Yes, we know. The Martin Chronicles has posted about this before. And we are sure we will post about it again many more times. Why? Because we are now totally convinced that the $40 STICKER TAX is nothing more than a colossal taxpayer rip-off.
How does STICKER TAX “creator” Greg Kilburn now justify his brainchild? How can Mike Martin, who voted for Kilburn’s STICKER TAX proposal five long years ago, tell people with a straight face that they aren’t being hosed? We wonder if Mike Pope has been visiting a chiropractor after the Olympic “10” score flip-flop he pulled off coming out IN SUPPORT OF THE STICKER TAX after years of phony campaigning against it? What about Jim Noll? Never mind. Nobody cares about Jim Noll.
Kilburn’s sell-out vote to move the collection of the STICKER TAX down to Boss Steve Arlinghaus’ County Court House makes it even more UNFAIR than it ever was. Kilburn and the other three “men of the people” have signaled to state-evading “free-roaders” and drivers of company cars that they no longer have to pay the fee. Despite the very real fact that the very ordinance Kilburn authored creating the STICKER TAX in the first place REQUIRES THAT EVERYONE PAYS THE TAX. We suspect these four “pander bears” have opened a legal Pandora’s Box of challenges to the STICKER TAX from people who have always played by the rules, obeyed the law and now find themselves being punished for their efforts.
Even folks like these four flip-floppers have got to have enough sense to see that the $40 STICKER TAX has outlived its usefulness. It should be repealed. The voters simply aren’t buying Kilburn’s clap-trap about needing a bazillion dollars a year for street repair. They said so quite loudly last November.
Martin likes to say he is an “outside-the-box” kind of guy. Yeah, like the garish bobbing clown head that pops out of a child’s Jack-In-The-Box toy. Can’t you just hear it now? “Pop Goes That Weasel Martin”. If the city is truly so desperate for cash like Martin, Kilburn, Pope and whatever the other guy’s name is keep saying, we have some simple yet bold ideas even they should be able to grasp.
First, repeal the STICKER TAX.
Then, cut loose the incompetent, unenforced contract clerk/bookkeeper. She’s worse than useless. She’s dangerous. Also, say a PERMANENT goodbye to the inept TEMPORARY clerk who was allegedly brought in for a tax season that ended months ago. All she has done is eat taxpayer-funded lunches and help provide cover for Martin’s document destruction. The taxpayers should also not be funding any more of her extended trips to Florida.
Next, quit building new city parking lots, buying new computers and hiring multiple website consultants.
Then, don’t give seventy-five dollar Christmas gifts to the employees or throw taxpayer-funded going away parties for police officers who Mayor Martin browbeats into retirement.
Now batting, cancel any plans Martin may be ginning up to have taxpayers fund any of the 911 Memorial. If these folks need $150,000, let ‘em go beg for it like everybody else.
Following, quit using the public works crew to clean up PRIVATE PROPERTY if for no other reason than it is ILLEGAL.
Next, quit having the public works crew plow the civic club’s parking lot when it snows or change the toilet paper at the Civic Club or Villa Madonna ball fields.
After, let the pinheads at the Civic Club pay the guy the several thousands of dollars a year the taxpayers currently pay to cut their grass and drag their ball fields. If the civic club can’t afford to pay, perhaps they should charge more at Spaghetti Night or just go out of business.
Then, tell the mayor to quit doing insane things that provoke costly lawsuits and complaints. Perhaps the mayor should consider sitting down with the police chief sometime to discuss cost containment. Better yet, hire the eighth police officer. Results prove that would be a whole lot cheaper.
Here’s an “outside-the-box” idea for Martin. Perhaps the mayor should consider selling the city building and moving the two remaining clerks to the police department. The city would receive an influx of cash to spend on roads and permanently reduce utility, insurance and other related costs.
Then, if there truly are roads “in crisis” as the perpetually-alarmist Kilburn says, raise the money through assessments. Why not? The people who live on those streets should pay for their repair. Wouldn’t they pay if the sidewalk in front of their house needed replaced? Why not pay for the street repair in front of their house as well?
Not to worry. If you have a car registered in Villa Hills and fail to comply with the STICKER TAX, the city now plans to sue you.
