Bill Foster Pushes Tax Break for Felon

[Tom]

Yesterday city council voted for the new Foster Fire Tax after the mayor made a personal plea for his most important constituent, Eddie DeBartolo.

It seems the mayor would like support from public employee unions for his tax so that he can blame them when citizens see their new tax bills and realize a select few receive giant tax breaks. Big property owners like Walmart will save 75% over what they would pay with a milage increase, shifting the burden to residents of modest homes.

Council needs another $10 million to balance the budget. A one mil tax increase would provide this. Simple and fair. With property values stabilizing this may be the only year so much money is needed and the tax could soon be lowered.

Council member Wengay Newton supported a one time use of "rainy day" reserves to balance the budget, saying "it's raining". Council Chair Leslie Curran twisted this into a warning that doing this every year would exhaust the reserve.

Tea Party Republicans want major cuts in pension and health insurance benefits and no new taxes or fees, but they have little support from residents. People at public hearings voiced support for public employees and services. Many did ask for a tax increase.

With little notice and only a handful of residents watching council slipped in this new tax calling it a "fire readiness fee".

This LEO report describes Eddie DeBartolo's conviction for handing over a suitcase full of $100 bills in exchange for government support for his gambling operation.
http://www.leoaffairs.com/media/publ...arrassment.htm

A Times Editorial, A fairer way to balance St. Petersburg budget

Just because something is legal doesn't mean it's a good idea. St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster wants the City Council to adopt a new fee for fire protection to balance next year's city budget and avoid deeper spending cuts. There is an easier and fairer way to balance the city budget: Raise the city's property tax rate for the first time in more than two decades, consider more spending cuts and use some reserves.

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/edit...budget/1239140

[Tom]

Fire readiness fee will cost DeBartolo Capital $2,375 while a 1 mil increase would cost $115,800.00. He will save about 98% of his tax bill thanks to Foster.

Fire readiness fee will cost DeBartolo Capital $2,375 while a 1 mil increase would cost $115,800.00. He will save about 98% of his tax bill thanks to Foster.

Who gives a crap....there is a shortage the fee closes the gap. Big deal.

[Tom]

What will happen to union contracts if the courts throw out $10 million in new revenue because the state constitution exempts homesteads from property taxes?

One of these days the TAXPAYING citizens are going to realize that their property taxes already are collected for services like fire protection. To double tax is hubris. Let's just cut the FD budget by the amount of the proposed new taxes and response time will slightly increase, and the City budget will be balanced without any new taxes.

The symptoms of our present financial problems are CAUSED BY over spending, not under taxing. Foster, you're playing a ponzi game with "shells," and the COUNCIL idiots who voted in favor of this new tax ( I mean fee) are as egregious as Foster. :evil: :cop:

One of these days the TAXPAYING citizens are going to realize that their property taxes already are collected for services like fire protection. To double tax is hubris. Let's just cut the FD budget by the amount of the proposed new taxes and response time will slightly increase, and the City budget will be balanced without any new taxes.

The symptoms of our present financial problems are CAUSED BY over spending, not under taxing. Foster, you're playing a ponzi game with "shells," and the COUNCIL idiots who voted in favor of this new tax ( I mean fee) are as egregious as Foster. :evil: :cop:

Yea right..............

This is the worst post I've ever read. Can we please get back to more important issues, such as Bobby J. No one cares about the boring issues of taxes. We are here for mayhem and controversy.

[Tom]

Update here: http://www.pennyforpinellas.net/2012...unfair-st.html

Update here: http://www.pennyforpinellas.net/2012...unfair-st.html

The t-baggers want another free pass. Instead of everyone paying something they want to raise taxes so the wealthy and working class get hammered. Hey Tom, pay your fair share and stop looking for a free ride. How about a title that's not so misleading this fee has nothing to do with felons.

The Gay Democrats are doing that?