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Hernando Today

The Nickel's Value Of Raising Parks, Emergency Fees

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 16, 2008

I don't think our local, county, state or federal governments understand what the majority of we hardworking, overtaxed and overcharged citizens need and want for the dollar value we "might" get in return.

We are overtaxed with all taxes: payroll, property, Social Security, Medicare, sales, local, state, federal and all... If you don't believe it, just ask yourself what our founding fathers would do if they were being taxed like we are? And we are over-charged for medical, health, life, home and auto, all insurances; and overcharged on fuel, all fuels, plus for utilities (because they are all basically monopolies), plus housing, transportation, savings, food and water. It isn't a matter of supply and demand; it's the lowering of the nickel's value.

We need and are demanding to see results in the reductions of all these costs. And we are not fooled by watching you reduce one area of taxes only to formulate scenarios to raise our costs in other taxes, licenses, fees (like in park access and emergency services), etc. Quit robbing Peter (we are Peter) to pay Paul (you are Paul)!

How do you do this? First, cut your own nickel and all other higher echelon employees' payroll, benefits and subsidies, plus consulting and outside studies costs, change orders, reimbursements and dependencies. If you can't do the job at lower wages, quit. We'll replace you with whoever you've been running to to do the jobs you were either elected, contracted or hired for with personnel from the pools of consultants you so quickly jump to contract.

I propose this law to be passed: That for every major company, government bureaucracy and similar institutions and businesses where many lower-end workers are dependent on their income for life's necessities from paycheck to paycheck that, before any one individual on the bottom tier of employment can be laid off or fired to reduce operating cost, upper management, beginning with the top-most, highest paid and responsible, must take cuts in pay and benefits amounting to reductions until their nickels are lowered to the equivalent of the lowest paid employees they would intend to lay off. If nothing else, it would help to save the unemployment insurance benefits banked.

Solution? Find ways to increase the value of the dollar we all work so hard to obtain and maybe, just maybe, we'll determine you have become worth the raises you so generously give yourselves. But you aren't worth a plug nickel to us now!

Mike Farahay

Weeki Wachee

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