I neither campaigned for, nor donated money to Lenny Curry's campaign. However, I did vote for him. Making this a personal issue is ridiculous.
Based on what I understand to be true based on my own study of the pension issue... I am more apt than not to vote in favor of Curry's pension proposal in August. At this point, I'm waiting to see what the final proposal is before I make up my mind 100%.
As to your other hyperbole, its frankly not even worth responding to... you clearly have your agenda.
but this solution doesn't even pay the actual obligation
That's quite a sensational theory, but it is absolutely without merit.
If anyone wants to have an actual discussion on the pension issue, I'd be glad to participate in a rational conversation.
There is a legitimate debate to be had in regards to how future pension obligations should be paid for. There are essentially four options:
1) The sales tax extension proposed by Curry.
2) Face the very real possibility of municipal bankruptcy. If you do nothing, this will happen. This option is basically a non-starter.
3) Not pay retirees. See #3: non-starter.
4) Pay for it by drastically increasing property taxes. There are two issues at play here as to a potential hike in property taxes. One is that a small increase will not generate the money needed (any real solution involves a shared pain). There has to be a substantial increase to the millage rate to be able to generate the necessary revenue to pay future pension obligations. Simply rolling back the millage rate to what it was 12 years ago isn't sufficient. Remember, Peyton raised the millage rate twice during the last years of his term. City Council raised the millage rate once during Brown's term. All three of those raises still haven't brought the budget to an even figure, new debt has been taken on to fill gaps during all of those budget cycles.. so that extra money isn't going to be enough to even begin to take a chunk out of the pension obligation.
The other issue is that there is nothing stopping political whims from redirecting that additional ad valorum revenue in future years to pay for other things. That's a very real concern. It's also a concern that former Mayor John Delaney talks about frequently. Delaney is someone that spent decades operating within the same political apparatus, and has just slightly more than an acute understanding of how political meddling can completely reverse course on a plan of action that was previously set sail upon. It would be wise to at least take this into consideration when thinking about paying for future pension obligations by raising property taxes. You could trust future mayors and future city councils to be steadfastly devoted to not Mickey Mouse future budgets. History paints a picture that is colored by mistrust however.
Think about your own self for a moment... say you had $1,000 sitting in the bank. The budget that you set yourself up 6 months ago said that $400 of that money was going to pay rent, $200 was to pay for your transportation costs, $200 was to pay for food, $50 paid your electric bill, $100 was to go into savings and the remaining $50 would go towards impressing some lady friend by taking her out to dinner... presumably you charm her enough that she wants to give you some sugar at the end of the night. How many times in your life have you gave in to the temptation to slide that $100 that was supposed to go into savings and instead maybe blow it on booze, or a new tv... or maybe going all out and spending $350 on that debt with the buxom young woman whose smile makes you smitten with irrationality? If you are honest with yourself, you would recall quite a few instances where you maybe didn't make the wisest of choices with your budget. If there are times when you have let yourself down regarding managing your own money... how confident are you that someone else (who has their own agendas that far different than your own) will do a better job at managing your money?
To me, having a dedicated source of revenue is a major selling point. In reality, there are no perfect options. You are basically choosing which option is the least imperfect. Would I much, much, much, much prefer that a sales tax extension goes towards infrastructure and qualify of life projects? Absolutely, unequivocably without question, yes! Does it give me pause that potential tax revenue will be shifted to pension obligations instead of a new Better Jacksonville Project? You bet your @ss it does. I want to live in a city with nicer things than what we currently have. There is no shame in admitting that. But, at some point reality has to set in.
Do I want to live in a city in 10 years from now where $600 of the $1,000 dollars I pay in property taxes pays for the pension while the fire station down the street from my house is closed down, the park a block over has been sold to WalMart to pay for a municipal government that's in hawk to the pawn shop owner down the street, my house gets robbed and the police show up 13 days later and I drive to work on a road that is riddled with so many potholes that I have to buy new tires every 4 months? This is a major consideration.
As to the political reality of a property tax increase... I don't see a scenario in which voters would vote for a millage rate increase of say 4-5 mills this August. I have a good feeling that people smarter than me have maybe.. just maybe done extensive polling on this issue and have come to that same conclusion.
