Fun And Games

Tonight the City of Kissimmee Commission will vote on and probably pass another tax increase under the label of an 'impact fee' for its parks and recreation division. While we believe that our parks and recreation division is second-to-none as far as the service they provide, we are really questioning why staff would bring a fee increase forward in times of such economic uncertainty? We also really have to question whether the commission has any clue about the difficulties and strains those they represent are dealing with right now? Maybe instead of watching Access Osceola propaganda all day long, commissioners should turn on some other news stations to get some grasp of the unemployment and economic issues in our community. Passing another fee right now is unconscionable.

Our real problem with this increase is what it is being dedicated to. While we firmly believe that the parks department of any municipality is critical to the health and welfare of those living in the community, jobs and a steady income are probably more important. Passing another fee that will cost more jobs and put home ownership that much farther out of reach for many makes no sense during this economic crisis. We also have to question the credibility of the consultant, Tindale Oliver, that is presenting the study and the proposed fee increases because their numbers do not line up with current market trends. Their numbers also make many growth assumptions that are flaky at best. The numbers they show for possible revenue generation are not based on current building trends or even a best guess at what speed construction will return to our area. The numbers are much higher than the reality on the ground. Since an oversupply of a housing inventory is what our 'region' is faced with, how can we expect to generate the funding being promised. Again we hope commissioners will not 'glaze over' during the discussion on revenue generation and will ask some tough questions. The first of which should be, will this fee increase create more jobs than it destroys?

The other thought we had was based on our un-news article from yesterday. The constant struggle for power between all of the governments is hurting our community. All tax and fee increases should be temporarily tabled. All projects should be set aside for two weeks. From this point all government entities should come together and discuss from a 'regional' concept, how our community is going to move forward. Governments passing piecemeal tax increases and creating random building projects will not help this community become sustainable in the future. It will only create an ever declining environment that will cost more and more to manage. Right now local governments need to be aware of what each other is doing and how that is going to effect the members of our community on a broad scope. This concept was really the point of yesterdays article. The WayneWho staff thinks that local governments must stop just having knee-jerk reactions to budget shortfalls and start planning the best coarse of action to make sure revenues are spent smartly.

We know this is a scary concept, but this type of top down thinking can only come from our elected officials. Staff members of the different entities do not normally look at an issue or problem from the perspective of the entire community. They address the problem from their own job title's perspective. This is not bad, but it is part of the problem we are seeing in government right now. Too many chiefs with no concise plan of attack except to get revenues up. Not a smart plan at all.

Again, the WayneWho staff suggests a plan that all local government entities in Osceola County put these tax increases on hold temporarily, call a joint summit that is open to the public and televised to address all of the current issues facing each entity and the citizens they represent, and then discuss the issues and develop a blueprint to work the problem. We know that this is an unpopular and conservative approach to governing, but we firmly believe to preserve our community, we must conserve our community.