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Letter to the Editor: Rome is on fire and the City Council fiddles
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It’s “business as usual” while our economy crumbles — they just don’t get it! The City Council is throwing fuel on the fire! The council approved a 15.5 percent increase in city taxes, the largest in Marco History on Sept. 15.
In case the City Council missed it: 1. President Bush has stated this is the, “Worst financial crisis in decades;” 2. Chairman of the Federal Reserve and the Secretary of the Treasury issued somber, sobering warnings of an economic “meltdown;” 3. Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae (holds 50 percent of all home mortgages) collapsed the week of Sept. 13; 4. All five of the nations Banking Investment firms collapsed, Sept. 2008; 5. The construction Industry is worse than in 17 years; 6. Unemployment is at 10 percent in Southwest Florida; 7.) Florida had the second highest number of foreclosures in the nation last month; 8.) Naples\Marco Island area ranked 22nd highest in the Nation for foreclosures; and 9. Over 200 homes on Marco are under foreclosure!
The City Budget for 2008-2009, includes the 15.5 percent increase in taxes which will go toward, adding a “second” set of clay courts at the Racquet Club ($65,000), spending $225,000 for grass at the Veterans Park, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to spruce up our Parks, cul-de-sacs and roadways to include repositioning of the soccer field, addition of a sand volley ball court, a pedestrian bridge, and four new shuffleboard courts.
The county, School Board, Naples, Bonita and Fort Myers are laying off employees, cutting programs and our City Council is adding shuffleboard courts and volleyball courts! How many ways can you say reality check!
“It’s rumored that this is the same council that was straightening up the chairs (and ordering more) on the deck of the Titanic on April 14,1912!”
Suggest you send an e-mail to the Council at citycouncil@cityofmarcoisland.com and let them know how they are doing representing the taxpayers of Marco Island and\or visit eyeonmarco.com for the latest Marco happenings.
Bill McMullan, Marco Island
Comments
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Yawn...
#1 Posted by Richard_Gibke on October 1, 2008 at 6:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What if, just what if, the Coucil is doing what the majority wants it to do ?? Answer that !!! Always keep in mind, Mr. McMullan, that you speak for yourself and anyone stupid enough to send you e-mails. But in any event, it, at this time, represents just a minority of our citizens. The Council may revise it's thinking or not, but realize that many of us want Veterean's Park, etc.
Ed Issler
#2 Posted by lauralbi1 on October 2, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Issler, as usual you missed the point. Do they not teach engineers cognitive thinking? Mr. McMullan is not asking the Council to turn against what the majority wants. He is only questioning the Council's judgment why certain items continue to enjoy a high priority during these hard times. Mr. McMullan offers some very relevant questions. The number of citizens that benefit from the tennis, volley ball and shuffleboard courts are a really small minority. As I recall, we have not had the benefit of Veteran's park because it was used by the City as a dump for a long time, why the sudden change in priorities? We have done without the pedestrian bridge forever and can certianly wait another few years on that too. Rather than finding fault when a citizen brings up factual examples of budget items that can be re prioritized, you should join with Mr. McMullan and encourage our leadership to do the right thing. Take some time, review the budget like Mr. McMullan did. I'm sure you will be able to find some addtional items that can be delayed or cut all together.
#3 Posted by Fossil on October 3, 2008 at 7:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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