We, like most of you, read newspapers, watch TV, and read other blogs as well. Most people who keep an eye on local goings-on look for as many sources as they can find. Some people still don't trust blogs, and some people think that the mainstream press is being left behind by these newer technologies.
When these multiple sources of information are coming to the same point on issues, it's time to sit up and take notice. We enjoyed some of the aggressive feisty commentary offered by the Orlando Sentinel editorial board this weekend on the issue of tax reform.
"Many local governments, the targets of all these tax cuts, have shown they're not much interested in cutting their spending, so you can expect higher fees to make up for lower taxes."
And
"Local governments grew fat over those boom years. Now a third of Central Florida's local governments have ignored a law passed this year requiring them to cut their spending. Some cities, such as Maitland, didn't lower their taxes at all and others, such as Kissimmee, simply raised fees. This proposal does nothing to curb that. It should."
State lawmakers are taken to task, not for implementing these cuts (the common refrain of those at the local level), but for not being aggressive enough in reforming the entire tax system, including reducing sales tax
exemptions.
Will blaming Tallahassee be acceptable going forward if further cuts are needed? It doesn¹t appear that that will be the case. For those incumbents who haven't yet filed for the 2008 election, we also note that there have been nice articles written about those who have decided it is time to pass the torch. We don't know that the same nice article with be forthcoming for those who come in second in an upcoming election.
It's your job.
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8 comments:
Ordinarily I do not put alot of real journalism faith into the blogs. I enjoy reading them for their humor and alternative and sometimes provocative stances on issues that are rarely debate. Today I realized that the blogs might only seem alternative or provocative because they are so far ahead of the mainstream media. A couple of weeks ago this blog slammed MetroPlan Orlando pretty hard on their lack of accomplishments. There were several posts attacking this blog for not understanding the complexities of transportation and so on. Some of these posts were from an employee of MetroPlan defending the organization. It was a great read, but then today I realized that the Orlando Sentinel is now questioning the accomplishments of MetroPlan. There was also an article in the Orlando Sentinel last wee from an elected official defending MetroPlan and the transportation planning that they have developed. The article basically attack the points made on this blog. I am not saying that WayneWho is responsible, but I do find it interesting that when the blogs post something that seems of-the-wall, the media seems to pick it up. Keep Up the good work and bring back the puppets!
An interesting point in Osceola County is that there are mostly republicans sitting as elected officals. Yet these same republicans are the ones screaming about what money government is entitled to, and that the residents need to distribute their earnings fairly. I think some officals need to go back and read the republican party handbook on taxes and entitlements.
The trick is to figure out if local governments really got fat with teh housing boom. They like to cry like they have not, but when you see money being spent to send people across the country to compete for the All America City award, you have to think they the have a hard time controlling spending. At the same time, the state is way out of hand on it's spending, and they need to reign it in just as much as the local guys.
CHECK OUT TODAYS BLOG CMEVALLEY.BLOGSPOT.COM
EXTREMELY INTERSTING AND TO THE POINT.
There had to be some kind of a puppet show that could have been derived from this article.
Someone please go look at Wayne's blog so that he gets the attention he craves. Otherwise I fear his next step will be to start randomly dialing Kissimmee phone numbers from out there in crazy California land begging people to read his blog.
It looks like the Kissimmee Watchman needs to change his name to California Watchman. Come on Wayne don't dial my number!
I did a little checking, I don't know why, because someone will just tell me I am wrong. But here it goes anyway. Kissimmee dropped its millage rate more then any other city or county in the state. I know there is now a fire fee, but the majority of property owners still saved money. And btw, I live in Kissimmee, not out of state. I use to live in California and I paid $800 a month in property taxes. And that was in a cheap city. What did I get, crack whores and meth heads living on the street and a pothole the size of Wayne's head at the end of the block. I love Kissimmee. It is a great town.
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