Wayne, when are we going to buy the solid waste disposal company or a land-fill? when are we going to build a subway system? How about rail to Miami? Sounds to me like you would agree with expanding our government until it is as large as the Miami government. You are John Arceri's lacky and you don't serve the people of our community when you spend our money. Instead of looking for more revenue, start looking for ways to cut the budget like the voters who voted in the the last election asked you to. There were a few referendums on the ballot other than your name.

Like I have written before...LCEC could raise our electric bill $30 a month and it would take 55 years to pay approximately $20,000.00 that the STRP it presently costing us.

Wayne, you finally spoke the truth today in the Eagle when you said, "People are using (the rise in their water bills) against the idea of electric municipalization because we messed up the water." Too bad you left out the blunder on the sewer system which is costing many of us $20,000. You stated in your previous guest commentary that the writer had overstated the 100 million dollar price tag for the electric utility by 70-80 percent and that Mr. Hamilton stated in his presentation that the cost could be closer to 30 million. I was also at the meeting and it is you who is mistaken. The question asked was, "What is the value of the equity ownership accounts held by Marco Island customers?" Mr. Hamilton replied that he believed those equity accounts totaled somewhere around 30 million. That has nothing to do with the purchase price under a condemnation taking. Maybe in Wayne's World you can buy a well-maintained electrical system for a third of the price of a water and sewer system in a state of disrepair, but in the real world, I don't believe that's possible. I think most people would agree that after all the money you've saved us on the water and sewer systems, we can't afford for you to save us any more money on our electrical system. The 5 million dollar savings you have spoken of was merely an attempt by WHH Enterprises to entice our ill-informed council to spend more money on another report. The report was about undergrounding, not municipalization. They cited no facts or figures to support their assertion. Now we have people like you quoting it as if it were fact. You are the one misinformed and providing misinformation.

Flyingsparks, NtJstUrMarco, Fossil why don't you children come out from your Pseudonyms and back your opinions with facts instead of mere complaints. The STRP issue was settled by the election. Water and sewer rates are exactly the same as promised. COLA has been the only increase as promised.
Mr. Hamilton acted as a salesman; he projected figures as a salesman. He stated the he misstated the $100 million dollar figure. The only thing I am looking for in the Municipalization study is facts derived by the Citizens of Marco Ad-Hoc Committee. If it is to the benefit of Marco Island, it will put to Referendum, You CHOOSE, what is wrong with that? Don’t you trust the Citizen’s of Marco Island.

wwaldack, COLA is the only increase? What about the TAX increase? You are so dishonest that you cannot bring yourself to admit that you have been seeking ways to increase our taxes (you call them revenues, assessments COLA, service charges, tolls, etc. but never taxes). Do I trust the citizens of Marco Island? If they are informed I do. When they are lied to by the likes of you, I do not. I recall prior to the election you were a regular contributor to these blogs but never used your real name on these blogs either (are you a child too?). You do so now because you must constantly defend yourself as a Marco Island politico that spends all his time finding new ways to pick our pockets. When referring to our City, I would rather be called a child then a Marco Island City Councilman. It is people like you that caused our citizens to lose respect for the institution and City you serve. STOP increasing our TAXES.

Fossil: It is obvious that you know little or nothing about me. I have been a regular contributor to these blogs but unlike you I have never hidden behind a fake name. I have never felt a need to hide my idenity for what I have to say.

Taxes are different than assessments and service fees. Revenues are income no matter what they are called. The only increase to your water & sewer cost has been the Cost of Living Adj. (COLA). The other charges on your water/sewer bill is the 8% STRP subsidy and 4 two percent charges for road repaving of which only two have been applied. These charges will soon be line item charges rather than included in the water/sewer charge.

Why is so little effort spent by you and the Taxpayer's Association in encourageing Collier County's Taxing Districts (90%) to reduce your property taxes. Marco Island (10%).

The City Charter's Budget Spending Cap sets the annual Spending Budget Limit. That is good and seems good, the down side is that the City Charter's Budget Spending Cap penalizes the saving of monies. If do save money in one year, you also lose it every year thereafter. And most planners look for 5 year budgets and build in contingency plans. The unfortunate result is that the City Charter's Budget Spending Cap actually encourages end of year spending. The old SPEND IT OR LOSE IT mentality.

Can we do better, I believe we can.

Beowulf, I'm with Fossil on this one Wayne. You can call taxes whatever you want. The voters of Marco Island, the Collier County and the State of Florida mandated that taxing authorities CUT spending and revenues. You represent a group of politicos that want only to find new revenue sources, you even admit as much in your last post. Citizens of Marco Island are concerned with local government and that means the City of Marco Island. They are asking their representitives to adhere to their mandate. Stop the spending of our money and stop looking for new ways to tax us.

The politicians in Talahassee did just what Politicians do. They legislated without any concern as to the impact. The entire tax reduction effort wwas done to bolster the Political ambitions of those that passed it, and nothing else. Every, I repeat, EVERY, City in Florida had already passed, or is passing, alternative revenue sources to make up for this ridiculous, Politically motivated, Legislation. Marco Island, the only City besides Palm City with a Spending CAP (theirs is 10%), needs to cut expenses, at least not hire new people, and also find additional revenue. Each City is doing the same, not just Marco Island. Rather than throw stones, why don't we do the research together. We can do it on our own, it does not require a Committee. Let's start calling each City and find out what each has done in the last two years and will be doing in the next two years as far as Revenue and we can provide the results to the Eagle for publication. I will check back next week, right here, to contact the volunteers andf we will get started. Just post your interest in finding out the facts and I will contact you through the Eagle and we will get started. I think you will be surprised by the results.
Oh, and I know you will say you don't care about other Cities, but in this instance, you need to as that is what we are, a City.
Ed Issler