I think it should come out of the General Fund and other services should be cut. 14 (60%)
Raise our taxes instead of charging us a fee. 1 (4%)
It isn’t fair and equitable 1 (4%)
I am not crazy about it, but do see the need. 3 (13%)
No problem. It is only $8 a month. 4 (17%)
Votes so far: 23
Poll closed
Poll closed
Dan would like to hear from the fourteen who voted to cut services, which services should be cut. Please leave comments. I will publish anonymous ones, if they are appropriate, for those who would feel more comfortable doing so. Thanks!
22 comments:
Eliminate the magazine.
During my campaign, I met with the Public Information Officer, Susan Morgans. Susan had told me that the magazine is actually profitable now.
In order to have a balanced budget, we need $2.2 million. As I understand it, the commissioners are hoping to generate $1 million a year with the storm water fee. If they raise taxes for the storm water utility, the biggest offenders - the non-profits, get off the hook. The Commissioners are willing to listen and would like input. The public hearing is on Tuesday.
Commissioner Miller's request for suggestions notwithstanding, I'm not convinced that the Commissioners are going to be swayed by a poll or any other input from Mt. Lebanon residents.
My middle daughter is an executive at Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia. She lives near a town that is getting a lot of national attention – Sandy Springs. Sandy Springs has privatized its municipal services, except for the police and fire departments. The Reason Foundation, in its “Annual Privatization Report 2010: Local Government Privatization,” mentions Sandy Springs, writing, in part: “Covered extensively in past editions of the Annual Privatization Report, Sandy Springs made headlines in 2005 by becoming the first city in Georgia—and one of the few nationwide—to outsource most of its public services to a private company, and five years later the city continues to be a model of success. Residents cite improved performance across the gamut of infrastructure maintenance, including stoplights, sewers, roads, sidewalks, etc.”
I sent copies of the Reason Foundation report to each Mt. Lebanon Commissioner; and I received no response of any kind.
Richard Gideon
Elaine,
The "non-profits" you refer to include the tax exempts in Lebo....the vast majority of the non-profit/tax exempt class in terms of the measurement factor to be used for assessment of cost, impervious surface ERU's, include the school district and municipality properties.
Where do you think they will obtain the funds to pay for the stormwater fee ? FROM US IN THE FORM OF TAXES...increased or at the expense of existing services !
Where will the major balance of funding for non-profit/tax exempt property owners...the many houses of worship...come from ? FROM INCREASED PLEDGES AND TITHING REQUIREMENTS FROM THE CONGREGATION MEMBERS (i.e. US)!
In other words, we will end up paying the entire bill directly & indirectly regardless of whether it is a non tax deductible fee, or a tax deductible tax bill (that results in a net after tax cost less than the fee) to only owners of taxable real properties.
Bring up issues like folks that don't itemize deductons and take the standard instead and/or do not pay federal taxes at all because of income levels, etc., and I'll address that during the hearing on Tuesday evening.
Bill Lewis
Is this the report you are referring to, Richard?
http://reason.org/news/show/annual-privatization-report-2010
Very interesting!!
Elaine
Bill, not that they are going to listen, but what is the solution to this situation? Raise taxes? Dan did say there is definitely a trickle effect here, but claims that in the long run, some might be ahead with a fee, rather than a nominal amount saved on our taxes. He said that not every tax exempt/nonprofit would be from churches or school district who would rely on increased pledges or raising taxes.
The other option is, do we really need to address this now? Or should we be concentrating on roads, etc.?
Ms. Gillen:
That's the correct page. It is located under the section headed Attached Files. Clicking on "Local Government Privatization" will open the report as a PDF. I'm sure you found this out, but I mention it in case others are interested. This is the file I sent the Commissioners.
Richard Gideon
I agree with the first poster -- the magazine should go. Susan Morgans is one of the highest paid, if not the highest paid, employees at Mt. Lebanon. There is a FREE magazine (In Community Magazine) that publishes the same information. Eliminating the salaries and benefits of the magazine employees won't result in a tax decrease, but it will be a good start at elminating unnecessary spending.
Privatize the magazine! It is not an obligation of the local government to provide a "good news" publication especially with the advent of the web.
= Giffen Good
I don't believe the commissioners will listen either but I also think the Magazine should be eliminated. I don't believe the magazine is making a profit either and if they finally are then eliminating it now will at least save pension costs. There’s another IN Community magazine that is completely free. The same information is in this magazine.
And outsourcing most of our public services is acceptable to me. Trash collection is a nice example of an out sourced service that works well. I've even seen the trash collectors picking up trash that spilled out of cans.
I doubt any real cuts will happen because for one reason change is difficult for many people and they are all friends so how will they cut their friend's jobs.
Thanks for taking this anonymously…
I agree with eliminating mtl magazine. That would also eliminate glossy brochures from the district. Eliminating mtl magazine would help to reduce costs in many ways.
Is there any information newer than this about mtl magazine costs?
www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/
news/cityregion/s_535524.html
In 2007 - the cost was more than $600,000 and people wanted to get rid of it.
If I am reading the 2011 Recommended Budget correctly, I saw $626,600 for Mtl Magazine.
I also found this explanation by Mike Madison on a December 23, 2009post at Blog-Lebo.
http://bloglebo.blogspot.com/2009/12/in-mt-lebanon-magazine_21.html
Elaine
Elaine, not counting your friend Giffen Good, I count five Anonymous "comments" under this post. I thought that your policy was that people needed to identify themselves. What's changed?
Joe Wertheim
Yes, Joe, I am accepting anonymous comments for this post only. Since people voted anonymously, I thought it would only be fair to explain their vote to cut services anonymously.
Elaine
I know it'd be unpopular, but why not cut the fireworks display? It's represents our tax dollars literally going up in smoke.
Move to online billing for some systems. Why is my quarterly EIT form sent in the mail when it could be sent by email?
Cut the public access tv station. Instead, provide news and recorded commission sessions on the website.
Consider dropping code enforcement officer from building inspection.
Drop holiday decorations, parades, first fridays, summer concerts, tennis tournament.
Reduce ice/salt coverage between midnight and 4 am.
Reduce midblock street lighting in residential areas.
Reduce leaf collection level to eliminate Saturday overtime. Replace with the cheaper refuse collection s/l 2 for leafy and wood waste curbside pickup.
Cut Outreach Teen and Family Services with the idea that these issues can be handled by the guidance counselors in the schools.
Add course rangers to the golf course to increase revenue and net profit.
Explore methods of increasing the revenue of the community center.
Eliminate school crossing guards. Continue replacement of critical crosswalk enhancements and signals and eliminate crossing guards as updates are made. Many other communities utilize completely volunteer crossing guards and/or school staff to assist students in crossing the street.
Reduce crime prevention unit to s/l rank 1. Reduce animal control to s/l rank 3.
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Yes, I recognize that this isn't easy or popular, but why not take a look at some of these cuts? I would think that if we're really looking to save money, at least some of these could be implemented.
Thank you for taking the time to come up with this extensive list of potential cuts. Cutting services is never a popular thing to do.
You wouldn't be an Independent living in Ward 3 who would be willing to run for commissioner in November, would you? Or better yet, would you consider a write in campaign for School Board Director?
Here are a few suggestions that were offered to me through conversation:
1. Eliminate the code enforcement officer (already suggested in last comment)
2. Since the magazine is already profitable, consider offering it by subscription only and/or in electronic form only.
3. Reduce the amount of staff riding in the snow plow trucks or Public Works vehicles when emptying trash from the parks.
4. Supply the tax receipts at time of payment or email receipts, instead of mailing them back at a later date.
To raise revenue for the municipality lets make "BUSY" Horsman Drive a toll road!
That was one of the justifications for the bridge in the high school renovation.
It will be a GREEN initiative - reducing the number of kids being driven to school. Provide a financial incentive to the administrators/teachers that live close by to walk or ride their bikes...
AND maybe eliminate the need for the nearly $1,000,000 bridge. LOL
- Giffen Good
Castle Shannon, Dormont and many other communities have Fire Departments that do lots of fundraising and ours does almost none. Every dollar they raise is one less we have to take from taxes.
Anyone ever notice cameras are popping up on intersections all over Mt Lebanon? I smell a cost savings...
Cameras at intersections are used to increase traffic tickets. Did the commissioners decide to mace the residents with more traffic tickets? We already lead in the issuance of traffic tickets because of our meter maids.
How was this approved? Was there a secret commission meeting to raise more revenue by issuing more traffic tickets?
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