpayer dollars. It still contains the sources of the problem. It needs to be killed, and restarted from scratch.   

From the TRUE Commission’s Resolution 2011-04 dated 04 August 2011:  

“Be it resolved that the TRUE Commission hereby recommends that the City Council not pass Ordinance 2011-400 and that a defined-contribution plan be considered for any future changes to pensions for new employees”  Unquote.  

Those are the experts’ words.  

The bill is against the law by its very existence, as it extends for 19 years, a contract which is limited by law to 3 years, and was not negotiated in accordance with the Sunshine law or between the proper parties. As such, there is a current legal action concerning it. Council should kill this Bill, and start from scratch.    Just “getting something done” to move it off your agenda does NOTHING to solve the huge problem of what this Bill does. Please kill the Bill, and start from scratch.

[William T. Wright]

That what I thought. Alvin is a Democrat and he is compelled to raise taxes.

He promised during his campaign to not raise taxes. It's all in how he says it. He will say this is not a tax increase it is a fee increase, therefore I kept my promise. BSBSBS

 

Tom Wright

[ray inman]

I find it even more curious that I have in hand a bill for one of my investment houses that indicates that the 2011 fee is currently $12.65 per month which computes to the fee NOT EVEN PASSED YET.  Could it be possible that the fix is in - right here in River City?

[DURWIN WALTER DAVIS]

City council meets tonite @ St. James Bldg on E. Duval  Go tonite and also comment on the KAMAN-JEDC swindle (2011-400) of $4 million.  Blatant malfeasance of Duval Taxpayers monies.  Mayor is O.K. with it being the "Head Moocher In Charge". 

[jerome w clampitt]

when we all leave duval county, then they can have their detroit of the south.

[Patricia M. McBride]

And, here is the link to the summary of the bill that allowed these folks to slip this one to us without much ado so to speak.

This is the link to the original bill that allows for future increases

http://cityclts.coj.net/coj/COJbillDetail.asp?F=2010-0673\Bill Summary

[Patricia M. McBride]

Here is a link to a page where you can go in and see your property and the fees.  And this also has the information about the public hearing listed here.  I no longer get the liberal TU, so if someone can pull up the public notice by using the heading on the actual newspaper (I tried and can't get it up), that would be wonderful, so we can all read it.

Link:  http://www.coj.net/Departments/CityFees.aspx

[Daniel R. Carr]

Friends: The Public Notice was in Sunday's Times-Union rag on page B-3. If you want to see for sure what your new Solid waste fee will be go to www.coj.net, click "On-Line Services" tab, then under "Find Something" , click "Look up city user fees", then enter your last name and first name in the property owner box (no comma between), then click on the parcel number when it pops up. If you have a paved driveway, welcome to the 83% Fee (a.k.a TAX) increase crowd!

Like Rod M. said - tomorrow at 5:00 PM you need to be there at 117 Duval St. with your dander up! There will be many FCTP and CTDC folks letting Council know how they feel about this issue as well as the "Bankrupt Jax" Pension Bill 2011-400! Don't wait until 13 September!

Be There Or Be Square.

[Patricia M. McBride]

If you are in the Arlington area, you would cross over the Matthews Bridge and follow along until you get to N. Main Street where you take a LEFT.  If you go down N. Main, stay in the left hand lane and just beyond Church St. on the left hand side is the Salvation Army Parking Lot.  They offer all day parking for $3.00 and Evening Parking for $5.00.  You park your car, go to the ticket machine where you can use dollar bills or a credit card to pay for your ticket.  Go back and lay the ticket on your dash face side up, and you are good until midnight in that lot (at which point you can move your car onto the street).  From the Salvation Army parking lot, which is between Church St and Duval St, you walk down to the N. Main and Duval St intersection, wait for the light, cross back over N. Main and walk the 2 or 3 blocks up to city hall which is on Duval St.  It is close and easy and this lot is wonderful during the day and not bad at night if you can't get a meter.   The parking garages are a total rip off, so that is out, or you can do as Rod says and go a little early and find a spot at a 2 hour meter.  It costs a quarter for each half hour, so it you get there at 4:30, you have to put 3 quarters in to get you to 6:00.  I have one of those little white envelopes full of quarters which is wise if you plan to go to city hall regularly :).  They do write tickets so make sure the meter is good for 6:00 or a little after.  After 6 it is free at all metered parking.  Hope that helps Rod. 

[Ronald E. Warner Jr]

Ive sent an email to all the city council members that Patricia posted. Thank you Patricia for postings the emails. They all need to be heard by us.