Coral Gables: The Real Issue–Time to Stop Bailing Out the Commissioners

December 9, 2010 Leave a comment

While the national political debate is when and how much to cut taxes for most people, even for the wealthiest taxpayers, the Commission of the city of Coral Gables debates every year, come hell or high water, as they say, on how much to increase taxes and fees.

This is equivalent of the taxpayers of the city of Coral Gables bailing out the consistently bad decisions of the commission over ten years, as government quietly raised salaries, pensions and benefits to now highly paid employees, and expanded services beyond the capacity of the city to pay.

Soon the Commission will face even harder decisions to manage a permanent scarcity of financial resources, decisions they would rather postpone for future commissions.  They would rather let the taxpayers bail out their incredibly bad financial management in the city.  Most certainly, this commission would raise property taxes again.

It is time to change to commissioners and mayor who are politically willing to confront labor unions…cut salaries and benefits…the number of employees…cut back on services…and that is the only real issue facing candidates and voters in the coming months.

Filed under Coral Gables, Politics

Property Values Down Again: Taxpayers Be Aware

December 8, 2010 Leave a comment

Baker’s bad news includes up to $400 million more in state Medicaid expenses and $150 million less in school property tax collections due to a 1.2 percent drop in real estate values than previously predicted for 2011-12.

via Florida’s 2011-12 budget outlook getting gloomier – BusinessWeek.

Filed under Coral Gables, Taxes and Fees

Coral Gables, Wake Up: State Situation is More Pressure to Raise Property Taxes

December 8, 2010 Leave a comment

This describes a Florida, Miami-Dade and Coral Gables that will face more property tax declines.  Unless governments keep reducing outrageous public salaries and benefits and control other spending and staffing, Coral Gables’ taxpayers will have to pay more next year, without doubt.

This is a strong reason to bring in a new mayor and commissioners.

Jobs growth is anemic, she said, and the housing market is still in the tank. Florida’s gross-domestic product was 45th in the country in 2009, and dead last in 2008. In comparison,  Florida’s GDP was fourth-best in the country in 2005.

Personal income has been slowly growing since the second quarter of 2009 in Florida, but the state still ranks only 37th in this category. The state’s October unemployment rate of 11.9 percent was the nation’s fourth-worst, and population growth is nearly flat.

At the same time, existing home sales are slowing, prices are flat and Florida had the second-highest foreclosure rates in the country in October. Cape Coral-Fort Myers had the second-highest number of foreclosures among metro markets in the country in October, Miami-Fort Lauderdale was the seventh-worst, and Orlando-Kissimmee was the 10th-worst.

“It is still very slow, a very gradual recovery,” Baker told the Senate Budget Committee Tuesday morning, cautioning that Florida’s time frame for an economic rebound would lag the national picture “because it’s driving both our tourism and our population growth.”

via State economist: Revenues down, Medicaid costs up – Central Florida Political Pulse – Orlando Sentinel.

Filed under Coral Gables, Florida, Property Values, Taxes and Fees

Florida’s Budget a Mess: Taxpayers and Voters Take Notice

December 8, 2010 Leave a comment

If I was the city of Coral Gables I would plan for the worst revenue situation.  Taxpayers, take notice–the city will hit you again next year.

A legislative economist told the Senate Budget Committee on Tuesday that she expects a predicted $2.5 billion budget gap to widen because Florida’s economic recovery has been slower than forecast.

The panel’s chairman, meanwhile, hinted that Gov.-elect Rick Scott’s campaign promises for deep spending and tax cuts may run into trouble in the Legislature.

via Florida’s 2011-12 budget outlook getting gloomier – BusinessWeek.

Filed under Budget, Coral Gables, Finance, Florida

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