The Martin Chronicles is continuing to drill down. We are examining the ways that the many, many problems created in Villa Hills City Government by the dreadful mismanagement of current malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin can be "fixed". Let's spend some time on the road issue.
First, let's look at the City's taxpayer-funded $3 million-plus annual budget. Despite the mendacious Martin's well-documented 2010 lies, there simply isn't enough money available in that current amount to completely fund a street repair and replacement program. It's nothing more than basic math.
But-despite the fact that some seem oddly uneasy about discussing it-if the malevolent Martin hadn't squandered somewhere in the neighborhood of a half million dollars on lawyers and legal fees on his personal vendetta against the police, there certainly could have been a great deal more road work completed. Again, it's nothing more than basic math.
Some also take solace in blaming previous administrations for the problem, But it matters not that previous City leaders didn't begin building a road fund "twenty years ago". The problem exists now. It can either be addressed now or-as is happening currently-ignored now.
So, what will a new mayor and council have to do? They are going to face the unenviable task of asking the taxpayers to pay more for road funding. Why "unenviable"? That's easy. Everybody dislikes taxes. And they despise tax increases. But, if more road work is to be done, more revenue is required to fund it.
How can they do it? Hopefully. they won't use the sneaky approach the misdirecting Martin and his mostly-compliant new council has used. Martin walked away from his 2010 "solemn promise" to repeal the UNFAIR $40 PER CAR STICKER TAX and convinced enough on council to raise the insurance premium tax by fifty percent. Even still, any real road repair and replacement program remains in mothballs.
If a new mayor and council decides to ask the voters to support a tax increase on themselves, they had better be ready to thoroughly explain and campaign for it. A half-hearted and deceptive effort like the one put forth by the tiny tyrant and council members like Jim Noll in 2011 will not work.
There is also the universally unpopular method of assessing residents for the repair of their streets. Former council person Mike Pope floated that trial balloon a few times and each time it was quickly shot down in flames. We suppose that the idea may have to be re-visited.
All of these points are moot if Martin is re-elected on November 4. He has proven himself utterly incapable of managing anything other than his own personal vendettas.
We'll know in 103 days.
