Redistricting affects you – come to the sole PBC legislative redistricting mtg
As a result of the census, reformulation of voting districts are underway from the municipality level up to Congressional districts. Various criteria are used to determine the size and makeup of all of those districts and readjust them based on the changes that occurred in population and demographics over the last 10 years.
This may mean that your current Congressional Representative no longer has a district, or you no longer live in his/her district. It may mean the same for your state Senator or Representative. There are redistricting public hearings in process throughout the state. The sole redistricting meeting for Palm Beach County Citizens will be at FAU Boca Raton on August 16 at 10am.
For the latest information check the calendar with meeting details at on the public hearing schedule. You can RSVP on their calendar, but it isn’t required.
You can use a tool on the same website to create your own districts and see how difficult it is to do at: the Florida Redistricting main website.
Here’s a Post on Politics article on potential impacts locally – both Allen West’s Congressional District 22 and Lizbeth Benacquisto’s Fl Senate District 27 are at risk. (note that the article says the meeting begins at 8am, however the Redistricting website says 10am). Check the redistricting website prior to going for schedule changes.
Palm Beach Gardens City Council Mtg 7/19 – a Call to Action
Palm Beach Gardens residents should be aware of several items on the Agenda (and one that no longer is):
Ordinance 11, 2011 – not on Agenda:
Second reading of Ordinance 11, 2011 was removed from the agenda. This was the ordinance that made the change, among other things, to the election run-off process – essentially eliminating run-off except in the case of a tie. Purportedly this would save between $10000 and $40000 or so per run-off. Changes to the charter require a referendum – and so too would this change. According to Max Lohman, City Attorney – this change will be considered for the upcoming charter review, changes to which will require citizen votes. Had it been on the agenda – it would have passed and parts of it would have not have been valid without referendum. What would that have cost the city?
Ordinance 13, 2011, Increasing the Local Communications Service Tax Rate – First Reading:
This 2012 budget related item would increase the Local Communications Service Tax from its current rate of 1.5% to the maximum allowed by state statutes to 5.22% effective January 1, 2012, “on all sales of communications services within the City. These services include telephone (including cellular), cable TV, and internet fees, both residential and commercial.” This is technically a 248% increase! But it will probably be described as ‘pennies a day’!
The effects of the proposed change on two sample residents with annual communication charges of $2,400 and $3,600 are illustrated in the table below:
| Average Annual Bill | Increase in Rate | Annual Increase | Monthly Increase |
| $2400 | 3.72% | $90 | $7.50 |
| $3600 | 3.72% | $135 | $11.25 |
The adoption of the 5.22% Local Communications Services Tax is an integral component of the fiscal year 2012 budget plan, and, if approved, will allow the City to maintain the same operating ad valorem tax rate of 5.7404 mills.
This TAX is expected to bring in $1.8 million in the next budget cycle and $2.4 million thereafter. Note that if your phone, cellular, internet and cable charges go up – so too will the city’s revenue be enhanced.
While I have not reviewed the proposed 2012 budget in detail, “The total budget for all funds of $108,580,228 is $3,140,160, or 3% more than the current year’s total of $105,440,068.”
Ordinance 14, 2011 -Amending Chapter 1, General Provisions, Section 1-2, Definitions of the City Code of Ordinances to Add Five (5) Definitions to be Compatible with the New Inspector General (IG) Ordinance. – First Reading
“The drafting committee failed to include certain crucial definitions within the IG ordinance. The City Attorney has advised that without defining the following terms it will be impossible to properly evaluate any potential findings of an Inspector General investigation. Accordingly, the City Attorney has drafted Ordinance 14,201 1 in order to adopt definitions for “abuse”, “fraud”, “misconduct”, “mismanagement”, and “waste” into the City’s Code of Ordinances. Clear and unambiguous definitions are an absolute necessity in order to preserve an objective standard for evaluating any potential wrongdoing. These definitions are being recommended to each of the other 38 municipalities in the county.”
Having attended each of the drafting committee meetings – these so called ‘crucial’ definitions were intentionally left out and the subject of several months of intense debate. I consulted with the Inspector General, Sheryl Steckler about the attempt by municipalities to insert these definitions into their city codes. She replied that it has no impact or relevance on her activities as Inspector General.
Why are we adding irrelevant definitions to our ordinance and what is it costing the taxpayer in staff time and effort if it is for nothing?
Resolution 33, 2011 Adopting a Proposed Maximum Millage Rate for Fiscal Year 2011/2012 and Setting the Date, Time, and Place for the First Budget Hearing.
I read this resolution first and was going to praise the City Council on holding the millage rate flat at 5.7404, 2.719% below the roll-back rate of 5.9008 mills. NOT. They should be holding the millage flat, cut spending and NOT implement the increase in the Communications TAX.
I have not studied the 2012 budget in detail yet – however:
“Please note the following significant items related to the use of reserves:
• The planned use of $1.1 million is less than total General Fund capital expenditures of $1.2 million, and adheres to the City’s policy of using reserves for one-time expenditures.
• The planned use of $1.1 million is predicated on the increase in the Local Communications Services Tax from 1.5% to 5.22%. This will generate approximately $1.9 million next fiscal year. Without this alternative revenue, or an equivalent tax increase, the reduction in reserves would be approximately $3 million.”
We are in bad economic times – this is the time for using reserves and NOT increasing a tax (the Communications tax) that will never go down. Hold the millage flat, do NOT approve Ordinance 13,2011 and cut spending further to minimize the hits to reserves!
Additional materials can be found:
Complete 7/19 Agenda with backup documents
Cover Letter to 2012 Proposed Budget
Shared Sacrifice (a.k.a. wealth redistribution)
President Obama told the National Governors Association in February 2011 that everybody, not just one group, must be ready to give up something to help push the U.S. economic recovery.
The President has repeated Shared Sacrifice recently in seeking to tax the rich to generate income to offset his wild spending.
Shared Sacrifice is euphemism for wealth distribution, the communist idea of confiscating from the rich.
Real Shared Sacrifice would exist when everyone shared the income tax burden. The Tax Policy Center estimated that
47% of all taxpayers would owe no federal income tax in 2009.
So why is there not a minimum tax rate, maybe 1%, for everyone so everyone has some skin in the game and everyone will care about what the federal government is spending?
EPA Agenda vs Job Creation
by Mark Wohlschlegel
You can’t have your proverbial “cake and eat it too.” The EPA is out of control and must be controlled! The liberal agenda of Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator supported by our current administration will continue to drive US companies abroad thereby exacerbating the unemployment situation in our country. There are mutliple initiatives now being promulgated by the EPA that could have significant negative effect on costs to industry and consumers. For example, the utility MACT is the most immediate threat. The rules would affect power plants responsible for nearly half of the power generation in the nation!
Don’t listen to the EPA “BS” that claims this legislation will provide employment for thousands by supporting 31,000 short-term construction jobs! By the way, since when is the EPA’s charter to create jobs! The very fact that they mention this should give rise to big concerns!
The truth is that all these restrictions and costs associated with the initiatives do not produce one single kilowatt hour of electricity. For instance, a retrofitted scrubber will consume about 8% of the output of the plant during the life of the plant. This means the plant will generate less revenue and the electricity produced will be even more expensive for consumers and other industries. With production costs moving higher, industries will lose their competitive edge and begin to move offshore, More Americans will lose their jobs while the cost of living will get higher. The EPA claims the impact of the MACT is $10.9BB but how many times has a federal government agency ever had their budgeted cost numbers right? In fact, most of the times, they end up costing 10x more than their estimates. Industry sources estimate the cost to the utilities to retrofit their plants at closer to $100BB. The cost to ratepayers is expected to be 25% higher electricity rates.
The MACT initiative is moving fast. The EPA has requested comments during the month of July but a court decree allows for a chance of a schedule delay. The regulations include a 171 page proposal, 19 technical support documents
These are some of the most significant and costly rules the EPA has ever proposed—but I guess we would not expect the EPA to be concerned about cost!
The EPA is moving ahead with these costly initiatives despite the fact that our air quality in the US is better than it has been in 40 years—and that power plants account for less than a half percent of mercury emissions. In fact, this is not a US issue, it is a global issue. Particulate matter emissions are also included. Fact: Since 1970, coal-fired electricity which now produces 50% of our nations power at low costs have increased 57 percent—at the same time, emissions from these plants are down 93.1 percent. Sulfur emissions are down 56.8% according to government and industry sources. Oxides of nitrogen are down 38.7%. Utilities have cut mercury emissions by 40 percent. Today, the nation’s power plants are responsible for less than 50 tons of mercury emissions per year—the lowest ever while Chinese power plants alone emit 400 tons/year and get this—natural sources produce up to 10,000 tons/year.
You can see, the EPA is out of control, impervious to cost and impact on our country, jobs, etc. Burdensome, costly regulations are not the way to encourage competition, investment, or job creation. Our country is struggling from a severe economic downturn. With unchecked and irresponsible federal agencies like the EPA promulgating ridiculous regulations how are we to get back on track to enjoy an affordable life and a thriving job market. The proposed EPA regulations are counterproductive in a big way, and in most cases, we are at the point of diminishing return—where a small, very small incremental improvement in air or water quality results in a huge investment!
Krauthammer- “Call his bluff”
This guy is right far more times than he is wrong! Love reading and listening to him–he is on point!
Enjoy—Mark W
Upcoming August Chapter Meetings
Monday, August 8th, Col. (Ret) Mike McCallister will talk with our Boca Raton Chapter. While he is in the area, Col.(Ret) McCallister will also be the keynote speaker at the first Wellington Chapter meeting on Tuesday, August 9th. Meanwhile, Congressman Allen West will launch the first meeting of the Palm Beach County Tea Party, Jupiter/PBG Chapter on Monday, August 15th. Joyce Kaufman will also be our Guest Speaker. (note that the Jupiter/PBG meeting was rescheduled from August 1st)
All of our chapter meetings will follow the same format: Doors open at 5:30 pm, Buffet served at 6:00 pm, and the speaker meeting starts promptly at 7:00 pm. Please click on these links for the specifics for each upcoming meeting.
Aug 8th Boca Raton Monthly Meeting
Aug 9th Wellington Monthly Meeting
Aug 15th Jupiter/PBG Monthly Meeting
Lastly, mark you calendar for the Palm Beach County Tea Party BBQ on Labor Day, September 5th. Our keynote speaker will be Congressman Tom Rooney. Click here for details: BBQ
Congressman Tom Rooney Speaking at PBCTP Labor Day BBQ
MEETING NOTICE – PBCTP Labor Day Family BBQ – Save the Date!
Join us for the Monday, September 5th BBQ in lieu of the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Palm Beach County Tea Party’s Jupiter / Palm Beach Gardens Chapter. Our special guests will be U S Congressman Tom Rooney , CD # 16, and State Representative Pat Rooney, CD # 83. Beautiful tent-covered dining area with grassy areas for bocce ball and other fun games. Food will be excellent! Children 10 and under are half price-children 3 and under are free.
DATE: Monday, September 5, 2011
TIME: BBQ 5:30 PM, ($15 includes tax & tips, Cash Bar); Speaker at 7:00 PM
PLACE: DoubleTree Hotel, Palm Beach Gardens
Keynote Speaker: Florida State Representative CD # 83, Pat Rooney will speak at 7:00 PM Q & A to follow.US Congressman Tom Rooney, Florida District 16, will attend the entire evening’s event and speak at 7:30, Q & A to follow.
Click here to RSVP with name and number of buffet attendees: RSVP
For More Information
Email
Call: 561.463.2174
Palm Beach County Tea Party
Aug 8th Boca Raton Monthly Meeting
MEETING NOTICE – Boca Raton Chapter
Join us for the Monday, August 8th meeting of the Palm Beach County Tea Party’s Boca Raton Chapter, with keynote speaker, Mike McCallister.
DATE: Monday, August 8, 2011
TIME: Doors open at 5:30 PM, Buffet at 6:00 PM ($15, Cash Bar); Meeting at 7:00 PM
PLACE: Boca Greens Country Club, 19642 Trophy Drive, Boca Raton, FL 33498-4633
Keynote Speaker: Keynote Speaker: Ret. Col. Mike McCallister, candidate for US Senate. Question and Answer session to follow his talk.
Boca Greens CC is a gated community. Click here to RSVP with name of each attendee: RSVP
For More Information
Email
Call: 561.302-1479
Palm Beach County Tea Party
Aug 9th Wellington Monthly Meeting
MEETING NOTICE – Wellington Chapter
Join us for the August 9th meeting of the Palm Beach County Tea Party’s Wellington Chapter, with keynote speaker Mike McCallister.
DATE: Tuesday, August 9, 2011
TIME: Doors open at 5:30 PM, Buffet at 6:00 PM ($15, Cash Bar); Meeting at 7:00 PM
PLACE: Binks Forest Golf Club, 400 Binks Forest Drive, Wellington, FL 33414
Keynote Speaker: Ret. Col. Mike McCallister, candidate for US Senate. Question and Answer session to follow his talk.
Click here to RSVP with name and number of buffet attendees: RSVP
For More Information
Call: (561) 921-5298
Leadership (or lack thereof)
The dictionary defines a leader as “a person who has commanding authority or influence”. Amusingly, another definition is “a blank section at the beginning or end of a reel of film or recorded tape”. Which is President Obama?
Studies have shown that of the five most important traits of leadership, honesty is number one. When the population detects discrepancies between what the President says and does they lose trust in him and his ability to lead is diminished.
There has been absolutely no leadership from the White house on the country’s spending problem. It seems like the White house has an anti-leadership posture preventing anyone else from exerting leadership as well.
What is the President’s problem? Is it an inability or unwillingness to lead us away from the abyss? Maybe the problem is he has never had any leadership experience.
The President tells the members of congress of all political persuasions to get together and solve the problem but contributes nothing to a solution. And when someone stands up to his inadequacy he storms out of the room in a fit. Then it seems all he knows how to do is call another meeting. If the consequences were not so serious, it would be a joke.
And it is not the first time the President has been exposed to a problem and has walked away without marshaling the country’s resources to address the problem.
The President’s lack of leadership results in the country’s march straight to Armageddon.
Where will he be then?
