"ON THE ROAD AGAIN" willie nelson
Monday night council meeting will be pretty much a re-run of the last meeting. In addition, our Finance Director will give a presentation on city finances.
I believe Councilman Fodor will propose a road levy. Yes, our roads are in sad shape and it will be interesting how he will propose selling this to us.
Due to the present economy, this is not the time to ask residents for more money.
What cuts can still be made in the city budget to free up some money?
At the last council meeting, I asked what percentage of the general fund is spent on wages and benefits. What is the answer? My understanding is that the city pays close to 3 million dollars a year towards health benefits for employees.
If the city tells us no more cuts can be made, then residents should reply, "We also can make no more cuts to our family budget."
Maybe Painesville has to learn to live in its budget as we do.
Let's start with the top two wage earners in the city government; combined with wages and benefits, we are looking at over $289,000 for a town with 19,000 residents… seems high to me. Forget the police fire, public works, and utility workers that you see every day. How many directors and middle management do you really need? Our City Manager always tells us what a great group of people this is; then why do they need so much supervision?
If a road levy is proposed, it will be up to residents to vote yes or no. Rest assured that this blog will do everything in its power to inform the people the costs to run this town.
Speaking of levies, I see two more downtown buildings are in the demolition mode, the little brick building on State St. next to the hardware store along with the professional building at the corner of Erie and Mentor Ave.
Lets take a look at all of the buildings that are no longer revenue producers and soon you will understand that the city has a lot less revenue coming into the city coffers. How much revenue did we lose with Gristmill and Millstone? How about the hotel, the income tax revenue from Lake East and Coe Manufacturing? The rumor is that property will be turned over to the Port Authority also. If that happens then we get zero property taxes.
A levy Mr. Fodor?
Who is going to pay for this levy? How about a plan to examine why we have so many empty buildings that used to be revenue producers and what can we do about returning some them to the tax rolls. Please do not ask me for more money without addressing the rest of the problem.
posted by terminator1 @ 10:13 AM
19 Comments
19 Comments:
Term, one question.
Are not the people you mentioned for the most part, public workers? Didn't you oppose issue 2 strongly?
If you voted to protect their incomes just a month ago, why are you trying to reduce their income now? You just can't have it both ways.
You are or will be against any levy but complain about our streets. Same for the schools.
What's your solution Mr. Cimaglio besides blaming the Republicans and everyone else?
I opposed Issue 2 because our Governor's plan included many things in it it shouldn't have. One I oppose public employees having the right to strike for one.
My problem with Painesville employees isn't the "line" workers its the about all of help our city manager needs to run this city, how many assistants, directors, and whatever she has. same with the schools.
I am not against anything but waste in the public sector.
I presently don't care what party it comes from.
I am not a lobbyist but I will except millions from the health industry as well as complaining about fannie and freddie mac as I advise them how to screw the public. Some fools I understand will pay 100 million dollars from a guy who had to leave Congress in disgrace? I also will miss Hermmies pontifications!
Oh, and since you mentioned Republicans.
I see where our Congressman Steve Latourette has said the pledge he made to Grover Norquist has passed its expiration date.{ like outdated milk] Good for him. It's time some stood up to Grover. Steve seems like a good choice and maybe some in the GOP have come to their senses?
Maybe he might have to face a "knuckle dragger" in a primary?
His Term not mine.
Just as I thought, no solution just hot air. Change the subject. Cast blame but never a solution offered.
Term 2:56, I am in the GOP and I have always had my senses. It's time others come to their senses.
Maybe it is time the city workers start paying a more realistic portion of their health care. They just can't keep flaunting their benefits in the face of people who are struggling and paying for the city workers' extravagant benefits. Just sayin. CPR
Drove through town last night on my way to somewhere else. As I sat at light after light I looked at the torn down, burned down, auction signs, abandoned hotel, Gristmill at a stand still, I couldn't get ot of town fast enough.
When does the rebuilding start? We are professionals at tearing things down and I believe we now have enough parking lot space for the thundering hoarders to return to Painesville.
Look at the city roster, we have plenty of overhead in administration. What is left to build on? The college? We do not lok like a thriving little college town, why not? Go to Oberlin, small and very much like Painesville but a bustling little community.
How long do we wait? How many more buildings do we tear down? How many more auctions do we attend? How many more businesses do we say goodbye to? How many more offices do we see at city hall?
Time for a change? Time for a new plan?
5:38 you want some solutions? Cut wages under the "Golden Dome". With wage cuts, consolidation of jobs and directors, outsource some departments, I've mentioned them all before. Does the city manager really need an assistant that costs the city $130,000? Do we need three ladys to collect electric bills. The list goes on and on. Don't ask for more ,do more with what you have. I know these people need to me protected?
This administration does not know anything but to ask for more money.
Same with the schools.
Did you hear about a shooting at Jackies Bar over the weekend?
Yes, There was a shooting I heard three Clevweland men were involved it took place in the rear parking lot.
I guess the paper will report it when our safety director lets them maybe.
Maybe some of us including me might owe Hal an apoligy?
Also watched a news story on FOX8 about a Painesville family robbed of their Christmas by a house breakin in broad daylight with a blue green truck.
I hope all of council is aware of this.
any word on the millstone situation?
Are the three ladies protected by a union? How about the teachers and staff at the schools? Tenure, job performance and merit raises are less of a problem in the private sector than the public sector. SB 5 wasn't perfect but it did address these issues. Now that it has been overturned, will will see if it results in higher taxes or more layoffs and reduced services. Either way, we will be forced to increase revenues to maintain what we have now. We traded Cole for Mexican restaurants. A step in the wrong direction. New schools we must now maintain the expenses on. Average city employees can be let go only to add to the declining economy in Painesville. How many of the administration have employment contracts? How much will it cost to terminate even one of these. How many still have automatic pay or benefit increases written into them?
Taxes pay for city employees and city services. They don't pay anything toward the average citizen's cost of living. Take a drive through town and it is apparent that the city is in decline. And what does a city in decline attract? It sure isn't families looking for a permanent place to raise their children. It isn't attracting new business employing our citizens who add to the tax base. It does invite the ones with little or no income who are dependent on social services. Unfortunately, that usually means more crime and more drain on our services. Just ask the Fire Chief and his taxi service.
Less employed people, businesses paying taxes and employers means more for the rest of us to pay. The cycle only repeats it's self over and over. We need to stop digging the hole deeper before we end up where we don't want to live an eternity.
Can the R's and D's work together? Will the different social/economic groups work together? A look at this blog shows otherwise. Does this blog do more to get people to work together or more to alienate people? Take the POC. Is it thriving or folding? Little mention of it anymore and two officers need replaced.
Let's face it. Complaining, blaming and fighting only gets old. Getting out and doing something and working together is the only way to get out of this mess. Will this happen? I doubt it. It's easier to blame or criticize someone than it is to actually help.
Until Painesville residents DEMAND new leadership in the city administration nothing has a chance to change. By the looks of things we are headed down the same track as always. What would you like us to work together on?
Yes it's getting old but is it the complaints or what everyone is complaining about?
Remember afew years ago a councilwoman went on a news show and opened the doors of Painesville to everyone legal and illegal. Now the Fire Chief doesn't know how to pay for his taxi service? That question should have been asked when you were welcoming everyone.
As you drive through town is it the blogs. fault to what you see as decline of whos?
What we need are a few big businesses and a few chain restaurants and a grocery store.
Are the people in community development courting these types of business to come here? They need to get busy and invite them here.
Forget it. I am so disgusted with Painesville and most of Painesville's people. For one thing, everyone voted in favor of McMahon and Hada when they voted the way they did last month. We had new people who were willing to get in there and stop the Hada/Hach/Fodor/DiNallo/McMahon train, but the people voted to keep everything the same. It's over for Painesville. Painesville citizenry is as stupid as the people who are leading it. Too bad I'm going to suffer the consequences right along with them.
3:33
Yes, but who would come to Painesville when they could go to the TWP or Mentor? No one would want to be first and without a big name, who would follow? The empty store fronts and as someone else said, this blog, aren't very good advertising.
Our economic profile and school quality won't attract people who would shop at these local businesses. What kind of business would locate here and where would you put it. Let's hope we don't lose the likes of Fasson. then where would we be?
And more subsidized housing or green space isn't the answer.
There was a not a "shooting" at Jackie's. There was an altercation in the parking lot between a bunch of
Cleveland people, none of which had even gone in to the bar that day. They used the parking lot as a meeting place. When the fight got out of hand, someone fired a gun into the parking lot. This may not be better than the alternative shooting scenario, but it was at no fault to the business. This could have happened at Bada Bing, Nemeth's, or even Perkins. The owner of Jackie's is prepared to take all possible precautions to ensure this does not happen again.
I really think the school issue the answer to many of Painesville's problems. You must have a reason for families to live here and currently the schools are not working.
Looking forward to see what the new school board members do to resolve so many issues.
Schools and property values are very closely linked...... and a few flooded basements. I really love that big hole in the ground on N. St. Clair.
How much did we pay for that? Brilliant!
OH and drive past Gristmill Lake....... glad it's not mosquito season!!
Don't know the place - maybe it's very nice but . ....
If the gun was fired, there was a shooting. Maybe no one got hit by the shot - this time.
The bar is responsible for what goes on in their parking lot. All possible precautions to ensure this doesn't happen again - maybe hire a security gaurd to watch over the activity in the parking lot. How long has this parking lot been used for a "meeting" place? Exactly what were they "meeting" for? A quilting pattern?
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