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andi03
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Could someone fill me in on the "Senior millage" please and the announcement that the monies now are being spent to balance the general budget? Sources?
IF this is the case, I feel like I have been duped, severely. Is there anyway to hold the commissioners accountable IF this is correct? Vote for one thing and whoops, guess what, we promised you that NOT too long ago, but we've changed our mind.
Opinions? Sources?
Meeting Dates? |
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Build a bridge and get over it! |
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Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:27 pm |
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FlintConservative
F L I N T O I D
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"Ms. Brockhahn asked if staff’s time working on the Senior Millage is being
billed to that fund. Ms. Hinterman said yes, and as a result, less CD funds
have been drawn down. Ms. Reed stated that the issue of administrative costs received a lot of bad press and wondered if staff will be able to come in at the 4% that was allotted. Ms. Hinterman said that Corporation Counsel and Purchasing also bill to the Senior Millage, but we appear well below that figure as of now."
http://www.co.genesee.mi.us/gcmpc-plan/Files/Docs/Min/GCMPC/6-05-07%20minutes.pdf
My recollection is that they are also charging about $250,000 per year of "administrative expenses" to the health care millage.
What they don't want you to realize, of course, is that those costs were formerly paid out of the general fund, so they are, in effect, helping to balance the budget. |
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Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:58 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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Thanks for the meeting minutes, I found those after I posted.....I love Google!! 
I am trying to wrap my head around this, please forgive me I just got over a migraine.
1.We, the voters, okay a millage for the seniors of this community, 60+.
2. Sure there are administrative costs associated with the beginning (implementing) of it and should be taken out of somewhere (general fund?), point noted.
3. Monies that come in from the Senior millage placed back into general fund where the initial monies came from to implement said program to "repay" the start up costs.......clear as mud.
4. This is where the monies should only trade hands.
Now the Senior millage monies are being allocated for things BUT what the millage was intended for?
Sorry, just trying to clarify.......better than assuming and you know what they say about that............  |
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Build a bridge and get over it! |
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Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:36 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:41 pm |
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FlintConservative
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
andi03 schreef:
2. Sure there are administrative costs associated with the beginning (implementing) of it and should be taken out of somewhere (general fund?), point noted...
Now the Senior millage monies are being allocated for things BUT what the millage was intended for?
Sorry, just trying to clarify.......better than assuming and you know what they say about that............
It's all perfectly legal if not underhanded and reprehensible (all the more reason the politicians are so good at it!). Let's say we have some people on staff...all costs are coming out of general fund. Then we pass a "senior millage" and determine that the staff is spending 10% of their time on "senior things" and therefor 10% of their costs should be paid by the "senior millage" (thus freeing up general fund monies for other things).
I audited a school district once that was allocating 150% of the superintendent's secretary cost to various grants. "Well, she spends 50% of her time on grant A, 50% on grant B, and 50% on grant C." And these were the people responsible for teaching our children math, among other things. |
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Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:50 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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| Thanks for the clarification...........oy. |
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Build a bridge and get over it! |
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Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:54 am |
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Biggie9
F L I N T O I D
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if you want to understand more about the millage issue I recommend researching the Bob Leonard show episodes, try around the late July then early-mid August episodes.
In there, and there were a couple of epsiodes he talked about the falaciousness of this tax proposal.
We are seeing the fall-out play out now.
basically it serves as a lesson to me, to what happens when we give MONEY [taxes] to our governmental entities that there is NOT a clear cut need, nor plan as to HOW it should be utilized. Confusion was rampant as the committees responsible for funding the county senior centers struggled with the decision of how the money was to be apportioned, and at the using end, what the funds would be used for. There was some sentiment expressed that the city seniors would NOT see their fair share of the opportunities the money would provide. Some centers used their wind-fall to provide significant raises for senior center directors etc.
Watch Bob's shows as to why he says the whole ordeal was inappropriate. The NEEDS including what, where, why etc should have been identified and carefully defined BEFORE going to the citizens for the money; NOT after "Gee what the heck, this thing actually passed, what should we spend these millions of dollars on? First come first served..."...no weighing of different proposals, no criteria to ensure the bang for the buck at the users [seniors] end....
it will serve as a case history of WHAT ought NOT to be done. |
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Biggie |
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Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:51 pm |
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