PBC Taxpayer Action Board Update
TAB Partners,
Since the county budget workshop on 6/13, (see Marathon Session for First Budget Workshop), TAB has been pursuing several lines of inquiry, starting with an examination of he $45M "hole" in the 2012 budget. Only about $29M of this has been identified in the budget submission, which should have left a $4M problem after FRS savings. We are working with Budget Director John Wilson to get to the bottom of this and hope to publish an explanation in the near future.
The Fire/Rescue contract expires in September of this year, and negotiations have begun. We sat in on the first of the meetings and will follow it through. See our initial report in Genesis of a Collective Bargaining Agreement Most notable is the 22% reduction in starting salary that the county is proposing.
On the PBSO front, Commission Chairman Karen Marcus has asked that the Sheriff enter into a voluntary inter-local agreement to place PBSO under the jurisdiction of the Ethics Commission and Inspector General. The Sheriff's (predictable) response and some analysis is in Should the Sheriff be Subject to the Ethics Ordinances and the Inspector General?
And lastly, we are happy to announce a twelfth TAB coalition partner - the newly formed "Palm Beach County Tea Party". This tea party in interested in collaboration with other groups and plans to include a focus on local issues, including the county budget.
The next budget workshop is Monday, July 11, at 9:30AM. In the week before the meeting we will send out an updated call to action with appropriate topic points for members to raise with the commissioners and staff.
Fred Scheibl
Taxpayer Action Board
info@pbctab.org
Should the Sheriff be Subject to the Ethics Ordinances and the Inspector General?
By: PBCTAB
06/24/2011
Over the last few years, Palm Beach County has taken a great leap in establishing ethical standards and implementing a watchdog function that is helping dispel the reputation of "corruption county". First, by ordinance, the County Commission and staff included themselves under the jurisdiction of a... [Read More...]
New County Grassroots Organization becomes TAB Coalition Partner
By: PBCTAB
06/24/2011
TAB welcomes its newest coalition partner, the Palm Beach County Tea Party. The group, formed by past leaders of SFTP that want to go in a new direction, was announced on Tuesday, June 21, and will initially have chapters in Jupiter and Wellington. Local issues will have a more prominent role with... [Read More...]
Genesis of a Collective Bargaining Agreement
By: PBCTAB
06/17/2011
On June 16, at the Chief Herman W. Brice Administrative Complex on Pike Road, negotiators for County Fire / Rescue and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF local 2928) met across the table to reach agreement on a new contract which will replace the current agreement expiring in September. As... [Read More...]
Marathon Session for First Budget Workshop
By: PBCTAB
06/14/2011
Last evening, starting at 6:00pm, the first steps in the annual county budget dance were performed before a large audience. The meeting did not end until around 11:00pm County Administrator Bob Weisman, along with OFMB chief Liz Bloeser and Budget Director John Wilson, explained the high points... [Read More...]