Was doubling the tax fee from $50.00 to $100.00 Necessary?
September 3, 2019
Former Mayor Muoio and every mayor before her managed to run WPB with a City Administrator and two Assistant City Administrators.
Keith James needs a City Administrator and five Assistant Administrator’s. Here are their names and salaries received from a PRR.
Rick Greene $180,000.0176
Faye Johnson $179,999.9968
Scott Kelly $187,460.00
Christine Brevik $180,000.0176
Armando Fana $180,000.0176
Total $907,460.0496
The figure above does not include City Administrator Jeff Green’s salary which has to be over $200,000.00. So the top six administrators earn more than one million dollars in salaries. How generous is Keith James with tax payer money? Is this where the term “top heavy” in government comes from?
My opinion: I couldn’t believe Scott Kelly’s salary. A man that constantly lies to the public, and has been fired from other cities If he’s not good enough for them, why is he good enough for WPB?
Faye Johnson I could write an entire story on her. Her maiden name was Faye Outlaw and if you take the time to Google her and see the awards she has won and praise she has received for her honesty and integrity, hiring her was the one good thing the city has done.
Below are 2 stories in the Palm Beach Post that relate to the Fire Fee. The excerpts below are from both stories, and my opinion are in italics.
“Rather than raise city tax rate, West Palm Beach commissioners voted Monday to double the fire fee, to $100 for residences.”
“Responding to objections that the regressive fee would hit hardest those who can least afford it, Mayor Keith James pledged to have staff devise a program hardship waiver for the city’s poorest homeowners.”
That lie forgotten soon after leaving his lips. Keith James has no problem with the fire tax, he doesn’t own a home, and never will until all unpaid tax liens are paid.
“Still others complained that the commissioners appeared to have made up their minds in advance, and questioned whether the money would be put toward its stated use.”
Commissioners minds are made up before any vote is taken, how do you think they always land on the same page most times?
“Supporters were few. They included Dennis Grady, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches.”
Dennis Grady’s comment was basically the board of directors of the Chamber voted that the city should accept the new $100.00 fee.
What I heard is. 3 commissioners up for re-election (Shoaf, Lambert and Ryles) if you want the Chamber’s support, meaning opening the money spigot, not finding a candidate to challenge you and most important our endorsement, you will pass this increase. Too many to count spoke out against the tax increase. They want to hear from us, but only if we are in agreement with their plans.
“Commissioners acknowledged that the city’s tax rate was among the highest in the county, and said they hoped the administration would hold the line on property taxes, as well.”
We are the highest tax rate @ $8.35 per $1,000.00. Enough said.
“Mayor James agreed, saying he hoped to reduce the property tax rate next year and hold the fire fee steady. “I don’t anticipate an increase in the fire fee next year that I would be in favor of, he said.”
If you believe his statement, I have beautiful ocean front property for sale in Arizona, which I must sell to pay my taxes in WPB. All reasonably offers considered.
Read entire story below.
2nd. story was an Editorial: “Enough with the fire service fee hikes on West Palm residents”
“Which brings us to West Palm Beach. City commissioners, who’ve been blessed with a building boom the last several years, have doubled the city’s annual fire service fee — again — to $100 on homes.”
Bristol Palm Beach smashes city’s condo price record with $18M deal.
Does that mean the owner of the newly purchased condo, and a homeowner owning a $150,000 dollar home both pay $100.00 fire fee?
Well, yes it does. The average taxpayer has alway’s carried the burdon, from the day Jesus overturned the tables on the money changes. That’s why the rich get rich, and the struggling class carry the burden. Why stop now?
“Yes, this is the same regressive fire assessment (a tax by another name) that former Mayor Jeri Muoio and company doubled for homes just last year — from $25 to $50.
Funny, that’s the same argument the city made last year for doubling the fee on homes. What’s to make residents think that the city won’t come back again next year or the year after for another hike “to balance the budget”?
The city’s answer: They can’t promise that won’t happen.”
The paragraph below is from the previous story.
“Mayor James agreed, saying he hoped to reduce the property tax rate next year and hold the fire fee steady. “I don’t anticipate an increase in the fire fee next year that I would be in favor of, he said.”
Was his lips moving when he made that statement? Did he forget what he said a few day’s earlier?
“Second, residents voted overwhelmingly in 2016 for a 10-year, one-cent sales tax increase to pay for long-neglected capital improvement needs — like replacing aging fire engines, and upgrading or replacing fire stations. Which sound suspiciously like the things that the fire fee is supposed to cover.”
Please read the above paragraph once more. This is a great example of why I never vote for any tax increase, and ask my readers to understand what they are voting for when they vote “yes”. Unfortunately the public has a short memory, and believe what politicans promise because they excell on knowing what the public wants to hear.
“West Palm officials should explain in detail why the higher sales tax that voters imposed on themselves along with an expanding base of property tax revenue, is not sufficient for the fire department’s needs.”
I would appreciate the Palm Beach Post explination of why they endorsed Keith James for mayor, when they watched 8 years of James as a City Commissioner.
I cant recall any religious organization endorcing him. What do they know that we didn’t? Read entire story below.