(Disclaimer - Sorry, turn up your volume on this video as once again the multi million dollar sound system did not work at Township Hall! Also stay tuned - more videos, graphs and info on tonight's budget meeting forthcoming. I just had to get this on first!)
See also Council's Dirty Little Secret? video.
See also Richter and Green's video, who each explain their reasons they were the only two on Township Council to vote NO to another annual 4.95% Tax Hike.
Also stay tuned to LFP for more Budget videos, charts, graphs and commentary coming!
See also Richter and Green's video, who each explain their reasons they were the only two on Township Council to vote NO to another annual 4.95% Tax Hike.
Also stay tuned to LFP for more Budget videos, charts, graphs and commentary coming!
Councillor Kim Richter responds to Councillor Jordan Bateman's inaccuracies and snide personal comments regarding the Township 2010 Budget. Brace yourselves: Councillor Jordan a.k.a. "I've-never-seen-a-tax-hike-I-don't-like" Bateman once again
spearheaded a 4.95% tax hike! Richter sinks Bateman's political smoke screens about increases being due to full time firefighters.
In summary she held up shocking Township-provided financial summary numbers that show:
1. 2003 to 2010 a 99% increase in operating expenditures for fire, police,recreation general government, parks, storm water and transportation. $57 million in 2003 to $113 million in 2010.
2. Full time firefighters started implementation in 2006 with a budget of $6.1 million. In 2010 the fire budget is $13.1 million-an increase of $7 million of the total $46.1 million increase in the total operating budget over the same period. So she asked Bateman where did council spend the other $38 million? Certainly not the Fire department as Bateman and his other council slate pilot fish harp on constantly.
3. Utilities (water, sewer & solid waste) have increased 64% from 2006 ($15.4 million) to 2010 ($25.2 million).
4. Debt has gone from $5.7 million in 2005 to $31.1 million in 2010, representing a whopping 648% increase.
5. To cap this all off Council's salary increased in 2009 by 55% (going from $23,196 to $36,036) while the Mayor's salary went up $29,162 from $64,562 in 2008 to $93,724 in 2009 - a 45% increase!
By the way, despite the 55% salary increase that the council got and did not even bother to mention or publicize, council (including the Mayor) did not today second her motion to reduce their salaries by 4.95% (equivalent to this year's tax increase). 4.95% is a drop in this council piggy trough of a 55% increase!
Needless to say Councillor Kim Richter voted against the budget.
Budget meeting quote of the day by Cllr. Kim Richter - "Everyone of us sitting at this table,..., who got a 55% increase in salary can afford to pay these rates [tax hikes] but there are a lot of people out there in this community who did not get a 55% salary increase and they can't keep on affording to keep on paying tax increases..." Many in the audience were seen nodding their heads up and down when Richter said this!
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