A continuing example of how one community and one elected official communicate with citizens:

Below is one of the weekly messages sent out to residents of Punta Gorda, Florida by one of its elected officials. Notice they are already working and publicly talking about their 2009-2010 budget. The first we will probably hear about that in Lake Worth will be next May, maybe? Also interesting is the discussion about their CRA and certain projects that are funded by it.

The reason I share this with you is that while Punta Gorda is only one of thousands of Florida municipalities, it appears to be professionally run and great effort is taken to inform residents about what is going on with their municipal government on a continual basis. Remember, these are weekly communications. Compare this to our Mayor's sparse and sporadic communication with the media, nearly no regular communication and information flow from City Commissioners or staff or the measly/expensive quarterly newsletter sent out by Lake Worth.

This is an example of what can be done - let's stop saying it can't be done and start doing it.

The e-mail message appears below. Click the title for a link to the attachment that accompanied the e-mail.

Friends,

Last week I mentioned that we were beginning the budget process and you will read about first steps in the attached weekly report. In order to help you understand better I offer the following information.

The General Fund pays for most services provided by the city of PG. It does not include water, sewer or garbage; these services are enterprises [separate businesses] which are billed based on usage.

2009 General Fund Revenue is - $19,047,000.

-of which only $7,412,483. [39%] comes from real estate taxes; the balance from a variety of franchise and licensing fees, state and federal grants etc.

The costs of Fire and Police services alone are $8,153,285. this exceeds the total real estate taxes collected.

City government can control the amount of real estate taxes collected by adjusting the mileage rate; we however have no control over the other 61% which has been decreasing at an accelerated rate.

Through a variety of methods including staff reductions we have successfully reduced spending for the past two years. Some of those reductions will come back to haunt us, like the suspension of our road resurfacing program.

In spite of the cost reductions we still had a significant gap. In order to balance the budget we decided to collect the same amount of real estate tax revenue that we did the year prior. However with the reductions in property value the only way that could be accomplished was by increasing the mileage rate. It was the first time in many years, and because of the save our homes [Homestead Act] it had an interesting effect. Most non homesteaded residents received a tax reduction while homesteaded folks saw an increase.

All this information may beg the question of why we are building a parking garage or adding a fountain at Laishley Park while in the midst of this downturn. The funding for those projects comes exclusively from the CRA district [downtown] taxes and can only be used for downtown improvements. The CRA was established in 1989 and will terminate in 2019.

I will keep you informed as we move through the process and promise that we will do the best we can to control spending while maintaining the Punta Gorda standards that attracted most of us here.

Best regards.

South Florida cities think again on providing affordable housing

"Just a few years ago, government officials and businesses bemoaned the lack of affordable housing. Today, some cities are saying there's too much of it."

Click title for link to Sun Sentinel article.

What electrifies Lake Worth? Promise of lower power bills

Click title for PB Post Editorial. I had almost forgotten we had a Mayor since he hasn't been heard from in a long time (the election?). Commissioner Jennings took up the slack. Notice the alignment with Golden and Jennings (the Post's favs). Between this piece and the article in the Lake Worth Herald this week, can CNN be far behind?

By the way, getting out of FMPA has always been an option worth pursuing - and, as the article notes, it's not an immediate fix and we do need to find another provider. That will take far sighted elected officials not necessarily concerned with the next election cycle - or we may end up with a last minute panic in 2013.

Fun Website - "Coffee and Chrome" - 50s and 60s Diners

Click title for link. Too bad we lost the Patio Restaurant.

Andre Rieu - Auld lang syne

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old times since ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
And surely I’ll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine^† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Happy New Year (ABBA)

"Happy New Year"
(a slightly morose Swedish tradition - their Auld Lang Syne)

No more champagne
And the fireworks are through
Here we are, me and you
Feeling lost and feeling blue
It's the end of the party
And the morning seems so grey
So unlike yesterday
Now's the time for us to say...

Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have a vision now and then
Of a world where every neighbor is a friend
Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
If we don't we might as well lay down and die
You and I

Sometimes I see
How the brave new world arrives
And I see how it thrives
In the ashes of our lives
Oh yes, man is a fool
And he thinks he'll be okay
Dragging on, feet of clay
Never knowing he's astray
Keeps on going anyway...

Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have a vision now and then
Of a world where every neighbor is a friend
Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
If we don't we might as well lay down and die
You and I

Seems to me now
That the dreams we had before
Are all dead, nothing more
Than confetti on the floor
It's the end of a decade
In another ten years time
Who can say what we'll find
What lies waiting down the line
In the end of eighty-nine...

Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have a vision now and then
Of a world where every neighbor is a friend
Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
If we don't we might as well lay down and die
You and I

Closed Circuit TV Cameras in Great Britain - Our red light cameras?

Second reading of the red light camera item appears on the January 6, 2009 City Commission agenda under Item VIII. A. You wonder if this is the nose under the camel's tent in terms of more public sponsored surveillance.

Bicycle Network Plan Design Studio and Presentation - 1/9

Send a song to a soldier...totally free and legit

Click title for link to Billboard site that allows a soldier to download 2 songs for free when you visit the site. Simple information required - no e-mail required, not spam. A neat way to support our troops. Good through 12/31/08.

From Commissioner Mary McCarty's Office...

The United Way of Palm Beach County has been and remains an integral community agency that provides a wide array of support and services to needy families and individuals. One program in particular is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program which for the past six years has been providing free tax preparation services to local individuals and households that earn less than $42,000 annually. Last year, more than 11,400 residents used the VITA program. Currently, there are 20 VITA sites located throughout Palm Beach County from Boca Raton to Jupiter, and west to Belle Glade and Pahokee and are scheduled to be open during the tax season starting January 20 through April 15, 2009.

VITA sites are staffed by volunteers who have been trained and certified by the IRS to prepare taxes. Due to the recent economic challenges in our community, the United Way is anticipating a substantial increase in the program’s participants. Consequently, there is a greater demand for the upcoming tax season for volunteers to work at these VITA sites, so please consider volunteering if you have an interest. VITA volunteers include a variety of individuals such as retirees, housewives, college students and professionals. There is also a need for volunteers who are bilingual in Spanish or Creole and teenage volunteers who are 16 or older may serve as greeters and earn community services hours.

For additional information on the program and volunteer opportunities, please contact Donna Pulda at the United Way of Palm County at 561-375-6621, or visit United Way of Palm Beach County’s Web site at www.unitedwaypbc.org.

Artist Benefit for Palm Beach County Homeless - 1/14

Where the accidents are: Palm Beach County's 100 worst intersections