Hello again out there. Well as you probably know by now, we passed up an opportunity to hire a good man, an honorable man, that man being Bob Lowery, Jr. asour Police Chief. Unfortunately, politics has been used in the wrong direction here and unfortunately, we can’t even get an explanation why Mr. Lowery was not hired. I guess we will continue to struggle with this issue for a while. However, I feel confident Dr. Williams, our City Administrator, will ultimately give us another good nominee. Things in the City are progressing. Soon we will have four community centers: one at New Town, one at Lindenwood, one at Blanchette Park and one at the Noah’s Ark site. Do you think we have enough now folks? I do.
It doesn’t look like I am going to be successful in getting you lower trash rates. I apologize for this, however, the majority of the Council is apparently not really interested. Again we have this $99 million budget and the majority of the Council doesn’t want to eliminate your utility tax or even reduce your trash bill. A shame. A big shame that you resident taxpayers, the people who pay the bills, are in third place in the big scheme of things. We are always spending that money but never giving any relief to you, the residents. In 2007 we are going to have a new Mayor and a new Council. The new Mayor will have all the power. So, I am saying to you now, do your homework. Research the candidates for those positions. Only support those who put you first, you the resident taxpayer.
The insurance coverage for the City employees is way out of line. If the City can’t afford to get rid of your utility tax how can we afford to pay the employees and their dependents in full? If this bill gets passed to subsidize the insurance coverage for the employees and their families, I am going to introduce a bill to provide insurance to every resident of St. Charles. I know this sounds outlandish. However, if we can take care of everybody other than the resident taxpayer, I am going to see if we can’t take care of the resident taxpayer. Most of these employees, 70 percent, do not live in the city. I think it is high time the residents get something back and if they won’t abolish the utility tax and provide services such as free trash, fine, then let’s all get medical insurance! We have people in this town who run out of money before they run out of month. People have to decide if the husband or the wife goes to see the doctor because they don’t have enough money for both to go. This city needs to take care of its residents.
Keep up the faith. I will keep fighting for you. God love you one and all, friend or foe 949-0956.
