Although Franco asked his wife Allison to come for support, she missed the hearing due to bad directions. K-Bell joined me but, I was the only voice in the sadly missing crowd. Afterwards a nice looking lady (the only other person in attendance) approached me and asked, "Were you being facetious"? To which my answer was "Oh yes! And I think they are still trying to figure it out." The lady was Kristen Moulton, a reporter for the Salt Lake Tribune. Marshall Thompson of the Standard Examiner was a no show as were the other 213,239 citizens. Little wonder why they have no compunctions about simply doing whatever they want... Sad really and although you my friends and neighbors, may not like "nag journalism" or me for saying so, truth is you should be just a little ashamed.
(I spoke the following words however;)
"My name is D-Bell, (Citizens Coalition for Tax Fairness). I live in Huntsville in the Ogden Valley.
I would like to first of all acknowledge and thank the Clerk Auditor’s Office and Comptroller for all the many hours and hard work it takes to put together a one-hundred eighteen (118) page budget. I fully realize just how difficult a task that is…
And as a resident of Ogden Valley, which has virtually two-thirds (2/3’s) of the land mass of Weber County, I want to express my appreciation to the Commissioners. By your collective authority our Valley will receive direct expenditures of $85,350, if this budget is approved.
The North Ogden Divide will receive $65,000 worth of “safety work”.
And tentatively Moose Hollow might get $20,350 in curbs/roadway work done.
Thanks to your leadership Ogden Valley will see one six-hundred fifty-sixth (1/656th) of our property taxes and other taxes or “revenues” spent directly on Ogden Valley. And for that we are eternally grateful.
And my next point is based upon what the Controller, Dan just briefed about how revenue from the one quarter (1/4) cent tax increase would begin in April.
I would remind you that the election stated it was an “Opinion Question One” and not an up or down vote situation. The voters passed the “Opinion Question” by my calculation by only one-third (1/3) of one percent. And considering about 1,400 ballots were cast as “provisional ballots” many of which lay on the “cutting room floor” uncounted, we may never know the real outcome.
But certainly you must realize that one-third of one percent is hardly a mandate of the people for a tax increase.
Thank you."
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5 comments:
Our apologies Machman, as we should have included a reminder on the Ogden Valley Forum sister site. There are just too many meetings to keep track of and we sometimes overlook them.
At any rate, thanks for your diligence and dedication. Don't give up on us just yet.
I was quite simply abandoned by everyone in Weber County and left to look and feel like a fool. Which is in truth probably appropriate all factors considered. I mean why would anyone spend 16 hrs. a day working to make a very unfair property tax assessement system fair and equitable for everyone? Who in their right mind would take on the two most powerful lobby's (the Realtor's and School Union) in the State? Especially when no one really gives a shit and proves it. I will continue my own personal quest for State law change but with considerably less zeal and personal investment. The lines to a great song come to mind, "You got to prime the pump, have faith and believe. You got to give of yourself before you're worthy to receive." I feel like I have done all that in spades...just don't have the support behind the effort. I will not use any Weber County Coalition claims in my "Don Quixote del La Mancha quest". My last post will be the tax proposals and ratings of each. But I do not think anyone will read the blog or pay any attention to what has taken far more than four hundred hours to develop. The old Senator was right when he said last week, "We have an entire generation or two out there who are functionally retarded when it comes to civic responsibility and government. They just were never educated about how government is supposed to work or just don't give a damn." And they won't read this either...most likely. I do and have appreciated your support - that is until the OVRD crowd took over the blog. I signed the petition and agreed with the effort, but where are the Froerer's names? Could it be that "divided loyalties", the essence of COI, is rearing its ugly head? I wonder about this Valley lately and the real motivations of the people in it.
Machman,
Thanks for all your efforts. We, too, have been frustrated by the lack of input and support of our valley wide efforts over the past couple of years. We have come to realize that even though busy people won't take the time to speak up, they do at least have at least some interest as the number of visits to the Ogden Valley Forum rank it the #1 READ site in Ogden Valley.
In a short few months, D-Bell's site has also shot up in visits. In fact, the Utah Wingmen site has more subscribers than the Ogden Valley Forum.
Mr. Bell,
We too have appreciated your efforts. With you in the lead, we have all probably become apathetic by allowing you to spoon feed and nurse us.
And with the forum, we have all been somewhat lazy, relying on an email reminder, when we should be looking in the newspaper on our own.
Utah Educators:
1) My mother had to volunteer 5 years at Chapter One, teaching elementary children to read in order to get part time secretary work at Alpine School District. After those 5 years, she was finally paid for her work. After another 5 years of being promised 'full time' work (including a pension), she was repeatedly asked by the Principals (2 over the years) to voluntarily give up the 'full time' position in order to get the chronically underfunded school more, much-needed secretary help (office administration). End result: 10 years of work with little/no retirement benefits. After 10 years of work, she finally gained what she was promised. Nothing retroactive. After 10 years, she can finally begin accruing pension benefits.
2) My mother in law. Career Utah teacher. Severely disabled. Lives in a trailer park. 30+ years teaching. Very financially conservative. No biological children (adopted 2). Nearly bankrupt, with huge debt. Many medical bills. NOT well insured through Weber County's school district. Not well compensated for her work. May need to medically retire. Will not be paid for retirement.
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