The City Budget

Mr. Picard is right. We must make decisions that will take us down the road several years. We must not be short sighted.

We MUST get into crisis mode. We are in a crisis. Council keeps telling us there is no money and there could be a 3.7 million dollar deficit. We must put everything on the table as Mr. Becker has stated. However, Mr. Becker you can’t say that on one side of your mouth and then on the other side say you will not give a penny to road paving until Public Safety is adequately funded. That’s showing your bias and not putting everything on the table. I believe we can do both if we set that as our goal.

We must stop ALL unnecessary spending.

We MUST make all necessary cuts.

We must regionalize where it makes sense and our needs don’t put a lopsided burden on our neighbors.

We MUST cut back on some services. We need to minimize services back to the basics. We MUST NOT play games with it. Public Safety, Infrastructure and Economic Development.

We Must do some outsourcing where it is profitable and beneficial to the City. We must not out-source artificial services just so we can look like we are outsourcing. This is what the Administration is doing now and it is a joke.

We must eliminate debt. The price of the golf course, the airport and other assets is the amount of the cities debt we need to eliminate. We must also keep our 15% reserve.

We must sell assets! This includes the golf course, the airport and every piece of real estate . The buyers will not be able to move these assets. They will still be in Middletown.

We must get the city out of the real estate business. This Administration has proven they do not know what they are doing and they only know how to destroy the city with their real estate investments. We MUST turn our real estate needs over to Professional Real Estate Brokers in the city.

We MUST get our finances under control. We MUST stop all underhanded and secret manipulation of funds from one account to another. We must be open and transparent.

We MUST NOT put our financial burdens unnecessarily on the backs of the citizens. They are already carrying more that their fair share of the load.

No Public Safety Levy!

No Health Levy! It is totally unnecessary!

Remove the $3.50 charge for street lights. We have already been paying for it. It is a hidden tax.

Stop the Camera traffic light fines. We got along for decades without them. It is just another hidden tax. It outrages the citizenry.

Stop raising water/sewer fees without the consent of the governed. We have had two recently and it is just another tax. It most likely will not be used for water/sewer costs. Its just another tax.

Postpone the sewer work on Lefferson until better economic times. Patch the roads and wait. Its all in timing.

We MUST get liquid. In two or three years we can start to restore special interest .services. Right now the timing for all of these things being put on the backs of the citizens is wrong.

I was ashamed I lived in this city when at the last business meeting the plight of our elderly was ignored and the burden was placed on the backs of those widows and others on Lefferson. Council should be ashamed. They will be held accountable in Judgment Day if not sooner. The pompous rantings of Les Landen and Jackie Phillips were nauseating. I expect it of Landen but was shocked by Jackie Phillips. She is a person who has worked hard to educate herself and get where she is. She personally has helped many people directly and through her church. We love her. That wasn’t the Jackie Phillips we know and love. What made her change her love for the elderly and their burdens to the bureaucratic whip? What changes good people like her when they get in the bureaucracy? The fact is that those who are paid by taxpayer dollars don’t know anything about recession. Their salary continues because of the taxpayers. They ignore the hardships of economic downturns because their employers (the taxpayers) continue their wages.

We MUST change our image. Our image to ourselves and the rest of the world is constantly getting worst. Everything this administration does is incompetent, negative, confusing and extremely costly. They are underhanded and vindictive. Council MUST get rid of them. Change the Administrtion leadership and you will change the image of Middletown overnight. I am talking specifically about City Manager Judy Gilliland, City law Director Les Landen, City Planning Commisioner Marty Kohler, and Section Eight Zsar Doug Adkins. This will send a very strong message that we have a new day in Middletown. This action alone will attract new businesses. This Administration MUST be held accountable for losing the Wausau Paper expansion. There was no effort and those who are guilty must be held accountable and dismissed not deceitfully put in other positions.

In order to attract new business we MUST give a five year tax deferment to new businesses. This doesn’t cost us a thing. It simply gives new businesses a chance to get started. They will be paying taxes in sixty months. It entices them to come to our city. Otherwise, we continue to go without.

Don’t fall for the foolishness tomorrow night about Middletown Moving Forward. It is illegal the way it is set up with City employees on it. Council will come down with it because of complicity. That also goes for the illegal Historic District baloney. If it flies, then every Ward should create its own government. This is pet projects at its most arrogant and deceptive level.

We MUST change our image!

I was going to go to council and present this but they would not give me enough time and I am not up to it right now, health-wise.

I hope everyone will consider this and make these the issues for this coming election. The city can further change our image and show they care by getting out and vote and registering everyone they can in their ward and get out and vote. Don’t let the machine/Middletown Moving Forward sway the election again. You can make a difference this time by replacing the majority(4) of Council at the poles in November.

We Must change our city government at the poles.

Thank you.

Paul Nagy