Why work when others will give you something for free?

So in difficult economic times, why are folks still willing to ask their government for a handout?  The Taxpayer knows human nature.  Humans have a natural tendency to try to live off another's hard work and property.  Some folks are able to control it and they by default are the providers. Those that cannot will use every means to take without work other's property. Today, we see clear examples from this week's Chesterfield Observer of how the "smart" lazy ones do it through the government.

Concerned citizens are organizing in an attempt to influence the supervisors. Many are using petitions, Web sites, e-mails, letters and phone calls to get their message out.

Especially in tough times, it is shameful for these folks to continue to go to the trough of our local government looking for handouts.  The Taxpayer has a message for you.  If you have a valuable service or commodity, it will succeed in the free market. 

Some that get it include the Department of Parks and Recreation as shown here in this week's Midlothian Exchange.

“Our hope is that, with the help of community and non-profit organizations, some of these programs can become self-sufficient or reinstate some of the programs.”

An example.  Folks seemed to be concerned about softball. A fine sport.  Fun to play. Fun to watch. Let's look to a privatized model whereby the county leases the field to a management company who runs the program.  The private sector grows.  The public government shrinks.  The service is provided to those that want it.

Yet the government official is always willing to respond to sloth...

Snead explained that there has been a 56 percent increase in demand over the past five years for services such as Medicaid, SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, known as TANF.

56% increase in free stuff.  Who'd thunk? The Taxpayer is surprise at such a slow rate of increase.  Most folks are not dumb. They understand how to expend the minimum amount of effort to survive.

Meanwhile, staff over at the CCPS continue to collect awards and accolades...

"Dr. Marcus Newsome is the clear choice to serve as Region 1 Superintendent of the Year. His impeccable integrity and dynamic leadership has made Chesterfield Schools a national model for high performing districts,"

"Dr. Newsome has led the transformation of Chesterfield County Public Schools by developing the action plans necessary to connect the school system's mission and vision with the improvements required in each individual school. In addition, he has accepted the challenges of these difficult economic circumstances and has exhibited great leadership,"

The only question The Taxpayer is left with is "How much did that cost us?"

The highest paid employee in the county is Superintendent Marcus Newsome at $248,667 including car allowance ($12,500) and deferred compensation ($28,500).

Who was second place?  What was his/her results? AND how much would we have saved?

Newsome / Stegmaier propose postponing tough decisions, continue shell game

From this morning's RTD....

Local funding for schools, which makes up about half the budget, will dip by 1.7 percent with the inclusion of the $12 million in prior year savings. Without it, the reduction would be closer to 7 percent.

The county plans to partially offset a $35.4 million revenue shortfall from the current year by returning $12 million in prior-year savings to the school system.

The budget man tells you all you need to know...

"It's important to note that the 2.1 percent reduction would have been higher had it not been for the use of those one-time revenues,"

Why are these pro-bloated government folks given a pass? First, they use federal "stimulus" dollars to support an unsustainable budget.  Now, they are using another one time budget fix.  These folks simple do not have long term forecasts in their vocabulary.  If it doesn't get fixed this year, the bloat lives on...

And The Taxpayer will be there to fight it....

Incomplete... Reject it!

WRIC has this to say about the School Board meeting last night...

Newsome originally proposed that administrators take a four percent decrease in pay and all other employees take a three percent pay cut. In his revised proposal, Newsome suggested administrators take a three percent cut, with other employees taking a two percent decrease.

So where does that money come from?

All capital improvement projects will be deferred and maintenance funds will be cut.

The Taxpayer can understand new construction being deferred; but, maintenance? 

It seems to us that the long term view seems to be foreign to our school administrators.  As a professor of taxes, we are looking for a 10 year sustainable vision, not a year by year approach.  When a student offers a 1 page term paper, the professor has to reject it as incomplete.  The Board of Supervisors should do the same to the School Board.

CCPS begins the game of chicken...

The Taxpayer is noticing a curious shift in the Chesterfield School Board.  From the budget bluster to this....

The news is better for some. The school system expected to cut 300 positions, they instead will cut 200 and paycuts will only be reduced one percent instead of two or three.

Instantly better news?  How could this be? Did someone get smart? 

The bad news is happening in the County's central office. The cuts will be increased there from $600,000 to $1.3 million. Nine positions will be eliminated including the loss of two assistant superintendents.

The Taxpayer thinks that if you double or triple that number it would be closer to what is necessary.  Note to state and federal legislators: Stop over-regulating local education matters.  Regulation is a form of tax.  It requires localities to meet the new regulation with more central office staff.  Stop contributing to the bloat.

It will defer school improvements at Midlothian Middle School, Midlothian High School, Watkins Elementary and Gates Elementary. Stalling those projects will save the district an anticipated $4.7 million.

No. It will not save anything.  It will defer the maintenance improvements.  Instead of making substantial operating cuts, the Adminstrator of Bloat continues to use maintenance dollars for central office operations.

Someone is obviously playing chicken.  The Taxpayer will not blink.

Fun Fun Fun... Until Daddy Takes the Money Away...

From the evening edition of the Richmond News Leader...(RTD) minus the timeless school board member quotes...

The Chesterfield County School Board gave initial approval tonight to a revised school budget that saves about 100 jobs and lowers employee pay cuts from what first was proposed.

Is this really planning for the future or just marking time until the next trough fills up? Where is the belt tightening?

The $548.3 million plan for 2010-2011 still includes $26.5 million in cuts

By The Taxpayer's calculator, that is a whopping 4.8%. AND we just established that the largest private sector corporation, Dupont, reduced staff by 14%. I believe you are halfway home CCPS. Find another $26.5M and I'll believe you are preparing for the long haul.

The school district faces a $42 million budget shortfall, but Newsome and the board have asked the county to contribute an additional $16.2 million to help close the gap. If the county doesn't come through, more cuts would be made, school officials say.

Here is some advice to the School Board from The Taxpayer. If your shortfall is $42M, make $42M in cuts. The RTD should call it the same way and stop playing the CCPS game.

In other business, the School Board approved the 2010 redistricting boundaries for Carver and Elizabeth Davis middle schools. Sixththrough eighth-grade students who would have gone to Chester Middle School in the fall will be split between Carver and Elizabeth Davis.

How much money did building two unnecessary middle schools in the Bermuda District save again? Hope the Bermuda kids love the inside of the bus, because they will be sitting about 1.5 hours a day in one. Quality time with the bus driver; instead of Mom and Dad.

Showdown this Wednesday... Belt Tighteners v. Big Spenders

This Wednesday February 24th beginning at 6:30PM, there will be a showdown at the Board of Supervisors meeting.

The Main Event at the Public Meeting Room...

Big Spenders versus the Belt Tighteners



It will be between those that diet by eating less or those that diet by loosening their belt and eating more.


From today's RTD...

Board of Supervisors Chairman Daniel A. Gecker was the only supervisor who last year sought to advertise a higher tax rate in case state budget changes worsened the county's revenue outlook.

"I still believe we ought to give ourselves that flexibility," he said.

“Flexibility” is code for we are not going to tighten our belts like families do. “Flexibility” means we are going to eat into your wallet instead of our bottomline. “Flexibility” means our government services are more important than your family’s economic choices. “Flexibility” means growth in government. (And yes growth in a recession means “revenue neutral” .)

School leaders have asked the supervisors to raise the rate to at least 99 cents to help offset its own shortfall.

“School Leaders” would not ask for more in these tough economic times. They would figure out the best course of action and execute it. “School Leaders” let the budget get to unsustainable levels during the good days instead of applying restraint. Now it is raining. Time to cut and remember the lesson of sustainable budgets when times are good again.

The Chesterfield Business Council issued a statement Friday supporting a rate adjustment, but no higher than the revenue-neutral $1, so most homeowners would not see higher tax bills.

We have businesses in Chesterfield? Who is on this council? Our largest employer is the school system. Are they on this council?

The Chesterfield Business Council (CBC) was the first of four advisory councils established by the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce in 1980. The CBC promotes the objectives of the Chamber and addresses issues of importance to Chesterfield County businesses. Members serve on committees and task forces under the Council’s Board of Directors. The CBC meets monthly.  

The CBC website is hosted by the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce here . The CBC chair is currently John R Easter. 

Why does Mr. Easter, as CBC Chairman, want to raise our taxes through a “revenue neutral” rate hike? The Taxpayer wants to know.

Here is the CBC press release.

Here is how the CBC phrases our current budget situation in Chesterfield…

"the challenging budget decisions..."
"significant impacts on levels of service..."
"extraordinary budgetary cuts..."
"prevent the significant deterioration of essential services..."
"the extreme budget expenditure reductions..."

Sounds like a real crisis. We better raise that tax rate!!!!  But wait a minute...What about the families and their own personal economic strife? Who is their voice? Certainly not the CBC!?

Yet the CBC uses language that sounds so soothing to the ear of the uninitated:

"that taxes paid by most residents would not exceed the amount paid last fiscal year"
"net change in taxes due to the combination of assessed values and rate should be, at most, revenue-neutral"

Why not give it a chance??

The Taxpayer would argue that the County has not fulfilled the CBC’s own itemized requests:

"encourage County officials to give thoughtful consideration as funds are allocated to ensure that every dollar spent improves government and schools..."
"that expense reductions drive efficiency and minimize waste..."
"ask our County leaders to protect Chesterfield County’s economic, civic and educational reputation by making fiscally sound decisions..."

Until such time that we have wise, frugal stewards of our tax dollars, we would respectfully ask that Mr. Easter and the CBC withhold their support for a rate hike that takes away from families’ bottomline.

To add to the confusion, check out this letter sent to Superintendent Newsome by the CBC just three months ago!  It is interesting and confusing to the Taxpayer that the same CBC that wants to give additional funding to the county is also seeking additional transparency from the School System. One would think it would be required that transparency comes first and funding second. Perhaps the CBC just may have forgotten their December 2009 letter to Superintendent Newsome. Maybe the CBC can clarify the matter.

The Taxpayer urges you to show up this Wednesday night and voice your opinion. Be a part of this important community decision. We can no longer afford to leave these decisions to others.