According to our Eyes, the Bernalillo County Fire Department needs about $5 MILLION for station renovation and equipment replacement. All or part of a 1/4 cent tax increase would be used to fund the endeavor.
We don't blame the chief for asking for the tax increase as the Eyes have it that he genuinely needs at least part of the money that he's requested. Our problem is that it has become necessary for the chief to ask for a tax increase to pay for needed equipment and infrastructure in the first place.
County commissioners approved a $4 million bond deal to finance the purchase and some renovations of Hiland in 2003. They took ownership of the theater from Musical Theatre Southwest, then rented it back to the nonprofit.As you can see, back in 2003 the county was able to come up with some $4 MILLION to purchase the decaying Hiland Theater. Two years later the commission slipped another $1 MILLION past tax payers in a bond issue that was used to fix up the Hiland but sold as a general fixer upper for county buildings.
County officials intended for rent from the group to cover debt payments on the theater purchase. Eventually, however, Musical Theatre Southwest was unable to afford keeping the Hiland open, and the county began looking at other options.
The county is closing in on a $42 million deal to acquire the 500 Marquette office building, once home to the swanky Petroleum Club. The 15-story building lies across the street from the County Commission's current home, the City Hall complex it shares with Albuquerque city government and the water utility authority.The county seems to be able to come up with $4 MILLION or even $42 MILLION on short notice as long as it's for a cathedral for themselves or a theater for the profitably challenged. But when it comes to public safety - you know, police, fire, detention - there's not enough money to go around, so we need a tax increase.
What that tells us is that the county is busy spending money on things it shouldn't to the detriment of the things that it should. Government is tasked with certain functions that are core responsibilities, public safety is chief among them. In the county's case, they are also responsible for the operation of the West Side Jail.
When voters are forced to decide whether or not to vote for a tax to fund basic services, they are actually funding other non-essential spending - usually benefiting a very few. Whether it's a theater for the profitably challenged, a crystal cathedral for the commission, a downtown arena, or a shiny new trolley, spending outside of the core functions and responsibilities of government inevitably result in higher taxes.
We are -and have been - in a crisis of upside down priorities. Our governments are spending money meant for core functions on programs that are not a part of government's intent. Meanwhile, governments raise taxes to pay for core functions that should have been a top priority to begin with.
In reality, public safety taxes are an admission that government is failing at its job and ignoring its responsibilities - much like a gambler betting their food or rent money. The difference being one ends up being homeless and hungry, the other simply raises taxes.
15 comments:
Forget renovations, lets build a new fire station. The prefect location? Right next to the highly desirable westside Metro Detention Center on lushes John Dantis Blvd. That is what I would expect from the laughable county commission. But then again, if any of them had any business skills, they wouldnt be county commissioners.
NO MORE TAX INCREASE!!!!! DROP THE DEAL ON THE PETROLEUM CLUB AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE YOUR MONEY FOR EQUIPMENT AND RENOVATION PROJECTS. ALSO, I RECENTLY VIEWED A NEWS CONFRENCE THAT COUNTY FIRE PURCHASED 3 NEW PIERCE QUANTUM FIRE ENGINES FOR THE DEPARTMENT. WHAT WAS THE COST ON THIS PURCHASE, I'M SURE IT WAS IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. NO TAX INCREASE !!!!
We should fund priorities first and fully, then let the people who want to spend money on things theater renovations fight over what's left. Or let them try to raise taxes for their projects, instead of raising taxes to supposedly fund priorities.
How the world works lately...
If a man cuts his finger off while slicing salami at work, he blames the restaurant.
If you smoke three packs a day for 40 years and die of lung cancer, your family blames the tobacco company.
If your neighbor crashes into a tree while driving home drunk, he blames the bartender.
If your grandchildren are brats without manners, you blame television.
If a deranged madman shoots your friend, you blame the gun manufacturer.
And if a crazed person breaks into the cockpit and tries to kill the pilot at 35,000 feet, and the passengers kill him instead, the mother of the crazed deceased blames the airline.
I must have lived too long to understand the world as it is anymore.
So, if I die while my old wrinkled ass is parked in front of this computer, I want all of you to blame Bill Gates.
To the guy criticizing the purchase of the new trucks, wake up, trucks wear out and need to be replaced. They took the place of some of the busiest trucks in the county, and were greatly needed. The county has never been known for having nice equipment, so good for them for getting the stuff necessary to provide quality service to the citizens. The county has barely put in any money to the Fire Department in the last decade, and their stations are old, run down, and are in need of some significant financial TLC. the county commision should spend the money to refurbish or rebuild the stations that need it, and more trucks should still be replaced. If those commisioners can't do it with the money they already have, then we should vote them out.
Actually, correct me if I am wrong, but when AFD took over the County Fire stations, the County turned over all the brand new equipment as well..... hindsight is 20/20 I guess.
BCFD probably does need this tax increase for equipment, and station renovations, but as long as Thadeus, and the rest of the all speak and no action county commisioners are in power BCFD will always be the step child of Public Safety in Bernalillo County. Look at Corrections their budget, staffing, and pay all rival BCFD, and let's not mention the GREAT ONE Darren (I've never seen a camera I didn't love) White, when BCSO asks they shall recieve. County has no respect for the Fire Department or its Firefighters/Paramedics. It shows in your staffing, pay scale versus other departments, equipment, and facilities. It's just unfortunate that the BCFD has Chief John Garcia asking for this tax increase. The County Firefighters all know they need this and the voters will give it to them, but the County Comissioners will make sure only a fraction of it makes it back to BCFD. Thank You County Firefighters/Paramedics for all you do for us in the County!
QUANTUMS, THAT IS THE MODEL OF FIRE TRUCK THE COUNTY BOUGHT. THE TRUCK MODEL IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE MODEL PIERCE MFG. SELLS. WHY NOT BUY A MODEL THAT IS HALF PRICE? THE MODEL IS CALLED A CONTENDER,IF THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE SIX NEW TRUCKS. THE QUANTUM IS SO BIG IT HAS HAD TROUBLE GOING DOWN DRIVE WAYS IN THE SOUTH VALLEY.ALSO, WHY DID DANTIS, LUCERO,GARCIA,AND THREE OTHER GENTS NEED TO GO TO WISCONSIN TO INSPECT THE TRUCKS,10,000 JUNKET, JUNKET JUNKET!
Take a look at the million dollar house Dantis lives in and ask him to turn over his tax records and explain how he can afford something like that on his salary.
Corrupt, corrupt, corrupt. The guards know it. The prisoners know it (how do you think they get their drugs?) and the staff know it. Should be a cell with his patron Manny.
Wow, I agree that there was no need to go inspect the trucks at the factory but calling it a junket? Have you ever been to Wisconsin, if DAntis thinks that's a junket a trip to Vegas would kill him from heart failure
JOHN GARCIA WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE AFD UNION, HE SOLD HIS SOUL TO BE THE BCFD CHIEF, SO THE ABQ. METRO AREA HAS TWO CHIEFS THAT STACKED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER WILL EQUAL 5'O, TWO TERDS IN A PUNCH BOWL!
You are only part correct about County giving AFD their trucks... Yes, AFD took over two stations and it included the trucks to use, but after a short while of those trucks sucking due to poor maintenance, AFD put in their own trucks and got rid of the county influence there. Now they let their own incompetent FOOL tell them there is nothing wrong with the trucks and they should quit bothering him. Hodgie did sell his soul to the county commision, but no one at AFD is complaining. By the way, the Quantum may be bigger and more expensive, but it is also stronger, more capable, and an overall better truck. You will probably pay three times as much to replace all the cheaper trucks time after time as what you paid for the quantums. I have worked out of a contender... they are not worth the savings. Oh, and those junkets to Wisconsin, AFD sends their mechanic there all the time to inspect the new trucks that come back, and he wastes your money too. the last few trucks at AFD had so many easily noticeable mistakes, that there is no way he did anything besides drink and be merry while there. By the way, he makes the third turd in the bowl. He was a reject from another department in the city that got rid of him, and AFD got stuck with him. Don't worry BCFD, AFD has just as many problems. Sometimes you just gotta stop off at the nearest walgreens and grab yo self a beverage.
Bitch about he trucks until your house catches fire.
To defend Musical Theater SW. They also got federal grants to run the Hiland. The grants went to at risk kids for acting classes and other theater classes, lighting, sets etc. Something for our kids to do instead of run the streets in the "war zone".
It was suppose to be run by the city arts tax, but Marty pulled it from them when the county bought the building (his pissing contest). The county tried to keep it going.
So blame the mini-me for screwing that program.
Was Dantis the guy who bailed his girlfriend out of jail?
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