Comments on: City Council Wages: Reduced or Eliminated? http://www.lazylightning.org/city-council-wages-reduced-or-eliminated http://www.lazylightning.org - The South Metro News Source! Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:11:32 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Thought Leader http://www.lazylightning.org/city-council-wages-reduced-or-eliminated#comment-38772 Thought Leader Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:22:42 +0000 http://www.lazylightning.org/?p=4453#comment-38772 Joey, I wish that City Government was more aligned with townhome associations resulting in a vote on an assessment. When 5 Burnsville City Council Members can vote to spend in excess of $25 Million without a referendum or vote by the residents there is an issue with City Government. The $3.5 Million in cash and ongoing debt payments on bonds that we are saddled with in addition to millions in operating debt over the years that could have gone to the core services would have left us in a situation where tax increases would not be necessary at all in Burnsville. Joey, I wish that City Government was more aligned with townhome associations resulting in a vote on an assessment. When 5 Burnsville City Council Members can vote to spend in excess of $25 Million without a referendum or vote by the residents there is an issue with City Government. The $3.5 Million in cash and ongoing debt payments on bonds that we are saddled with in addition to millions in operating debt over the years that could have gone to the core services would have left us in a situation where tax increases would not be necessary at all in Burnsville.

]]> By: Joey http://www.lazylightning.org/city-council-wages-reduced-or-eliminated#comment-38755 Joey Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:35:14 +0000 http://www.lazylightning.org/?p=4453#comment-38755 If we had a better taxation system in place this mess wouldn't exist. With a townhome association, dues are constant regardless of your home's worth or your personal income. We're able to budget much more easily as a result. If we need more money for something, we vote on a special assessment to pay for it. With a taxation system based on percentages of income, property tax values, and various fees, predictability is virtually non-existent for government organizations. If the government's taxation system were more fixed, their expenses would (theoretically) be more fixed and this whole mess wouldn't exist. I know, it's a stretch to compare a townhome association to a city government, but I think there's a small degree of fair comparison... If we had a better taxation system in place this mess wouldn’t exist. With a townhome association, dues are constant regardless of your home’s worth or your personal income. We’re able to budget much more easily as a result. If we need more money for something, we vote on a special assessment to pay for it.

With a taxation system based on percentages of income, property tax values, and various fees, predictability is virtually non-existent for government organizations. If the government’s taxation system were more fixed, their expenses would (theoretically) be more fixed and this whole mess wouldn’t exist.

I know, it’s a stretch to compare a townhome association to a city government, but I think there’s a small degree of fair comparison…

]]> By: Bill http://www.lazylightning.org/city-council-wages-reduced-or-eliminated#comment-38730 Bill Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:20:46 +0000 http://www.lazylightning.org/?p=4453#comment-38730 fehler, the city councils manage city managers (and assistant city managers in some cases) who get paid in excess of $100,000/year to manage the rest of the city staff under them. The piddly little bullshit that the city councils handle is nothing compared to the jobs those professionals do. While, in many cases, I completely disagree with the actions of city managers (like Craig Ebeling from Burnsville) I understand his position and latitude is limited by douchebags who were elected. That and he wants to keep his cushy $100,000+/year job. fehler, the city councils manage city managers (and assistant city managers in some cases) who get paid in excess of $100,000/year to manage the rest of the city staff under them.

The piddly little bullshit that the city councils handle is nothing compared to the jobs those professionals do. While, in many cases, I completely disagree with the actions of city managers (like Craig Ebeling from Burnsville) I understand his position and latitude is limited by douchebags who were elected. That and he wants to keep his cushy $100,000+/year job.

]]> By: fehler http://www.lazylightning.org/city-council-wages-reduced-or-eliminated#comment-38728 fehler Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:17:46 +0000 http://www.lazylightning.org/?p=4453#comment-38728 I suggest that if you pay them like professionals, you would get professionals doing the job. What you choose to do for a hobby is your own choice, but managing a city is not something that should be taken on during someone's "free time". I suggest that if you pay them like professionals, you would get professionals doing the job. What you choose to do for a hobby is your own choice, but managing a city is not something that should be taken on during someone’s “free time”.

]]> By: Bill http://www.lazylightning.org/city-council-wages-reduced-or-eliminated#comment-38724 Bill Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:49:40 +0000 http://www.lazylightning.org/?p=4453#comment-38724 fehler, do you suggest we pay them more to sit through meetings and read the same shit the rest of us read daily (sometimes from 5x as many cities)? fehler, do you suggest we pay them more to sit through meetings and read the same shit the rest of us read daily (sometimes from 5x as many cities)?

]]> By: fehler http://www.lazylightning.org/city-council-wages-reduced-or-eliminated#comment-38719 fehler Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:22:50 +0000 http://www.lazylightning.org/?p=4453#comment-38719 So, the solution to get honest, skilled, average people to do a thankless job that requires much more time than most people realize, is not confined to normal business or meeting hours, and makes you a target of every nut with a tinfoil hat and an internet connection (I kid!), is to NOT PAY THEM FOR THEIR TIME? And you wonder why it seems like only the independantly wealthy, the crooks, or the folks with axes to grind get involved in local politics. So, the solution to get honest, skilled, average people to do a thankless job that requires much more time than most people realize, is not confined to normal business or meeting hours, and makes you a target of every nut with a tinfoil hat and an internet connection (I kid!), is to NOT PAY THEM FOR THEIR TIME?

And you wonder why it seems like only the independantly wealthy, the crooks, or the folks with axes to grind get involved in local politics.

]]> By: Bill http://www.lazylightning.org/city-council-wages-reduced-or-eliminated#comment-38715 Bill Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:06:28 +0000 http://www.lazylightning.org/?p=4453#comment-38715 Ben, The majority of people who run for public office don't do so because they want the pittance frown to them by the taxpayers or even because they enjoy civic envolvement. Nope, the people who run and then end up on the council are those that are looking for huge kickbacks from those they provide preferential treatment to. We have countless examples of Kautz being a sleazy little bitch with a certain law office and Sharon LaComb trying to weasel money out of the AV taxpayers to fund Dakota Future's unnecessary horseshit. Let's not even start about Dan Gustafson's seat on the CTC and how that impacts the decisions he makes on te council. It should be for the kickbacks alone that those fuckers shouldn't get a single cent from me. Ben,

The majority of people who run for public office don’t do so because they want the pittance frown to them by the taxpayers or even because they enjoy civic envolvement. Nope, the people who run and then end up on the council are those that are looking for huge kickbacks from
those they provide preferential treatment to.

We have countless examples of Kautz being a sleazy little bitch with a certain law office and Sharon LaComb trying to weasel money out of the AV taxpayers to fund Dakota Future’s unnecessary horseshit. Let’s not even start about Dan Gustafson’s seat on the CTC and how that impacts the decisions he makes on te council.

It should be for the kickbacks alone that those fuckers shouldn’t get a single cent from me.

]]> By: ben http://www.lazylightning.org/city-council-wages-reduced-or-eliminated#comment-38714 ben Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:56:47 +0000 http://www.lazylightning.org/?p=4453#comment-38714 It would be interesting to see what happens if their pay got eliminated permanently. At least then in the elections you would get people who know damn well they aren't getting any money. It ought to weed out at least some people from running.................. It would be interesting to see what happens if their pay got eliminated permanently. At least then in the elections you would get people who know damn well they aren’t getting any money. It ought to weed out at least some people from running………………

]]> By: Hey, I Know You’re Out There — Secrets of the City — Minneapolis + St. Paul http://www.lazylightning.org/city-council-wages-reduced-or-eliminated#comment-38713 Hey, I Know You’re Out There — Secrets of the City — Minneapolis + St. Paul Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:56:11 +0000 http://www.lazylightning.org/?p=4453#comment-38713 [...] Lazy Lightning, now a regular stop, today offers a look at City Counsel wages — good MNSpeak fodder for conversation. [...] [...] Lazy Lightning, now a regular stop, today offers a look at City Counsel wages — good MNSpeak fodder for conversation. [...]

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