North Bay Village residents and property owners lose again!

North Bay Village residents and property owners lose again and will continue to lose until this commission realizes that raising taxes is not the answer to the Village’s financial troubles.  The commission needs to learn that over spending is what got us into our financial problems. Shuffling money from one department to another, giving raises, adding positions and adding police personnel is not making sacrifices and cutting the budget. Fear tactics of increase in crime, increase police response time and decrease services are not balancing the budget! Nor is it fiscal responsibility! We expect more of our elected officials.

I guess we can consider ourselves lucky that the original mileage proposed increase of 6.2719 % from 4.7772 that would have a total increase of 7.5% including the debt service down to 5.4720% plus the debt service mileage of roughly 6.5 %.  What does this mean to the average homeowner of an assessed house at $ 240,000.00? It means that your real estate taxes will be roughly $ 125.00 more per year. It could have been $ 600.00 more per year.

Our unreserved reserved to begin the fiscal year is $ 338, 553.00. Subsequently any unplanned expense or any additional legal expense we will be in the red again! Our commission will have no choice but to revisit raising taxes for 2015.  Commissioner Chervony and Commissioner Duval’s financial recommendations are falling into deaf ears.  Mr. Rollason did a phenomenal job for the short time he has been here. I urge him to continue to look at every dime expend and see where else we can cut. I implore Mayor Connie Leon – Kreps, Vice Mayor Eddie Lim and At Large Commissioner Jorge Gonzalez to pay attention to the writing on the wall; Election time is around the corner.

Honestly Opinionating

PUTTING NORTH BAY VILLAGE FIRST

September 26, 2013

Mario Garcia