$53.98

I received my PROPOSED Property Taxes today. The tax rates could go down but they can't go up. More than likely, the rates published will be the rates adopted by the different government bodies. This year my TOTAL tax bill was $2537.86. The prior year my TOTAL tax bill was $2771.96 and the PROPOSED TOTAL tax bill is $2413.66 for next year. Of all the taxes that make up my TOTAL Tax bill the ONE I'm happy to pay is my local tax. How about you?

In 2009 my local tax bill was $601.47
In 2010 my local tax bill was $569.97
In 2011 my local tax bill is likely to be $515.99

So for three years I've seen a reduction. I've not seen our leadership in any year work to increase our tax base or invest, really invest, in opportunities. Look what Newberry has done - they are receiving MILLION's of dollars to support their long-term vision to be a City funded by Sports Tourism. What has our leadership invested in?

As a local property owner I'm concerned. Will my property values continue to fall because my City Government continues to CUT and not invest? Where is the investment in infrastructure? Where is the investment in bringing in new business? Is saving less than $5,000 (probably more like $3,000 but for the sake of discussion lets say $5,000) by closing the building currently used to house our inspectors, City Planner and Building Department a good move? We are going to put these staff in a small office behind a locked door at City Hall and still claim to be "economic development friendly"? Will we retain our qualified staff?

But hey, I get to keep an extra $53.98 this coming year. Wait, let me be clear - whether it is Codes Enforcement, a Policeman, Fireman, Janitor or someone trained to support a Parks & Recreation Program I'd be happy to contribute $53.98 as an INVESTMENT in my community. I'd also like to know that our City is moving forward, making up for lost time, regarding the City Well Field...... (There are some dark secrets in most towns about "infrastructure".....) So, rather than just be satisfied with offering my $53.89 I'm planning on donating $107.96 to our City during this "hard economic time". Times are tough, but of all the taxes I pay the ones I pay to the City of High Springs are the best-spent dollars I share with any Government.

Want some "homework"? Visit www.iso.com This is the official website for the Insurance Service Office. This is the organization that will be evaluating the capabilities of our Fire Department. They rate communities on a scale from 1 - 10. Ten is the worst and we currently have a rating of 6. With the hard work of the staff of the High Springs Fire Department we hope to have our rating dropped to a 5 and possibly a 4. Don't think this means much? Well a drop from a 6 to a 5 will result in many residential property owners seeing their Homeowners Insurance drop $80 - $100 and a much larger drop for Commercial Property owners and for "mansion" style homes. Talk about investment - dropping our ISO to a 4 would save our citizens a lot more than $53.98. Instead, rather than INVESTING in our Fire Department we are cutting at least one position......

Please, ask our leaders to look further into the future. Please ask our leaders to act boldly and with a vision of a sustained community that offers residents services and a quality of life that is unique to High Springs. Please ask our leaders to be less concerned with saving property owners $5 or $6 dollars a month and more concerned with what our community may loose.

Also, remember, anyone that does not OWN the property only sees a reduction in community value and not a "savings". A great many people simply rent and work here. These people are important to our community so, please, lets ask our leaders to remember them also as they consider the issues we face. Lets all focus more on what we feel is important and are willing to work to keep as a part of our community and focus less on the negative - unless we are offering a solution; we are simply noise.

The Last Ten Months

Hello Everyone,

Ten months have passed since my last post - the night before the November 2009 Elections.  If anyone does not remember, I lost the election.  While I would have liked to serve as a Commissioner that is not how it worked out.  It takes a lot to run for public office and I'm proud that I was willing to step up and be an option.  I learned a lot about the community and don't regret any part of the experience.  

I don't know why anyone else ran but I did it because I thought I would be a good Commissioner.  My agenda was to pledge to make good choices for the community and provide leadership in difficult times.  Not winning did not change these goals; it just meant that I would not be doing it as a Commissioner.  I've continued to attend City Commission meetings, was re-appointed to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, continue to volunteer in the community and been a voice at the meetings when I felt strongly about an issue.  I'd like to think that is all called good citizenship.

The North Florida Herald reported on 11/13/2010 the results of the election.  There were seven candidates for the two open seats.  Here were the results as reported:

364 Votes   Dean Davis

297 Votes   Eric May

253 Votes   Jim Gabriel

249 Votes   Byran Williams

208 Votes   Jessica Hall

189 Votes   Ross Ambrose

 69  Votes   Mike Kearney

Voters were permitted to vote for two candidates but could have voted for fewer (including none).  Looking at the numbers the two winning candidates (Davis & May) received 661 votes.  In my opinion, Dean and Davis were two similar candidates who advocated making government simpler, reducing taxes and focusing on small town values.  The other five candidates were more liberal to moderate in thinking (in my opinion) and received a combined total of 968 votes.

While many won't agree, one of my perspectives is that there was no "mandate" for the winning candidates.  In fact, since more votes were actually cast for the candidates who did not win one could argue the vote was anything other than a clear mandate.  For me, this fall, what I found important about these numbers is that widely splitting a vote in a small town may not provide the community the voice it wants.  Therefore, I elected not to run for election this fall so that I would not contribute to "splitting the vote".

I'm supporting two candidate - Byran Williams and Sue Weller (http://rsueweller.com/).  Sue has so much experience she can bring to the City as a Commissioner.  Please take a few minutes to learn more about this wonderful citizen of High Springs.  Byran is a past Commissioner and I support his effort to be reelected.  If elected Byran and Sue won't always share the same view.  That is fine.  What they both will offer citizens is a voice that can speak to the community and neither will have the learning curve that Commissioner's May and Davis have had this past year.

Our community is in a world of hurt because of what I feel has been an absence of leadership.  Commission meetings continue to get longer and longer (often going five hours or more).  Frequently matters brought before the Commission are not acted upon and "tabled" until another meeting (just look at number of "Old Business items on recent agendas - (www.HighSprings.us) The Commission is constantly meeting for "workshops" to address matters that might be better delegated staff.  

I'll be posting more and shaping what could go on to be a long list of issues.  But rather than just complaining I'll be pointing out possible actions that could address the complaint.  Some issues just don't have clean answers.  What I won't do is simply complain because I don't like the answer I've been given.