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Most communities (at least the poorly managed ones) have been whining about a lack of funding, talking employee layoffs or benefit cost increases, and adding new tax loads on their residents and workers. Things have been going so well in Monongalia County they're giving their workers a raise, and at the same time reducing taxes...
By taking a swipe at other West Virginia Cities and comparing city and county budgets, you've actually put down the city you love so well. You're comparing apples and oranges when comparing city and county budgets. EVERY city in WV has complained about budget shortfalls and lack of funding. Some have not laid off workers but instead have left positions unfilled. Some have even gone so far as to eliminate retirement health insurance totally for new hires (which will likely lead to higher turn over) and they have quadrupled the cost of deductibles for current retirees because they "can't afford" the costs. Some have even tried to pass a user fee county wide that would only go to the city that was the county seat. That one definately didn't go over too well.
City governments have a lot more responsibility than County governments. It also didn't help the state that many West Virginia counties had decreased property tax valuations this year.
By taking a swipe at other West Virginia Cities and comparing city and county budgets, you've actually put down the city you love so well. You're comparing apples and oranges when comparing city and county budgets. EVERY city in WV has complained about budget shortfalls and lack of funding. Some have not laid off workers but instead have left positions unfilled. Some have even gone so far as to eliminate retirement health insurance totally for new hires (which will likely lead to higher turn over) and they have quadrupled the cost of deductibles for current retirees because they "can't afford" the costs. Some have even tried to pass a user fee county wide that would only go to the city that was the county seat. That one definately didn't go over too well.
City governments have a lot more responsibility than County governments. It also didn't help the state that many West Virginia counties had decreased property tax valuations this year.
Where do you come up with this stuff? I didn't mention one other WV city?
In fact, I didn't mention any specific city. My own home town has problems, but I didn't mention them either. You need to lay off the juice there, Tim. Detriot is complaining about the budget, and I didn't mention them either. You're ultra sensitive/defensive, and it accomplishes nothing. I guess we should all avoid writing anything if just possibly something might be applied to Huntington as a figment of your imagination? You know, a sort of sanitized politically correct approach, like rewriting history or couching things in ambiguous terms? I wasn't even thinking about Huntington when I wrote that. Since you responded as you did, I'd bet some folks are now though.
Oh, and Tim by "city you love" I'm going to take the liberty of assuming you mean Morgantown. They aren't talking about laying anybody off. In fact, they're hiring...
Please take the time to read the article I posted before you jump to conclusions. You will note that the Mon County folks are not lowering property valuations, they are intentionally lowering the levy rate because they want to give the population a break and also to make the county more competitive. It is made possible by new revenues from Coal and Natural Gas severance receipts. I think you're going to see that in several parts of the State in upcoming years. Natural gas might be selling for less, but they seem to be selling a lot more of it here with the Marcellus activity.
Marshall County seems to be doing pretty well too since they just gave all their employees big raises. I think it is from the new natural gas activities. Your article is interesting since it implies that higher natural gas prices are somehow good for Cabell County. I hadn't thought about that, but it seems to be that would be an impediment to development since it would make the area less competitive.
Last edited by CTMountaineer; 03-27-2011 at 02:19 AM..
Kudos to Mon County for sure as they have sen some great growth over the last 10 years and that is good for the state. My reference was more to the unneccessary negative tone toward other cities and the difference in comparing city and county governments in WV on management. And CT, I didn't mention any other cities either so my comment wasn't in regard to taking up for any specific city. Just trying to have a discussion on the matter but I guess we can't do that.
Kudos to Mon County for sure as they have sen some great growth over the last 10 years and that is good for the state. My reference was more to the unneccessary negative tone toward other cities and the difference in comparing city and county governments in WV on management. And CT, I didn't mention any other cities either so my comment wasn't in regard to taking up for any specific city. Just trying to have a discussion on the matter but I guess we can't do that.
Tell you what... I definltely didn't mean for there to be any negative tone to anything. I think it is obvious at the face that there are well run communities in this country and ones that are not so well run. My point was only that Morgantown and Mon County are among the very well run ones. And, I'm certainly willing to have discussions if you are. I admire your loyalty to your town, as I have told you before. Why don't we bury the hatchet?
I'm always up for a good discussion as long as the same standards are applied to both sides of that discussion. I too would love to bury the hatchet as deep as possible. I'm afraid though that in such discussions, we are often too much like gasoline and a match. We can at least try though, right?
I'm always up for a good discussion as long as the same standards are applied to both sides of that discussion. I too would love to bury the hatchet as deep as possible. I'm afraid though that in such discussions, we are often too much like gasoline and a match. We can at least try though, right?
Let's do it!
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