Dear Editor:
From a budgetary perspective, every level of government is in turmoil. This is in part due to the down turn of the economy, with sales tax revenues, income tax revenues, property values and taxes all down, and the list goes on and on. There is an elephant in the room in case you haven’t noticed. At every level of government our elected officials and their respective administrations are scrambling to shore up the budgetary shortfalls and the dam is about to break. The only problem is, the dam is made out of Swiss cheese and they are going to be looking to "We the People" the tax payers to fill all of those holes.
The holes in the dam will be filled with a litany of drummed up budgetary line items. All in the form of newly invented Non-Ad-Valorem service fees, rate hikes for utilities and every imaginable service fee they can muster. All of this will be done without the painful process of due diligence. The physical and fiduciary responsibilities mandated in evaluating all of the available options to make the painful and difficult decisions necessary to reduce services and operational expenses of our government(s) are lacking and almost nonexistent.
Sure they are going thought the motions, but they are merely scratching the surface. Administrative salaries, pension, and benefits at all levels of government far exceed national averages in the private sector and are breaking the bank. Governmental waste at every level is running wild. Mismanagement of contracts, unchecked cost over runs and sloppy documentation seam to be the norm rather than the exception. There seams to be a double standard when it comes to utilization and dispensing of our municipal funds. They clearly don’t expend the same levels of diligence to protect it as if it were coming out their own pockets.
The trend of preference to fix the problem appears to be, let’s go get more money; we can raise taxes, service rates and fees or create new ones. Problem solved right? It is not their fault by the way; this is the way the public sector operates. It is the way they have always done it and until we get involved and stop it, it will continue to be that way. Our politicians and administrators seem to believe that they are not held to the same standards as those of us who operate in the private sector. They have to learn to operate within their means; and not simply go get more money by razing taxes, service fees or even worst, printing more money.
The tragic part of all of this is that it is our own fault. "We the People" the constituency, are not doing our collective parts in participating in the day to day business of our respective governments; there are very few citizens actively involved in the day to day business keeping tabs on what is going on with our communities on the local, county, state or national levels. For the most part, "We the People" the constituencies of our beloved country don’t even exercise our collective rights to vote on a regular basis. And that my dear friends is a tragedy in of it self!
It is time to get serious America! Let me ask you the following questions. Aren’t you the least bit concerned with the state of affairs of your local government? When is the last time you attended a town council or committee meeting? Do you even know your elected and appointed officials in your community? Are you aware of the issues that your local government is struggling with? When was the last time you picked up the phone to let your elected and appointed officials hear your opinion (good, bad, or indifferent)? Did you vote in each of the last local, county, state and national elections? Do you not think your voice or opinion matters? If not, then why not? Do you even care?
If you did not answer yes to the majority of the questions above, then why not; would you like to see that change? Are you not aware that there are various groups of your neighbors who love your community and are hoping you will join them in helping to make the necessary changes? Would you like to help make your community a better place to live? If so, then get involved, become an active participant, help to create a collective voice, and the most important thing is to exercise your right to vote in every local, county, state, and national election.
Not only is it your right, but it is your civic responsibility. Rise up America and let your collective voices be heard.
Frank Ricketts,
co chair and co-founder
"The Concerned Citizens of Orange Park
March 12th 2010 - 5:03PM