The Piercing Truth

This is right from the dictionary and seems to describe Albuquerque, Berry and Schultz. Fascism (f ash ,izem) noun An authoritarian right wing system of government and/or social organization. (in general use) extreme right wing, authoritarian, chauvinistic and/or intolerant views or practices. Fascism tends to include a belief in the supremacy of one group over another, national, ethnic, especially social strata or monetarily; a contempt for democracy, an insistence on obedience to a powerful leader, and a strong demagogic approach. Compliments of one of our Eyes

May 22, 2007

Money, Money, Money

Money was on the agenda Monday night down at city hall... money for budgets, a little less money from the scam-era system, and money for the county. Money, money, money... in fact $490 MILLION of your hard earned tax money was allocated as part of the city's overall budget plan (ABQ Journal - Subscription Required).

Talking about the city budget or taxes is like watching paint dry (or like trying to sit through a typical City Council meeting without falling asleep or attempting suicide). We bet that you didn't even flinch when you read that the city approved a budget of almost half a billion dollars. Let us say that again... HALF A BILLION DOLLARS! That's your money and that's our money and how it is spent is of tremendous importance to not only our pocketbooks now, but to our future ability to fill those pocket books.

The past six or so years Mayor Almighty with his willing accomplices on the council, have been on a spending spree increasing the city budget by $125 MILLION more (we told you about it here) than can be accounted for by the rate of inflation (ABQ Journal - Subscription Required). The city has been and continues to act as if the party will never end and thus they believe they will always the revenue to support their ambitions and their insatiable appetite for our money.

What have we gotten for all of our taxpayer generosity? A whole lot of shiny new amenities (read as taxpayer responsibilities), a dysfunctional police department, and a trolley on the way. That's right, the council voted to include our mayor's favorite 19th Century Streetcar as part of the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).

The move doesn't allocate funding for the trolley, but it makes its inclusion part of our overall transportation plan. I thought that at least the Benton sales... ah, "study" group would at least regale us with how important the trolley was before they included it in the plan. Must be some sort of governmental thing... plan for the need before you determine that you have a need, and if you already have (like more police officers on the street) a need - ignore it.

As for taxes (of all sorts) the council voted to keep the 1/8 cent sales tax in place until July 2008 citing the need to support the county jail with the $9 MILLION expected to come in through the continuance of the tax. We do know that the new jail is struggling to find space for all of the bad guys that are being shipped out to the West side. We do know that a large percentage of those miscreants come from our fair city and that the county often complains that the city isn't carrying its share of the fiscal burden (perhaps it isn't).

However, one hundred percent of those enjoying the hospitality of the county's west side facility are Bernalillo county prisoners; otherwise they'd be locked up in some other county jail. More importantly, whose hare-brained idea was it to give a one-time no strings attached, $9 MILLION bonus to the county? And exactly how does it solve the problem of the inability of the city to get along with the county? Here's an idea... give us back our money before you find another excuse to continue to waste it.

Finally, and at long last, the city council voted last night to move the deck chairs. After careful consideration and much debate, we'll get $50 off the first infraction, and $200 off the second, along with an additional 15 days in which to appeal our conviction (ABQ Journal - Subscription Required). We say conviction because we long ago established that you are guilty until proven innocent under this Kangaroo Camera-Court system.

The only sense came from Councilor Winter who pointed out that moving around the deck chairs does nothing to repair the damage done by due process iceberg. Perhaps the councilors are trying to hurry along the abducted bride syndrome described by Chief Schultz by lowering the fines to make it appear that we can all live without the very foundation of our legal system - due process.

Money, money, money... they'll take more of it (an 1/8th cent for the county and MILLIONs from the Red Light Scam-eras). They'll spend more of it (Almost a HALF BILLION DOLLARS for the city budget). And they'll continue to work on ways to keep every cent of tax revenue (1/4 cent Transportation Infrastructure Tax for the trolley - 1/8th cent sales tax for the jail now and who knows what later).

This is our money folks... and as much as we at Eye on Albuquerque complain about, deride, and make fun of the mayor and council for their spend happy ways; it's everyone's fault that they get away with it. We keep electing them and they keep spending. Why are we surprised?

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

So they reduced the fines. Don't do us any favores. I agree with Brad Winter. Without 'Due Process'
why bother. He didn't cave to the notion that by reducing fines, all is good. Now Councilor Incompetant,
(Sally Mayer) has yet another FIX to your citations. Besides doing community service, you can now drag your pet in for a spay or neuter (Fix)job, therefore dismissing (FIXING)your ticket. What a great idea. What about those who already got their pets fixed? What if you don't have a pet to FIX? Does a vasectomy or lobotomy count?
Sure hope City Council passes this one. The spay and neuter program will sure take hold and reduce the animal population tremendously. Now if Sally doesn't like you, you will get TWO citations FIXED
(dismissed) for your vasectomy. Question is; who should get the lobotomy?

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the council took the wind out of all you complainers' sails! If the council really wanted to they could have done away with the red light cameras. However, they actually like the cameras. It is just that the Mayor is taking the beating over them and so no pressure is actually applied to the councilors themselves. That is good LEADERSHIP. The Mayor is decisive... exactly what we need and exactly what we want.

Also, the Mayor was in favor of giving back the $9 million back to the citizens of Albuquerque. The Council obviously wanted to give the money to the county jail. Where or where is the outrage on that?

So I conclude by asking those that read this blog - Is the problem with the Mayor or with the Council and I believe it to be the COUNCIL!

O'Malley & Cadigan must GO!

Anonymous said...

Oh contrare, foolish one. Cadigan, O'Malley and Winter are the only ones holding anybody's feet to the fire. As for the rest; your right. Take a blow torch to the whole damn lot of them.

Anonymous said...

Yep - burn'em all at the stake!

Anonymous said...

Has anyone figured out yet that the ill-gotten SCAMera funds benefit the city council as well? While I certainly don't have the resources to prove it, I am almost positive that they benefit from them. Why else would these worthless (and they are ALL worthless) "public servants" ignore their constituents who have most certainly inundated them with emails and calls to have them removed? King Marty doesn't rule all, and the council could very easily vote to have them banished from the kingdom.

The fact is, be it a city councilor, county comissioner, mayor, or what have you...a politician is a politician, and thye are ALL in it for power and money. I hope those who read this blog don't lose sight of that.

Anonymous said...

To the person who wrote, they feel the mayor is doing a good job, and standing up and taking charge.... your wrong!!! he is soooo crooked its not even funny. i wish i could live in your world... like the ones on those walgreens commercials,, were everything is fairy tale.... wake up!!! this city is so far behind in just about every category its sicking... wow!!! the mayor needs to go!!! along with most of the city council.. we as citizens need to stand up to this big brother back slapping, your only going to get in if we like you and your cool style of government, and elect someone who will actually get in a change things up, this city has alot potential.. it will be nice to see where it goes from here...

Anonymous said...

Response to two comments up. You are so right. I do think there are some who don't have to steal to make a living, with kick backs and costly programs that are funded by the tax payer. Lets take this City Council for example. Who among them have retirements or real jobs? Michael is a good lawyer hense makes a good honest living, therefore doesn't have to steal. Brad has a good salary with APS, therefore doesn't have to steal. Loy has a large APD salary and probably doesn't have to steal. What do the rest of them do? Does anyone know? If they're consulting, that just means they're out of work. Now if you have no job and have no other income other than $9,200 a year and you spend $50,000 to get re-elected, then you go figure it out. Who lives on $9,200 a year. I guarantee at least one of them doesn't.If your not corruptable, your not electable, at least for some of those leeches on the City Council.In other words 'Blind obedience' is the order of the day. Do what the master who owns you says, regardless of what the opinions of your constituents are. District 7 is a prime example.
Unfortunately the residents of that district have swallowed that Councilor's Bull, hook, line and sinker.

Anonymous said...

Maybe we could learn something from our neighbors to the east.
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/23/they-do-it-different-in-texas-speed-cameras-banned-statewide/

Wishful thinking...

Anonymous said...

Yea for Texas!

Anonymous said...

Texas may suck, but at least they have some sense!

Anonymous said...

Texas, Colorado, Arizona don't put up with this kind of Bullshit that goes on here. This is a culture of total ethical back-assward-ness. Complacent stupid culture where gang banging grown ups and political incompetent crooks can hang there hat. What's worse is that this taxpaying public allows it to continue. If your that damn stupid and uninformed, don't vote. Look at the aholes that are on the City Council and the ones we elect to run the rest of this city's government. Oh and lets not forget all of the incestual relatives that are given high paying jobs that barely hold GEDs.

Anonymous said...

...you mean they have GEDs??? The only reason the bullshit in our adjacent states is less obvious is because there are bigger companies in those towns that won't tolerate the amateurs we have here. The friggn kid who is mayor of Pittsburgh has more presence and professionalism than our last three mayors and is doing a better job in a city 3x the size. I hate to say it but I hope more corporations move here so we get better quality people running the city...it seems to be the only way to get it done.

Anonymous said...

That's just it. WE ( City) don't want any outsiders with brains. We want to keep the "Patron" sytem in place that only breads complacency, stupidity, ignorance, and allows for more of the same in-breeding culture. Viva New Mexico; the land of the uneducated, alcohalic populace. Much better for those in power. It's easier to steal from the unconscious public.
It will never change

Anonymous said...

"It will never change", as pessimistic as that sounds, I am inclined to agree with you.