When I began these City Council updates shortly after my election in 2007, my goal was to bring transparency of City Council issues to the public. I have always been an advocate of transparency and am proud of my participation with other Council members of our programs to put financial data and neighborhood crime statistics on our City web site (www.aiken.net). I have also advocated that we televise our City Council meetings as well as meetings of other Boards and Commissions. Given the make-up of our City, many residents cannot or choose not to attend meetings held at night and sometimes not ending until later in the evening. If we had the ability to televise our proceedings and place them on our Community Channel furnished by Atlantic Broadband or even put them on the internet to be available on demand, more citizens would be able to view their local government in action. I will continue to advocate these kinds of programs, but I also recognize that we don’t have the money to begin new programs given the recession the country is experiencing.
Beginning with this email abd web posting I will focus on issues beyond the Agenda of the next Council meeting. These will be special subjects that have significant impact on the community. Please feel free to make comments on these issues on this website or by email.
RAILROAD DEPOT FUNDING: Last month Council discussed financing of the Railroad Depot and a potential request for a loan to the Aiken Corporation for approximately $1.3 million. Reggie Ebner and I attended two meetings with Steve Homoki attending the second expressing our concern about the use of public monies to complete Phase One of this project. Our concerns focused on the best use of City reserve funds which would have been used to fund this loan. We were also worried about the ability of the Aiken Corporation to repay the loan. I am pleased to report that the Aiken Corporation had deferred this matter and will pursue other sources of funding to complete Phase One of the project. In my two years on the Council and during my walking campaign, I clearly heard that while many support the Railroad Depot, there is little support for public funding of the project. I will continue to keep you informed about this issue. I am also distressed to learn that at their Executive Committee Meeting of Dec 9, 2009 that the Aiken Corporation voted to proceed to bid with Phase II of the project. This does not strike me as a reasonable or prudent decision given current financial concerns with this project.
LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX: City Council will soon develop our list of projects for the next ONE CENT SALES TAX program which voters will vote on in the November 2010 election. Most of these projects are much needed. You can view the list on Page 9 of this weeks City South Carolina Roger LeDuc , and current and previous City Council members who have been good stewards of your money. I have heard our Mayor, Fred Cavanaugh, express great pride in the fact that the City has not raised our millage rate in the past twenty years. With your help we continue our record of financial responsibility.
3 comments:
Thank you for the updates. Aiken citizens are much better informed about their city now than was the case before you, Jane Vaughters and Dick Smith were on the council.
Edwin I'm sure you are more than capable of finding out what goes on in Aiken without being spoon-fed biased information from these folks. With a bit of an effort you would know exactly what goes on at City Council meetings and in the city in general.
Dick - we do not have a "Local Option Sales Tax" in Aiken, if we did, most of that source of money is required by statute to lower property taxes. We have a Capital Sales Project Tax that funds the projects you speak of.
Also, as you correctly point out, the local cable company is required to broadcast City Council meetings AT NO CHARGE to the city as part of its franchise agreement. What's the cost of the city to put some equipment in the chamber? Can't be nearly as much as is wasted on various flim flams that have/are/will be taking place with city resources. TEll us what the projected costs are to the city before we just write off broadcasting the comedy shows from Aiken City Hall. Finally, Freddie has been talling us this lie about property taxes for twenty years or so now. Yes the tax rate either stays the same or goes down but the assessed value goes up and we still have to pay more and more for the same or less service from the City. We need greater impact fees on new construction to lower existing and long-term residents. Give us a break!
Good job on talling Wade Brodie and that run-away train depot crowd to fund their project themselves. NO AIKEN BANK BAILOUTS!!
Travis is correct. We do have a Capital Sales Project Tax often referred to as the penny sales tax. More important that what it is called, is the list of projects on the list. We need to make sure that they are essential and public comment is very important.
There is a company that by contract could televise our meetings. We use them now to prepare our minutes. Given our current economic situation, we will be better served by the new Aiken Standard TV which is cost free to the City and our citizens.
Thanks for your supporting comments on our efforts to rein in the Aiken Corporation.
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