tony jeter dot com

Read this and this.  I think it is down right scary the direction things are taking.

The Mayor, and others, have rationalized their stand against a Charter Review that might ultimately lead to the barring of elected officials being able to do business with the City by stating that such a prohibition would lead to a deficiency in both the quality and quantity of people that would be able to run for a Council seat.  They say that the 1990 Charter amendment was a good for the City because it would open the floodgates to all of the qualified people that were being excluded from public service because they “did” business with the City. Below are lists of each Council since the Charter was amended.  Give them a quick scan and see if you think the argument holds any water.  I plan to write more on this topic as the week progresses.

CITY COUNCIL - 1990
District #1                Hanes H. Brindley, Sr.    Physician
District #2                Nathaniel Mitchell          Retired Military
District #3                J.W. Perry                         Office Supplies
District #4                William J. Hardin           Physician
Mayor At-Large       Dennis Hobbs                  CPA/Investments

CITY COUNCIL - 1992
District #1                Keifer Marshall, Jr.        Insurance
District #2                Nathaniel Mitchell        Retired Military
District #3                Tommy Stone                 Driving School/ Internet-Media
District #4                Wade Matthews             CPA
Mayor At-Large       J. W. Perry                      Office Supplies

CITY COUNCIL - 1994
District #1                Keifer Marshall, Jr.       Insurance
District #2                George English              Rancher/ Retired Teacher
District #3                Tommy Stone                Driving School/ Internet-Media
District #4                Wade Matthews            CPA
Mayor At-Large       J. W. Perry                     Office Supplies

CITY COUNCIL - 1996
District #1                Keifer Marshall, Jr.        Insurance
District #2                George E. English          Rancher/Retired Teacher
District #3                Tommy Stone                 Driving School/Internet-Media
District #4                Wade Matthews             CPA
Mayor At-Large       J. W. Perry                      Office Supplies

CITY COUNCIL - 1998
District #1                Jack M. Morris                 Insurance
District #2                George E. English           Rancher/Retired Teacher
District #3                Scott Brookshire             Auto Dealer
District #4                Sally H. Myers                 Homemaker
Mayor At-Large       Keifer Marshall, Jr.        Insurance

CITY COUNCIL - 2000
District #1                Jack M. Morris                 Insurance
District #2                George E. English            Rancher/Retired Teacher
District #3                Martha Tyroch                 Nurse/Vocational Rehab
District #4                Sally H. Myers                  Homemaker
Mayor At-Large       Keifer Marshall, Jr.         Insurance

CITY COUNCIL - 2002
District #1                Tony Jeter                          Media/Marketing
District #2                Patsy E. Luna                    Medical Secretary
District #3                Martha Tyroch                  Nurse/Vocational Rehab
District #4                Sally H. Myers                  Homemaker
Mayor At-Large       Bill Jones, III                    Food Handling/Battery Equip

CITY COUNCIL - 2004
District #1                Tony Jeter                          Media/Marketing
District #2                Patsy E. Luna                    Medical Secretary
District #3                Martha Tyroch                  Nurse/Vocational Rehab
District #4                Russell T. Schneider        Road Construction
Mayor At-Large       Bill Jones, III                    Food Handling/Battery Equip/ Quarry/ Steel Supplier

CITY COUNCIL - 2005
District #1                Tony Jeter                          Media/Marketing
District #2                Patsy E. Luna                    Medical Secretary
District #3                Martha Tyroch                  Nurse/Vocational Rehab
District #4                Russell T. Schneider        Road Construction
Mayor At-Large      Bill Jones, III                   Food Handling/Battery Equip/ Quarry/ Steel Supplier/Advertising

CITY COUNCIL - 2008
District #1                Tony Jeter                         Insurance
District #2                Patsy E. Luna                   Medical Secretary
District #3                Marty Janczak                  Granite Business
District #4                Russell T. Schneider        Road Construction
Mayor At-Large      Bill Jones, III                   Food Handling/Battery Equip/ Quarry/ Steel Supplier/Advertising

This kind of flies in the face of what the politicians have been telling us all week.  If this prediction comes true things are going to be bad everywhere.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The percentage of U.S. homeowners who owe more than their house is worth will nearly double to 48 percent in 2011 from 26 percent at the end of March, portending another blow to the housing market, Deutsche Bank said on Wednesday.

Click here to read the whole story.

….. what is the writer really saying?

Being on the road in West Texas this week gave me a good opportunity to read the book I.O.U.S.A.  The book is a non-partisan look at the four deficits that could very well ruin this country if they are not dealt with quickly.  It is a short and easy primer on this very important issue. I am planning on reading thru it with my eldest daughter this Summer as well. I am now moving on the prequel to this book Empire of Debt.

Tomorrow morning we have our first official budget meeting. The $95,456,531 FY 2010 Budget represents an overall decrease of $864,779 from the FY 2009 Adopted Budget.  This decrease in overall spending is reflecting the overall economic factors impacting not just the national economy but also impacting our local economy. The City is not immune from the national recession and its effect on the local economy has played a significant role in the development and recommendations of the Preliminary FY 2009-2010 Budget.  In fact, the local effects of the economic recession have been significant in both the management of the current year budget and in the development of the preliminary budget for the upcoming FY 2010.  Due to the economy, cost saving and containment measures went into effect mid-year in FY 2008-09.  This preliminary budget forecasts flat or slightly declining revenues in several key areas for the upcoming fiscal year.    Property and sales taxes, two key revenue accounts for the city, are such areas.   Temple’s diverse economy has proved more stable than many cities, but is not immune to the current recession and the resulting challenges.  There are several areas in the budget that give me pause.  Those areas include compensation and capital projects.  Stay tuned.

An interesting read on the Cap and Trade legislation that is heading for the Senate.

The property tax exemption for 100% Disabled Veterans contained in HB 3613 will be the gift that keeps on giving. While I appreciate what the legislature is working to do for the men and women that are disabled as a result of their service the our country I sure wish they would’ve figured out a way to pay for it.  This is yet another example of the State and/or Feds writing checks that cities have to cash.  This exemption will cost the City of Temple approximately $350,000 in lost revenue. It will also cost the county approximately $750,000 in lost revenue. Where do our representatives in Austin think this is going to come from? The money can only come from two places; increased taxes or reduced expenses and/or services. The City is in the middle of the 2010 budget process and, at the direction of the Council, is working diligently to avoid raising taxes. When you combine this goal with the fact that both our sales tax and property valuations are in a declining trend you will find that every dollar matters more than ever now. We have been fortunate in past years to be able to live off the growth in both sales and property taxes. This time around we do not have the same luxury. It sure would’ve been great for our representatives to have been as diligent in securing funding to pay for this worthy benefit as they were in resurrecting and passing it.

Back in December the City Manager met with our new State Rep. Ralph Sheffield to discuss transportation related issues. Click here to view the document that was presented to Rep. Sheffield that outlines the areas deemed critically important to Temple.  As you will see there is a whole lot of money needed to make these projects happen. So where will it come from? Maybe TxDot can get their hands on some of the $335M for prevention of sexually transmitted diseases our infinitely wise Congress included in the stimulus package approved today by the House.  As for me, I would prefer my tax dollars to be spent on concrete over condoms any day!

My boy and I watched Fox News this yesterday morning before we started to get ready for church. I was eating my oatmeal and he was hard at work whippin some bad guys on his DS. OK, he wasn’t really watching the news…. but he was listening. How do I know? Well, as the illustrious Senator Schumer from New York was discussing the stimulus package. He said something that the caught the Boy’s attention.  Schumer said, “We needed to spend the stimulus money as fast as we can.”  “No they don’t”, said the Boy. “No they don’t what?” I asked. “ They don’t need to spend the money as fast as they can,” he replied.  “Why?” I inquired back.  “Well if they spend the money as fast as they can then they are going to run out of money and then what will they do?” Hmmmm, I thought to myself. This is a pretty sharp kid if I say so myself. He was listening to the news, playing his game and talking to me. How’s that for multitasking? Can anybody tell me what will happen when they run out of money? That same question is bugging me as well and… he is still waiting on me to get back to him with an answer.  I wonder if our people in DC are asking this question.