The Fleecing of Allen County Taxpayers
Posted by Jeff Pruitt - 6/26/08 @ 2:51 am - Filed Under Featured, Local Politics
There are two issues coming from county government that simply don’t add up. First county government has so much money in their major bridge fund that they can afford to squander it on the wasteful $55 million Maplecrest Extension. Why do they have this surplus in the first place? This is our money and if they don’t need it for major bridges then they should give it back. Just like the Jefferson Pointe TIF in the city, the Major Bridge Fund has become the county’s own slush fund.
Second, the county wants you to believe they simply cannot afford to pay for small bridge maintenance any longer despite having that responsibility for over 100 years. Their short-sighted decision to eliminate the cumulative bridge fund a few years back has directly caused this “shortfall” - do you honestly think we won’t be back in this position 10 years from now talking about the Major bridge Fund shortfall due to the Maplecrest Extension?
Having a large enough surplus in one fund to pay for a $25 million bond while having zero money to pay for bridge maintenance just shows you how poor the financial planning has been at the county level…
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10 Responses to “The Fleecing of Allen County Taxpayers”
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Jeff. While I agree that there is some poor financial planning going on, your argument is so inflammatory that it discredits what you are saying. You constantly chastise the main stream media but posts like this are absolutely horrible.
Luke,
It’s unfortunate that nobody in the traditional media looks at the numbers and raises the same questions. My post certainly is inflammatory but it’s because I’m still irate over what’s transpired. It probably does take away from the gist of the message I want to convey so point taken…
And you think the city is any better?
I didn’t say that and I think I’ve been equally irate about city expenditures in the past - Harrison Square comes to mind.
Having said that I do think the new council is doing a decent job…
Jeff,
While I may disagree with you from time to time I like you becoming “irate”! I just wish more people in government would be like you. There is a point where common sense no longer is sense at all.
The county harps about no money. Will be faching short falls in the next two years. They agree things have turned south in how things are going in Allen County. YET THEY ARE SPENDING MONEY LIKE WE (TAXPAPERS) HAVE MORE MONEY THEN THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO. Nelson Peters and gang have become the most liberal spenders around.
I too agree with you that the new group of City Council has done a good job. They have gone out of their way to allow the public to speak. They have interacted with citizens at council meetings. They have been pretty open on why they are doing what they are. Agree or not with what they end up voting a person has to agree it is out in the open.
Does anyone know who was on the County Council and Commishs when they did away with the bridge building fun?
Jeff,
Be careful. The first step is trying not to be inflamatory. This results in you not receiving any admonitions like Luke’s. Then you come to enjoy not being disparaged by others so you begin to write your posts with this as a goal. Before long, you candy-coat everything, in an attempt to offend no one.
And at that point you have drifted towards the dangerous territory of mainstream media. The only way to offend no one is to really say nothing, and make yourself irrellevant in the process.
So blog on my friend. Inflame, offend, irritate and opine without hesitation. I may disagree with your opinion at times, but I always agree with your decision to express that opinion.
In other woreds, Jeff…
KEEP STIRRIN’ THE S**T-POT!!!
(and if you need a larger spoon…)
;)
B.G.
I watched the June 24th County Council meeting on the reasons to build the Maplecrest Extension over the river to New Haven. It is clear and consistent now after 20 plus years it’s not worth today’s dollars of $55 million plus interest to acheive what the bridge to New Haven would have acheived in past years. Let’s save the $9-11 million from Federal tax-paid earmarked projects to one that is more important like bridge repair in Allen county. Local government let’s file the new form for next year’s earmark money and let’s spend it wisely on Allen County areas most important needs.
The City and County can not afford this federal earmark expenditure and do not expect the locals to finance the remainder. This is an economic opportunity cost that exceeds a rate of return in the next 20 years.
I question local government, this local building project meets the definitions, under the new State law for a local referendum on building projects.
Local Government show us proof and why this project is not subject to a referendum?
We now have parts of HB 1001 passed. It still needs a few tweaks from our State elected House and Senate by July 1st.
Let the public and locals in our community go to a ballot vote on public funds spent by government developments in excess of $5-7 million dollar range.
Our local County and City elected officials will spend tax paid money more wisely.
How will our elected local body choose to spend
Allen County’s money. Hopefully much more wisely
and with thought and care.
QUESTION: Bobett asks “How will our elected local body choose to spend Allen County’s money. (now that they are subject to a $5 million referendum.)”
ANSWER: $4.9 million at a time.
That’s $4.9 million for concrete, $4.9 million for asphalt, $4.9 million for steel, $4.9 million for labor, $4.9 million paid to an outside consulting firm, and the list goes on.
My prediction is that they will start breaking large projects down into their component parts to evade the referendum. As long as each part costs less than $5 million, than they are legal.