http://bit.ly/1dtN493
The next Memphis City Council Meeting is Tuesday September 16th at 3:30. I encourage you to attend, after all, this is your government and it's paid for with your taxes and if you don't keep tabs on your leaders...then who will? The same people who have been recipients of grant funds and CIP funds and G.O. Funds and any other funds that seem to miraculously appear anytime the Mayor or somebody important has a bright idea about a project he would like to do are the same people coming up with the ideas to spend your taxes away...albeit with YOUR money. Remember the time Robert Lipscomb wanted to declare a LARGE portion of downtown blighted? So he could then take private property through imminent domain and do some redeveloping that would total about hundred million dollars? Yeah, the citizens put a stop to that and his project only amounted to about 10 million dollars but hey, couldn't that money have been spent on police and fire? Nope, no it couldn't because CIP funds (Capital Improvement Funds) are BORROWED money...You know, cuz we in such great financial shape...that is if you disregard the 1.5 billion in debt...yeah then we in great shape...oh my, I have gotten sidetracked before I have even started...OK back to work...
Below is a link to the agenda for Tues...http://www.memphistn.gov/Portals/0/pdf_forms/ag09-16-14.pdf
Just some things to note:
DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
24. RESOLUTION appropriating $5,050,000.00 funded by G.O. Bonds General chargeable
to the FY2015 Capital Improvement Budget for the fourth phase of the development and
the initiation of officially changing the name of the Cleaborn/Triangle Noir Project to the
Cleaborn Pointe at Heritage Landing/Heritage Trails Project.
I am not sure about this but I do believe this was part of the whole Robert Lipscomb project I was talking about from above. 5,000,000 is nothing to sneeze at and this link has a brief explanation about it..http://bit.ly/1uB4DPz. Boys and girls, this is what you call central planning. They are demolishing or have already demolished Cleaborn Housing Project...the residents who were living there had no say in this and were against the demolition. Now, as more libertarian-leaning and no fan of being dependent on government, I still felt for these people who had lived their lives for generations in this project and then one day the government decides that you have to go, leaving the schools your children attended among other things...this is the crux of the problem for those who depend on government...what the government gives...the government can take away. And take away they did...so the elites of Memphis could play monopoly money with our tax dollars. The people who have been displaced will be given section 8 subsidies and will go out into other parts of Memphis to live. The last time this happened, crime rates went down where they left and went up in other parts of the city where they moved to. When government is your daddy, daddy doesn't parent very well (See Memphis Kroger Mob for more example of this)...hence the crime rate.
Central planning never works out well and lets government pick winners and losers. One of the winners of this most recent taxpayer lottery is LRK (Looney Ricks Kiss) http://bit.ly/1tSlJL4. See,this is how the government gets to pick winners and losers and if you are good little boys and girls and will do whatever the city wants you to, then you will be rewarded for your efforts. Let me explain...
Once upon a time in the not so distant past (2010) there was an architectural and design firm called Looney Ricks Kiss Architects and they fell on some hard times and went bankrupt. But, all was not lost because central planners (City of Memphis Elites) had some grand plans for them and would bail them out with some good ole grant funds from the poverty-stricken, crime-ridden, 1.5 billion debt-laden City of Memphis. The end...
Just kidding, it's never the end when you are dealing with crack money i.e. grant funds i.e. TAXPAYER FUNDS...but I digress....
Lest you think I am making things up...http://bit.ly/1peFswO
Also on the agenda you will be happy to know....
PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITION OF VISITORS
1. RESOLUTION honoring National Welcoming Week.
Now, I know you all know what this is right? No? let me help you out. ..http://bit.ly/1vfCNer During the week of September 13-21, 2014, Welcoming America and its partners across the country will host National Welcoming Week, a nationwide event that will highlight the contributions of immigrants to American communities. Throughout the country, these events will bring together immigrants and U.S.-born community members in a spirit of unity.
In light of the recent cuts to police and fire...I submit to you that we change this to National Thank Your 1st Responders Week and restore the cuts to fire and police while cutting all other unneccessary projects like 275,000 to the Urban Arts Project, 1.5 millions for "traffic calming devices" Oh I can't remember what street they were for but you get the idea...,thousands of dollars per year to buy lunch for your city council members, etc. the list goes on and on and no matter how small the figure, it all adds up to less money for fire and police...just sayin....
Also you will be happy to know....
2. RESOLUTION honoring National Hispanic Month.
Strickland & Mayor Wharton ACTION REQUESTED: Adopt the resolution
Are you beginning to see a pattern here? In light of the plight of fire and police and the large numbers of police officers leaving the force...can we dispense with the unnecessary stroking of egos to build up self-esteem or whatever it is you are going for? This just seems so trivial, especially when the citizens you represent, the time you give them to speak is at the heal of the meeting when all the media has left and some of the council members too(REID HEDGEPETH). These presentations allow the politicians to parade before the camera and say "look at me! I'm so politically correct and diversity is everything and look at me! Look at me! Meanwhile, the citizens you represent are sitting out there watching this circus and asking themselves how Plato could have been so prescient when he said..."You can refuse to participate in the arena of politics, but one of the consequences is you will be represented by your inferiors...truer words were never spoken...
Come on down to City Hall Tuesday...the price is right everyday in council chambers!
P.S 1. Ordinance to institute a $5 fee for issuance of electronic traffic citations Found this on the city's website...http://bit.ly/1D5x90G
This most definitely is a fee on top of an electronic fine....Stay tuned...