Danville budget

[marigoldhead]

If you read what the mayor wants to do to raise money for the budget, you better stand up for your rights.  Our county can not take anymore tax increases.  Lets sell harrison park which is a big drain,  Lets take cuts in wages from those on top.  Lets slow down on spending...(wasteful)  Lets stop always bringing taxes on the residents.  And the county can shut down the airport that we all pay for and dont use!

[Terry]

In case anyone missed the article in the CN today, here it is :

"DANVILLE — Mayor Scott Eisenhauer presented a proposed property tax and budget proposal Tuesday night that used only parts of previous scenarios given to aldermen to cover a $1.7 million budget deficit and start building general fund and infrastructure fund reserves.

The proposed 1 percent sales tax increase would generate about $1.9 million the first year; a 2 percent municipality utility tax on natural gas and water with an annual cap of $10,000 for businesses would generate about $695,000 the first year; a $10 to $25 rental registration fee would generate about $90,000 next year instead of $60,000; the food and beverage tax would be reduced by 1 percent, with revenue declining from $1.1 million to $575,000; and Eisenhauer also recommended reducing various budgets through a third-party review and implementing $35 per month contribution toward health insurance for non-union single em-ployees with no dependents. Family and dependent coverage will be evaluated in more depth later.

This doesn’t include a possible 2- to 8-cent per $100 of assessed value property tax rate increase, largely due to police and fire pensions.

The property tax levy would increase from $6.9 million to $7.2 million, which is a 4.7 percent increase. The rate could increase from $1.88 to $1.96 for each $100 of assessed value.

With all of this, the city then could start to earmark more money for a general fund reserve — $1 million for a three-year total; transfer $660,000 during a three-year period to an infrastructure fund to help pay for the Fairchild Subway work and other projects; and propose no more new revenues during the next three years.

No parks would be closed. Property inspections wouldn’t cease. The city will still be able to offer the same services.

Ward 6 Alderman Jon Cooper said he was pleased with the recommendations, “if that’s what it takes.”

Ward 7 Alderman Ron Candido said if he had to vote now for the tax levy, he’d approve it.

But Ward 1 Alderman Rickey Williams Jr. said he’s not sure three tax increases are “absolutely necessary” now. He still favors more cuts before a utility tax. Aldermen were concerned about a utility tax hurting businesses.

But the city would create its own local rebate for businesses on the utility tax. The cost to the city is estimated at about $300,000 a year for a business utility tax cap of $10,000.

Utility tax projections show that individual industries will pay amounts such as $306; $3,604; $32,776; $72,400; and up to $173,970 extra annually with the taxes. Eisenhauer also pointed out the natural gas and water taxes would cost the average citizen about $38 more a year.

The aldermen also heard from four landlords opposed to the originally proposed $100 rental registration fee increase. They said it was unfair and tenants would suffer, but they also proposed removing the cap.

Aldermen will vote on the tax levy next month."

How many more people will these increases in taxes and fees drive out of our city ?  I suggest and immediate total city staff reduction of 10% and an immediate salary reduction of 15% or let the city file for bankruptcy.

[skiptown]

I agree with Alderman Williams let cut waste before we add more taxes.
Why does the city need so amny engineers?
I understand before Harrison Park is sold the DePaw University has to approve any sale or they get back.
I think they shuold eleminate the Director of Public Safety and go back to the old way 1 police chief and one fire chief.
cut out the Friendly Town Officer and have the skool hire their own cop on campus.
get rid of the liberary as part of the city and make it a district before it's too late
sell the busses or let the county take it over.

[skiptown]

go for it!

[kdi307]

 >:(city can save time and money and ENGINEERING fees etc. by NOT doing the roundabout at voorhees and jackson street and the very un needed beltway, why tear off top of deck on walnut st.at harrison why take down the ramp on parking garage at north and walnut.why put in landscaping anda new sidewalk on hazel street for the goldrush and the vermilion place let them (goldrush and others)pay. why narrow hazel street down. look at the big mess they created at the post office as an example of schnelle not knowing what the heck hes doing. get rid of their big suburbans,big vehicles they drive and take home at nite at taxpayers expense. dont allow SCAMEREN to collect a utility tax  or water company to collect another tax they couldnt even get billing done right.  get my point any city officials reading this.

[Tuck]

Just a thought on the parking garage....if it is unsafe for automobiles, maybe lay down some top soil or sod, and create a park like atmosphere. I know, that's the last thing the city needs, but it would be a nice place to go to..........then again, maybe the sod and other stuff would be to heavy for the garage to support............

[skiptown]

Just a thought on the parking garage....if it is unsafe for automobiles, maybe lay down some top soil or sod, and create a park like atmosphere. I know, that's the last thing the city needs, but it would be a nice place to go to..........then again, maybe the sod and other stuff would be to heavy for the garage to support............

You must be new to Danville, If you make a park like thing, unseen from the street, can you think what kind of perverts would use it. maybe it's not such a good idea.

[Tuck]

Just a thought on the parking garage....if it is unsafe for automobiles, maybe lay down some top soil or sod, and create a park like atmosphere. I know, that's the last thing the city needs, but it would be a nice place to go to..........then again, maybe the sod and other stuff would be to heavy for the garage to support............

You must be new to Danville, If you make a park like thing, unseen from the street, can you think what kind of perverts would use it. maybe it's not such a good idea.

Not new to Danville by any means, but have not lived here for over 25 years, so you may be correct, times have changed over the years. Let me ask you this Skip, what if they also put in Camera surveillance?  Trying to put a positive spin on something that might actually benefit our city.

[Herman]

Just a thought on the parking garage....if it is unsafe for automobiles, maybe lay down some top soil or sod, and create a park like atmosphere. I know, that's the last thing the city needs, but it would be a nice place to go to..........then again, maybe the sod and other stuff would be to heavy for the garage to support............

You must be new to Danville, If you make a park like thing, unseen from the street, can you think what kind of perverts would use it. maybe it's not such a good idea.

Not new to Danville by any means, but have not lived here for over 25 years, so you may be correct, times have changed over the years. Let me ask you this Skip, what if they also put in Camera surveillance?  Trying to put a positive spin on something that might actually benefit our city.

  Cameras??  Who's going to monitor them?  Get serious.  You're on Candid Camera in a "park setting"  Last thing D'ville needs is another "park".

[skiptown]

Yea , what herman said. Plus I don't think they  archive the stuff for very long 6 weeks maybe tops.
So some dasterdly deed could happen and not be reported for a long time.
Look at what happened in Florida a few weeks ago with that little girl. The guy that did it could have been passing through and is now long gone.
Maybe the City could use it to store equipment on it, oh I plum forgot thes got that place out on Voorhees street. for that em, lets see what can we do with that dead space.. I'll get back to you on that one.

[music man]

 Marigold head,

  You are right on target! What we need is a referendum on a ballot to stop this Gestapo from bleeding us dry. Meet "Gordon Gekko". he doesn't care about taxpayers at all. He sees them as a source of revenue
only.

  We need somebody trying to live on $30,000 or less a year to be proposing taxes & laws. We have people who pay no real estate taxes voting on those of us that do. Look at Calif.! A 10% tax on all workers! Better to stay home & make nothing!

  Give me Medicaid,food stamps & section 8 housing! I'll gladly stay home. I was a sucker for working 12-16 hours a day. I paid for those who sponged off of me! Sure Tuck,put those cameras in. Lets bleed the taxpayer to death. One thing though Tuck. It is a equal tax or enforcement. Cameras don't know if you are a illegal immigrant,etc.

 

[Chazzy]

You are right on point maigoldhead,  Let Scotty  and THE board and council take a cut in pay .. Bout time they gave something back... X-cept taxing the people.....and i thot that 10 cent TAX on gasoline was supposed to fix the roads.?
                       TAXVILLE..       and wait till flipper Quinn gets his taxes going cause ya know theys coming.     Then Obama and the dem0crats  push theirs thru,,,    DO IT IN DANVILLE. What a joke.

[marigoldhead]

Marigold head,

  You are right on target! What we need is a referendum on a ballot to stop this Gestapo from bleeding us dry. Meet "Gordon Gekko". he doesn't care about taxpayers at all. He sees them as a source of revenue
only.

  We need somebody trying to live on $30,000 or less a year to be proposing taxes & laws. We have people who pay no real estate taxes voting on those of us that do. Look at Calif.! A 10% tax on all workers! Better to stay home & make nothing!

  Give me Medicaid,food stamps & section 8 housing! I'll gladly stay home. I was a sucker for working 12-16 hours a day. I paid for those who sponged off of me! Sure Tuck,put those cameras in. Lets bleed the taxpayer to death. One thing though Tuck. It is a equal tax or enforcement. Cameras don't know if you are a illegal immigrant,etc.

  I glad I dont live in danville.  I live in tilton where it is quite so bad YET.  As a businessman I see wastefull spending in the municipalities.  Im not saying im perfect but I can make a budget and stay pretty close to it.  Danville has some real problems.  You danville residents need to go to the city council meeting and voice your opinions.  We can write all we want on here,but until you stand up to them nothing will happen.  I know im not afraid to stand up for my rights.  If you know me you know this is true.  I hate to see danville dying like it is.  There used to be a day when our business did all our work in danville.  In the last 5 years the economy in vermilion county has taken us up to 60 miles away for work.  I value my customers in danville and will always help anyway I can but, if someone doesnt do something soon, danville will be a ghost town.  You can put up all the parks, parking lots, new buildings, turnabouts, and other wastefull spending but if no one is here, its just crazy spending.  Tell Scott to examine how to keep new construction on using local labor.  He says he cant do it legally but he can.  Danville is a home rule town and they have alot of power under this.  If you need my help you can always email me or stop by.  If danville keeps spiralling down, we all feel it.  If danville raises taxes we all feel it.  Get the pic?

[marigoldhead]

I had a friend that had a great idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  If your going to get section 8, link, or public housing, you must take a drug test and be subject to random test.  This would help alot....   If you are positive, you get nothing!!!!!  It sounds good to me since many of us working have to have one just to have a job.

[Terry]

I have long supported drug testing to get aid.  But, there's one big problem with the concept.  What about the children ?  Should they suffer for the sins of their parents ?  If you have some logical answer to that question, without shipping them into some foster home, I'd be in complete agreement.