Blame "Mayor Jerry"

Watching the governmental process has often been described as sausage making, you really don't want to watch.  After attending last night's Public Hearing and Special Board Meeting to consider an increase in your taxes for next year, I can truly say it was by far the worst performance I have witnessed by the Mayor, Board and Staff that I have witnessed in 14 years of observing the proceedings, both as an alderman and citizen spectator.  Sausage?  More like baloney.  But first the bottom line.

Your taxes are going up next year compliments of your Board and Mayor.  The City joins a number of other taxing entities dipping into your wallet, The WL Fire District is proposing and will surely raise their levy as well as Platte County and the Park Hill School District.  Those of you who experienced an increase in your property appraisal will now get the added bite of increased taxes to go along with that bump in property value.  Nice.

To be sure, the levy proposal had some mundane components, the levy for the general fund and parks was straightforward.  The controversial part was the proposal to increase the levy regarding the debt service on bonds.  Basically the Mayor asked the BOA to increase the levy to pay off bonds sooner than the payment schedule to pay off higher interest bonds.  Yes, that is right, increase taxes to pay off bonds, not due.  When asked for specific interest rates for the bonds the Mayor responded between 6 and 7 %, he did not know exactly...nor did the City Treasurer...nope none of the Aldermen either.  As he was pushed for more details regarding "calling the bonds" an exasperated Botbyl tossed the hot potato to the previous administration, saying the process was put in place by "Mayor Jerry" and the "previous board" (note, Botbyl was a member of that board). 

Details were sketchy and misinformation was flying fast and furious...example:

Another member of the audience asked if any other City money could be used in paying off the bonds?  Answer from the City Treasurer, "only monies from the levy for the bonds could be used", while the Mayor's head bobbed affirmatively, the City Attorney sat silent.

When it appeared a vote on the levy might fail, and responding to a direct question regarding this, the City Attorney advised at the very least to recess the meeting rather than adjourn...at which point Alderman Clark commented he felt he "had a gun to his head".  No discussion on alternatives, no discussion to the fact the BOA in fact could approve the bond levy at a lower amount. The BOA was never presented with a plan B by the Mayor and staff, basically positioned as all or nothing...silly.

The audience was in the dark as staff, BOA and Mayor shuffled through papers, none of which were made available to the public.  I surmise had copies been distributed more questions would have been asked like,  "Is there a cost to calling the bonds?"

Another odd circumstance was the non-appearance of any representative from the companies holding the bonds, the so called experts.  They have appeared in the past, not last night

All in all a very unconvincing performance by your elected officials and staff.  As I walked out a former alderman, also in attendance, commented on how disorganized and unprepared the meeting appeared.  I couldn't have said it better.