April 7, 2009
Racine Mayoral Forum VIII
What’s the best thing about Racine that not enough people know about?
Jody Harding.
We have some of the most beautiful homes in the Midwest. When we win the war against crime and bring jobs back to Racine, a little TLC will bring these faded old ladies back to their original splendor.
Greg Helding.
North Beach. Thousands of beach goers brave the MMSD-polluted beaches of Milwaukee every year, despite the fact they are just minutes away from the state’s cleanest beach. They can spend a day on the beach, relax at the Oasis, go shopping and dining downtown, and still go home with more in their wallets than they would doing all those things in Milwaukee. This is why taking major steps against crime is so important. Racine gets more attention in the media for our crime problem than for our beach. As Mayor, I will change that.
What’s your favorite flavor of kringle?
Greg Helding
Cherry
Jody Harding
Anything with raspberry gets my vote!
100 words or less, why should Racine vote for you in the primary?
Jody Harding
There are two kinds of politicians running in this primary. The first believes that a handful of bureaucrats with a lot of rules and no workable ideas are in a better position to tell the rest of us how to run our lives and our businesses than we are ourselves.
The second believes in personal responsibility and the power of the community to solve our problems. This second kind believes the purpose of government is to support the citizens in their pursuit of happiness, not to rule them. I am the only candidate in this second group.
Greg Helding
I did not have an answer from Greg on this question.
I thank Pete Karas for getting me answers to the other questions he has been answering them as I published, if he gets me responses I will add them.
Jody Harding.
We have some of the most beautiful homes in the Midwest. When we win the war against crime and bring jobs back to Racine, a little TLC will bring these faded old ladies back to their original splendor.
Greg Helding.
North Beach. Thousands of beach goers brave the MMSD-polluted beaches of Milwaukee every year, despite the fact they are just minutes away from the state’s cleanest beach. They can spend a day on the beach, relax at the Oasis, go shopping and dining downtown, and still go home with more in their wallets than they would doing all those things in Milwaukee. This is why taking major steps against crime is so important. Racine gets more attention in the media for our crime problem than for our beach. As Mayor, I will change that.
What’s your favorite flavor of kringle?
Greg Helding
Cherry
Jody Harding
Anything with raspberry gets my vote!
100 words or less, why should Racine vote for you in the primary?
Jody Harding
There are two kinds of politicians running in this primary. The first believes that a handful of bureaucrats with a lot of rules and no workable ideas are in a better position to tell the rest of us how to run our lives and our businesses than we are ourselves.
The second believes in personal responsibility and the power of the community to solve our problems. This second kind believes the purpose of government is to support the citizens in their pursuit of happiness, not to rule them. I am the only candidate in this second group.
Greg Helding
I did not have an answer from Greg on this question.
I thank Pete Karas for getting me answers to the other questions he has been answering them as I published, if he gets me responses I will add them.
April 6, 2009
MRQ I feel violated
Group Hug. Chris.Hubba Hubba. Steve.
high-class babe. Jones.
hyper-sexualized ignoramuses. Melissa.
Aren't you feeling stimulated? Chris.
I t
hink he's hot. Lance.Trog not want. Trog smash! Trog.
Does this make me a jerk? Deibert
I feel violated. Holly.
**Swwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssshhh** * * * Thump * * * Blue.
Girlfriends don't let girlfriends wear horrible pants. Althouse.
TRQ
I don't want anything with beets in it. Kb Batman holding roses and riding a cow. Steve Buscemi.
Trains, planes, and autohypnosis. Michael.
I'm jealous. Chad.
Here's my resume. Me: Yawn. Otto.
walking around with my slacks falling down! Chris.
here's a beer. Egg.sold one piece. Nick.
I could change my picture to appear naked Wigdy.
BRIGHT red peeps Amy.
Does anyone really know what time it is? Does anybody really care? Chris.
*smacking self on head* Kate.
Muffinfilms.com Allison
David Copperfield in a cowboy kevin.
Crabby guy ripped me on his blog. Craig Koplien.
She wanted me to be her slave. Jimi.
I think boobs are the answer to many problems. Jimi.Boobs are the CAUSE of many problems! ;) Chris.
boobs have been the cause of many of my problems! Michael.
thplbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb Kate.
Bi-Partisan Opposition Grows To Stop The Unions Attempt To Take Away The Private Ballot.
Lincoln Says She Will Vote Against Employee Free Choice Act
By Arkansas Business Staff
4/6/2009 1:18:01 PM
Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., told a Monday meeting of the Little Rock Political Animals Club that she will oppose the Employee Free Choice Act.
Lincoln's office said the senator will release a statement on the legislation this afternoon.
"I cannot support that bill," Lincoln said, according to one attendee. "Cannot support that bill in its current form. Cannot support and will not support moving it forward in its current form."
Good for you Senator. Of course you realize the left will now move heaven and Earth to remove you from your seat.
By Arkansas Business Staff
4/6/2009 1:18:01 PM
Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., told a Monday meeting of the Little Rock Political Animals Club that she will oppose the Employee Free Choice Act.
Lincoln's office said the senator will release a statement on the legislation this afternoon.
"I cannot support that bill," Lincoln said, according to one attendee. "Cannot support that bill in its current form. Cannot support and will not support moving it forward in its current form."
Good for you Senator. Of course you realize the left will now move heaven and Earth to remove you from your seat.
It's About Time
ESPN.com is reporting that the International Baseball Federation is attempting to get baseball back for the 2016 Olympics. What's interesting is that instead of softball accompanying the bid, they are also apply for women's baseball to be part of the games.As the father of two daughters, I wondered why it is that girls are corralled into playing softball. In other sports at the high school and college level when there are sports for both genders (i.e. soccer, basketball), they don't make such differences. For some reason the girls got the beer-league driven stepchild of baseball. My older daughter currently plays baseball in a youth league. It bothers me to think that she'll have to switch to softball when she's older.
IOC, please bring baseball back for the men and the women. When making your choice, use your head, that's the lump 3 feet above your ass.
The Internet Supression Act of 2009.
According to the bill's language, the president would have broad authority to designate various private networks as a "critical infrastructure system or network" and, with no other review, "may declare a cyber-security emergency and order the limitation or shutdown of Internet traffic to and from" the designated the private-sector system or network.
No warrant, no nothing, Obama says so seems to be the rule.
Racine Mayoral Forum VII
1. As Mayor, what policies can you enact to help attract new businesses and jobs into Racine ?
Pete Karas
I’ve talked about a municipally-owned electric utility for years and will move this idea forward as mayor. Public Power is reality in 82 cities in Wisconsin and over 2,000 cities across the country. Electric rates in these areas are substantially below the rates of the neighboring investor-owned utility cities. This will substantially lower the cost of doing business in Racine and make our city more attractive to employers.
We also have to make Racine friendlier, especially to our local entrepreneurs who wish to start or expand a business (thus, creating jobs.) As mayor, I will reexamine our fee structure to both make it fairer and more attractive to business. It was very disturbing to me that the water fees for a local businessperson who wanted to open a laundry facility on Sixth Street was faced with a $100,000 bill from the city. The potential business found that to be too expensive and so do I.
Jody Harding
Business will not come to Racine until we get the problems of crime, taxation and over-regulation under control. Our police do a good job of solving crime, but they are not responsible for preventing crime. Prevention must come from within the community. There are already a number of organizations that are making good progress making our neighborhoods safer. The city needs to get behind these groups and give them the support, coordination and resources they need.
Secondly, we need to cut the waste from our budgets and get our taxes under control. We have already seen business leave the city and move just outside our borders where they are not strangled by city taxes. And not taxes only. Business-owners are becoming seriously over-regulated. Downtown merchants have to follow rules about everything from the design of their signage to the colors they can paint their buildings. People with the drive and creativity to generate business and jobs shouldn’t be hampered by unnecessary rules imposed by bureaucrats.
Finally, we need to be able to provide incoming business with an available workforce. While we have more than our share of unemployed persons looking for work, we need to make sure our citizens have both the technical skills, and the “soft skills” employers value.
Greg Helding.
As a Mayor, I cannot directly affect the tax, litigation, or regulatory climate in the state. If those things do not improve, Racine will not even get the chance to compete with other communities for new businesses. As Mayor, I will address these issues with the Governor and Legislature. In the meantime, there are some things a Mayor can do.
As Mayor, I will lead the effort to bring more jobs to Racine. We will focus on three key areas.
• 20 miles to our South, there is a thriving pharmaceutical industry. Drug companies, research organizations, and their suppliers provide good paying jobs in a growth industry. Racine can offer lower property costs, lower utility costs, and lower cost of living to these companies. As Mayor, I will do what it takes to attract those job providers to Racine.
• A lot has been made of "Green Collar Jobs". These are nothing more than new manufacturing jobs. For example, there is a new company making bircks from fly-ash from the new power plant. These bricks take 85% less energy to make than clay bricks. President Obama, on the campaign trail, spoke often of these "Green Collar Jobs". He has pledged to make investments to spur private industry to create these jobs making new battery technologies, windmills, solar cells, and other products to provide clean energy. Racine is well-positioned to be a home for one or more of these new businesses. We have industrial sites ready for development with access to rail, power, and fresh water. We have a vibrant city, a solid midwestern work ethic, and a reasonable cost of living. As Mayor, I will aggressively market Racine and pursue every opportunity to establish the new green economy here.
• I work in the high tech sector. Racine missed, in large part, the benefits of the high tech bubble of the last decade - although we felt the impact when it burst. As Mayor, my high-tech background will give us an advantage as we bring these jobs to Racine.
No amount of jobs will help if people are not qualified to work them. As Mayor, I will improve cooperation with our local partners to make job training available to those who need it. We will continue to direct C.D.B.G. funds to high-impact workforce development programs like the First Choice Pre-Apprenticeship and the Gateway CNC bootcamps. The city will seek out grants and other funding sources to ensure our workforce is ready.
I believe that meeting the needs of our existing job providers is just as important as attracting new ones. As Mayor, I will establish the Mayor's Small Business Roundtable. Made up of small business owners from different business types and areas of the city, this group will meet quarterly and advise the Mayor - What should the city be doing to help? What is the city doing that might be hurting? I will listen to all points of view, not just supporters.
Racine deserves better than we have been getting. We deserve more than the tax-subsidized table scraps from the development industry. Racine has plenty of affordable housing - even WHEDA says so. Economic development is about developing our whole city, not just about the latest building to go up. A balanced approach to development recognizes the need for strong infrastructure and those things that make Racine a place people want to live - parks, libraries, entertainment venues, museums, our lakefront, and other amenities that help make life enjoyable. We must not neglect those in our pursuit of new developments. Just trying to attract new business is not enough.
We have competitors. We must improve out attractiveness.
Former Mayor Becker refused to acknowledge or greet visiting dignitaries to Racine who were not members of his political party. Will you as Mayor put aside partisan politics and be a polite host or give people you may not agree with the cold shoulder?
Pete Karas
I’ve talked about a municipally-owned electric utility for years and will move this idea forward as mayor. Public Power is reality in 82 cities in Wisconsin and over 2,000 cities across the country. Electric rates in these areas are substantially below the rates of the neighboring investor-owned utility cities. This will substantially lower the cost of doing business in Racine and make our city more attractive to employers.
We also have to make Racine friendlier, especially to our local entrepreneurs who wish to start or expand a business (thus, creating jobs.) As mayor, I will reexamine our fee structure to both make it fairer and more attractive to business. It was very disturbing to me that the water fees for a local businessperson who wanted to open a laundry facility on Sixth Street was faced with a $100,000 bill from the city. The potential business found that to be too expensive and so do I.
Jody Harding
Business will not come to Racine until we get the problems of crime, taxation and over-regulation under control. Our police do a good job of solving crime, but they are not responsible for preventing crime. Prevention must come from within the community. There are already a number of organizations that are making good progress making our neighborhoods safer. The city needs to get behind these groups and give them the support, coordination and resources they need.
Secondly, we need to cut the waste from our budgets and get our taxes under control. We have already seen business leave the city and move just outside our borders where they are not strangled by city taxes. And not taxes only. Business-owners are becoming seriously over-regulated. Downtown merchants have to follow rules about everything from the design of their signage to the colors they can paint their buildings. People with the drive and creativity to generate business and jobs shouldn’t be hampered by unnecessary rules imposed by bureaucrats.
Finally, we need to be able to provide incoming business with an available workforce. While we have more than our share of unemployed persons looking for work, we need to make sure our citizens have both the technical skills, and the “soft skills” employers value.
Greg Helding.
As a Mayor, I cannot directly affect the tax, litigation, or regulatory climate in the state. If those things do not improve, Racine will not even get the chance to compete with other communities for new businesses. As Mayor, I will address these issues with the Governor and Legislature. In the meantime, there are some things a Mayor can do.
As Mayor, I will lead the effort to bring more jobs to Racine. We will focus on three key areas.
• 20 miles to our South, there is a thriving pharmaceutical industry. Drug companies, research organizations, and their suppliers provide good paying jobs in a growth industry. Racine can offer lower property costs, lower utility costs, and lower cost of living to these companies. As Mayor, I will do what it takes to attract those job providers to Racine.
• A lot has been made of "Green Collar Jobs". These are nothing more than new manufacturing jobs. For example, there is a new company making bircks from fly-ash from the new power plant. These bricks take 85% less energy to make than clay bricks. President Obama, on the campaign trail, spoke often of these "Green Collar Jobs". He has pledged to make investments to spur private industry to create these jobs making new battery technologies, windmills, solar cells, and other products to provide clean energy. Racine is well-positioned to be a home for one or more of these new businesses. We have industrial sites ready for development with access to rail, power, and fresh water. We have a vibrant city, a solid midwestern work ethic, and a reasonable cost of living. As Mayor, I will aggressively market Racine and pursue every opportunity to establish the new green economy here.
• I work in the high tech sector. Racine missed, in large part, the benefits of the high tech bubble of the last decade - although we felt the impact when it burst. As Mayor, my high-tech background will give us an advantage as we bring these jobs to Racine.
No amount of jobs will help if people are not qualified to work them. As Mayor, I will improve cooperation with our local partners to make job training available to those who need it. We will continue to direct C.D.B.G. funds to high-impact workforce development programs like the First Choice Pre-Apprenticeship and the Gateway CNC bootcamps. The city will seek out grants and other funding sources to ensure our workforce is ready.
I believe that meeting the needs of our existing job providers is just as important as attracting new ones. As Mayor, I will establish the Mayor's Small Business Roundtable. Made up of small business owners from different business types and areas of the city, this group will meet quarterly and advise the Mayor - What should the city be doing to help? What is the city doing that might be hurting? I will listen to all points of view, not just supporters.
Racine deserves better than we have been getting. We deserve more than the tax-subsidized table scraps from the development industry. Racine has plenty of affordable housing - even WHEDA says so. Economic development is about developing our whole city, not just about the latest building to go up. A balanced approach to development recognizes the need for strong infrastructure and those things that make Racine a place people want to live - parks, libraries, entertainment venues, museums, our lakefront, and other amenities that help make life enjoyable. We must not neglect those in our pursuit of new developments. Just trying to attract new business is not enough.
We have competitors. We must improve out attractiveness.
Former Mayor Becker refused to acknowledge or greet visiting dignitaries to Racine who were not members of his political party. Will you as Mayor put aside partisan politics and be a polite host or give people you may not agree with the cold shoulder?
Jody Harding.
The mayor of Racine is responsible for representing the residents of this city, and as such, has a duty to treat every guest with respect and dignity, regardless of political affiliation. A person holding public office will meet many individuals with whom s/he has differences of opinion and philosophy; however, rudeness is never acceptable. The mayor has an obligation to remain, at a minimum, polite and professional regardless of his/her personal feelings, or the behavior of the visitor.
Greg Helding.
I already have. As an Alderman, I make it a policy to go where I am invited. If people would like the city represented at an event, I am happy to oblige. I think it is important for visiting dignitaries to know that our city welcomes them. This is part of the Mayor's job.
Pete Karas
Of course I would like to meet with visiting dignitaries who visit Racine . Everything can be gained by forming these relationships and nothing can be lost. I may not stand on the stage with politicians running for office as that may infer an endorsement, but I think it is important for the mayor to meet with these people.Pink Gorilla in the office.
Last week at the office a pink gorilla visited the boss... What will this week bring?
April 5, 2009
What matters most.
Our new Out-of-touch-hipster-in-chief has it for us.
Is it trillions of domestic spending mortgaging our children?
Nope.
Is it a spiraling economy in “crisis” that won’t get “stimulated” for another year or so?
No.
Is it ridiculous bonuses paid to execs who took the bailout money……at Fannie and Freddie?
Not even close.
Maybe its helping our image abroad by taking another rockstar tour of Europe telling everyone how mean, nasty and greedy his country is?
Nyet.
It's those mean American tourists looking for Opus.
Lucky for all of us he’s here to help keep our eyes on the ball.
I thought we were in a crises that needed some immediate attention.
Silly me.
Is it trillions of domestic spending mortgaging our children?
Nope.
Is it a spiraling economy in “crisis” that won’t get “stimulated” for another year or so?
No.
Is it ridiculous bonuses paid to execs who took the bailout money……at Fannie and Freddie?
Not even close.
Maybe its helping our image abroad by taking another rockstar tour of Europe telling everyone how mean, nasty and greedy his country is?
Nyet.
It's those mean American tourists looking for Opus.
Lucky for all of us he’s here to help keep our eyes on the ball.
I thought we were in a crises that needed some immediate attention.
Silly me.
True...
Cyber Dad told me about a joke Leno used this week. (paraphrase)
How must Rich Wagoner feel? The head of a company loosing billions of dollars gets fired by the head of an outfit loosing trillions of dollars.
True.
How must Rich Wagoner feel? The head of a company loosing billions of dollars gets fired by the head of an outfit loosing trillions of dollars.
True.
What a speaker...
Wow uh umm umm that umm uh David uh umm uhhh Axelrod ummm ahhh uhhh is ahhh ummm uhhh quite uhhh a ahhh ummm speaker ummm uhhh ahhh ahhhh ehhh umm duh.
April 3, 2009
Hope and Change.
Did you notice that the Hope and Change crowd hopes nothing changes at DPI?
Vote Rose Fernandez on Tuesday. Lets bring about an actual chance of improvement for Wisconsin schools instead of the same old same old from the Teachers Union backed hack.
Here we go again.
I just got this release from John Leiber. Same tactics from a shadow left wing front group, different election. Still hiding the money, I guarantee you it is from WEAC.
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: John Leiber
Phone 262 639 5454
Email john.leiber@gmail.com
4825 Alcyn Drive
Racine, WI, 53402
www.johnleiber.com
Front group being used to funnel cash into the school board election again
Fake group "Racinians for Academic Progress" spends thousands in attempt to buy election for the incumbents
Racine, WI, April 2, 2009: A front group named "Racinians for Academic Progress" must have spent thousands of dollars in order to influence the school board election in the Racine Unified School District.
In a mailing received by countless citizens in the district, this shadowy group all but endorses both of the incumbents running for reelection. But who is this group and where does the money come from? The organization is little more than a P.O. Box and phone number that goes to voice mail. This is not the first time this has happened in Racine. In 2008 a group called Alliance for Educational Success did the same thing and then promptly vanished. In 2006 the group was called Partnership for Progress, while in 2004 it was called Citizens for Better Public Education.
Many of these older groups were connected to Jeff Neubauer, president of Kranz Inc, which has a contract with the Racine Unified School District.
In each case these groups send out thousands of pieces of literature before the election, and then vanish as soon as the election is over. It is time the people of Racine reject these secretive organizations. This election we must vote the incumbents out and demand accountability and transparency in school board elections.
Contact "Racinians for Academic Progress" at 262-497-7331 and ask Administrator Worth Hawes where the money is coming from. Ask him if Jeff Neubauer is involved.
For more information about these fake groups see the Journal Sentinel article at:
http://www3.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=414202
http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2009/04/02/local_news/doc49d555f5d5702890051079.txt
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: John Leiber
Phone 262 639 5454
Email john.leiber@gmail.com
4825 Alcyn Drive
Racine, WI, 53402
www.johnleiber.com
Front group being used to funnel cash into the school board election again
Fake group "Racinians for Academic Progress" spends thousands in attempt to buy election for the incumbents
Racine, WI, April 2, 2009: A front group named "Racinians for Academic Progress" must have spent thousands of dollars in order to influence the school board election in the Racine Unified School District.
In a mailing received by countless citizens in the district, this shadowy group all but endorses both of the incumbents running for reelection. But who is this group and where does the money come from? The organization is little more than a P.O. Box and phone number that goes to voice mail. This is not the first time this has happened in Racine. In 2008 a group called Alliance for Educational Success did the same thing and then promptly vanished. In 2006 the group was called Partnership for Progress, while in 2004 it was called Citizens for Better Public Education.
Many of these older groups were connected to Jeff Neubauer, president of Kranz Inc, which has a contract with the Racine Unified School District.
In each case these groups send out thousands of pieces of literature before the election, and then vanish as soon as the election is over. It is time the people of Racine reject these secretive organizations. This election we must vote the incumbents out and demand accountability and transparency in school board elections.
Contact "Racinians for Academic Progress" at 262-497-7331 and ask Administrator Worth Hawes where the money is coming from. Ask him if Jeff Neubauer is involved.
For more information about these fake groups see the Journal Sentinel article at:
http://www3.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=414202
http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2009/04/02/local_news/doc49d555f5d5702890051079.txt
Racine Mayoral Forum VI
Tell us an item or two in the City budget that could or should be cut.
Pete Karas.
I would replace the position of city administrator with that of a deputy mayor. I believe that this is a position with too much power and very little accountability. The deputy mayor would be appointed by the mayor, serve the same term as the mayor, and be paid less than the mayor.
I also feel that the healthcare costs (insurance) are bloated. This needs a full review so that we are not overpaying for one claim payment.
Beyond that, I would be looking for new ways to generate revenue, most notably by creating a public power utility that would generate an additional $4-6 million each year that could be used for property tax relief or additional services.
Greg Helding.
This takes the wrong approach to city spending. If a person wants to lose weight, they don’t cut off a leg. They change their lifestyle. The city must do the same. As Mayor, I will foster an entrepreneurial climate in city government. I will work hard to consolidate services within city government and cooperate with other local governments on joint ventures. This leads to efficiency and savings across the board.
One specific area that I will look at first is our consulting contracts. I will re-evaluate existing consulting contracts and get rid of those that are not making a difference for Racine. Hard-earned tax dollars must be spent wisely.
Jody Harding.
We have a “contingency fund” line item of $1.5-million, set aside “just in case” we need to make salary payments to employees we have no intention of hiring. This should certainly be cut. Other items that could be eliminated include cutting an additional $340,000 from non-departmental “contingency” expense, and cutting $103,000 for the removal of street light poles.
Are our taxes too high, too low or just right?
Greg Helding.
Our taxes are too high. As we have lost industry and development, the tax burden has shifted to our homeowners. We need new development, new business, and rising home values to realize true tax relief. That is why I am proposing innovative solutions to our crime problem. I will work hard to eliminate the gang and drug crime in Racine. This will help make our city desirable for business and development again. This will equalize our tax base and give homeowners some much-needed relief.
Jody Harding.
Our taxes are much too high. As described above, there is a significant amount of waste in the city budget which desperately needs to be cut. Business and individuals are moving away – sometimes to just outside our borders – to escape our tax burden, which is one of the highest in the state. New business and potential new residents see our tax rates as one more reason – along with high crime and poor education – to decide to pass Racine by.
Pete Karas.
Our regressive property taxes are too high--especially for older citizens who are struggling to remain in homes that they have long since paid off. The shifting of the tax burden is something that has to happen primarily in Madison and I will lobby for effective changes in State law.
I am the only candidate with a plan for property tax relief. By forming a municipally-owned electric utility (public power,) the City will receive around $5 million in “payments in lieu of taxes.” A portion of this new revenue will be allocated to lowering the property tax burden.
Pete Karas.
I would replace the position of city administrator with that of a deputy mayor. I believe that this is a position with too much power and very little accountability. The deputy mayor would be appointed by the mayor, serve the same term as the mayor, and be paid less than the mayor.
I also feel that the healthcare costs (insurance) are bloated. This needs a full review so that we are not overpaying for one claim payment.
Beyond that, I would be looking for new ways to generate revenue, most notably by creating a public power utility that would generate an additional $4-6 million each year that could be used for property tax relief or additional services.
Greg Helding.
This takes the wrong approach to city spending. If a person wants to lose weight, they don’t cut off a leg. They change their lifestyle. The city must do the same. As Mayor, I will foster an entrepreneurial climate in city government. I will work hard to consolidate services within city government and cooperate with other local governments on joint ventures. This leads to efficiency and savings across the board.
One specific area that I will look at first is our consulting contracts. I will re-evaluate existing consulting contracts and get rid of those that are not making a difference for Racine. Hard-earned tax dollars must be spent wisely.
Jody Harding.
We have a “contingency fund” line item of $1.5-million, set aside “just in case” we need to make salary payments to employees we have no intention of hiring. This should certainly be cut. Other items that could be eliminated include cutting an additional $340,000 from non-departmental “contingency” expense, and cutting $103,000 for the removal of street light poles.
Are our taxes too high, too low or just right?
Greg Helding.
Our taxes are too high. As we have lost industry and development, the tax burden has shifted to our homeowners. We need new development, new business, and rising home values to realize true tax relief. That is why I am proposing innovative solutions to our crime problem. I will work hard to eliminate the gang and drug crime in Racine. This will help make our city desirable for business and development again. This will equalize our tax base and give homeowners some much-needed relief.
Jody Harding.
Our taxes are much too high. As described above, there is a significant amount of waste in the city budget which desperately needs to be cut. Business and individuals are moving away – sometimes to just outside our borders – to escape our tax burden, which is one of the highest in the state. New business and potential new residents see our tax rates as one more reason – along with high crime and poor education – to decide to pass Racine by.
Pete Karas.
Our regressive property taxes are too high--especially for older citizens who are struggling to remain in homes that they have long since paid off. The shifting of the tax burden is something that has to happen primarily in Madison and I will lobby for effective changes in State law.
I am the only candidate with a plan for property tax relief. By forming a municipally-owned electric utility (public power,) the City will receive around $5 million in “payments in lieu of taxes.” A portion of this new revenue will be allocated to lowering the property tax burden.
April 2, 2009
So what should Obama give away next?
Heck, it even looks a little bit like Hillary.
Your suggestions?
Sorry Pete...
Racine Mayoral Candidate Pete Karas just called me to discuss a couple of things.
I promptly dropped the phone.
Sorry Pete, it wasn't personal, I'm just a klutz.
I promptly dropped the phone.
Sorry Pete, it wasn't personal, I'm just a klutz.
Racine Mayoral Forum V
Despite falling home prices, levies in Racine have gone up in each of the last two years. Ignoring actual market conditions creates a distrust in the city assessment process. Will you make a concerted effort to tie assessed values to actual market conditions?
Jody Harding.
Politicians don’t like to lower assessed values because it means they must raise tax rates in order to collect the same amount of tax dollars. Raised rates make the city administration look inefficient, which it in fact is. Although very few people in Racine place much credence in the “assessed value” of their property, it is not good for the city to ignore the fact that their published fair market values are so far removed from reality.
The process of reducing the values is a complicated one. In fact, the amount of value assessed to a particular community is dictated by the state. That amount must then be distributed – as fairly as possible – among all of the properties located within the community. If the state assigns an overstated value to the community, all properties within the community will be overvalued. I am not completely sure what power the city has to reduce the state dictated value of the community, but I would certainly take all possible steps to make sure that our assessed values were in line with actual fair market value.
Greg Helding.
The assessment process must be fair, public, and transparent. As Mayor, I will work to improve Racine’s process or outsource the service to remove it from the possibility of political influence. I posed tough questions to our assessor’s office during the previous two budget cycles and I stressed the need to accurately reflect market conditions so we can fairly apportion the property tax burden. As Mayor, my appointments to the Board of Review would support fair and accurate assessments.
Pete Karas.
Jody Harding.
Politicians don’t like to lower assessed values because it means they must raise tax rates in order to collect the same amount of tax dollars. Raised rates make the city administration look inefficient, which it in fact is. Although very few people in Racine place much credence in the “assessed value” of their property, it is not good for the city to ignore the fact that their published fair market values are so far removed from reality.
The process of reducing the values is a complicated one. In fact, the amount of value assessed to a particular community is dictated by the state. That amount must then be distributed – as fairly as possible – among all of the properties located within the community. If the state assigns an overstated value to the community, all properties within the community will be overvalued. I am not completely sure what power the city has to reduce the state dictated value of the community, but I would certainly take all possible steps to make sure that our assessed values were in line with actual fair market value.
Greg Helding.
The assessment process must be fair, public, and transparent. As Mayor, I will work to improve Racine’s process or outsource the service to remove it from the possibility of political influence. I posed tough questions to our assessor’s office during the previous two budget cycles and I stressed the need to accurately reflect market conditions so we can fairly apportion the property tax burden. As Mayor, my appointments to the Board of Review would support fair and accurate assessments.
Pete Karas.
Yes. I believe that the City's decision to go to assessmants every two years was an unfair one. We need to return to one year assessments so that home values more accurately reflected in assessments.
April 1, 2009
Guess the number game
95
UPDATE:
PETA Killed 95 Percent of Adoptable Pets in its Care During 2008
Hypocritical Animal Rights Group’s 2008 Disclosures Bring Pet Death Toll To 21,339
WASHINGTON DC – Today the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) published documents online showing that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) killed 95 percent of the adoptable pets in its care during 2008. Despite years of public outrage over its euthanasia program, the animal rights group kills an average of 5.8 pets every day at its Norfolk, VA headquarters.
According to public records from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, PETA killed 2,124 pets last year and placed only seven in adoptive homes. Since 1998, a total of 21,339 dogs and cats have died at the hands of PETA workers.
UPDATE:
PETA Killed 95 Percent of Adoptable Pets in its Care During 2008
Hypocritical Animal Rights Group’s 2008 Disclosures Bring Pet Death Toll To 21,339
WASHINGTON DC – Today the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) published documents online showing that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) killed 95 percent of the adoptable pets in its care during 2008. Despite years of public outrage over its euthanasia program, the animal rights group kills an average of 5.8 pets every day at its Norfolk, VA headquarters.
According to public records from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, PETA killed 2,124 pets last year and placed only seven in adoptive homes. Since 1998, a total of 21,339 dogs and cats have died at the hands of PETA workers.
Racine Mayoral Forum IV
Justified or not, the reputation of RUSD hurts the ability to attract jobs and new residents to Racine . What do you see as the problem and as Mayor will you work with the school district to turn around that situation?
Pete Karas.
I would make working with Racine Unified School District a priority. Besides working on the obvious local issues and enhancing communication, my administration will work with the State Legislature and lobby on behalf Racine young people.
I believe, when compared to other “richer” districts in Wisconsin that the school funding formula falls short for urban areas like Racine . We need the State to step up to the plate and fairly allocate their dollars. Then we will have the resources we need to fund the education for our children.
Greg Helding.
While the city does not have a direct role in education, the city’s Mayor must be an active participant in the efforts to improve educational opportunities for all of our children. Our schools are a reflection of our community - they depend on each other. As Mayor, I will work with representatives of the public, private, and religious schools in the city. Our city government and the schools will meet regularly and cooperate in the mission to educate our children. Cooperation works. For example, RUSD recently achieved a massive drop in truancy in a collaborative effort with our police department.
In today's world, education is the key to long-term success. We can no longer look at education as something that stops after the 12th grade. The high school diploma of today is the 8th grade education of yesteryear. Inspired by other communities, I, and a small group of leaders, have been working on a positive vision for Racine's future - The Racine Promise. The Racine Promise is an effort to create a private endowment to ensure that everyone in Racine has the opportunity to go to college. This idea has the power to change our expectations, our people, and our community. Kids who are poor or homeless now would know that the dream of college is possible. We could break the cycle of poverty in Racine.
Jody Harding.
The RUSD’s bad reputation is not entirely deserved, since we have good teachers, adequate school buildings and resources, and the same curriculum as other schools across the state. The real fault lies with the community and the students. As a community we have allowed the growth of an “urban myth” that claims that persons of certain ethnic and/or economic backgrounds cannot succeed in this country. This cruel lie causes our young people and their families to devalue education as wasted effort.
The best prospects we have for turning around this negative attitude and getting our children not only back into the classroom, but actually learning, is with community organizations that are working closely with families. Teaching parenting skills and offering the benefit of their real-world experience, these groups are making progress convincing young people that life isn’t hopeless, that they have unlimited potential, and that the power to realize their grandest dreams lies within themselves.
It is the duty of the mayor to put the power of the city behind these grassroots organizations. Working with the school district, the city needs to support, coordinate and provide resources to these groups which can make a huge difference in the lives of our children, and the future of our city.
Pete Karas.
I would make working with Racine Unified School District a priority. Besides working on the obvious local issues and enhancing communication, my administration will work with the State Legislature and lobby on behalf Racine young people.
I believe, when compared to other “richer” districts in Wisconsin that the school funding formula falls short for urban areas like Racine . We need the State to step up to the plate and fairly allocate their dollars. Then we will have the resources we need to fund the education for our children.
Greg Helding.
While the city does not have a direct role in education, the city’s Mayor must be an active participant in the efforts to improve educational opportunities for all of our children. Our schools are a reflection of our community - they depend on each other. As Mayor, I will work with representatives of the public, private, and religious schools in the city. Our city government and the schools will meet regularly and cooperate in the mission to educate our children. Cooperation works. For example, RUSD recently achieved a massive drop in truancy in a collaborative effort with our police department.
In today's world, education is the key to long-term success. We can no longer look at education as something that stops after the 12th grade. The high school diploma of today is the 8th grade education of yesteryear. Inspired by other communities, I, and a small group of leaders, have been working on a positive vision for Racine's future - The Racine Promise. The Racine Promise is an effort to create a private endowment to ensure that everyone in Racine has the opportunity to go to college. This idea has the power to change our expectations, our people, and our community. Kids who are poor or homeless now would know that the dream of college is possible. We could break the cycle of poverty in Racine.
Jody Harding.
The RUSD’s bad reputation is not entirely deserved, since we have good teachers, adequate school buildings and resources, and the same curriculum as other schools across the state. The real fault lies with the community and the students. As a community we have allowed the growth of an “urban myth” that claims that persons of certain ethnic and/or economic backgrounds cannot succeed in this country. This cruel lie causes our young people and their families to devalue education as wasted effort.
The best prospects we have for turning around this negative attitude and getting our children not only back into the classroom, but actually learning, is with community organizations that are working closely with families. Teaching parenting skills and offering the benefit of their real-world experience, these groups are making progress convincing young people that life isn’t hopeless, that they have unlimited potential, and that the power to realize their grandest dreams lies within themselves.
It is the duty of the mayor to put the power of the city behind these grassroots organizations. Working with the school district, the city needs to support, coordinate and provide resources to these groups which can make a huge difference in the lives of our children, and the future of our city.
Big News on the state budget!
Recognizing that tax increases to fund an almost 10% increase in state spending during a recession, is not the solution voters want, Governor Doyle announced today that he will introduce a new budget that makes actual spending cuts. Doyle surprised Madison insiders when he said, "Going forward my mind will be open to every solution except one. We should not, we must not, and I will not raise taxes.” more
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)