East Point City Council met Monday, August 5, 2019, with one Public Hearing and no Consent or Agenda Items on their Council Agenda. I spoke out against the proposed 13.45 millage rate and it created a backlash that would have left scars on a more timid and uniformed public servant. They at least paid attention. Here is my speech.
PUBLIC HEARING FOR MILLAGE RATE
EAST POINT CITY COUNCIL MEETING: AUGUST 5, 2019
Management has stated its case for a property tax increase of 13.45 mills. Mayor and Council passed the proposed City Manager’s 2020 Budget Draft of $165,317,142 without a single change. That Budget contains a salary increase for all the proposed 597 employees. Mayor and Council then voted themselves salary increases that added an addition $45,000 to the 2020 Budget. Likewise, Council perks for more entertainment, banquets, and three unnamed social events increased by more than $247,450.
What is in the $165,317,142 Budget for the residents? Who are these residents who will be paying more for mortgages and rent to pay for those salary increases for employees, the Mayor and Council Members; and the Council perks? These 33,365 residents are composed of 6,793 families 8,497 children.
- 7 percent of these children do not have health insurance.
- 2 percent of these children are living in poverty.
- 1 percent of these families are not financially stable.
- 46 percent of these families have housing cost burdens.
- 2 percent of the adults do not have health insurance and the unemployment rate is 17.6 percent.
These are East Point residents who did not receive one penny of financial support in the 2020 Budget and you want them to pay a higher millage rate rather than the rollback millage rate of 12.14 mills which is still a property tax increase because the value of a mill has greatly increased due to the increase in the property assessment.
Instead of using the only Federal funds (CDBG) that could be used for code home improvements such as new roofs, windows, plumbing, tree removal, etc. you chose to use $64,800 last year for a dirt bike ramp.
ramp; and this year you will be using $81,000 for a pump track both in Sykes Park. There is another $110,000 in CDBG funding in Parks & Rec Budget that has not been earmarked. Is the City charging non-residential dirt bike users to use Sykes Park? NO! Why then are you so willing to charge residents to use the Community Rooms at Fire Stations 3 and 4?
Mayor and Council, do you honestly believe that $6,100 in a turkey-give-away; and $4,000 in a ham-give-away to our most venerable residents can justify increasing their mortgages and rent so that all City employees can get a raise; Mayor and Council can get raises; dirt bikers from outside of the City can get free use of a trail built for them with funds that should be used to help East Point homeowners with code home improvements; and charging residents with using Community Rooms that they are already paying for? Are you that insensitive?
On behalf of all the residents that were left out of the 2020 Budget, I am asking you to vote to set the millage rate at the rollback rate of 12.14 mills.
My Public Comments inflamed them even more. Here is my speech.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
EAST POINT CITY COUNCIL MEETING: AUGUST 5, 2019
Mayor and Council is celebrating the City’s 132nd Birthday with the slogan: Love My City East Point. Having another party is not the best way for Mayor and Council to celebrate the City’s Birthday especially using the slogan, “Love My City”. I am sure that the residents would rather have Mayor and Council show their “LOVE” to the residents by obeying and respecting the City Charter, Ordinances and policies of the City; and adhering to their Oaths of Office.
If Mayor and Council truly loved the City, they would immediately, tonight put an end to residents being told by me, that the residential Winter electric rates, power cost adjustment (pca) fee; and environmental compliance cost recovery (eccr) fee that are being charged by the Electric Utility have never been passed by any Mayor or Council in an Ordinance or Riders. They can stop residents from going through the process of filing an electric refund claim and expose me as a charlatan preying on the residents of the City, simply by producing the Ordinance amending or repealing the Electric Utility Ordinance passed on November 5, 2012; a Rider for imposing a pca fee; and an Ordinance creating and imposing an eccr fee.
I can produce the Ordinances, Council Minutes, videotapes and tape recordings that supports and validate my statements that the Electric Utility is charging residential customers a Winter rate, pca and eccr fees not passed by any Mayor and Council. On the other hand, Mayor and Council have sought to detract the residents by attempting to tie my electric refund claim community workshops to the Plaintiffs Class Action Lawsuit concerning MEAG’s $40 million Refund. Instead of simply providing the residents with the Ordinances and Riders, Mayor and Council have chosen to insult the residents’ intelligence by withholding the very evidence that would prove me a liar.
Why haven’t Mayor and Council produced documents in support of their assertions that the Electric Utility are charging its residential electric customers Winter rates, pca and eccr fees according to Ordinances and Riders passed in keeping with the City Charter? They cannot produce what does not exist.
Their intent to frustrate residents and hope that they will give-up will not work. In the 2020 Budget, Mayor and Council have approved the billing of $3.8 million in pca fees; and $2.2 million in eccr fees in the Electric Utility Budget for a total of $6 million. It is time for Mayor and Council to produce the documents tonight; and end the illegal charging of the pca and eccr fees and use the November 5, 2012 Ordinance to charge Winter rates.
Residents, if you want to have your electric refund claims addressed with the dignity and respect that you are due for being overcharged for the past six years, you need to let the Mayor and Council know that you mean business. You can start by joining me in displaying happy birthday cards at the City’s Birthday celebrations on Saturday, August 10, 2019 that read:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY EAST POINT!
PRODUCE THE ORDINANCES & RIDERS!
NOTE: If the rain chance is still forecast to be 90%, cancel the Birthday Card. I will let you know when a protest rally will take place later.
