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aproudamerican
Regular Forum Member
373 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 12:49:45 PM
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Sorry I guess I missed all the excitement, it's been pretty hectic lately sitting on my "ass". Was it something I said, or did he not want to answer my questions?. I though we were bonding and was just about ready to ask him to come to the gym and work out with me Oh well.
Now some comments of my own. My property taxes went up dramatically in Jan.09, as did alot of property owners. Where did all that extra income go? The commissioners state we are in financial trouble because our investments came in around $700,000.00 under projections. But they say we around 3 million in the hole? Ok so why the big difference, can't be caused by the interest income. They should have alot more money from the increased property taxes we had to pay. I don't want to pay more in taxes but if I had my way we (property owners) would have alot lower taxes and it would be spread evenly by a sales tax. Don't forget all our industries here, if one sell a million dollar compressor to
another country or even out of state then that entity would be paying us in sales tax. This goes for any company doing business out of county,They will be funding us! Why do most counties have higher sales taxes but we don't, it doesn't stop me from going to Mansfield or Columbus to buy things.
Like I said before I have friends in several departments in the county including the Sheriff's Office. When it comes to public safety I will not be silenced.
I was advised that all county employees took furlough days, but as I just found out it was just a few offices including the Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office (around 60 employees) took 7 furlough days each from July to Dec 31st. That equals 3360 hours of less protection, but it was the only way the Sheriff could meet his budget. Every year the Commissioners under fund the Sheriff's office, then they complain when he has to ask for more money in Nov-Dec. They need to understand he is required by law to run that jail and take care of the prisoners needs. With the jail at minimum staffing of deputies the only areas he can cut was Community Relations +DARE, Those 3 officers were reassigned to the patrol and jail to help with cut down on overtime. Any more cuts will come from the patrol and detectives. Now the newspaper last week, it said that the Sheriff and Commissioners had a meeting and came within $300,000.00 of the Commissioners expected 20% cut (around 1 million) of the Sheriff's budget. Now the Commissioners want the Sheriff's office employees to take 20 furlough days each to help reach the Commissioners $300,000.00 difference in the Sheriff's Budget. If the employees take these 20 furlough days each days each that equals 9600 hours of less protection in a year. This only saves about $160,000.00 dollars, and when those officers assigned to the jail have to take their 20 furlough days each it (remember minimum staffing) the Sheriff will be forced to take 1 to 2 officers from patrol's 3 to 4 man shifts to cover the jail everyday.But let’s not forget that those officers assigned to the patrol and detectives will also be taking 20 furlough days each so what will that leave us on the road???That's really smart thinking! It's like sending a fire department to a house fire and only letting them use 50 gallons of water but expecting them to extinguish the fire!
Public Safety canno't be compaired to any other Office, we are out there every hour of everyday, no snow days no holidays, we are there to protect and serve you! please don't let them make our job any harder...
A Proud American
Support our Troops, Pray they stay safe and return home.
Thank A Veteran, We are still free because of them. |
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curious mind
Senior Forum Member
19921 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 1:49:31 PM
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I just looked through my notes quickly and want to bring up a couple of points
1 The Sheriff's union is refusing to forego the annual 3% increase in pay, despite depleted financial coffers - that isn't helping the situation one bit
2. The Prosecutor stated he had to "lay off" his assistant - however, what he didn't state was that he's paying out of town legal counsel to deal with what he calls "specialty issues" - issues that could be addressed by his own staff - after all it IS their job to defend in county related matters - he has instead chosen to deplete his coffers by paying very high priced attorneys from elsewhere to do his office's job - he could take the money he's using to pay outside help and create another position in his office - but does he choose to do so? noooooooo - this is "always the way he's done this" Time to change it up a bit Mr. Prosecutor
Gotta run - but those came to mind when I read your post
"You might have to fight a battle more than once to win it" - Margaret Thatcher
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Cuffman
Regular Forum Member
239 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 5:21:24 PM
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| CM, I believe that the deputies are giving up their 3% raises and then some with the furlow days. I'm also not sure your going to get them to agree to 20 furlow days, that's a months pay. I think the Commissioners just assumed that they would agree to this and wanted to throw out a number prematurely. Stockburger already demonstrated this once. The furlow days essentially act as a wage freeze, which will now be two years. Also understand that this a contract issue. Most of the people I have talked to do not appose the 1/4% sales tax. I understand that people don't want anymore taxes and I am with them on that, but when I see what the repercussions are going to be, I don't mind the temporary tax to get us through this period. The way I see it, the Commisioners are sand bagging on making a decision until the end of the year. By that time it's going to be to late and layoffs are going to occur. Call me and I'll be glad to provide you with some more insite. |
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curious mind
Senior Forum Member
19921 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 5:34:35 PM
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cuffman - was just going through my notes and sharing what the Commissioners had told me in our sit down - I wonder why I was told that LE was refusing to give up their raises? Now, I know the Commissioners want to put the best face on their position.......but am more than a little annoyed that I might have been lied to....
I'm all for a tax increase - Am totally opposed to LE being forced to take furlow days - I think the majority support the 1/4% increase - the only outcome from stonewalling this issue will, imho, will be that the next Commissioner up for re-election (Bob Wise) will have a helluva time being re-elected, if his seat is contested.
I think I posted this earlier - but will post it again - from Mrs. Bemiller regarding the tax increase
Any discussion of increasing the sales tax at the current time is premature. The Board of Commissioners is conducting preliminary budget hearings and will not know until those have been completed, the exact amount of shortfall, if any, that remains. Currently, the Commissioners have received a low number of responses regarding the possibility of a proposed sales tax increase and of those there have been an equal number of positive as negative. Enacting the sales tax is more complicated than it may appear to the public. There are statutory steps which must be taken, which would include public hearings and if enacted, would be subject to referendum by the public.
My thought is they should begin taking those statutory steps now - as far as a "low number of responses" - good grief - look at the comments on here and in the mvnews - start the public hearings immediately - what on earth are they waiting for? 
"You might have to fight a battle more than once to win it" - Margaret Thatcher
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Edited by - curious mind on Oct 30 2009 5:39:13 PM |
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Roxy Dog
Member
830 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 8:35:30 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by curious mind
II wonder why I was told that LE was refusing to give up their raises? Now, I know the Commissioners want to put the best face on their position.......but am more than a little annoyed that I might have been lied to....
WHAT??? Politicians lie??? When did they start doing this?  |
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Cuffman
Regular Forum Member
239 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 8:46:07 PM
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| CM I need to clarify part of my statement so there is not misleading information. Part of what the Commissioners told you is correct. The deputies to my knowledge will not give up their 3% raise by contract, but they are giving up the benifit of that raise by furlow days. |
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aproudamerican
Regular Forum Member
373 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2009 : 11:02:34 AM
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CM I should have told you to wear tin foil around your head so their Jedi mind tricks wouldn't work. LOL. It sounds as if you saw a different set of commissioners than I did at their meeting with the sheriff in July. One sat with a scowl, one argued and only one seemed level headed. Did they state how many employees in the county took furlough days to help out this year, and what departments they were from? Did they state how many gave up their raises this year? The Sheriff's Office is always under funded, the Sheriff gives them his budget and they always think it's too high so they cut it. Then he has to beg for more money in Nov-Dec. to make ends meet, this is a yearly thing. As far as I know the Sheriff Office employees were part of the few that had to take the furlough days. As I stated before you can't compare the Sheriff's Office to any other office. Say they Recorder's Office has a budget of around $170,000.00, 20% is not much. Say the Sheriff's budget is around 4 million, 20% is $800,000.00. Now the Sheriff can only cut from equipment and the payroll for community relations, Dare, patrol and detectives. He can't shut down the jail or reduce jail staff because of the state laws. So this year you saw DARE and Community Relations stopped, now what will be next? The employees that I spoke to had no problem taking the 7 furlough days this year to help out. They stated they would be more than willing to take furloughs again in 2010 to help out. The reason why they don't want to give up the cost of living raise but to offset it with more furloughs is that the cost of living keeps going up and if you give up that raise then when the economy turns around you will be way behind. But why is the Sheriff’s Office one of the few that are being pushed to do it, why not ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES? The Sheriff requires the biggest budget therefore has to make the biggest cut, it’s as if his employees are being penalized. If all county employees are asked to forego their raises and do it, then I bet all the employees at the Sheriff’s Office would do it. All the Sheriff’s Office employees took 7 furlough days this year, did ALL other county employees take them? I’ll save you the time, NO!!!!
CM Did you bring up the ORC question?
A Proud American
Support our Troops, Pray they stay safe and return home.
Thank A Veteran, We are still free because of them. |
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aproudamerican
Regular Forum Member
373 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2009 : 11:20:28 AM
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I don't want to make this an issue 3 thread but I wonder if it passes will it help us out financially? They say like a million dollars for each county and a million for each county's schools a year. Myself and everyone in public safety I have spoken to support this issue.
People are going to gamble, they just have to travel out of state to do it, and spend the money there. We support their economys with our money.
A Proud American
Support our Troops, Pray they stay safe and return home.
Thank A Veteran, We are still free because of them. |
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curious mind
Senior Forum Member
19921 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2009 : 11:36:12 AM
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apa - did I EVER bring that up - I handed Mr. Wise the O.R.C. law about unlawful interest in a public contract - he took it - then told me that his attorney and the prosecutor both told him it was no conflict for him to sell his own propane to the fair - I asked to see a copy of those decisions, He said he didn't have one - and that he couldn't remember if they told him verbally or not - I asked him if he could get verification of such a legal stance; he stated that his attorney wasn't in town and invited me to ask the prosecutor myself - I shot back that I'd be more than happy to.....and I will - I also told him that if he couldn't substantiate that that law doesn't apply to him, that when he threw his hat in the ring for next year I'd be blogging the hell out of the issue 
btw I received answers to all questions emailed to me - simply need to type them all out and email back
"You might have to fight a battle more than once to win it" - Margaret Thatcher
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aproudamerican
Regular Forum Member
373 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2009 : 11:45:03 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by curious mind
apa - did I EVER bring that up - I handed Mr. Wise the O.R.C. law about unlawful interest in a public contract - he took it - then told me that his attorney and the prosecutor both told him it was no conflict for him to sell his own propane to the fair - I asked to see a copy of those decisions, He said he didn't have one - and that he couldn't remember if they told him verbally or not - I asked him if he could get verification of such a legal stance; he stated that his attorney wasn't in town and invited me to ask the prosecutor myself - I shot back that I'd be more than happy to.....and I will - I also told him that if he couldn't substantiate that that law doesn't apply to him, that when he threw his hat in the ring for next year I'd be blogging the hell out of the issue
btw I received answers to all questions emailed to me - simply need to type them all out and email back
"You might have to fight a battle more than once to win it" - Margaret Thatcher
Thanks Now we'll just have to check the validity of their answers...
A Proud American
Support our Troops, Pray they stay safe and return home.
Thank A Veteran, We are still free because of them. |
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aproudamerican
Regular Forum Member
373 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2009 : 2:05:12 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by curious mind
apa - did I EVER bring that up - I handed Mr. Wise the O.R.C. law about unlawful interest in a public contract - he took it - then told me that his attorney and the prosecutor both told him it was no conflict for him to sell his own propane to the fair - I asked to see a copy of those decisions, He said he didn't have one - and that he couldn't remember if they told him verbally or not - I asked him if he could get verification of such a legal stance; he stated that his attorney wasn't in town and invited me to ask the prosecutor myself - I shot back that I'd be more than happy to.....and I will - I also told him that if he couldn't substantiate that that law doesn't apply to him, that when he threw his hat in the ring for next year I'd be blogging the hell out of the issue
btw I received answers to all questions emailed to me - simply need to type them all out and email back
"You might have to fight a battle more than once to win it" - Margaret Thatcher
Is it legal, ORC 2921.42 A1
Lets say the President or Vice President of The United States has shares in a certain oil company. Lets say the company gets the contract to supply all fuel to the military. Is there a problem ? How about a Sheriff in another county buys his patrol cars from his brother's car lot? I think there were plenty of problems with these...
A Proud American
Support our Troops, Pray they stay safe and return home.
Thank A Veteran, We are still free because of them. |
Edited by - aproudamerican on Nov 01 2009 2:32:34 PM |
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aproudamerican
Regular Forum Member
373 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 1:58:07 PM
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You know the more I look at the article from the Mt.Vernon News the madder I get. http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/09/10/20/sheriff-stresses-preliminary-status-of-budget-discussions The commissioners want the employees at the sheriff's office to give up their cost of living raise and take a month off without pay. Why do they want so much from the employees at the sheriff's office? Why are they not asking any other departments to go to this extreme? If they spread it out over the 900 plus county employees it would only mean everyone had 2-3 furlough days. But NO lets make all the employees at the sheriff's office make up the entire amount. It is not their fault the Sheriff has the highest budget. I think the commissioners request for a month off with out pay and no 3% cost of living raise is very unrealistic. This coming from the commissioners who all have their own businesses and make another $55,000 each of the taxpayers dime for part time work. Maybe they could afford those measures but could you? They make about $18,000 more than most of the FULL TIME county employees do a year. Like I said before if the commissoners want to make ALL county employees give up their raises for 2010 then the Sheriff's employees would be right behind them. This year they gave up 7 furlough days to make ends meet ask the commissioners what other departments gave furlough days this year! Ask the commissioners who is giving up their raises for 2010? Ask them who is giving up furlough days for 2010? Ask them who has to give up both! I think the Sheriff stated it clearly what will happen in 2010. Read where the commissioner ask who will be trimed.
http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/09/10/16/barbers-budget-hearing-hopeful
If 55 officers have to take 20 days off each that adds up to 8800 hours of less patrol on the street.This could all be solved by several ways: Sell the Fairgound's new land for the $600,000.00+ we paid, or Enact a .25% sales tax, or require ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES to take 5 furlough days, or just start laying off.
A Proud American
Support our Troops, Pray they stay safe and return home.
Thank A Veteran, We are still free because of them. |
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skillet30
Regular Forum Member
214 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 4:20:22 PM
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| I'm going to say there is going to be some layoffs |
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aproudamerican
Regular Forum Member
373 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2009 : 09:34:49 AM
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Skillet Even if there are no layoffs at the sheriff's office the result will be the same. If they are forced to take 20 furlough days it will cut at least 1 officer from each of the 3 shifts on the road per day. That will leave them with 1-2 officers covering the 500+ square miles each shift. I just have a hard time understanding the commissioners. Why would you require the biggest cuts in the county be made in public safety????
I hope people contact them because thats what there planning on doing!
A Proud American
Support our Troops, Pray they stay safe and return home.
Thank A Veteran, We are still free because of them. |
Edited by - aproudamerican on Nov 03 2009 09:40:52 AM |
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larry
Regular Forum Member
146 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2009 : 12:19:30 PM
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| I think it's very obvious why the commissioners may want to cut public safety. They want to scare people with tales of rampant crime. They want people to agree to a tax increase so that they will feel safe to leave their homes. Who knows the answer to this question, how much have the commissioners themselves, agreed to give up? If they expect blood from others, they should give a pint ot two themselves. |
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