Thomas J. Watson

Political campaigns and the skill to keep political support while governing, are inseparable from the reality of what you say and what you do.

Author unknown

It is amazing how many politicians don’t know or forget that.

And oh one other thing … character does matter.

For everyone who thinks their City Council is full of fools, on this day I invite you to download the free ebook …

“Why Your City Council Makes Dumb Decisions and What You Can Do About It.”

Enjoy!

“council members would use laptops to download and view documents available on the Internet and large television screens would allow the public to follow along during meetings.”

I don’t know how well this would work but I believe it should be tried.

I’ve seen too many gawdawful huge council packets, to say it should not be at least tried.

The bigger question is how to get an Alderman to read the material (in whatever form) before the meeting so they know what they are discussing/voting on.

While waiting for the ceremony to begin I overheard the conversation taking place behind me. It was two gentlemen that I could not see. They were discussing the upcoming health care vote and other national issues.

One said to the other, “I’m glad I’m 73 and won’t be here much longer. I don’t want to see what this country will become.”

The other responded, “I’m with you.”

What a graduation message for the Class of 2010 … “All things considered I’d rather be dead.”

Or maybe Patrick Henry said it more eloquently?

“Give Me Liberty … or Give me Death.“

A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.

John Burroughs

I seldom call an an idea stupid… but this is stupid.

Indio Councilman Glenn Miller would like see the formation of a Blue Ribbon Citizens Committee that assists and keeps a close eye on city spending habits.

“It’s more of an advisory committee to help us with making some decisions,” Miller said. “I think it’s vital that we’re very transparent and open and I think this is the best way.”

He envisions a committee of about five to seven residents who may have a background in finance.

Councilman Miller, keeping an eye on city spending is what you were elected to do. You weren’t elected to appoint 5-7 number crunchers to watch city spending. You are suppose to do it. Appointing such a committee is shuffling off your responsibility to someone else.

I can hear it now “don’t blame me it was the Blue Ribbon Committee …”

Stupid.

Are you paying your share of property taxes?

That’s a loaded question isn’t it. I suppose it depends on the definition of “your share.”

Anyway the Institute for Wisconsin’s Future believes there are certain groups that aren’t paying their share of property taxes and they are coming after you if you are in one of these groups.

 * Huge health-care systems that are non-profit

* Real-estate speculators who abuse agricultural assessment

 * Owners of billboards assessed at a fraction of their value

*  High-income seniors in tax-exempt housing

Legal loopholes allow certain groups of people to reduce/eliminate their property taxes. That is a fact.

My question is …  if someone does take advantage of those legal loopholes, does that make them guilty of not paying their share of taxes?

New Berlin — With the economic downtown continuing to put a financial squeeze on municipalities, one Waukesha County community may allow advertisements on its Web site as a way to generate new revenue.

If New Berlin does permit such ads, it could become the first municipality in southeast Wisconsin and perhaps the state to allow advertising on a municipal Web site.

“As far as I know, no other municipality in Wisconsin does something like this,” New Berlin Ald. Ron Seidl said. “We’re just trying to come up with a different way of generating revenue for the city. I don’t believe raising taxes is always the way to generate extra revenue.”

Even if ads do show up on newberlin.org, it won’t be a get-rich-quick venture for the city.

The hoped for ads, from local businesses or national chains with stores or restaurants in New Berlin, likely would raise only about $7,000 annually for the city.

“Obviously, it’s not going to be a huge amount, but we’ll do anything we can to help the city,” Ald. John Hopkins said.

While I believe this is a good idea, others may disagree.

How about it students?

What to pay the Mayor?

I don’t care if the position is defined as part time or full time … it is full time. There is only part time pay.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently ran an article on the pay of their suburban Mayors.

Quite frankly the pay is all over the place as is the PT/FT designation.

I have heard all the arguments about how people should serve for little or nothing. It’s a bunch of BS. Those expounding paying a pittance have never served. It is easy for them to demand others not get paid.

To answer the question “How much do you pay your Mayor?” … Not enough in my opinion.

Same with Council, County Board, Whatever.

But as always I will listen to other views in the Political Philosophy class and via written comments.