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Post by dog on Nov 14, 2013 12:34:34 GMT -6
You are right dog, most citizens don't have the information needed to know what cuts should be made and how much some of them would save. I could suggest that they could postpone the fountain project until we could actually afford it to put $38,000 towards the deficit, from information that was in the paper. That would just leave another $22,000 to come up with. However, if I wanted to suggest that since they didn't include an automatic irrigation system for the new landscaping in the park, instead of paying for four public works guys and two large sewer vacuum vehicles that we could buy a couple of hoses and have some Garden Club volunteers or community service workers water flowers daily throughout the summer, I wouldn't be able to provide the amount of savings on payroll and equipment expenses that would be generated; I could only speculate that it would be over $22,000. We don't have all the information needed to decide what cuts should be made. That is why I look at the end results of what they do. Higher taxes, very low and still decreasing property values, and continually decreasing population is what I see. That is why I say that we need new leaders. My armchair quarterbacking must have been acceptable, since it wasn't picked apart. No need to pick it apart, it was a suggestion that has merit and worthy of discussion. I don't think I would put off the fountain project though and my reasoning is with the donations, we are getting $138,000 worth of improvements for no more than $38,000 of tax money spent. I expect that figure to drop even more. Where else could you get $138,000 on just a $38,000 investment. That's a deal.
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Post by oldtimer on Nov 14, 2013 13:19:09 GMT -6
My armchair quarterbacking must have been acceptable, since it wasn't picked apart. No need to pick it apart, it was a suggestion that has merit and worthy of discussion. I don't think I would put off the fountain project though and my reasoning is with the donations, we are getting $138,000 worth of improvements for no more than $38,000 of tax money spent. I expect that figure to drop even more. Where else could you get $138,000 on just a $38,000 investment. That's a deal. You're right. There is nothing wrong with the fountain project. I really do like what they've done with City Park. That park needed some TLC and with the money from Com Ed for the band shelter and the donations for the fountain restoration, the city did well in investing money based on it's return!
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Post by Kyle Mitchell on Nov 14, 2013 14:58:23 GMT -6
The city's $375,000 short-term loan will go mostly toward construction of the bandshell, including but not limited to columns necessary for foundation, electrical work, new sidewalks and lighting. The city utilized $75,000 of cash reserves to purchase a bandshell kit. - See more at: mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=452872&query=streator%20bandshell%20loan#sthash.h33o23Dl.dpufHow many years is this short term loan? I've asked many times; if it were already paid off, I'm sure someone would have said. Aren't we basically going to be paying for the bandshell with this tax increase?
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Post by father of two on Nov 14, 2013 15:04:54 GMT -6
New and relocated playground equipment will join a list of renovations at Streator's City Park that will include a $375,000 short-term loan to build a bandshell and renovate the south parking lot. - See more at: mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?stopRedirect=true&id=452872#sthash.ZbFuEK5j.dpufI would think that a short term loan would be no more than five years. You could say the money they need to raise is to pay for this just as easily as saying its needed for salaries, gravel, asphalt, police car upkeep etc.
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Post by willy on Nov 14, 2013 15:17:46 GMT -6
It was also reported at the committee of the whole meeting an example of how the tax increase will impact bills. Pam Leonard used her home as the example, and the increase on her home would be 9 dollars for the year. She has a very nice home, if you're not aware. I do believe most folks in this community will be afford that increase. Bill Phelan is only playing politics with his no votes, pure and simple. He has the right to vote anyway he wants, he also has the responsibility to do the right thing to keep this city running and providing for services and amenities. It's a shame the paper doesn't report everything that is said at the meetings that are open to the public.
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Post by cityslicker on Nov 14, 2013 16:18:58 GMT -6
Of course slick willy and Pam don't mind a small tax increase. They made a fortune, paid with taxpayer money. The council ought to cut Pam's position and contract it out to a third party. Then watch for her crocodile tears and whining. The city's mismanager could also stand a pay cut. Of course, the council has no intention to do this.
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Post by willy on Nov 14, 2013 17:01:53 GMT -6
Masked Man, you're allowed your opinion. I would invite any citizen to go to city hall, ask for the current budget and go over it line item per line item. After doing so, ask as many questions as you wish about the areas where you believe it can be cut. But that wouldn't be your job. It is the job of the council. I looked at it for eight years and it's pretty tight. As was reported, no property tax increases the last 3 years.
As you say, "what are we going to get for this additional increase?" The people paying the taxes are going to get continued services and amenities. The only thing the City has to offer is service. They don't sell things, just service. People want their roads fixed and parks maintained. Material costs increase every year. Repairs to equipment, insurance costs that the city has aren't the same as for a homeowner. It's a much grander scale. A few years back our workers comp insurance jumped $238K in one year. So when you ask, is it just for overhead, the answer could be probably and more.
Some folks on here would want the city not to do anything until the economy improves. I don't believe that's the way to look at it. I guess we could cut out the road improvements for awhile, that will go over well. It would also push the city backwards. I think the park improvements are needed. That fountain has needed repaired for a long time. It was ruined in 1958, too long to not repair part of the parks history. A great majority of the folks paying taxes agree the park needed improving.
Now some on here make silly comments like I made a fortune as a councilman. I don't believe so. I did more than put in my time for 8 years. I looked into every complaint sent to me and answered every call. My phone number is in the book, is Bill Phelan's? That's also a responsibility to make yourself available.
I don't really come on here to create controversy, just to clarify things if they need it. I'm not being rude to others and don't go into hiding as been suggested. And I'm not debating my thoughts on here with some that can't be civil.
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Post by oldtimer on Nov 14, 2013 17:08:32 GMT -6
Of course slick willy and Pam don't mind a small tax increase. They made a fortune, paid with taxpayer money. The council ought to cut Pam's position and contract it out to a third party. Then watch for her crocodile tears and whining. The city's mismanager could also stand a pay cut. Of course, the council has no intention to do this. Made a fortune? Uuuhhhh city employees aren't making a fortune. I would go as far to say that nobody in streator is making a fortune.
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Post by dragonfly on Nov 14, 2013 18:09:57 GMT -6
The city shouldn't be spending our money if they don't have it. No one was crying out for a band shelter. We are crying out for a better city to live in with more jobs, and better law enforcement. How much revenue did that band shelter bring in this summer? It paid for itself.....right? If our money isn't going to be used for smart investments, than I'd rather keep it for myself for my future. Same old crap all the time with this town, every year. Throwing money away than asking for more. They should be focused on making people want to move here to bring in revenue, instead they are driving us out.
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Post by dog on Nov 14, 2013 18:58:52 GMT -6
I am trying to remember how the whole band shell thing went. Didn't Com Ed donate $400,000 for a bridge but then gave the city permission to use it for something else aka, the band shell. Wasn't it decided to use that money to establish a cash reserve and then finance the band shell, and then by having a cash reserve, that gave the city a more favorable rate to finance other projects? Could someone share how that all went down?
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Post by Kyle Mitchell on Nov 14, 2013 19:59:59 GMT -6
Bill Phelan is only playing politics with his no votes, pure and simple. He has the right to vote anyway he wants, he also has the responsibility to do the right thing to keep this city running and providing for services and amenities. It's a shame the paper doesn't report everything that is said at the meetings that are open to the public. Voting that a property(that the city has no plan for) shouldn't be pulled off the tax rolls and to not spend more tax money that the city doesn't have on a decoration is playing politics? I remember someone saying that they were against borrowing money for park improvements, but then decided to pull on the Mayor's rope. Wouldn't that be playing politics? Are you trying to suggest that if the tax increase isn't passed the city would stop running or services would stop? I'm sure that they would find a way to live within their means. Please tell us what was said at the meeting that it is a shame wasn't reported. A great majority of the folks paying taxes agree the park needed improving. Do you have something to back that up with, or is that just your opinion? I looked into every complaint sent to me Too bad results didn't come from you looking into my complaints. I rarely ever even received any response. My phone number is in the book, is Bill Phelan's? That's also a responsibility to make yourself available. I'm not so sure that being listed in the phone book is such an asset these days. In this computer and cell age, land lines are becoming somewhat rare and seen as an unnecessary expense by more progressive thinking people. I drive by the Silver Fox pretty much daily. from what I've seen, Mr. Phelan is a hard worker that doesn't spend much time at home answering the phone. I have his cell number some place from before the candidates forum, but I've had no problem stopping into the Silver Fox to talk with him. The phone number there is easy enough to find. I have really appreciated the Facebook page that he set up and has provided me more useful information about the meetings than the city's website. People could send him a message there. I know that he has stopped into my son's store. I talked to three shop owners that mentioned he had been in to talk to them. One said that in many years of being open, he is the only one of our leaders they have seen stop in. I'm not here to defend him; I do agree with his votes and some of his thinking. I just haven't seen that he has not been available, but the contrary. I really think that our decreasing population and property values are evidence that we need a different way of thinking in our leadership; I see the no votes as a sign of that.
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Post by Kyle Mitchell on Nov 14, 2013 20:07:38 GMT -6
I am trying to remember how the whole band shell thing went. Didn't Com Ed donate $400,000 for a bridge but then gave the city permission to use it for something else aka, the band shell. Wasn't it decided to use that money to establish a cash reserve and then finance the band shell, and then by having a cash reserve, that gave the city a more favorable rate to finance other projects? Could someone share how that all went down? Streator's Vermilion River Greenway Trail Plan could take a big step forward in the coming year.
The city is applying for a maximum $400,000 Open Space Land and Acquisition Development Grant through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to build a mini-park and implement one and a half miles of the backbone of a trail system from Cedar Street to First Street.
The total cost is expected to be $850,000. The majority of the remaining funding would come from $400,000 the city received from ComEd in lieu of building a bridge for the city in a land swap agreement. - See more at: mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=477025&query=streator%20comed#sthash.Qeo8VpvI.dpufI think that the $75,000 cash reserve that was spent on the band shell kit(separate from the $375,000 loan for the rest of the bandshell and parking lot) as mentioned in the other article I posted, was part of the $400,000 from Comed. The other cash reserve that they are building to improve our credit standing, I believe comes from the general fund every year and is separate.
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honestpolitician
Junior Member
My username is a challenge. How many honest politicians can you find in this country
Posts: 83
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Post by honestpolitician on Nov 15, 2013 1:40:21 GMT -6
Bill Phelan isn't playing politic's he is saying what the average person would say. Should be evident with all the responses on this thread. Simple!! Quit stealing our money.
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Post by Kyle Mitchell on Nov 15, 2013 6:56:02 GMT -6
I was just reading in the paper that property values have risen by over $8 million in Utica so they are looking at lowering their tax rate.
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Post by dog on Nov 15, 2013 7:15:31 GMT -6
I was just reading in the paper that property values have risen by over $8 million in Utica so they are looking at lowering their tax rate. Here is the article: Utica's tax rate could fall 11/14/2013, 11:20 pm Comment on this story | Print this story | Email this story Kate Reynolds, newsroom@mywebtimes.com, 815-433-2000 This week, Utica Trustee and Finance Liaison Matt Jereb announced the village's 2013 estimated Equalized Assessed Valuation rose by $8,387,233, meaning the village's tax rate could go down in 2013. The 2012 EAV was $21,912,767. The 2013 higher estimated EAV of $30,300,000 is due to the new three-building expansion assessment at Unimin Corporation. Currently, Utica's 2012 tax rate is at 0.19488 percent ($42,704 levy). If the village were to maintain that rate in 2013, the levied amount would rise to $59,048.64 and require a public hearing. By raising the rate by the 5 percent allowed by law without a public hearing, the levied amount would be $44,800. The third option could be to maintain the current levy amount of $42,704. Jereb said he would recommend a tax rate increase of just under 5 percent with no public hearing required. That means Utica residents could see their tax rate fall but Jereb and Village Attorney Herb Klein noted that, depending on home values, residents could see their taxes rise. - See more at: mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=484544#sthash.8cTew0HV.dpuf- See more at: mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=484544#sthash.8cTew0HV.dpufNotice that they they are also recommending an increase of just under 5% just like Streator and that residents could see their taxes rise. Did you read the whole article, Kyle, or just the headline?
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