Craig Cates Believes in Cash Crapin' Unicorns

Federal and State Money for Channel Widening Study Doesn't Cost the Taxpayer Nuttin' Honey

- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi -  October 7, 2012

Recent public debate regarding the costly study to widen the harbor channel leading into Key West has stirred up many lines of reasoning.  Barely visible in the proponents' silty cloud of verbal discharge was this turd articulated by Key West Mayor Craig Cates.  (Someone should inspect the lock on his Y valve.)

According to an article in the Citizen (See  Here),  Cates stated, "I am in favor of doing the study if it doesn't cost the taxpayers any money," and "I don't see a down side if it doesn't cost us anything."

Evaluating Teachers - It's Not Rocket Science...Right?

Think Again - Welcome to the VAM Performance Formula 

- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi -  September 23, 2012

I'm all for accountability.  I also believe there are ways to evaluate almost anyone's performance.  But in the development of a teacher evaluation formula, the wizards at the State Department of Education have illustrated without a doubt why it is critical that they themselves need to be evaluated.  Psychologically evaluated.  They are straight out certifiable.  I'm not exactly sure if we can Baker Act an entire State Department, but I think it is time to try.

It might prove easier than trying to understand the formula they came up with to evaluate teacher performance.

Broom Boy Bridges' Backtracking Betrayal

Commissioner Jack Bridges Shows his True Custodial Qualities
...Big Difference from Big Talking Candidate Bridges

- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi -  September 9, 2012

For those of you who may not remember the election of 2010, or may not want to remember, allow me to take you on a short trip down memory lane.

During the campaign, Mosquito Control Commission "candidate" Jack Bridges could not be found without his trusty broom in hand, a symbol he claimed that represented  (According to the Citizen - See Here) "his plan to sweep away the "arrogance" and "big spending."

Now we find that as an elected Commissioner, "Broom Boy" Bridges is doing a 180 on us.

Key West Recycles...Gardi's Three Year Old Observation

Working At the Speed (and Expense) of Government

Key West Wastes $379,000, and 3 1/2 Years to Address the Obvious
- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi -  August 30, 2012

Folks, I'm not really an "I told you so" type of guy. ;)  OK, OK, yes, I am and this one takes the cake.  Our esteemed daily, the Citizen is heaping accolades upon the Key West City Commission today for their epiphany about recycling.  (See Here)  Give me a break.

Three and a half years ago I penned a piece on the front page of Key West the Newspaper about this obvious problem.  (See Here) Yes, that was February 13, 2009 within which I stated the following about Waste Management;

...they get paid per ton of trash they haul, and they incur additional costs if they actually collect the recyclable material.  Their incentive is to haul trash, and enjoy a low recycling rate regardless of whatever pretty PR they push…and it all gets back to their contract with the City.

GUEST POST: Cudjoe Regional Sewer Assessment

- Naked Conch - Posted by Daniel R. Dombroski -  June 2, 2012

June 2, 2012

Dear County Commissioners,

I read with great interest the article in this week’s News-Barometer that stated in November the homeowners within the proposed Cudjoe Regional Waste water system will be notified that they will be taxed an additional $5,700 onto their property taxes for their sewer assessment. First of all, I want to make it clear that I am for the sewers and wish that we all were doing more to protect the fragile environment in the Keys. However, I have to voice my displeasure over this assessment fee.  I believe, that when the County first announced the goal of constructing sewers in the Lower Keys their claim was that the assessment fee per home would be no more than $2,500.  Home owners in the Cudjoe Regional system will be paying over twice the amount of money than their fellow home owners paid in other areas built first. Why is this? How can the County justify that a owner of a multimillion dollar home on Shark Key, which was not even included in the original plan to have sewers in the Lower Keys, pay half the amount of a sewer assessment fee than a person who might own a trailer in Big Pine Key.  “Come on Man”- this to me not only seems unethical but is down right immoral. Why are we being left to be responsible for the delays and underfunding issues that have hampered this project on a local and state level and that we, as homeowners, had no say in nor control of.  Is there anywhere else in the Keys where there is a disproportionate tax levy for sewer assessments solely based on which homes were assessed first or last?  I do not think so. Then why is this disproportionate tier level of assessment tax being considered for the Cudjoe Regional System? It just does not seem fair to me that those who were first on line, or were allowed to cut into the line, should pay less than those who had no choice other than to be placed on the back of the assessment line.

I know that when the County Commissioners were discussing the possibility of putting a toll on US 1 in Key Largo the argument against it was that it would be unfair since it would levy a disparate monetary burden on the citizens of the Upper Keys because the residents of the Upper Keys would most likely have to pay the toll more often than the residents of the Lower Keys. Well, please explain to me how this is different.

I realize the argument will be made that the majority of the current County Commissioners were not elected officials when some of the prior decisions were made about the sewers, funding and the previous assessment costs. However, the current elected County officials were involved in establishing the cost of this current assessment fee for the Cudjoe system and they also have the power to act upon and correct an inequitable financial burden being placed on the backs of residents of the Cudjoe Regional system.  This could be done by reassessing areas that have already paid their assessment and make this a fair and balanced tax for all.

Thanking you in advance for your response.

Daniel R. Dombroski

29135 Camellia Lane

Big Pine Key, FL 33043

dombrosl@bellsouth.net

Save the Teachers! - Divest from Fannie Mae

What would you rather invest in, our kids, or a failed quasi-federal boondoggle?

- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi -  May 10, 2012
Would you prefer to invest in our kids and teachers, or invest in a failed banker led company in conservatorship, whose assets are comprised primarily of the most toxic mortgage backed securities, whose liability covers an ocean of underwater mortgages, and who could not even be in operation if not for billions in bailouts?

Well you, my dear friends, are increasingly investing in the latter, while sticking it to the teachers and our children.

That's right, according to a recent report (See Here) I obtained from the Clerk's Office, the County, (you and I) are invested in Fannie Mae for close to $50 MILLION Dollars.  In fact, over half of our County investments totaling close to $130 Million bucks are tied up in GSEs, or "Government Sponsored Enterprises," private companies backed by our tax dollars.  (That means, they get the profits, we get the losses.)  In fact, we are seemingly increasing the percentage of our portfolio placed with GSEs.

But meanwhile, back at the School District, we are facing a $6 million dollar shortfall and teacher layoffs.  Recently School Board member Andy Griffiths has been discussing a huge reduction in bond payments that will free up close to $1 Million per month of capital outlays in October of 2015.  But no one, including Andy, has offered any type of stopgap measure to get us from here to there in the interim...aside from the novel idea of a tax increase, of course.

So, if you think about it, dollars we HAVE, are invested in failed companies that need dollars we DON'T HAVE to operate. (Essentially federal debt we are saddling our children with.)  In the meantime, resources we allocate to those very children being saddling with federal debt are being cut back.  We have essentially created student loans for grade school kids, while providing them with less of an education.  Seems like we could do better if we put the 1st graders in charge.

Here is my solution.  We divest from Fannie Mae, and use some of that money to refinance the School's bonded indebtedness.  We extend the terms of the debt, reducing the cost of interest to the school system while reducing their payments, and actually allow for an INCREASE in the rate of return on the County investment as opposed to what Fannie Mae offers.  As voters, we allow for more of the millage to be redirected from capital to operational so that we can fund the current operating shortfall.

This would not cost the taxpayers anything, replenish our fund balance, and eliminate the need to layoff teachers.

However, this is not intended to let the administration and school board off the hook for their failed leadership.  It's time to "Right Size" admin.  That's right, it's great that we can pay these wizards boatloads of cash when times are rosy, but when the tide goes out, their boats should sink first!

We need to cap all administrative pay at $90,000, and eliminate all pay and benefits to the school board until the ship is righted.  If these wizards can't accept this reduction for the good of our children, then let them leave, and leave quickly.  There will be countless talented individuals from throughout our community that will step up to the plate out of dedication to the kids and our community, a type of motivation that is needed now more than ever.  We no longer need placeholders, we need people that perform.

We can talk about potential teacher reductions, or teacher pay cuts, but with the mindset of whether or not it is truly feasible or warranted.  But certainly not in the context that Superintendent Jara does, suggesting he is only NOW "right sizing," coincidentally when we have a $6 Million dollar shortfall, and not last year when he suggested we had "cut to the bone."

Before we cut teachers or their pay, we must remember we already did last year.  Those furlough days you heard about were simply a way for the district to say, "You don't get paid for Holidays anymore."  That came right out of teachers' paychecks.  Also, if we need to talk about pay cuts for teachers, we need to talk disproportionately about pay cuts for admin.  Whether it's a bigger drop in the bucket or not, administrators need to feel a greater pain from their own failed leadership!

www.mattgardi.com
Paid for by Matt Gardi, Republican, for Clerk of Courts

Andy Griffiths Draws Challengers

Not Just One, But TWO!

BREAKING NEWS - April 14, 2012
According to the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections website, School Board member Andy Griffiths has drawn two challengers to the District 2 School Board Race.  This is fantastic, as we at Naked Conch have always advocated for contested races.

Howard Hubbard and Yvette Mira-Talbott have thrown their hats in the ring to challenge long time board member Andy Griffiths.  We thank Howard and Yvette for giving the voters a choice.  Hopefully, we will see all of them at the Hometown PAC elections forum this Monday evening, April 16 at Salute restaurant in Key West at 6PM!  Hopefully we will see you there as well!

www.mattgardi.com

Paid for by Matt Gardi, Republican, for Clerk of Courts

Superintendent Unable to View Line Item Budget

Could that be the reason we bounce from one financial crisis to another?  Ya Think?
- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi -  April 10, 2012


School Superintendent Jesus Jara took his dog and pony show to the Sugarloaf School yesterday evening for the second of five presentations to discuss the current fiscal year's budget challenges. After a powerpoint presentation in which he outlined previous years' budget reductions, discussed the habit of depleting reserves over the last few years, and offered the expected solution of eliminating FORTY teachers, he then turned the discussion over to the approximately sixty people in attendance.


What ensued in this quest for suggestions from the public could only be described as searching for a needle in a haystack...blindfolded. Let me tell you, finding needles by grasping at straws makes their discovery a bit...shall we say...painful. For instance, when accused of not having to pay for health insurance, Jara was quick to respond that he pays his own, however, there are still a few individuals in the system that don't contribute at all. When asked to eliminate supplemental pay for administrators, Jara suggested that they had done so... well except in a few small instances. When asked to reduce salaries in administration, Jara suggested that even reducing the pay of the top forty-four administrators would not solve the budget dilemma.


What seemed lost in the discussion to me was a clear explanation of how exactly we are spending our money. When challenged to explain how the money spent last year grew from an approved $78 million, to an actual $83 Million, Jara's response was a bit vague and confusing. Which begged the question, why isn't the public presented with a line-item budget, which would include last year's approved, last year's actual, and this year's proposed line items? That way, thousands of eyes could pour over the details, and perhaps those members of the public wishing to contribute ideas or suggestions for cost savings, could do so with all the information in front of them. Why can't we see exactly what Superintendent Jara looks at when he develops his proposed budget?


Apparently we can, and we do.


As shocking as it may seem, what is provided to the public is all that our School Superintendent has to look at as well. There is no comprehensive, collective line item budget or financial software that is available even to our School Administrators.


A few weeks ago I had a discussion with School Board Member Rob Smith-Martin whereby he expressed his challenges to obtain financial information. Last night I asked School Board Member Andy Griffiths if he could obtain a line item budget, and he said that he could, made a gesture that it is a huge stack of paper, and suggested that it wasn't easy to obtain.


So I asked the question to Superintendent Jara, why can't the public view a line item budget online, referencing as an example the ability to possibly see which administrator was being payed supplemental pay. Jara was quick to suggest he could and would have supplemental pay posted online in the morning. But I pressed on, I wasn't looking for an isolated response to an item found as a result of pulling my bloodied hand out of the haystack, I want to easily peruse the budget and see all the needles without having to discover them by sense of touch.


Again, Jara was quick to suggest that that is all available as well, and quickly pulled up what would be used at an upcoming School Board Budget workshop. However, what he displayed was still fairly generalized categories, and I pressed him to show me from the list a few examples such as who is getting supplemental pay, and how much a specific software costs. He admitted that he couldn't but suggested that I could find the technology budget on line.


I then stated that what I really wanted to see was exactly what Jesus Jara is able to review when he makes his proposals, I don't want to be forced to hunt and peck for information in a thousand different places, some of which I may or may not know exist. That's when I was given the bombshell. That is the ONLY way our school financial information is available, even to administrators. Jara suggested there was not an existing comprehensive budget system or document, and that creating one would cost $500,000, and we simply don't have the money.


That is like saying, "Hey, there isn't a steering wheel in this car, but we can just keep pressure on this accelerator thingy and we'll get someplace."  Jara ultimately admitted that the $500,000 estimated cost associated with development of a system to consolidate a comprehensive budget would come from capital funding, a funding source that wouldn't strain the general fund annual budget, but appeared to still throw his hands up in the air as if it was impractical.


As I was leaving, a couple of members of the school audit and finance committee suggested that I should keep pressing for such a solution, as it is something that has frustrated them as well.


As a candidate for Clerk of Courts, I have said that transparency is a key element of my campaign. Placing agency line item budgets on line, available to public scrutiny, is one of the ways I would strive to develop that atmosphere of transparency. While I realize the Clerk's Office has no dominion over the School system, perhaps that is something that School Administrators should consider implementing as well, especially if they are taking the dog and pony show on the road seeking public input. 

www.mattgardi.com

Paid for by Matt Gardi, Republican, for Clerk of Courts

Gastesi Suggests Sewer Deal Isn't So Smelly

State Will Cover Entire $50 Million Should Scott Approve Deal
- Naked Conch - Posted by Matt Gardi -  March 29, 2012

Roman Gastesi was kind enough to spend some time recently at the Sugarloaf Homeowners Association, along with Monroe County Commissioner George Nuegent.  At the presentation before approximately fifty conerned citizens, Gastesi elaborated on the most recent sewer funding initiatives.

After having seen news coverage that the State's proposal may have only been intended to cover the first year of the proposed $50 Million dollar bond issue, which ultimately may have left Monroe County holding the bag, Gastesi assured residents that the entire bond issue will be backed by the State for the full duration.  The intention appears to be to use real estate doc filing fees to cover the subsequent years payments.

This was good news to many, whose concerns still centered around special assessments that will still need to be administered along with estimated sewage hook up fees.  However, the plan did seem feasible, with precautions being taken to allow for the project to back track should any funding source evaporate.

While there still seemed to be many potential pitfalls to the entire funding obligation, risk to County government exposure did appear to be minimized in the event of any set back such as voters not approving an extension of the dedicated sales tax. All eyes will be on Governor Scott who could strike the proposed $50 million bond issue from the budget in he coming days.

Homestead Exemption Joke Once Again

Once again we are hearing about an absolutely stupid debate about someone misusing the homestead exemption.  This time the Citizen reports that Ken Davis and his ex-wife Heidi Langraf allegedly put false information on the form qualifying for a homestead exemption.

And of course now the State Attorney's Office is wasting resources chasing after this infraction.

BUY! BUY! BUY!

Another Great Real Estate Analysis by the Key West Citizen

Hey listen, I'd be the first person to rejoice in the stabilization of Real Estate prices in the Keys, for as I have argued in the past it is absolutely essential to so many aspects of our lives.  There are the obvious aspects of home equity, tax base and funding for all our government services that depend so critically on stable home prices.  But as I have also argued, fraud in the foreclosure, rubber stamping of robo-signed documents, destruction of our title histories, and a judiciary that turns a blind eye to it, enables the fraud and does more to adversely our property values than 100 fluff pieces that reference Real Industry mouthpieces regurgitating the same old tired rhetoric.

"The market is coming back!" "It's a great time to buy."  It's as tiring as watching the World Championship of Knitting.  What we need is the truth and an exposure of what is truly depressing our property values, and not a  monthly twisting of the one single statistic that can birth the latest "Real Estate Market Rebounds" headline.

For example, enter stage left, Robert Silk and the Key West Citizen's latest verbal portrait of joy.  In an article in Sunday, November 20th's edition of the Citizen with a headline of "Priciest Homes Lead Market Rebound," Silk references the fact that waterfront homes have enjoyed a year over year price increase.  Woo Hoo.  Now where did I leave my Pom Poms?

Gastesi Begins a Great Initiative

Recently it was reported by the Keynoter on KeysNet.com that Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi has begun an initiative to have County agencies work together to share resources and services in an effort to create efficiency and reduce expenses.

This is fantastic, and Gastesi deserves a lot of credit for pursuing this.  More importantly, it's great that it is coming from the top, otherwise it might simply be disregarded by the various agencies administrators.

Why would I say that?  Because I have experienced it first hand.  In 2009 when I returned to work at the Office of the State Attorney as their IT Director it became readily apparent that technology was playing a more prevalent roll in the justice system than ever before.  Therefore it seemed to me that it would only be logical if the various agencies worked together to leverage technology in the entire judicial system, to reduce duplication of effort, and consolidate systems and services.

With the support of State Attorney Dennis Ward, then Chief Assistant Don Barrett, and Executive Director Nancy Criswell I began my pursuit of this project with high hopes.  I attempted to coordinate meetings and dubbed the effort the Monroe County Justice IT Committee.

What I was met with was what I would call a serious protectionist type of paranoia.  While certain agencies were willing and eager to participate, others were more concerned about what type of power trip I was on, and how I may have been trying to take control of any aspect of their agency.  Perhaps they were nervous about light I might shed on inefficiencies or how they were managing their current budgets.

Homestead Exemption Band-aide (Slay the Vampire of Over Taxation)

As published in Key West the Newspaper 9/16/2011

Question. Should I be thankful if a vampire offers me a band-aide for the puncture wounds on my neck? You might not have guessed that the band-aide I am referring to is Florida’s Homestead exemption, but I would like to take you on a little adventure to explore the revered exemption, and it’s nebulous counterpart, Save Our Homes and illustrate how they are regressive monstrosities. But mind you, the true story is that government is the vampire sucking the lifeblood out of all of us through over taxation, while we remain distracted on the merits of the band-aide they give us in return.

First, take a moment to go on line and review section 196.031 of the Florida Statutes. Well, obviously more than a moment because as you might see, the section is as tangled as the anchor line piled in my anchor well. But this is commonplace when government creates a “solution.” The idea is, that in order to assist Florida homeowners that reside in their primary residence, that the first part of their assessed property value be exempt from taxation. Or more appropriately, the vampire requires so much blood to sustain itself, that it offers a band-aide to “voters” and we should all be thankful.

The Tallahassee Two Step

As Originally Published in Key West the Newspaper July 15, 2011

I grew up in the middle of the energy crisis back in the 70’s when gas skyrocketed from around thirty five cents per gallon to well over a buck.  America was in a crisis.

I remember a conversation my Dad and I overheard while standing in line at the hardware store.  It seems “Mr. Green”  had found a solution to the high price of gas.  Apparently the adjacent town had an Esso station that was selling gas for five cents less per gallon than the Shell station in our town.  As we left the store I watched as Mr. Green drove off in his Chevy Impala the size of a barn.

I struggled to do the best math my seven year old head could muster.  If the next town was ten miles away, and Mr. Green’s car got twelve miles per gallon, it would mean Mr. Green was burning a couple of bucks in gas to save maybe a buck.  To me, something just didn’t add up.  Maybe there was a great deal on smokes too, who knows?   I was just a seven year old, and Mr. Green was an adult.

My parent’s solution was a ‘72 Toyota Corolla that got 34 miles per gallon.  My folks had traded in the station wagon with the tailgate you could play volleyball in for the car we affectionately called the grapefruit.  Supposedly for it’s color, but more for it’s size.  I fondly remember the ten hour trips to visit grandma with two adults, five kids and a dog piled into that car.  We did more with less and survived.