October 25, 2010

Clear as mud: City leaders explain budget number

The two city leaders in charge of writing the first draft of Racine's 2011 budget attempted to explain numbers derived from the spending, but instead further confused the situation.

Mayor John Dickert and City Administrator Tom Friedel talked with Journal Times reporter Paul Sloth about Dickert's claim last week that the city's tax levy - the amount of money raised with local property taxes - would increase 1 percent under his plan, even though the numbers clearly showed the mayor was seeking a 2.7 percent increase in the levy. Sloth flagged the discrepancy in his budget story, we followed up with questions, and apparently City Council members were also confused.

Friedel admitted to Sloth the math used to get the 1 percent number was confusing, but Dickert refused to own up to the muddled math.

"I didn't see the confusion at all. The taxpayers in my estimation are concerned about layoffs, furloughs and services," Dickert told Sloth. "I'm doing what the taxpayers asked me, ‘Mayor how much are you raising my budget?' I'm raising it 1 percent. We've tried to play this budget as straight as possible."

But along with the obvious discrepancy of a budget showing a tax levy jump of 2-1/2 times what the mayor claimed in his budget address, the city's administration also declined to acknowledge the, on average, 4.4 percent drop in the value of city homes this year. That means any increase in city spending is compounded by the loss in property value throughout Racine. 

Friedel and Dickert glossed over this issue by declining to release a property tax rate with the mayor's budget proposal. It's the first time in at least a decade a Racine mayor omitted the tax rate information from their budget. The likely reason: the city's property tax rate is headed for a sizable increase to offset the city's overall decline in property value. 

A search through recent news stories found officials in Racine County, Mount Pleasant, Brookfield, and Ozaukee County all released tax rates with their proposed budgets. We couldn't find a municipality or county that did not include the tax rate in its proposal.


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55 comments:

  1. It has become painfully clear that Dickert, his appointees and existing department heads are either totally incompetent or lying to the voters/taxpayers. Either reason is enough to not re-elect Dickert in April. The mistakes, bad appointments, behaviors and now the budget all indicate things aren't right with this group.

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  2. Fire them all.

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  3. @ 11:56... Your right on both counts! @ 12:39... You have the right idea to be sure!

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  4. " That means any increase in city spending is compounded by the loss in property value throughout Racine. "

    No, it doesn't. The levy stays the same. Property values just determine how the mil rate is calculated.

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  5. Dickert- "I didn't see the confusion at all. The taxpayers in my estimation are concerned about layoffs, furloughs and services," Dickert told Sloth. "I'm doing what the taxpayers asked me" SO, THE TAXPAYERS ARE NOT CONCERNED WITH PROPERTY TAX INCREASES???? And what and who of taxpayers asked Dickert to be concerned with furloughs, layoffs and services? Dickert is a lying moron who has run this city into further decline. Him and Friedel are two of the biggest reasons I kept my family business in Kenosha. With these idiots in charge Racine is a sinking ship!

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  6. Anon 1:28- If the property values drop and the spending goes up 1% the levy increases.

    Dickert is lying.

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  7. The levy is the total tax levied. If spending goes up then the levy goes up unless there is a non-tax levy revenue to cover the spending. The property value change doesn't affect the levy. The property value going down does increase the amount of tax impact per thousand (mill rate) of assessed value. The only way that the mill rate could go down when the property value goes down is to cut spending by the same amount as the property value decrease. Clearly the mayor and his staff think that is confusing to the public. I think it is clear to the public and confusing to the city hall folks. I think replacing the mayor is just the first step needed at city hall. There are a number of non-elected officials that need to be replaced too if this is too confusing.

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  8. More proof of an obvious fact-it's amateur hour at city hall.

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  9. Who are these taxpayers that he's talking about? I don't know of any that told him to do what he's doing! Where do these morons come up with this garbage? Kick all of them out! A bunch of morons all rubbing each others backs!

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  10. I think if you poll the general population in Racine, you'll find the majority of folks would WANT Racine City Hall to take a few furlough days as well as FIRE Freidel & Eichorst (Both whom do the mayor's job or lack therof) thus saving this city hunderds of thousands.......as opposed to lying and cheating and raising our takes! Dickert & Friedel = 2 complete morons!

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  11. A few furlough days by City Staff would save some cash and show the leadership understands how we feel. Should Leadership not hear us now they might in the Spring

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  12. Another way to save some money (nothing against city employees but cuts have to be made) city employees are reimbursed up to $200 per year for health club memberships, nice perk but tax payers at this time do not need to foot that bill. If let's say 500 employees utilized that it would be a $10,000 savings. Reinstate that program when times are better.

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  13. I think Friedel is highly OVERPAID. He needs a paycut.

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  14. "I think if you poll the general population in Racine, you'll find the majority of folks would WANT Racine City Hall to take a few furlough days as well as FIRE Freidel & Eichorst "

    I bet if you took a poll of the general population, a majority couldn't tell you who those people are.

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  15. 8:14 are you the PIO fighting for your job or someone who does not see the rage about higher taxes in a time when the ave homeowner is suffering?

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  16. ELIMINATE TOM FRIEDEL & MARK EICKHORST AND ELECT A NEW MAYOR. This is the best thing Racine can do for our future. Dickert and Friedel have no respect for our City Council, our City's employees, or our local business leaders (unless they contribute to their campaign). Time and time again they have clearly put their own interests and their friends interests ahead of what is best for Racine. They lie, slander and cheat their way into controlling our city and our city's budget, all at our expense.

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  17. The above poster has it correct. I have had the misfortune of being in plenty of meetings with these fools. It's so sad to say but with this fools in charge we really are doomed. Just look at what they have done already.

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  18. Dickert's math reflects very poorly on Dickert, not on Friedel. Friedel tried to correct his boss, and that takes some courage and conviction. At least Friedel is not so arrogant to try and deceive the public to make something look better than it is.

    The city budget proposed by the mayor's office has a $ levy that is up 2.7% from last year....that goes to a public hearing. Maybe the city council will cut it back, but I'd be surprised. Let's see what happens at the next election.

    Wonder why the Mount Pleasant $ levy as published (Oct 22 RJT) for the public hearing is DOWN 2%?

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  19. Ditch the arty-tarty City Hall clowns and elect some MEN who'll listen to ordinary citizens. It will be a refreshing change from the elitist Waxlackeys and their cash-cadging kin who've exploited us for years.

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  20. Who is up in April for re-election? Is Helding? Mack?, Spanky? Dickert for sure? Get rid of any loser incumbant in April!

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  21. Amen! Send Helding back to his art and his chickens!

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  22. We don't need any more elitist Waxlackeys. Vote out the yuppies and gallery ghouls!

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  23. http://www.jsonline.com/business/105884488.html

    Racine down - 600 jobs and the City wants to do what?

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  24. Unbelievable numbers. Based on this alone Dickert should be ousted. The guy has done absoultly NOTHING!

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  25. Amen! All Mayor Dickert does is hang out with the John-Swines and their lackeys. He ought to get a butler's uniform and move into the servants' quarters at "Whitebread."

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  26. 3:09 - That's what Obama and the Dem's have done for us.

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  27. No, that's what the Rich-pig-licans did when they brought us the Crash of 2008 and then thwarted Obama's reforms at every opportunity. The GOP--Gross Ordurous Potty--overflowed, leaving America a mess which may fester for years.

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  28. And Racine's mired in the malodorous muck. Anyone who doubts this fact should examine our unemployment rate, our high school drop out rate, our minority infant mortality rate, our foreclosure rate, our bankruptcy rate, our crime rate and anyother index of poverty, pathology and pain. Never mind, though--our billionaire fool-anthropists blow buckies galore on bourgeois bozo toys such as modern art, the RSO, the CAS and nonsense of every demented description. (Memo to Hell-Loon Lip-Off: The suffering victims of your crass clan and its porker-ations didn't need "Wolfgang at W---------d" and your tarted-up tick-tock contest. A moribund Rustbelt municipality was, and remains, no place for coy community art projects. Pending the end of the present economic crisis, we suggest that all kleptoplutocratic bank babes declare a moratorium on foreclosures and ramp up their contributions to charity. P.S. The Art History Department at Cornell and a certain tax shelter masquerading as a museum don't fall beneath that rubric. For information on worthwhile humanitarian endeavors, please consult your laid-off or terminated temps. Thank you very much.)

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  29. RACINE: Raunchy Arrogant Capitalist Imperialist Nattering Egomaniacs.

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  30. Needed Urgently: MEN who'll remove the rich blight trash from City Hall.

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  31. No country club clowns, airheaded artists and big-buck buccaneers need apply.

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  32. Until the SCJ gentry and other Waxscum are banished from City Hall, conditions in Racine will go from bad to worse. As it is, the ceraceous slickers' fixation on festivals has rendered Racine ridiculous.

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  33. Anyone who's read Roy Strong's "Art and Power" will know all-too-well what the Waxies and their pet yuppies have done to our sorry city's rank-and-file residents. As any cultural anthropologist or historian will tell you, there's an inverse correlation between lavish celebrations and social justice. A community whose calendar includes lots of galas is usually a bastion of backwardness where economic inequality flourishes. Conversely, a community whose calendar is relatively fete-free tends to be a progressive place where everyday life is so pleasant that the people feel scant need for special events to distract them from the quotidian grind.

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  34. The standard textbook examples cited by experts are Latin American nations contrasted with Our Neighbor to the North. Under Canada's socio-economic system, most citizens are so well protected from poverty and exploitation that they feel little desire for celebrations. Because unoppressed people don't require outlets for their emotions, their calendars include few festivals. When daily life is decent, folks don't seek occasions to whoop it up or let off steam. On the other hand, in most lands South of the Border, where extreme povety prevails, the fortunate few promote fiestas galore to distract the peasants from questioning the system and changing it. (Not only do the festivals bamboozle the paupers but they also make them even poorer than they were prior to the events. Because the fiestas are promoted as community celebrations, men who've worked hard and managed to save a few pesos to purchase livestock or farm equipment are pressured into funding floats and fireworks instead of necessities. Quite often, their wives wind up blowing their pathetic centavos on food for swarms of visitors. Money that prudent peasant women had earmarked for their kids' school fees, supplies and uniforms goes down the voracious gobs of cater-kin and guests. In Oaxaca and the Yucatan Peninsula, it's notorious that towns with scads of fiestas can boast few high school graduates because the dough that would have financed the youngsters; education routinely gets wasted on galas.)

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  35. The last sentence should read: In Oaxaca and the Yucatan Peninsula, it's notorious that towns with scads of fiestas can boast few high school graduates because the dough that would have financed the youngsters' education routinely gets wasted on galas.

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  36. Sometimes the peer pressure to squander a family's savings on a silly float or holiday decorations is so intense that the only way to retain the funds while remaining alive is to move. (I know at least three ladies and a gentleman from Merida who had to leave town in order to keep the funds for their children's education from disappearing into the treasury of a cofradia/confraternity whose leaders wanted to invest in a new portable platform/andas for a religious statue. Down in Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tehuantepec, it's even worse. I have friens who've been shot at because they preferred educating their daughters to hiring marching bands or distributing free food to all comers at a festival.)

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  37. Going by the excessive number of fetes, galas, parades and other folderol in Racine's calendar, I'd say that Racine had better turn in its municipal charter and seek recognition as a banana republic. Seriously, we need MEN who'll toss the Waxtrash lackeys and influence out of City Hall. (Perhaps the Waxies learned to use festivals to fool their victims here by observing how the super-rich oligarchs of Brazil gulled--and continue to gull--their downtrodden wage slaves with galas. Once you know what you're looking at, Carnival in Rio--or Fortaleza--isn't so pretty. As for a plethora of fetes in Racine, it's an obscenity.)

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  38. Fairness si! Fiestas no! The Waxies and their lies must go!

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  39. Don't forget the Waxies' bought-and-paid-for liars, Dickert and Friedel. Dress the twits in Cherokee red servants' duds and send them out to the Lip-Off compound to wait on Hell-Loon.

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  40. Remember her con-sewer-t, Crack Lip-Off. I'm sure that devious hockey puck chuck will find plenty of chimp chores for them to do.

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  41. If you guys -- last two Anon posters -- can't come up with anything more substantial than made-up names and personal disparagement, I'll shut off comments.

    Grow up!

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  42. Jesting aside, Racine must shed its disgraceful status as a scum-poo-ny town. Whenever I tell out-of-state academic colleagues that I reside in Racine, the first thing they do is commiserate with me for having to exist on SCJ's turf. Then they express their sorrow about our corrupt local government (controlled behind the scenes by Waxtrash) and our dysfunctional RUSD (which they believe is deliberately sabotaged by SCJ in order to keep the toiling masses dumb and down). Finally, they mention our thriving gangs and add that SCJ subsidizes them because high crime rates in the 'hood drive the poor, the working class and the lower-middle class out of Racine, thereby facilitating our city's transformation into a Waxclan art colony populated by scads of bourgeois boobs from Cornell.

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  43. If SCJ is savvy, it will maintain a low profile and concentrate on charity work. Right now, the Waxtribe and its companies are loathed throughout the USA.

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  44. Because Racine is closely associated with The House of Wax, some of the anti-SCJ onus has rubbed off on its reputation. For everyone's sake, Mayor Dickert's successor must distance himself and his regime from the Cherokee Red Reprobates.

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  45. A few years ago, Sam Johnson stated that he was "one of many players in this great town." Assuming his heirs follow his philosophy and refrain from trying to turn Racine into a little family fief, the company town stigma will vanish. Then--maybe--we won't need to feel ashamed of our ties to Racine.

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  46. Somebody--possibly SCJ--should pull the plug on DRC. That would send a positive signal to other would-be investors that Racine is not a company town. (As long as Racine is perceived as SCJ's toy village, rival employers will stay away in droves.) Also, if a certain corporate clan could can its arty priorities and accept Racine as a bluecollar community, investors would reconsider their negative views of our sad city.

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  47. Urgently Needed HEART, NOT ART.

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  48. As long as people prefer ethics to aesthetics, a culture or community will retain its health and wholesomeness. However, once the pursuit of beauty trumps duty, decadence and depravity prevail. Frank Lloyd Wright's slick sick value system and the local oligarchy's espousal thereof have been the ruination of Racine. The sooner our municipal officials escort "Art for Art's Sake" to history's roadkill repository, the better!

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  49. Racine: The BOIL City. When the seething cauldron of socio-economic injustice and political corruption overflows, the results won't win us recognition as a "Top Ten City."

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  50. From what some of my academic peers tell me, Racine is the gang capital of the Great Lakes region.

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  51. Never mind, though. Despite the slugs slamming our fellow-citizens' flesh and the recent proliferation of corpses, we're going to have a Holiday Parade. (We need the pricey procession the way birds require scuba gear. Even so, a certain corporate crime clan intends to sponsor the flashy farce.)

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  52. In view of our two unjustifiable wars and our dire depression, there ought to be a moratorium on ho-ho-hokum.

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  53. We don't need Insanity Klutz.

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  54. During a recession and two foreign wars, ANY Holiday pageantry is ridiculous.

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  55. Who dreams up this CRAP (Crazy Richies' Airheaded Promenade)?

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