The Duval Budget Crisis Will Worsen Due To Fiscal Incompetence & Housing Slump

[Driven1]

This is in regards to the Mayor and Sheriff Rutherford using one time monies to hire new police officers - which demand recurring salary.  This sounds awfully familiar.  I seem to remember our Mayor, in his first year in office, using one time funds to pay for recurring city expenses.  He was quickly called out by this newspaper and ceased the practice in the next year.  Unfortunately, the taxpayers were left to handle this bungling & others (such as money wasted on the new courthouse) through the next few years with speeches from the Mayor of "tight times" in the city budget and a consequential milage rate increase  - and now newly installed fees that were named "stormwater drainage" and "waste collection".  And all of this is hitting us as we appear to be in a recession and our housing values are dropping like never before in U.S. history.  Which brings me to my real question:  Has the Mayor thought about exactly how much he is going to have to increase the milage rate when all of our appraised property values are going to be reset DOWNWARD sharply in 2009 due to the housing market crash?  If he keeps spending like this, I predict we could go from being on the lower end of milage rates in Florida to one of the highest.  And that severely would affect our attractive image as being one of the most affordable places to live in Florida.  Oh, you say that the crime problem affects our image as well?  I agree.  The solution to this problem has been presented to the Sheriff and he refuses to execute a proven plan...shift officers to the areas of greatest need. 

[Downtown Dweller]

I was having this same conversation yesterday! I am glad you posted it. There is so much waste here, and instead of cutting the waste they just come up with a new thinly veiled tax (fee’s going to the general fund?) I also don’t support paying for more officers until they untie the hands of the ones we already have. For instance if I had a dine for every time an officer told me they can’t arrest hookers only vice can, or they can’t arrest drug dealers except for possession (which is smaller than dealing) unless they have at least two buys from vice on video. Come ON!!!! I am not going to pay more for administering crime; I WILL pay more if they can proactively stop it.

Another issue: JEA hiking rates because they are losing money… drive up Pearl and take a look at their new truck lot, it is FULL of brand new trucks just sitting around. SELL YOUR TRUCKS, cut back on your bonuses (why in the world do people get bonuses when money is being lost???!!), and I don’t know give everyone one pen and track the damn thing!

Rant for the day over 

[Traveller]

Falling residential real estate values should be an issue only if an exceptionally large percentage of area homes were purchased since 2005.  Otherwise, I believe that most area homes were underassessed to begin with due to save-our-homes.  Falling real estate values will simply bring actual values closer to assessed values.  Obviously, this analysis does not apply to commercial or rental real estate.

[Driven1]

Think about THIS though.  Jacksonville is consistently top 15 in the country in foreclosed homes.  The resetting ARMs will not stop until 2010 - meaning foreclosures will continue to rise.  How does the appraiser's office value these homes that cannot sell even at 25% or 35% discounts on the market? 

The answer in the past has been that distressed homes are not to be counted and the appraised value is to remain the same or slightly lowered.  But what do you do when "distressed" has become the norm in many neighborhoods?  The answer is they will have to drastically lower the value of these homes, thereby deeply cutting into city revenue.  There is a city of 100,000 in northern California that is facing just this problem and the Council voted last week to declare bankruptcy.  They have yet to file, but are on their way because they have no other choice.

Wise city leadership would seriously look at this problem that is looming over the horizon and start major cutbacks NOW.  Instead, they are spending like there is no tomorrow while continuing to push us around financially.

[Dapperdan]

If the JEA is city owned and therefore people owned, why do rate increases not go to public vote? I am writing a letter to city hall today about this. We keep sitting by blindily as they(JEA) raise our rates every few months. When is enough enough?

[Lunican]

Driven, what do you suggest the city cut first? Maybe the animal care shelters?

[Driven1]

Lunican, no, while some may consider animal care and control as an "extra", I think 30 days without would change even those people's mind.  Plus, I don't think it is good policy to START cutting an area that has been underfunded and understaffed (by the own admission of the adminstration) for 4 years straight now and is now (with the proceeding of the courthouse) the last part of the BJP that is yet to go forward (building of new animal care shelter). 

While we can't rule out eventual cuts in that area, I would start in-house with the over-staffed Mayor's office.  Mr. Peyton has more staff than any previous mayor.  I can't think of a good reason why.  From there, I would work through each department eliminating the "short-timers" and bloated positions.  If you think there are no ubiquitous positions or people filling the positions in city government "just for the check", you have never dealt with anyone at the courthouse.  Try calling or even going there in person.  The deplorable level of service is only barely beaten by the dispatchers you get when you call 911. 

So, as I was saying, I would work through each department lowering the salaries where necessary.  Yes, this includes fire and police.  Your argument might be, "But wait!  If we do that, we'll lose quality people."  To which I would say, "How out of touch are you?"

Yes, the easy answer is to Littlepage it and say,  "We can't cut anything!!!"  I think the better answer is to acknowledge first that we have a problem with government waste.  An honest look at things here in Duval county and this isn't hard to do.  From there, the solution is easy.

One thing is for sure...ignoring the problem is not a solution.  An even worse idea is spending even MORE $$ now - which is what this administration has chosen to do.

PS - Throwing rocks at the prophet is the standard response.

[Driven1]

If the JEA is city owned and therefore people owned, why do rate increases not go to public vote? I am writing a letter to city hall today about this. We keep sitting by blindily as they(JEA) raise our rates every few months. When is enough enough?

At the very least I think we should have a say over who sits on the Board of Directors there.  For instance, how did Mike Hightower get there?  Was he appointed?  Is this yet another drawback of our "Strong Mayor" form of government?

[Lunican]

Lunican, no, while some may consider animal care and control as an "extra", I think 30 days without would change even those people's mind.  Plus, I don't think it is good policy to START cutting an area that has been underfunded and understaffed (by the own admission of the adminstration) for 4 years straight now and is now (with the proceeding of the courthouse) the last part of the BJP that is yet to go forward (building of new animal care shelter). 

So why is this true for animal shelters and not for other services? Education, transit, and homeless shelters come to mind.

[Driven1]

Lunican, no, while some may consider animal care and control as an "extra", I think 30 days without would change even those people's mind.  Plus, I don't think it is good policy to START cutting an area that has been underfunded and understaffed (by the own admission of the adminstration) for 4 years straight now and is now (with the proceeding of the courthouse) the last part of the BJP that is yet to go forward (building of new animal care shelter). 

So why is this true for animal shelters and not for other services? Education, transit, and homeless shelters come to mind.

I'm not familiar where the service areas you mention have been short-changed visa vis the BJP.  Please explain.

[NotNow]

Lunican, no, while some may consider animal care and control as an "extra", I think 30 days without would change even those people's mind.  Plus, I don't think it is good policy to START cutting an area that has been underfunded and understaffed (by the own admission of the adminstration) for 4 years straight now and is now (with the proceeding of the courthouse) the last part of the BJP that is yet to go forward (building of new animal care shelter). 

While we can't rule out eventual cuts in that area, I would start in-house with the over-staffed Mayor's office.  Mr. Peyton has more staff than any previous mayor.  I can't think of a good reason why.  From there, I would work through each department eliminating the "short-timers" and bloated positions.  If you think there are no ubiquitous positions or people filling the positions in city government "just for the check", you have never dealt with anyone at the courthouse.  Try calling or even going there in person.  The deplorable level of service is only barely beaten by the dispatchers you get when you call 911. 

So, as I was saying, I would work through each department lowering the salaries where necessary.  Yes, this includes fire and police.  Your argument might be, "But wait!  If we do that, we'll lose quality people."  To which I would say, "How out of touch are you?"

Yes, the easy answer is to Littlepage it and say,  "We can't cut anything!!!"  I think the better answer is to acknowledge first that we have a problem with government waste.  An honest look at things here in Duval county and this isn't hard to do.  From there, the solution is easy.

One thing is for sure...ignoring the problem is not a solution.  An even worse idea is spending even MORE $$ now - which is what this administration has chosen to do.

PS - Throwing rocks at the prophet is the standard response.

Not throwing rocks, but I think that you fail to understand that many city positions are protected by labor contract.  Much of the capital expense (buildings, utilities, vehicles) are fixed cost and cannot be greatly changed.  You will find what most new Mayors would find....what service do you want to cut?  That is why you always hear the same services up for cuts...libraries, child care, low income housing/education/assistance, etc.  If you want to move police or fire around, which area of town do you take from?  Do you really believe that the Sheriff's  and Fire Chief's staff don't use past call data and risk analysis to disburse their manpower and equipment?  Are you aware of what minimum staffing standards are required?  Again, what programs would you cut?

[Driven1]

i would take from the areas of lower crime and move police to the areas of higher crime.  this is exactly what Bloomberg said to do when he was in town from NYC (it worked from them) and what Rutherford, very publicly, has said he is not willing to do on any kind of large scale.