YOU, THE CITIZEN, CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Friday, March 6th, 2009
There is a lot of citizen apathy. A big reason is that people think they can’t change what the politicians are doing. NOT TRUE! It is possible to influence what government does, IF you get involved. One thing is sure. If you don’t try for sure things won’t change. Here are some examples of what making your voice heard can accomplish.
In its short existence MF has enjoyed a number of stunning accomplishments. It has certainly gotten the attention of the City Commission and made it recognize that the people of Millville intend to hold the administration responsible for its actions.
MF has exposed the City’s sloppy, and in the case of the Sun Bank contract, illegal business practices. MF has informed the taxpayers about the one sided nature of the contracts entered into with developers that grant tax abatements, some illegally, give unnecessary concessions at taxpayer’s expense and encourage development that will eventually destroy the quality of life we have so long enjoyed. However, one of its most important goals has enjoyed only limited success and that was to dispel voter apathy and make the voters in Millville well informed active participants in their local government. We will continue that quest. Listed below are a few of the specific accomplishments.
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The Commission passed a resolution pledging not to take any single family, owner occupied dwelling by eminent for a private developer. That resolution was passed because of the petition initiated and circulated by MF. No other reason.
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The City revoked a number of illegally granted tax abatements resulting in full taxes being paid by favored businesses adding thousands of dollars to the City’s treasury.
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The City changed its long standing practice of not assessing tax abated properties until the first of January in the year following completion. The result is that tax abated businesses start paying full taxes as soon as the building is complete and do not get their abatement until the first of the following year. This also added thousands of dollars to the City’s treasury and will continue to do so each year.
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The City did not bill the Motor Sports Park for the payments due on its $600,000 interest free loan until MF inquired about it and then refused to assess the late fee required by its contract.
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The City did not bill Target for the payment due on its 15 year tax abatement until after MF inquired about it.
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The City was forced to review the fees charged at Liberty Village which the City permitted to locate in an industrial zone under a plan that allows the homeowners in Liberty Village to avoid paying property taxes on their homes. This also added thousands of dollars to the City’s treasury and will continue to do so each year. MF was also instrumental in the denial of approval for a second Liberty Village on Bluebird Lane which would have resulted in another project exempt from the taxes other homeowners pay.
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The City was forced to abide by the law and stopped paying Sun Bank for services not performed and made Sun repay the $5,000 it collected for not collecting the Glass Group million dollar loan. MF will continue to pursue the balance of the unearned payments.
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MF brought to the public’s attention the $800,000 contract with a Washington law firm hired to do work that is being done by the State’s DEP and pointed out that the money to pay the lawyers is being diverted from bonds issued for sewer and water projects.
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As a result of MF’s continuing investigation of the City’s loan practices delinquent accounts, like the 2 loans totaling $1 million dollars to the Glass Group are at last being pursued.
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As a result of a report by MF, which contained specific recommendations, some changes have been made in the management of the $4 million dollar UEZ loan fund. The changes fall far short of the reforms needed and MF will pursue implementation of all its recommendations by every conceivable means.
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MF studied, analyzed and made specific recommendations concerning the RAD. Importantly, MF pointed out that the planned improvements to the neighborhoods could be accomplished without setting up an entire new bureaucracy, borrowing $8 million dollars and diverting millions of real estate tax dollars to the Target and Goodman Properties, the developers of Union Lake Crossing Shopping Mall among other things.
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MF has urged enforcement of the abandoned and nuisance properties ordinances resulting in the demolition of the eyesore at the corner of Cedarville and Buckshutem Roads.
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As a result of a review by MF of payments required of developers, Goodman Properties finally paid a part of the review and inspection fees it owed for Union Lake Crossing. MF will continue to investigate and pursue payment of all fees due from every developer. Those fees, when paid, will represent taxes you do not have to pay to feed the spending machine at City Hall.
There is much more to do and, WE CAN USE YOUR HELP! The City commissioners instead of welcoming the constructive suggestions we have tried to make have instead stonewalled us, sidestepped the recommendations, attempted to shift the attention from their actions by character assassination, personal attacks, half truths and innuendo delivered mostly by their agents and recipients of the Commissioners’ generosity with taxpayers’ money.