A quick look back. Not long ago the mendacious Martin agreed with those on council who felt that the first reading of ordinances should not take place at caucus meetings. Why? Because those meetings aren't televised and many residents would not have enough time to digest the potential impact of the new legislation. That sounds great. We support that policy.
So, if the malevolent Martin is so concerned about giving residents time to digest the meaning of new ordinances and is equally dedicated to whatever he means by "transparency", why have we learned that Martin is planning to do the SECOND READING OF THE NEW ENERGY TAX and AN EMERGENCY(?) READING OF ANOTHER ORDINANCE at the untelevised caucus meeting THAT WILL BE HELD IN ROUGHLY FIFTY-TWO HOURS? To say Martin's plan to ram new legislation through at an untelevised caucus meeting is an outrage is a colossal understatement.
There are a few things the residents of Villa Hills should be mindful of:
- NO PUBLIC COMMENT is allowed at caucus meetings. So if the residents who Martin claims to love so much have any questions, they just may be out of luck. And even if Martin somehow inserts some kind of "special meeting" provisions in to the caucus meeting to allow for public comment, how many people will ever know about it? No notice of the second reading or the emergency(?) reading has even been posted on the City Building door at the time of this post.
- THE MONEY GENERATED BY MARTIN'S NEW ENERGY TAX IS CURRENTLY NOT RESTRICTED FOR STREET REPAIR. We looked at the ordinance that was the subject of a first reading. There is no provision to restrict the revenue for street repair. Will they amend it? Is that change substantial enough to require a new first reading? Perhaps.
- We have learned that council people have emailed numerous questions to Martin about his PROPOSED NEW ENERGY TAX. We have also learned that, as of the time of this post, NONE OF THE COUNCIL'S QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
- We don't know yet what additional fees residents will have to pay for Duke Energy to collect MARTIN'S NEW ENERGY TAX. Keep in mind that Kenton County charged Villa Hills' taxpayers to collect the UNFAIR $40 PER CAR STICKER TAX. And, insurance companies charge a fee to collect the INSURANCE PREMIUM TAX. So, the residents may very well pay more that the additional cost of MARTIN'S NEW ENERGY TAX.
- We don't know if there is any cap on the potential amount of MARTIN'S NEW ENERGY TAX. Just how high will it eventually be raised because "we have to fix your streets"? This despite the fact that the ordinance-as currently written-doesn't even restrict the proceeds of MARTIN'S NEW ENERGY TAX TO STREET REPAIR.
Look, we are almost ashamed to admit that we have more-or-less come to understand how Martin's DISHONEST mind works. The diminutive dictator will say that he has kept his promise not to do first readings of new ordinance at caucus meetings. He is proposing a second reading and an emergency reading, after all.
And, Martin will say that he gave proper notice of the second and emergency readings. Maybe. But, at best, the mismanaging Martin is keeping the letter of the law. But certainly not the spirit of the law. Martin Chronicles readers will be the only ones who are aware that Martin plans to ram his NEW ENERGY TAX through at an untelevised caucus.
We suspect the deed is already done. It is most likely a fait accompli. Why? Because Martin's council cronies are almost certainly going to approve MARTIN'S NEW ENERGY TAX. Even if the vote ends in a tie, Martin will certainly vote "yes". That is, of course, after we have to listen to his emetic soliloquy about what his "head" and "heart" are telling him to do.
Again, this is an OUTRAGE.
