Council should reconsider tax And the answer...
Council should reconsider tax
And the answer is yes, the council should reconsider the override
tax it passed on Huntington Beach taxpayers. I am a former federal
employee and now retired and I paid out of my salary a certain
amount, plus my regular taxes. The city employees of Huntington Beach
should do the same out of their own paychecks.
STEWART H. MACKENZIE
Huntington Beach
Yes the City Council should reconsider the tax. I am furious with
all of them except [Councilman Dave] Sullivan, who seems to be the
only one looking out for the taxpayer. I hope they are listening to
the people and reading the newspaper editorials. If so, they will
reconsider their votes and vote against the override tax.
JO ANNE KESSELL
Huntington Beach
City completely ignores taxpayers
For months now I have been following the news and reading letters
to the editors and know that I am not the only person who is
disgusted with the way the city of Huntington Beach has handled its
latest problem, the collection of illegal taxes.
I have applied for my refund, written letters to my council
members telling them to reconsider their decision of yet another tax
and discussed the issue with many of my fellow citizens. And yet I
cannot help but wonder who, if anybody, is listening.
The city employees and the City Council are completely
unresponsive to the wants, needs or concerns of the citizens they
represent. Issue after issue is brought before them and yet they
continue to act as an independent entity with no accountability
whatsoever. What can we do to bring democracy back into this city and
make the employees of Huntington Beach realize that they work for us
and not the other way around? Too much of my income is going to
paying the inflated salaries and benefits packages of these very
people who don’t seem to know that I, the taxpayer, even exists.
DEBBIE LOEHNER
Huntington Beach
Council didn’t properly justify fees
Councilwoman [Jill] Hardy’s quote [“City fees increase by $3
million” Sept. 4] of that the fee increases being reasonable because
there have not been increases in 10 years and that the fees can still
be justified if not an appropriate argument. Time does not justify
increases.
What was the cost of computers 10 year ago? There are many common
use items that cost less today than 10 years ago. Interest rates are
less today than 10 years ago. In today’s market, time can also be
used as an argument for cost decreases.
“The fees can be justified.” Is she justifying this compared to
other cities fee rates? This has nothing to do with price
competition. The services provided by city programs are meant to
serve the community. I can understand charging a fee that makes the
community center of a lifeguard program self sufficient. A council
person can say fees are reasonable. Or even be so closed-minded as to
say $5 more for a room rental or $45 more for Jr. Lifeguards is
reasonable based on their own financial status.
The question needs to be at what cost to our community does this
fee increase have. Survey the participants and see how many (if any)
would drop out of Jr. Lifeguards when the fee increase. You can still
increase the fees, but you will know at what cost. If you raise the
fees and participation drops, you end up decreasing revenues.
Finally, Councilman [Dave] Sullivan being unable to vote because
he does not understand the report is ridiculous. If the reports are
too complicated, why are they voting based on it? That is giving
Sullivan the benefit of the doubt because either the reports are too
complicated or he is not complicated enough. In any case, the people
that the voted him into office were not represented on this vote.
TOD MINATO
Huntington Beach
Council doesn’t vote like residents would
I have lived in Huntington Beach since 1962 and have seen severe
changes in the city. I have never been able to understand how our
council can go the direct opposite way that the average resident
thinks.
In reference to pay schedules, the standard answer is “to get good
people we have to pay the prevailing wage as private industry.” The
last I heard, private industry had a product to sell in order to
rectify their wages. Bad job, out the door. High wages, bad job, wait
25 years for a high pension and great job security. How can you
loose? Go to work for the city.
What is the connection between the City Council and this thinking?
Let’s get real and have them get by like most of us. I’ve always
said, give government workers the same benefits private citizens have
and you would see massive changes. Enough said. Keep up the good
work. It is a joy to read your comments.
TOM RASMUSSEN
Huntington Beach
We should support Schwarzenegger
We should all rally around and support Arnold Schwarzenegger for
Governor. A vote for anyone else is a vote for the tax and spend
policies of Cruz Bustamante. Please vote for Schwarzenegger to rescue
California.
MARK COHEN
Huntington Beach
Hearthside should sell Bolsa to state
Barring a Davis recall, yes I think Hearthside Homes should accept
an offer from the state. I believe they should, due to the massive
disappearance of habitat in Orange County. In fact, it’s disappearing
faster than any other place in the United States. It’s one of our
only open spaces left and due to its environmental significance, it
should be preserved. I’m also a science teacher working in the Ocean
View School District and this is one of the places I can take my kids
to learn about science and all sorts of other important things that
kids should learn.
GAE TREECE
Huntington Beach
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