Friday, June 11, 2010

Zap! #9

ZAP! #9....June 11, 2010

A DMN article reflected that someone in the city’s number crunching department probably presented a glass full to the brim financial-projection -- as opposed to half-full -- for the revenues necessary to fund Disneyland - North (Convention and Visitors Bureau) project in Las Colinas.
Without looking at your crib notes, guess who is expected to shoulder the burden to pick up this multi-million dollar slack?
The proposed Irving city budget (2010 - 2011) is starting to look like the federal budget...not enough revenues to cover expenses without raising taxes (even though your property evaluation may have decreased this year), increasing fees and permit cost, and instituting new fees lurking in the dark recesses of bureaucrat’s minds.
Perhaps, the council should ask the city manager a few pointed questions before approving his 1,200 page budget document, and falling asleep during his 4-Ps (Pretty PowerPoint Presentations and videos) during the budget retreat.

  • How much and where are the “savings” for all the staff reorganizations made to supposedly “streamline” city government and cut cost of operations?
  • How much has or will the city be spending to renovate and comply with the new “invisible dumpster” ordinance at all their facilities?
  • How much has the city spent or will be spending to imprint the city’s new Las Colinas-style logo on all printed materials, water towers, city vehicles, trucks, etc.?
  • Why does the city bury cost, pet projects and other items in the budget proposal instead of having a simple columnar presentation of current actual expenditures vs. proposed expenditures by category for each department without all the mission and vision gobbledegook to hid and zone-out reviewers?
  • How much will be proposed to fund/bailout developers since voters disapproved Economic Development bonds “earmarked” for two specific projects. (And be assured, voters had all the facts when voting on this issue and saw through the smoke and mirrors set up by the Lubbock Mafia and the Rah-Rah Squad.)
  • How many more $2 million promenades sidewalks are being considered for construction in Las Colinas in the new budget year?
  • How many more small businesses will fold and leave town due to all the restrictive ordinances imposed on their operations by the council?

There are many more questions to be asked, but the CCR staff will wait until the city manager’s upcoming tome of “Hide-the-Bucks” is presented for literary review. And this begs the question: When will the council become serious about how they spend your tax dollars?

Mark Holbrook
Publisher
the Controversial Committee Report

LAWYER STUFF: ZAP! is a timely means (via bcc: e-mail to protect your address) to inform readers of the Controversial Committee Report (the CCR) about potential sacred cows that need butchering. ZAP! is published by Mark Holbrook who everyone knows -- with the exception of a couple apathetic slugs whose IQ equals their shoe size -- is Mike Howard. Any reference to persons deceased is purely out of respect. For those still living, draw your own conclusions. Get in line if you want to sue or complain. Better yet, call someone who might really care. Responses to this e-mail (markholbrook13 @yahoo.com) must meet at least one of the following criteria: humorous, cat kicking, or not libelous. Simple requirements for simple readers...that’s our philosophy. Permission is granted to copy, fax or e-mail this material to a friend, associate or someone you really don’t like.