I oppose the proposed PARC sales tax increase.
It is a 10% increase on the city's portion of sales tax. AF City is being deceptive by saying this is a "1/10th of 1%" increase. That would be .001, but the actual tax increase is .10 To cut through the propaganda, look at the numbers. City sales tax revenue last year was about 6 million dollars. The city expects to take in an additional 6 hundred thousand dollars if the PARC tax is approved. 6 hundred thousand is 10% of 6 million.
Vote "No" on the PARC Sales Tax increase!
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Tax & Spend Persistence?
Last year the American Fork City Council proposed a property tax increase and 20 million dollars of new debt. I wasn't on the City Council yet then, but still vigorously opposed both the tax and debt increases. Thankfully, voter's in American Fork City agreed, and resoundingly rejected both the higher taxes and the additional debt (AF City already owed 56 million!). Over 70% of voters rejected the tax hike.
Now American Fork City appears to be poised to again seek higher taxes, this time with an "arts and parks" sales tax increase. Hopefully those on the Council, who are elected year after year by saying they're fiscally conservative, will show their true colors and join with me to vote against putting an Arts & Parks SALES TAX INCREASE on the ballot this fall.
Now American Fork City appears to be poised to again seek higher taxes, this time with an "arts and parks" sales tax increase. Hopefully those on the Council, who are elected year after year by saying they're fiscally conservative, will show their true colors and join with me to vote against putting an Arts & Parks SALES TAX INCREASE on the ballot this fall.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
A New Logo For AF City?
I like the current American Fork City logo. It's pleasant, it captures the historical character of our city (American Fork was settled in 1853), it reflects the national attention the American Fork marching band has received with the music scroll, and it's the logo on all of our city street signs, letter head etc.
I was therefore surprised when a majority of the City Council voted last Tuesday, May 13, 2014, to spend about $5000 to have a new logo developed. This was the additional amount for logo redesign, added to a contract to redesign the city's website.
I don't see the need for a new logo, and the cost will go far beyond the $5000 to design it. Vehicles, city buildings, street signs, letter head, etc., will all need to be updated with the new logo, costing additional tens of thousands or more, unnecessarily.
This will all be money that could and should be better spent improving roads.
Here was the motion, which I voted against, but which passed with a majority vote by the other members of the City Council:
Motion "to award CivicPlus the website redesign project and approval of Option #2, Service & License Agreement with Civic Plus".
"Option #2 – Website Redesign with new logo development. Cost: $40,548"
Option 1 didn't include the logo redesign and would have cost $35,548.
Redesigning the logo cost $5000, plus several tens of thousands more to implement the new design.
I call that wasteful and unnecessary.
I was therefore surprised when a majority of the City Council voted last Tuesday, May 13, 2014, to spend about $5000 to have a new logo developed. This was the additional amount for logo redesign, added to a contract to redesign the city's website.
I don't see the need for a new logo, and the cost will go far beyond the $5000 to design it. Vehicles, city buildings, street signs, letter head, etc., will all need to be updated with the new logo, costing additional tens of thousands or more, unnecessarily.
This will all be money that could and should be better spent improving roads.
Here was the motion, which I voted against, but which passed with a majority vote by the other members of the City Council:
Motion "to award CivicPlus the website redesign project and approval of Option #2, Service & License Agreement with Civic Plus".
"Option #2 – Website Redesign with new logo development. Cost: $40,548"
Option 1 didn't include the logo redesign and would have cost $35,548.
Redesigning the logo cost $5000, plus several tens of thousands more to implement the new design.
I call that wasteful and unnecessary.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Inaugural Speech January 6, 2014
I made the following comments after being sworn in as an American Fork City Councilman on January 6, 2014:
"This is the 2nd time I've taken a formal oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. The first time was when I was 18 years old and enlisted in the United States Air Force, where I had the distinct honor, privilege, and blessing to serve my country. Now I have the distinct honor, blessing, and privilege to serve my community, having been entrusted by the citizens of our great city with the rights and responsibilities of a City Councilman.
I've been a student of the Constitution for the past 20 years. I had a love for the Constitution and history at age 18, but my understanding of the Constitution is now much broader and deeper.
Over the past few years, I've come to better appreciate the many checks and balances of our Constitution, to safe gaurd our liberty and our right to govern ourselves. When we think of "checks and balances" we typically think of the horizontal separation of powers, with the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial "branches" of government. But there is also a vertical separation of powers in the U.S. Constitution, with State and local governments intended to check federal abuses. This too is part of the Constitution, as found in the 9th and 10 Amendments and other places. This structural check has been reaffirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court as recently as 1997, in the landmark Mack/Printz vs. USA ruling.
I've come to realize that so much of what affects us day to day is local and State, not federal.
I'm thankful to the voters of our city who have placed their trust in me. While imperfect, I shall do my best to remain true and faithful to our State and U.S. Constitutions, and to the principles they enshrine."
"This is the 2nd time I've taken a formal oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. The first time was when I was 18 years old and enlisted in the United States Air Force, where I had the distinct honor, privilege, and blessing to serve my country. Now I have the distinct honor, blessing, and privilege to serve my community, having been entrusted by the citizens of our great city with the rights and responsibilities of a City Councilman.
I've been a student of the Constitution for the past 20 years. I had a love for the Constitution and history at age 18, but my understanding of the Constitution is now much broader and deeper.
Over the past few years, I've come to better appreciate the many checks and balances of our Constitution, to safe gaurd our liberty and our right to govern ourselves. When we think of "checks and balances" we typically think of the horizontal separation of powers, with the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial "branches" of government. But there is also a vertical separation of powers in the U.S. Constitution, with State and local governments intended to check federal abuses. This too is part of the Constitution, as found in the 9th and 10 Amendments and other places. This structural check has been reaffirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court as recently as 1997, in the landmark Mack/Printz vs. USA ruling.
I've come to realize that so much of what affects us day to day is local and State, not federal.
I'm thankful to the voters of our city who have placed their trust in me. While imperfect, I shall do my best to remain true and faithful to our State and U.S. Constitutions, and to the principles they enshrine."
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