Monday, June 01, 2009

Gentle Reminder: Several Hot Topics on Tomorrow's Council Agenda

Torches and pitchforks will be de rigueur

Here's a quick reminder for those readers concerned about the proposed campaign finance disclosure ordinance revision which we discussed in this earlier article, and the proposed fiscal year 2010 city budget, which has also been the topic of substantial WCF discussion. Both of these matters are on the council agenda for tomorrow, June 2, 2009; and public comment is invited:
Ogden City Council Meeting Agenda - June 2, 2009 – 6:00 p.m.
For our readers' convenience, we link the relevant documents below:
Proposed Campaign Finance disclosure Ordinance Revision
Proposed Budget - Fiscal Year 2009-10
We'll also note that a proposed sewer fee increase is also on the agenda, in which connection we'll snarkily suggest that the city probably wouldn't be putting the arm on the taxpayers for this 21% fee increase, if Boss Godfrey hadn't pledged BDO lease revenue, which had been earlier earmarked for Ogden infrastructure, as collateral for the bonding on his downtown fantasy money pit.

Plenty of important stuff on tomorrow's council agenda. It's likely to be a lively session, one which many of our readers would hopefully attend. Take our word for it: the council will be appreciative of all the citizen support and input they can get.

Torches and pitchforks will be de rigueur, of course.

13 comments:

Dan Schroeder said...

And tomorrow afternoon is another meeting of the management committee for the Ogden streetcar-or-whatever-it-ends-up-being.

Busy day.

It Ain't that Complicated said...

Two ordinance revision details I'd like to suggest:

#1 The penalty for campaign disclosure violations should remain at the misdemeanor level; and a reduction to the infractions level is just the opposite of what Ogden City needs. The new language, which would reduce the penalties for potential violators, can easily be stricken from the proposed ordinance. Softening penalties in the present instance makes absolutely no sense at all. If anything, the council should increase penalties to 3rd degree felony levels, in those cases where willful nondisclosure conceals the identities of donors who conceal donations of over three figures.

#2 The current proposed ordinance amendments entirely fail to address the most glaring problem which has been recently revealed about 2007 municipal election "irregularities":

If the council is serious about solving past problems, it can add a provision which is in conformity with Utah State Law, which would require shadowy organizations like Envision Ogden and FNURE to register and disclose the identities of their membership.

It isn't that complicated. The State of Utah and Salt Lake City already require this.

That's my take; and I'm sticking to it.

Dan Schroeder said...

There was an interesting story on KUER this morning about a weekly columnist for the Tooele Transcript Bulletin who got fired for telling a Trib blogger about a column of his that the TTB refused to print. Sounds like Tooele is a company town (Energy Solutions) just like Ogden (Godfrey administration).

Dorothy Littrell said...

The entire Ogden city rules regarding campaign elections should be reviewed and revised.

Under the present regulations there will never be cleanup in Ogden City campaign violations because all complaints have to be reviewed by the Ogden City Attorney who is always the Mayor's "Yes Person".

Reducing penalties is ridiculous.

Why bother to have any rules at all? The County Attorney says violations of election laws are out of their bailiwick, the Grand Jury forum of judges tells you right up front to bring them a murder because they aren't interested in anything else.

The U. S. Attorney did get interested in the Shurtleff involvement in the Koerber scam after the Utah Attorney General looked the other way about complaints.

Utah politicians like the status quo just like it is - they get away with their form of murder but not the kind the Grand Jury judges want to hear about.

RudiZink said...

Let's face it Dorothy...

Utah politicians are ABOVE THE LAW.

drewmeister said...

21% increase?? As a wise friend of mine once said, 'Are you f%*@ing kidding me?' Our utility rates have tripled in the last three couple of years, and you're going to add more?

I submit the 21% increase in sewer rates be directly counter to a 21% decrease in the Mayor's salary.

drewmeister said...

Thank you for the link as well, Dan. The opportunity to use the words "Energy Solutions" and "duct tape" shouldn't be possible. Shame.

Anonymous said...

Until the problem of long term waste disposal is solved, and the total cost of nukegen is calculated and added to energy bills, their should be a moratorium on all things nukie.

Companies like EnerySolutions will be fine in 30 years when the scitech is sufficiently advanced.

Right now they look like medieval alchemists attempting to turn lead into gold; in this case poison into gold.

As for supposedly high power bills, we think all consumer energy bills be high enough to clean up all messes caused by our industrial revolution.
In other words, everyone's household energy bills would increase tenfold.

We all had this supposed benefit from being slothful and "cost conscious" when it came to doing business.
We should all clean up the mess.

drewmeister said...

Umm, perhaps I should clarify - our city utilities have tripled in the last couple of years. I wasn't even beginning to refer to the overall utility costs such as electric, natural gas, etc.

Anonymous said...

We are pro energy rate increase, every time.

People underpay for what they receive, as the infrastructure crumbles.

Maybe if rates went up by 10 tomorrow, people would turn off the damn lights and turn off the air conditioners.

We are pro tax; to be anything else is irresponsible, and just passes the buck on infrastructure problems.

Someone is going to have to sacrifice to keep this grand dream called civilization alive.

I say make it you.

Ozboy said...

RJS

Given your statement on an earlier thread about you being the most financially poor person you know (or words to that effect), and given that the poor generally don't pay taxes, I will take your last sentence literally. The implication being that other people should pay taxes, which seems to preclude you from doing so. Do you pay much taxes? If not, do you give instructions on that? I could use some lessons as I am tired of paying them, especially when I see how many millions of tax payer dollars are squandered by the mayor over this plethora of loser projects he has, and continues to author.

Anonymous said...

"The implication being that other people should pay taxes, which seems to preclude you from doing so. Do you pay much taxes?"

bwawaha haha ha hahaha bwawaha haha ha hahaha bwawaha haha ha hahaha bwawaha haha ha hahaha bwawaha haha ha hahaha bwawaha haha ha hahaha... snort.

You pay our taxes.

To quote Leona Helmsly: Only the little people pay taxes.

Ozboy said...

RJS

As is the case with most of your comments - I love it!

Now I definitely want you to give me some instructions on how to not pay taxes and especially on how not to be a little people. By golly I think you just may be onto something - you and Leona my dream woman.

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