Take, Take, Take!!!

AUDIO OF SEPTEMBER 6th BUDGET MEETING


Take, take, take... is how one Palm Bay resident put it. Like an unquenchable fire, City Council (with the exception of Council Member Isnardi) agrees to raise the tax rate to $9.00 per $1,000 - making it a 97% increase from just five years ago when the millage rate was 4.6 in 2007. In addition to this, about four fees were considered for increases. Among them  was the fair share impact fees, which affects development and improvements in our city. Council Members Michelle Paccionne, Ken Greene, and William Capote (Deputy Mayor) voted for all increases.

I was glad see some new faces at the meeting, as residents came to speak out against the tax rate increase and the potential fire fee that is still on the table as Council is awaiting the ($50,000) study.

The biggest problem, as Mayor John Mazziotti and Council Member Kristine Isnardi continue to expose, is the pension fund which is potentially $50,000,000 in the whole and will leave tax-payers having to pay for the unfunded mandate.

As it seems, for now, there will be NO road work for one year, and it would appear that most tax payments (i.e. going to Palm Bay) is primarily going to pay salaries and pensions, while services pertaining to infrastructure diminishes.

It is as I said before, the road to serfdom, where the few benefit at the expense of the many. And while our home values continue to diminish, our jobs become few, and energy and food prices rise; the majority on City Council keep saying, "TAKE, TAKE, TAKE!" 

IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO, YET, TAKE THE POLL IN THE UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER. THANK YOU.