Cameroon debt forgiven, Churches for a dollar, City Yards to be moved at great expense, sweetheart deals for developers and colleges, what else is next? We have a city management system with no accountability that can only accomplish thing with deals and give-a -ways. New Rochelle City Management is nickel and diming the citizens to a point where hard working families can’t afford to live in New Rochelle where they were born and raised any longer. Residents are forced to make some hard choices while management makes one bad decision after another. That is not what they are paid for and paid very well for I might say. They receive great salaries and benefits while working and in their retirement. The citizens will be paying for poor performances for a life time. It is time for a reality check.
Same old tune. Why invest the time and effort to get the tax money that is owed to the city? It would take too much effort to continue the challenge. It would be work. Folks that is your job, you are the experts in your fields of city management and finance. That is why you were hired and or appointed in the first place. Or is it, you work for New Rochelle so it doesn’t matter. One thing they forget is that it is our hard earned taxpayer dollars which are in trusted to them to manage and manage properly. If my financial planner, if I could afford one, did such a poor job I would look for a new one right away. If we are already paying someone to do the same job, why pay twice. Cut out a few government positions with salaries and benefits that would save the city even more money than the taxes that are owed.
You can’t give up just because something is difficult. That should be your inspiration to go after the money even harder. Ask for help, be creative and come up with a plan to recover what is owed the City of New Rochelle and its citizen taxpayers. Why is it that the people in a position to help get involved after the fact? Were they asked in the first place? Did Sen. Charles Schumer actually just find out about these problems after reading a Sunday article in The Journal News and on LoHud.com revealing that 16 houses in six Westchester County municipalities owe about $2.2 million in back taxes. Sen. Schumer then called on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Susan Rice, United States’ ambassador to the United Nations, to pressure countries with back taxes in Westchester County to pay up. Nowhere does it say the frustrated City Manager and Financial Manager contacted Sen. Schumer for assistance. He read about it in the newspaper.
Once again we see a situation where it seems there is no plan, no accountability. A city cannot function without proper plans and procedures in place. We have plans and provisions in The City Charter but who follows that? Stop the behind the scenes antics. Get the laundry out in public for the people to see. No more Special Session Meetings that are closed to the public. You would be amazed at what help would be offered if people knew there was a problem. Sen. Schumer is now looking at the issue and I am sure others would have. Yet city management still wants to forgive the Cameroon debt. With Sen. Schumer and others taking the lead in recapturing funds or suggesting ways to improve our financial picture, it might suggest we don’t need some of our city management services and can cut back on a few position.
Who is actually in charge and or responsible for what happens here in New Rochelle. Is it our City Manager or our quasi part time Mayor? Is the mayor a full time strong mayor despite what The City Charter suggests, who is calling the shots and being held accountable for the decisions both of them make with the taxpayer money?
Wake Up New Rochelle City Council and Management. The citizens are starting to get restless. Many more will begin to speak up because they are starting to realize we have people in jobs that lack the ability to fulfill the responsibilities of their jobs. Once again, we must insist that The City Council get back to following The City Charter and begin to show some leadership. Only then can we get New Rochelle back on track. Only then can a plan that doesn’t currently exist be put together and executed. Next chance to speak is Tuesday night May 15th at 7:30. See below for a few details. More is available on the city web site.
“Common Sense for the Common Good”
Date: Tuesday, May 15th:
Event: City Council Committee of the Whole plus Public Hearing & Citizens To Be Heard
Date: May 15
Time: 3:45 PM - 9:00 PM
Time Details:
City Council Meeting begins at 3:45 PM
Public Hearing starting at 7:30 PM
Citizens To Be Heard immediately following
Committee of the Whole Session, Tuesday, May 15,2012
A PORTION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING(S) FOR THIS TUESDAY EVENING:
(List of Public Hearing(s) with related memos and proposed legislation can be seen in their entirety on the city web site)
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT:
-DIRECTING PUBLIC HEARING
PROPOSED ABANDONMENT OF PORTION OF SYLVAN PLACE
-PROPOSED SALE OF CITY-OWNED PROPERTY
RE: BLOCK I, LOT 82 – GAILLARD PLACE
-PROPOSED CANCELLATION OF CERTAIN PROPERTY TAXES
RE: BLOCK 1018, LOTS 37 AND 41- (50 MONTGOMERY CIRCLEREPUBLIC
OF CAMEROUN)
-PROPOSED WITHDRAWAL OF CERTAIN PARCELS FROM THE
2009 IN REM FORECLOSURE PROCEEDING
DISCUSSION ITEMS: REQUESTED BY STAFF:
a. 2011 MS4 Stormwater Management Draft Report
Communication dated May 8, 2012 from Alexander Tergis, Commissioner of Public
Works, with attached draft of the annual City of New Rochelle Stormwater Management
Report, forwarded by Charles B. Strome, III, City Manager.
Requested by Commissioner of Public Works
b. Hudson Park Concession – Year Two Improvements and 2012 Operational Changes
Requested by Commissioner of Parks and Recreation
c. Employee Wellness Program
Requested by City Manager
d. Motion to Enter Into Executive Session
Re: Personnel
Requested by City Manager
Careful! Become independent state before defaulting on RE taxes!
Right you are Robert. Perhaps all aggrieved NR taxpayers should declare themselves independent of the United States, or incorporate their households into charitable institutions or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) BEFORE defaulting on their real estate tax payments. That way, perhaps, you can be sure that you will not lose your home or otherwise suffer any inconveniences or indignities from not meeting your financial obligations to the municipality. Just like the nation of Cameroon seems to be doing.
Of course no one would suggest that anyone not pay their taxes; only trying to keep people safe in their homes.