tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post8119861918383111233..comments2023-09-11T08:58:24.710-06:00Comments on Reach Upward: North Ogden City to Citizen Taxpayers: Shut Up and Pay Up!Scott Hinrichshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-65391385875707528332011-08-18T07:02:11.710-06:002011-08-18T07:02:11.710-06:00History will have to record that the greatest trag...History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.<br />Martin Luther King, Jr.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-23001422380639720182011-08-17T23:19:49.569-06:002011-08-17T23:19:49.569-06:00It seems that you have done an excellent job in su...It seems that you have done an excellent job in summarizing what has happened and where we are now. I would like to add one additional observation that could help explain why some residents are so upset. This issue seems to be a repeat of how the funding for the swimming pool was obtained only on a larger scale. I remember that over 70% of the residents voted against a $3.5 million bond for that. However the leadership at that time which included the current mayor as a councilperson found a way to bond using RDA funds. Understand that the RDA was a 20 year bond now being paid for by the incremental tax revenue from our commercial district in the RDA. That also was a tax levied upon us without our vote. Some of us are not happy that the leadership of this city continues to obligate the taxpayers whether we want it or not. I have attended more than one of the council meetings where budgets were discussed and voted upon. I was concerned this last year when the budget was balanced by dividing one administrator salary over five departments and then consuming our reserves to the lowest level allowed by state law. This was after cutting employee benefits and lowering some salaries. This next year that will not be an option and we are going to have a larger mess. The timing of this indebtedness could not come at a worse time. In dire economic times like this we should be making due with a little less for a while longer. Many of us that have seen our salaries lowered, benefits decreased and seen co-workers terminated are concerned when we look around and moving to another job is very difficult and are feeling like a reality check is needed. It is obvious by the attendance at the hearings and number of signatures gathered in such a short time that people want to be heard and proceed with caution on something so significant. I do not see why this should be pushed so quickly. It is obvious that the Mayor does not want a vote on this issue because I suspect he does not want to have the results appear in the press for all to see.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com