Let The People Vote - Part 3!!!

In the last blog I wrote, "Let The People Vote - Part 2," I mentioned how Council Member Kristine Isnardi rightfully pointed out the potential legal danger of an excessive fire fee being implemented without the consent of "We The People." If you haven't read it, there's a short video where she explains this, briefly.

Mayor John Mazziotti - one of the members of City Council opposed to this fire fee along with Kristine Isnardi - was recently interviewed in Florida Today saying that cuts and re-prioritizing the budget is a solution to the economic woes that the City should consider, but a $300 fire fee "is not workable." Kudos to the Mayor and Kristine Isnardi who have been champions in this fight against excessive taxation.

We should remember that such an excessive fee along with a spike in property tax can not only send tax-paying residents packing, but can also further cripple our local economy - on top of the quagmire we're experiencing from Washington and Tallahassee. It's bad enough that we're about to lose a few thousand employees county-wide due to the space shuttle program being shut down, but how much more fuel can be thrown in the fire with this absurd revenue-grabbing fee that only serves the purpose of the few at the expense of the many.

So far, the poll on the top left side of the blog has over 80% of Palm Bay residents eager to vote those Council Members, who vote for this outrageous new tax, out of City Council. But no other venue has really exhibited the frustration of the hard-working tax-payers of Palm Bay than the new Facebook group called "Ax the Palm Bay Fire Tax." With well over 250 members - since the date of this blog - and growing rapidly, Palm Bay residents are venting there concerns of how this new tax will affect their livelihood. the consensus is that residents don't want their taxes raised or a new tax (i.e. fee) implemented, but that City Council should look at cuts that should be made in light of these current economic times.

Every effort should be made, on behalf of Palm Bay tax-payers, to contact their City Council Members and let them know you feel about the new fire fee, raising property taxes, and not making any significant cuts that mirror the current revenue flow that is creating the kind of budget woes we're experiencing. 

If the people speak as one voice, we can deter this disaster awaiting to happen. The least City Council can do is to Let The People Vote!!!