89 Grand for Palm Trees????

Are you kidding me?
Here's the link:

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008 ... om+Arizona

Paid for with grant money. Cost the City very little if any. Let this one go

I think they should have given the officers a raise with the money instead of buying trees grants or not.

Why is it everytime this city gets caught blowing large amounts of money on the stupiest items, ie- church/performing arts center, Drain, oops train station, plots of land, italian tile, fancy sign poles, new jobs and/or new positions for the CM's buddies and friends or maybe imported Arizona Palm trees. Wait lets not forget the caboose, that our workers lit on fire and the transients use as a public toilet. Stop with the crap about this money is grant. I'm sure cities have been creative in their explanation of grant expendatures, in order to help their employees. I just read in the paper that our city is in better financial shape that we thought. Since the CM is getting a 13 % raise, along with all his cronies and the useless department heads, assistants, vice co-program directors, or whatever new title this city as created..ie- neighborhood services. What a joke.. This city has gained no respect with it's citizens, it's employees, and it's visitors. Come election time there will be a sand storm of change, including CM. This city has been run into the ground ever since he took over. Tax payers, please make your voice heard

Paid for with grant money. Cost the City very little if any. Let this one go

The grant was from the Florida Department of Transportation, which is a government agency. FDOT gets its money from the same pool as other state government agencies, such as FDLE, for example. FDLE had to cut funding to training centers this year, which means local agencies will have to pick up the cost. That mandated increase in training costs is going to have a direct impact on police officer salary and benefits across the state.

This is just one example, but ALL government grants are still funded by taxes, which means they DO end up costing even the smallest level of government.

The city, however, should not be blamed for accepting the grant. The governor should be blamed for allowing FDOT to continue distributing funds for this type of grant in the face of serious cuts in other areas that are more important than highway beautification.

Accept the grant money and use it for the things we have in our budget. Use the other money to pay us or buy equipment to improve services. Stop promoting and making positions within this city. Seems like every position has an assistant and they are the vice director of nothing. Cut the fat in the city admin and at the top of all of our sections. We have many positions at city hall that if they were eliminated, no none would even notice and service to the citizens would not change. I'm tired of wasteful city spending and this WILL be an issue at voting time.

I agree...however....it will be no issue at voting time....

It WILL be for you...however...you are one vote....you need more than that...

What are you going to organize to make a difference? The FOP reps can't even get cops to show up at contract negotiation meetings when what is discussed directly impacts their pay, so what makes you think it will make a difference what you think.

Here's an idea............. Get some grants for the police dept.,,,,,,,,,,

they would just waste it

they have not yet figured out how disconnected they are from the troops yet

Speaking of waste....how many guys does it take to the work of what used to be two? I'd hate to see what happens if a lightbulb goes bad. Make the corporals work! Remove the excuse to be lazy.