By: Diane Benjamin

Tonight’s agenda: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/f7099398-5bbe-11ee-ae13-0050569183fa-791fe512-602c-4d20-98c8-ecdbbed39134-1717791762.pdf

Since the City is flush with cash they are paying $5,425,000 from the General Fund to create a new Public Works Campus.

The cash is available for a variety of reasons:

1. The sales tax increase years ago to fix the “structural deficit” that is long since gone but the tax remains
2. Federal Covid bucks that allowed spending not from local tax dollars
3. Motor Fuel Tax imposed to pay for roads when the General Fund used to foot the bill
4. Garbage bills imposed when the General Fund used to foot the bill
5. Inflation has increased tax revenue because everything you buy costs more

All tax increases by government need to be opposed because they NEVER go away. Even if they say the tax will sunset, it NEVER does.

I don’t think buying this property is a terrible idea but we don’t know how much still needs to be spent to make the property fit the needs of Public Works. This paragraph is included:

I hope the greenhouses on the property aren’t bulldozed.

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The huge mostly empty buses will continue because the mayor continues to appoint the same people. Opposing points of view aren’t allowed. Whitehouse is currently the Board Chair.

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This one is fun! https://d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net/cityblm/72398c7c5c5b9a0916f7ea60b15b5e970.pdf

The documentation says construction took a year when it was supposed to take 6 months. It is due to be finished next month but this company need up to $8000 more to complete the project. It claims 42 companies responded to the Requests For Information forcing them to respond to each. Did the City write the request or did they? The documentation claims some of the requests were clear in what was issued, obviously some wasn’t.

Anyway, moving at the speed of a turtle, for $8000 more Economic Development will have fancy new office space. I hope pictures are available when it’s done!