Marco Rubio’s Ideas Work for Coral Gables

November 7, 2010 Leave a comment

Mr. Rubio argues for a number of conservative policies, but the ones right for our small city are eliminating wasteful spending, reducing taxes, keep down the debt (read, unfunded pensions) and reducing government “reaching further into our lives” (read excessive permitting, leaf blowers and pick-up trucks).

It is curious that while progressives and conservatives can’t agree on national policies, their views are totally in tandem in Coral Gables.

“The past two years provided a frightening glimpse at what could become of our great nation if we continue down the current path: wasteful spending, a growing debt and a government reaching ever further into our lives, even into our health care decisions,” he said. “It is nothing short of a path to ruin …”

…“This means preventing a massive tax increase scheduled to hit every American taxpayer at the end of the year. It means repealing and replacing the disastrous health care bill. It means simplifying our tax code, and tackling a debt that is pushing us to the brink of our own Greece-like day of reckoning.”

via President Obama, Marco Rubio face off on tax cuts – CSMonitor.com.

Filed under Coral Gables, Economy

The Economy: Is There Realism in Coral Gables?

November 5, 2010 Leave a comment

The Economy

The few points increase in the stock market in the last few days (evidently not caused by the Republican wins, but by the decision of the Fed to expanding the money supply) and a slight increase of 150,000 new jobs (an economist said  it would take 15 years to get back employment lost in the recession at that rate) should not give us any hope for anything but a slow economic recovery.  Wake up Coral Gables, property values are not going to increase, and still may fall in the months and years ahead.

City of Coral Gables’ budgets, taxes and spending should be constructed with the realistic understanding that the real estate market is not going to save the city’s budget and the taxpayers are at the end of their ability to keep paying more and more taxes.

Filed under Coral Gables, Economy

Coral Gables: What Should We Ask the Candidates for Commissioner and Mayor? (1)

November 5, 2010 1 Comment

It is election time again.

There are a number of well financed candidates for the jobs of commissioner and mayor.  It is hoped that the candidates volunteer their views on property taxes, pensions, salaries, city management and organization, the Biltmore problem, the country club, spending on low priority items, among others.

We look forward in hearing about some of their specific proposals and suggestions for solving the cities problems.

Here are some critical questions that should be asked of the candidates.

These are just examples of questions that might be raised.  Send me your suggestions and I will add them to the list.

TAXES–

  • What are your proposals for future tax increases?
  • Should taxes be frozen for several years in light of the economic crisis the taxpayers are going through in Coral Gables, or should they continue to increase?  Do you favor a real tax freeze (not numbers games with the millage rate)?
  • Do you think that taxpayers are able to continue to pay more and more taxes, as they have in the past.
  • Do you favor increasing fees to make up for tax shortfalls?

BUDGET–

  • Do you favor having an open discussion of the budget by citizens, rather than the two-minute-moments they are getting now.
  • Will the city manager and staff be willing to accept multiple questions on the budget?

OPEN AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT–

  • What will you do about making our government more open and more participatory?
  • Do you favor any of the following:  town hall meetings, open website with a page for comments and question, regular reports from the city manager,  quarterly progress reports on the budget, among others.

SALARIES, PENSIONS, UNIONS–

  • What should be the goals of the city negotiations with the police and firefighters?
  • Should the negotiations continues to be secret for the citizens?
  • Should police and firefighter salaries and benefits be cut.
  • Should  the number of police and firefighters be cut to help cut expenses and taxes?
  • Are you willing to take a strong stance against salaries and benefits in future Impasse Hearing?

PRIORITY SERVICES–

  • What services do you propose to cut in order to keep our taxes down?
  • Will you restrict unnecessary spending related to the Museum or other community centers in Coral Gables?

CAPITAL SPENDING–

  • What are your ideas for capital spending in the coming years?
  • Should we keep borrowing money for capital projects?

Filed under Coral Gables, Election, Employees and Unions, Politics, Taxes and Fees

Coral Gables: The Amazing Missing Taxpayers

November 4, 2010 Leave a comment

Missing Taxpayer

Where are the electorate and taxpayers in Coral Gables.

For national and state issues the electorate is fiscally and socially conservative.

But for local issues there is a preference to let things take their course, except for very big issues like banning leaf blowers.  The city commission has approved additional taxes year after year with little actual community protesting.  The commission has favored labor unions and workers benefits over taxpayers, it has pushed its favorate projects (the Coral Gables Museum is a case in point), it has consistently ignored its fiduciary responsibility to oversee the administration of city leases, ad infinitum, and it has favored land owners, developers and the “too big to fail” UM.

In short, where are the amazing disappearing voters and taxpayers.

Filed under Coral Gables

← Older posts

Newer posts →