PO Box 4252 • Fort Lauderdale, FL 33338 • 954-614-9942 • coleman@colemanprewitt.com
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Coleman Prewitt for

Fort Lauderdale City Commission, District 4, Nonpartisan.

 

 

Florida Statutes require candidates to stop accepting campaign contributions 5 days prior to the election.

While we cannot accept funds for the campaign at this time, Coleman still needs your help!

Please send him an email or call him directly to say you can help with:

*Signs

*Calling or emailing voters in

  District 4

*Volunteering on election day.

 

We need your help to win!

coleman@colemanprewitt.com

954-614-9942

Would You Like an Extra $400?

 

At times it seems the leadership of Fort Lauderdale is just asleep at the wheel.

 

While nationally housing values continue their historic declines, the stock market drops well into bear market territory, the credit markets freeze up and the unemployment rate continues to rise, we find ourselves facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  All around us we see the collapse of some the world’s largest financial institutions and loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs.  Budgets, both governmental and household are squeezed and everyone is doing everything possible  to cut back and survive this crisis.

 

The news at home is not much different.  Local real estate values continue their historic free fall.  Foreclosure rates are at all time highs.  The unemployment rate continues to escalate at an alarming rate.  And in this financial crisis, as companies and governments around the nation slash their budgets to the bone in anticipation of the continuing economic hurricane, what has the City of Fort Lauderdale done?  It has INCREASED the budget for 2009 by 12.1%!

 

The operating budget for the City of Fort Lauderdale for fiscal year 2008 (the fiscal year that ended on September 30, 2008) was $536,215,354.  The operating budget for fiscal year 2009 is $605,762,600, an increase of almost $70 Million.  Based on the City’s population of 175,518, this represents an increase this year of $396 for every man, woman and child in the City.  What could you do with an extra $400 this year? What could a struggling family of 4 do with an extra $1,600?

 

While City leaders may correctly tell you that the ad valorem rates have remained essentially unchanged, the City budget has nonetheless increased by $70 million.  Where did this money come from?  Part of the extra money comes from a 44% increase in fire assessment fees (an increase from $94 to $135); part from a 5% increase in water and sewer rates.  There are other areas of increase, but with a little increase here and a little increase there, our fellow citizens are less likely to notice the dramatic rise in City revenues.

 

As bad as this looks, when we compare these numbers to some of our neighboring cities, the results are even more outrageous.  Our largest neighbors--Hollywood, Plantation and Pompano Beach--all managed to REDUCE their 2009 budgets over the 2008 levels.  It’s worth noting that 2 of these 3 cities--Plantation and Pompano Beach—actually have lower ad valorem rates than Fort Lauderdale.  Despite facing the same economic hardships as Fort Lauderdale, these cities managed to do the right thing and reduce the tax burden on their citizens, while at the same time Fort Lauderdale passed one of the largest budget increases in our history!  Do you think this is responsible leadership sensitive to the needs of our citizens?  Is this the kind of leadership you want?

 

Adding insult to injury, the 2009 budget reduces the City’s savings account, its Fund Balance, by more than $17 million.  This will be $17 million less than we will have next year to deal with the continuing budget crises, the continuing economic free fall and the always threatening hurricanes.  If ever there was a year when we should conserve our savings, isn’t it this year?  Aren’t you doing everything you can to protect your savings in these uncertain times?

 

Cutting municipal budgets in these challenging economic times is very difficult because the demands on municipal services will often increase (i.e., increased demands for public safety, code enforcement, etc).  Wringing efficiencies out of government is difficult in the best of times but our leaders must not shy away from these issues because they are difficult, they must address these issues because they are in the best interest of our Citizens.  If all of us must get by on less, shouldn’t our City?  If Hollywood, Plantation and Pompano Beach can do it, why can’t Fort Lauderdale?  Couldn’t you use an extra $400 this year?

 

Please contact me at coleman@colemanprewitt.com or 954-614-9942 to share your ideas.