The First Annual Street Furniture Fall Runway Exhibit, featuring…
The Phyllis Smith Couture Collection!
This stunning tee shirt from the SmithWear Collection is what will be seen on all the most fashionable NMBers this fall! Be the first on your block to own what is sure to become a family heirloom. So versatile, this piece can be worn from the board room to the ball room without even changing accessories!
Made by Artistic Tees of North Miami Beach.
Sold exclusively at the Street Furniture Gallery NMB!
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
I just can not believe that we have these seating issues on the next council meeting when the city is in the mess that it is in. At the Eastern Shores town meeting the City Manager advised that there maybe as much as 24 police officers laid off because of budget issues. I don’t know about you but I care more about my families safety then I do about were she sits. I guess the money that she is wasting on drafting these ordinances is more important then the welfare of our citizens and employees. Makes you wonder why people voted for her.
How in the heck can the city lay off 24 police officers? That is suicide for our city. Other services should be cut before police services.
Politicians are wasting money on ridiculous things like birthday cards and we are giving up our police? HELL NO, THEY CAN’T GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve yet to hear anyone say which services they’d be willing to forgo. Which would you prefer to do without? Please, provide your elected officials with a list. (Birthday cards notwithstanding, as that amounts to nothing.)
I just need the water, garbage, and police department. Greynold’s Park is sufficient park resource for me and the county maintains that one.
What other services are on the list that can be reduced or eliminated? How about a town hall meeting around the city hall neighborhood? Maybe a list could be provided in the meeting?
And, birthday cards do amount to something. If you add up 10k for every stupid use of our tax dollars, I would be the amount would be considerable.
Put out a list of services with their associated costs (a list that the average person can understand), and then residents can offer up which ones they would like to do without).
Like you, I’m satisfied with basic services. Since my kids are gone, I don’t use the parks, but I know the children of the city do, as does the Little League and other sports programs. When my kids were young, plenty of residents who didn’t have kids paid for those of us who did, so I’m not going to complain about that. I just wish the parks were better maintained, but that’s another topic altogether.
Beyond that, I also have no idea what “services” are going to be cut as threatened. Maybe the Sports Disability Program that I’m told only 18 residents use. I’ve put in a public records request as to the start up and continuing expense of running that, but I haven’t received the information yet. The library is another “service,” which may or may not be necessary. I know quite a few residents who feel this is not necessary and have suggested that the County take it over. However, as you know the County is closing quite a few of their underused branches, and I don’t know if they want ours. I do know that the cities of Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach and North Miami have County run libraries, although I don’t know if any of these are targeted for closing.
I can’t think of any other services the city provides that it doesn’t already charge for, i.e., Victory Pool.
If 50% of the budget is going to the cost of police ( I think I read that somewhere), then what is consuming the other 50%?. We pay for the water and garbage.
The City has a work force of 700 to 750 employees depending on the season of the year. The NMBPD has 110 police officers, of which we hired 10 more over the last 4 and a half years. They have a back up service of approximately 60 to 65 personnel.
The NMBPD as per City Manager, Lyndon Bonner figures controlled 52% of the general budget. i.e. $22 million.
The other 525 to 575 workers along with very little infrastructure put back into the city, controls the other $20.3 million.
For the fiscal year 2010/2011, the NMBPD budget was a few dollars under $20 million. This fiscal year they raised it by $2 million and the CM asked them to cut this by $4 million.
Their pensions control 57% or $11.3 million.
This past budget, the City is kicking down the road $4 million dollars. This goes towards their underfunded pensions.The PD actual budget therefore is $22 million if we take this into consideration, thus this maybe more than 52% of the general fund.
For every dollar they contribute to their pension, the taxpayers dole out $2 guaranteed even if the market bust as it has been several times for the last decade.
A sergeant carts away approximately $100,000.00 salary and $68,000.00 in pension and growing yearly. Total perks almost $200,000.00. We have about six sergeants.
Total packages of these six officers would add up to more than the taxes we collect from Eastern Shores, Western Eastern Shores that comes to our city…
This is 5% of our police officers.
Anyone can ask for their own information by requesting public records or browsing the City’s website.
Go to page 191 and continue for our FY2011 budget at:
http://www.citynmb.com/vertical/Sites/%7B7D026603-3FD1-47D7-B72B-A998702CDBDA%7D/uploads/%7BD792A79E-BC87-4ADC-AD98-F579C3879A70%7D.PDF
Warmest,
Mubarak
Open in Adobe Reader and it will allow anyone to browse by page and “search”
Mr. Kazan is right, the entire budget is available for anyone willing to read it. Public records request not needed. If you take some time, TUT, you’ll see where every dollar goes.
Kasan,
How would you fix this that is fare to the citizens and the employees. I would like to hear your plan.
Thanks Mr. Kasan!! I’m praying that these cut backs are denied!! Good luck NMBPD!!!!