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Post by abbd on Aug 1, 2006 8:50:42 GMT -6
If we (the taxpayers)pay for the health insurance of the lcg employees and the administration, shouldn't we have a voice in how healthy these people are? Isn't obesity one of the leading causes of illness, serious illness? Then if we are going to feed these folks we need to control their diets. I now propose that in an effort to keep all those folks healthy(and keep the premiums we (the taxpayers) pay low) that duncil introduce a new ordinace making it a crime for any lcg employee to eat unhealthy and fattening foods. We should have a "weigh in" at each and every duncil meeting to see if these folks are observing the law. We could have an advisory board that sets fines and penalities(based on weight gain and blood pressure or even blood sugar levels), we could have a citizens watch group riding around the city to report if you see these folks eating at fast food outlets (all we need is a liscence plate number(just like the litter law))What y'all think?
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Post by coolboy on Aug 2, 2006 1:50:43 GMT -6
This is absolutely the greatest thing in the history of the world *sarcasm*. Joey just unveiled his ingenious budget plans....NEW TAXES! A one cent sales tax for new roads and an increase in property taxes for courthouse buildings. I can tell you right now that if that comes up for a vote...these items aren't going to get passed by the voters. The one cent sales tax increase has a slim chance, but we pay enough in property taxes (we're not Florida!).
The state doesn't have funding to give Lafayette projects? Fine. What if we got rid of state income tax and increased property taxes by the same amount? The money can remain in Lafayette for local projects such as roads and courthouses. Take that Blankstare! Then again, if we had an decent local government, we could trust them with the extra funds and not waste it on frivolous things such as meals before meetings.
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Post by TBEAR on Aug 2, 2006 6:04:38 GMT -6
Boy he couldn't wait could he, right after the renewals pass he comes with this. Then he makes it sound like its our fault that the roads weren't built and again if this these don't pass no roads will be built, hello.
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Post by abbd on Aug 2, 2006 7:07:06 GMT -6
What a zero, joey talked about innovative new revenue streams, making hard choices to get things done etc etc etc ad nasuem. What do we get?? More taxes. I mean to tell ya, this guy is a big fat zero. Hey joey, how much fat have you cut from government? Heck all you do is increase spending and raise my taxes. Remember, when the government is the number one employer in a region(like our little collectivist society is) there's a real good chance we will be taxed and taxed, they got lotsa votes. I ask again, just how much does this zero want from us? Go to the "way back machine" on the internet and take a look at what joey said he was gonna do when he was running, then compare it to what he has done. Pathetic
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Post by getalife on Aug 2, 2006 8:17:41 GMT -6
direct quote from "crybaby stanley"
Chief Administrative Officer Dee Stanley declined to discuss why a parishwide tax was not proposed, since some of the most congested roadways are outside the city.
"Come into the city or annex into Youngsville or Broussard," he said.
what a moron comment. i think he needs to get another job. he really thinks he is better than just a reporter. he will be the main reason for Joey's down fall
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Post by TBEAR on Aug 2, 2006 14:52:52 GMT -6
I agree what kind of comment is that, you would think from his statement if your not a city resident, and I'm not, your out of luck for help. Thats what we in the country call an a**hole.
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Post by str8up50 on Aug 2, 2006 15:32:22 GMT -6
I guess Im just too young to understand, or perhaps I have been brainwashed over the years by political leaders. Having lived in Lafayette for the past 7 years, you notice all the growth that is occurring in our parish...why is that?...and with all that growth, why do our leaders continue to say that there is no/or not enough money? Cut the fat Joey!!! Think outside the box!
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Post by RonS on Aug 2, 2006 16:33:58 GMT -6
I am led to believe that Mr Stanley is perhaps unaware that he in fact works for Lafayette Consolidated Government, and any people not in another municipal district is then in the "parish", and is his responsibility to answer to. I am sure that he is cast in a bad light, but seems to me, that perhaps Dee Stanley is too thin skinned to work in the public sector. Maybe Joey Durel as well.
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Post by Taureau on Aug 2, 2006 19:55:50 GMT -6
Well, I did go to the LCG meeting yesterday. I wanted to hear Mr. Durel's innovative ways and means of raising revenues and I was hoping by not raising taxes but I was wrong. I walked into the meeting about 10 minutes after it started but I did manage to hear Mr. Durel. All I could do was shake my head no. I thought I had voted for a "conservative" not a tax and spend liberal. Mr. Durel asked that we please let him know where he could save some money. I thought about this and said if you have a bucket of water (budget) and the bucket is full of tiny holes. The first thing you need to do is start plugging the holes; One hole (actually about 11 a holes) would be to cut out the free meals before the meetings. That is an easy fix. What about truly consolidating the "government" here in Lafayette instead of all of the duplications of police, mayors, administrators and I am certain there are a lot more. The elections are going to be Nov. 7, 2006. That is another hole to plug. Why have so many election days? Why can't they gather up everything that is supposed to be voted on and have one day. They are afraid that this last election would have been shot down if the tax payers would know in advance what is coming up. Kinda unscrupulous to do it this way, don't you think?
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Post by zoe10850 on Aug 3, 2006 0:21:35 GMT -6
What we are not really supposed to notice is that if this cable tv/telephone service actually gets going, is all the new "payments in lieu" that will be generated. Couple this with an additional property tax to build a new courthouse (which I agree we need) and the additional sales tax which will be bonded immediately for roads & drainage projects, I would estimate that there will be a much larger bucket.
Well Mr Durel, lets start saving by not paying out $50,000 leave benefits to disgraced public employees like Hundley/DiBennedetto etc. It is not a law that we do this, simply a city policy that should be changed. Other agencies do not do this.
How about telling us what will be fixed, and then actually fixing it. The previous bond issue was supported by us, and nothing was completed save the 25 year Camellia project. EVERYTHING was over budget, and behind schedule. I expect the same for the pending bond issue as well. Before I would support more taxes for roads, I would like to see the actual proposed projects, and a realistic price tag, not some more bs from Tony Trammel or Terry Huval.
You even acknowledged that the taxes would not likely pass if run at the same time although with our pathetic 7% turnout, I expect the taxes will indeed pass. Maybe we could schedule the elections for Christmas Eve to ensure that.
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Post by Quest on Aug 3, 2006 5:38:10 GMT -6
Any money spent renovating the Court House is an absolute waste of money. The City/parish should have bought the old Guaranty Bank building for 3 million when they had the opportunity. The building was in great shape, lots of space and lots of parking. But no.
If a new court house is going to be built, only the agencies that are required by law should be in the building. The DA, the Judges, the Clerk. Build it right, with room for expansion.
The old court house should be imploded and the area turned into a small park. The building was not designed for the needs of today, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, security, etc. Pouring money into this building would be idiotic.
I will not support any tax measure that involves renovating the court house, the building needs to go.
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Post by zoe10850 on Aug 3, 2006 11:16:52 GMT -6
Well, no one liked my idea about converting the cajundome, how about buying the K-Mart on Ambassador ? That building is huge, has a giant parking lot, is very accessable to the public, can be wired and partitioned any way you want.
And we could move the "city hall", city court, city marshall, and all of those other unecessary agencies there as well. That way, the taxpayers of this city would not have to run all over town, get those d**n parking tickets (another racket) because you can never get your business done in 15 minutes. I know the bulding is not fancy and state of the art like the federal courthouse, but really, even though we paid for it, how many have actually seen the inside of the federal building ? Answer, very few. The courthouse (and city courthouse, and city hall) are for the public, even though we have to get undressed to get in now, the buildings should be for our convenience, not the public officials.
I am certain the building could be usable in 6 months and will not cost 50 million.
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Post by zoe10850 on Aug 3, 2006 11:25:22 GMT -6
And, in case our invisible sheriff is listening, we could build that new jail right behind the K Mart. There is land we could buy (or seize under eminent domain) and build that new facility that we are supposed to need. Maybe we could build it right this time.
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Post by abbd on Aug 9, 2006 6:53:02 GMT -6
I just wanted everyone to know that our "hehehehehe" conservative parish president (of course he had the help of his duncil)just raised the property tax on all who live in "the parish". I think I'm correct but I believe that's actually the second time in less than a year that property taxes have been raised. Wow it really never does stop with this administration does it?
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Post by zoe10850 on Aug 9, 2006 12:12:21 GMT -6
This abbd, is what is called a millage rollforward. What that means is that the taxing body can effectively raise the tax rate on your property without a public vote. This is the reason we vote on a 5 mill tax but when the tax is "renewed" it is a 7.52 mill tax. This is a practice our local tax assessor, Mr C Comeaux (republican btw) espouses, and a reason I think he needs to go.
Why is it fair for the home I live in to keep increasing in value and the millage rate climbs at the same time ? This is a deceptive practice, and our assessor should be fighting, not supporting. If my home doubles in value tomorrow, what difference does that make to me unless I sell it ? I realize no gain financially yet am taxed at ever higher rates. And by RINO's to boot.
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Post by zoe10850 on Aug 11, 2006 1:41:38 GMT -6
Letter to the editor in Thurs Advertiser; The library staff thanks people for the overwhelming vote to renew millages. Let's see, 70% of 7% of the voters voted yes. Pretty overwhelming ! i guess we deserve it.
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Post by Quest on Aug 11, 2006 5:06:03 GMT -6
So, if you listened to Joey Thursday morning on KPEL you learned that a lot of the traffic problem is on roads that are out of the city limits.
So, he is asking for a new sales tax ONLY in the corporate limits of the City of Lafayette. He said that the new tax would generate 30 to 40 million annually and could be bonded to as much as 400 million.
So, should the tax pass and be bonded, Lafayette will have absolutely the best roads that money could buy that will basically dead end at the city limits OR Joey plans to embark on the largest annexation program ever seen to bring all of those cra%^y roads into the city limits so he can fix them with City of Lafayette tax money.
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Post by Taureau on Aug 11, 2006 12:10:06 GMT -6
Zoe, I too; did see it but failed to act on it. I said the same thing about it. It is a darn shame; 7% of the voters decide whether or not we pay more taxes. To say, "Over Whelming Support", How ignorant. I hope on Nov. 7th. we get a lot more than this measly 7% turnout. I just wish that one day soon; the only voters allowed to vote on property taxes is people who actually own property.
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Post by ronnief on Aug 11, 2006 17:28:21 GMT -6
Overwhelming you say. Well, our parish officials were elected by a majority of approx 40% voter turnout. How sad is that. 70% of 7% control our taxes, and 51% of 40% controls our officials.
If Durel is parish president, why would he introduce ANY proposition that was less than a parishwide referendum ? I hope a different 7% vote.
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quest
New Member
Posts: 49
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Post by quest on Aug 12, 2006 8:25:36 GMT -6
Read the story in Saturday's Advocate!!!
"Several projects on Durel’s list that touch on other municipalities or unincorporated parish areas are noted as contingent on annexation or agreements with other city governments."
It looks like I was right. Joey plans to embark on an annexation program. And he plans to contract away City of Lafayette tax monies....
Maybe Joey can explain in this era of a consolidated parish wide government, why he is asking for a tax ONLY in the City of Lafayette. It seems like government is consolidated one day and then the next day it is not, then the next day it is....
And on to the Court house.
Spending 12 million to renovate! What an waste of money. 70 million for a new one! Sounds like the judges, DA and clerk are going to have some pretty nice (private) offices that the public will never see.
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