Ringing Freedom's Bell In Sunnyside, Washington & Beyond Since 2008
April 21, 2009
Source: Heritage Foundation
Some facts about the proposed $100 million cuts:
April 21, 2009
The Sunnyside City Council rejected a proposed inter-fund loan of $476,000 from the general fund, that would have gone to stormwater expenses. The vote was 4-3 in favor, but a super-majority of 5 was needed to pass the budget amendment.
Council Members voting in favor of authorizing the $476,000 loan were Restucci, Gehlen, Gant, and Mayor Garcia. Council Members Hancock, Hernandez, and Stone were opposed.
After repealing the stormwater tax, the City’s budget is now out of balance. The City staff proposed simply authorizing the $476,000 loan to match the budgeted expenses for complying with stormwater regulations.
Despite repeated calls for a line by line accounting of how much is actually needed for stormwater expenses, the staff were unable to produce this type of information at the meeting last night.
Concerns that the City would spend more than necessary if the full amount were to be authorized were not adequately addressed in the minds of some members of Council. One scheme favored by the four voting in favor of the proposed amendment, would have had the City Council authorize expenses after the money had already been spent.
After adjourning, an unidentified member of the Council can be heard on the City’s recording of the meeting remarking that the whole evening was “a waste of time”.
April 20, 2009
The Washington state legislature has been on the ban-wagon, and wants it to keep rolling along. Phosphates are being banned in soap, causing residents to “bootleg” detergents from Idaho.
Now, the legislators are banning novelty lighters. With the budget still not complete, I am glad they can focus on such important issues as this.
Joining the Democrats, all our area representatives from Sunnyside signed on to this critical piece of banning law. Representatives Chandler & Taylor; and Senator Honeyford: are you sure this is not just “feel good” legislation?
The Nanny State continues to grow.
NWCN: Washington Legislature Approves Ban of Novelty Lighters
April 20, 2009 1 Comment
At the City Council meeting this past Monday, April 13, 2009, an unbudgeted expense of $30,000 was presented for the SWAT team. The money is to go to replace body armor, or “ballistics vests”, which the ten member SWAT team uses when serving high-risk warrants, or when responding to certain situations.
The money to replace this equipment is to be drawn from the Investigative Fund, which gets money partially through fines assessed in court. The size of the budget amendment surprised some Council Members, who questioned why the replacement of equipment was not better planned. In fact, it now appears that Chief Radder and City Manager Eric Swansen failed to disclose that the City was audited, and had to pay a fine due to this shortcoming. Council Members should reprimand these gentlemen for not being more forthcoming…not only did they fail to take necessary actions to replace the equipment, but it appears they tried to cover up their ineptitude by not being completely honest with the Council and the public. To paraphrase Council Member Restucci from the stormwater tax discussions: when you make a mistake you need to “man up” and take responsibility for it. The dynamic duo of Swansen and Radder are apparently lacking the moral courage to tell the complete story.
If I am wrong about the need to replace the vests being discovered through an audit, I will apologize to these gentlemen. I only have one source for this information, and if incorrect, I will take back my harsh appraisal of their actions on this. In fact, I am begging readers of this blog to prove me wrong. I am beginning to question the integrity of certain key leaders on the City Staff when it comes to presenting items in Council meetings. Don’t try to play “sneaky Pete”; just “man up” and deal with the issue in an honest way. If you don’t, your subordinates won’t either. Lead by example. We will all get farther that way.
The issue of replacement seems to be centered around when a vest is no longer able to meet requirements for use. The SWAT team currently has vests that are about 10 years old. It has come to the attention of the Police Chief that the manufacturer now recommends replacement after five years.
Council Member Bill Gant compared this to his experience replacing football helmets for school teams. Sometimes they were replaced because of changing legislation that caused helmets to be rendered obsolete. He said the best way to deal with this is to constantly be upgrading equipment.
While on the surface this may seem like a more expensive option, it actually makes sense. If the SWAT team plans to replace equipment on a schedule, it will make the budgeting process easier for all parties concerned.
Given that we now plan on this equipment lasting five years, the SWAT team should develop a plan to keep things up to date without forcing the Council to pass budget amendments. This can be done in a couple of different ways.
They can plan to replace all ten vests every five years, which means spending $30,000 to replace them all at once. Another option would be to replace 2 per year, which would ensure they would never have any vests older than five years.
Bill Gant’s idea to constantly replace equipment is actually the easiest and best option. If the SWAT team replaces two per year, the annual cost would be $6,000. By putting it into the budget each and every year, the Council would not be hit with sticker shock when it gets introduced after a five year lapse.
The SWAT team would be able to have new equipment on a regular basis, which would ensure they are not in the ridiculous situation of not being able to outfit ANY team member with adequate equipment; which is the way they are handling the situation now.
Now that the SWAT team members and management know how long these vests should last, they should develop a replacement plan to keep it current. Bill Gant’s idea would have them take a look at it each year, instead of letting things get years behind. It would make budgeting easier, and keep the SWAT team members safer.
April 17, 2009
April 16, 2009
Yesterday, I attended the tea party in Yakima. It was a tax day protest, of grassroots origin, one of hundreds of such events that took place nationwide. Like those elsewhere, participants were motivated by different reasons to be there.
Some were protesting high taxes, others were protesting the stimulus package specifically. Some were protesting the loss of liberty and freedoms. Many opposed bailouts, and socialism. All favored limited government.
I did not see anyone from Fox News in Yakima yesterday. Although some Fox News personalities attended some tea party events elsewhere, it was not an event sponsored by any media organization.
This did not stop one CNN “reporter” in Chicago from actually arguing with a protester about why the protester’s opinion was wrong. Instead of covering the event, she actually was trying to promote Obama’s agenda!
Showing how clueless the mainstream media is, she apparently considered the tea party event as a personal attack on Obama. The protesters I spoke with in Yakima were upset with ever increasing spending and deficits that have continued to occur, regardless of whether Republicans or Democrats control the Congress or the White House. This CNN reporter just illustrates why the alternative media keeps growing.
April 16, 2009 3 Comments
Here in the State of Washington, we have been told by state authorities that we should be prepared for inclement weather when travelling over mountain passes in cold weather. From time to time, discussions about tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires, grass fires, and other disasters come up.
When these topics come up, state and local authorities may provide suggestions on what the citizens can do to be prepared. Why? Why do we expect local authorities to be involved during an emergency? Sure, that is what historically has been done, but we now know that the Federal government is the entity that will be responding.
The Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, the National Guard, FBI, active duty armed forces, whatever. Just don’t expect local or state officials to do anything. It’s not their role. Speaking of the proper role for people, do not help yourself, or your family during an emergency. The Federal government will be responding. Just wait for them to arrive. Long before the government arrives, members of the media will be on hand to document how the government is not helping you enough. Don’t expect any help from the media, though, they just present the story in an unbiased and fair way.
A few years back, there was no such thing as FEMA. Nobody in a community ever helped each other get through an emergency, and no one from the Federal government came to the rescue either. Entire cities disappeared like the Mayan civilization because the Federal government did not take charge of the local community during times of natural disaster.
Fortunately, we now have a chart of many colors produced by the government to help us know when a disaster is about to strike:
You know the cities I am speaking of: Self-Reliance, Family Provider, Rugged Individualism, Pioneer Spirit, Self-Sufficiency, American Dream, and others.
Don’t expect the Federal government to bring these lost cities back. Atlantis is gone, and these cities are too. Sure Chicago was rebuilt after the historic fire, and San Francisco was rebuilt after the big earthquake, but they did not do proper environmental impact studies before submitting their building plans.
No, the Federal government will make sure that before any rebuilding is done, that they take charge of the process, to make sure the proper “processes” are followed. Never mind about any meaningful conclusion to the process, the population of Results does not appear on any official government map. That is another lost city in American civilization.
Following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, the lack of police protection provided opportunity for looters, murderers, rapists, and gangs to run freely. Some citizens took up arms to defend their personal property. The National Guard was ordered to take these firearms from citizens, or to arrest them if they refused “help”. Nevermind that citizens were left helpless as a result. Nevermind the Consititution. During an emergency, the government will not be bothered with such silly things as “rights”.
After looking at this list of items that Homeland Security recommends putting in a personal emergency preparedness kit, I have to wonder how plastic sheeting and duct tape will safeguard my family better than a gun. But what am I thinking? Why would I ever question a list generated by full-time professional staff, at a Federal government agency? I consider myself deservedly smacked.
April 15, 2009
April 14, 2009
Sunnyside has now passed into the eye of the storm, when it comes to addressing the stormwater tax. The City Council has repealed its ill conceived tax ordinance (temporarily) while it creates a new one. In addition, taxes collected under the now repealed structure will be refunded.
This is good news (sort of) for the taxpayers. The Council is trying to calm the seas of dissent it experienced when the new tax hit the citizenry. This is why I say that Sunnyside is now in the eye of the storm. Having been through a hurricane before, I think the analogy can be made here.
The storm of protests from citizens caused a reaction from the Council, which is sure to be subdue residents when taxes are repealed, and refunds given. However, the requirement to collect the tax has not gone away. After establishing a new rate structure, taxes will start to be collected again. This is when the seas will start to get rough again.
The Clean Water Act of 1987 (passed by a Democrat Congress, which overrode President Reagan’s veto), contains mandates which are creating the need for Sunnyside to collect this tax. The Democrat Congress did not provide funding to comply with the regulations.
The City of Sunnyside has transferred personnel and equipment to the stormwater fund, and given pay raises to employees working under the stormwater designation. In addition, the projected cost of compliance with stormater regulations was around $300,000 in a previous engineering study. The City Manager is now saying it can not be done for less than $500,000.
A blue ribbon committee may be tasked with creating a tax structure to raise the controversial amount recommended by City staff.
Reference:
Yakima Herald: Quelling the stormwater fee storm
April 13, 2009
Eagle Watch
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