Public Comment - Derek SkeesDerek Skees 119 Sinopah St. Kalispell, MT.
Comments regarding the work session for a proposed Mill levy for the EMS:
to I W uld like the ci t answer the following questions for me (consider this a
4ty t,
freedom of information act/ open meeting law discovery);
What is the number of commercial buildings for rent (unoccupied) in the city
limits? How is this number compared to last year? How about during the last
boom, 2007?
What is the number of homes in the city limits currently for sale? (These are folks
-I-
Lrying to leave the city for whatever reason),
What is the number of residents in the city limits who have family members who
earn wages in North Dakota (and thus have to live/transit there to provide for
-C
ramily who stay here.)? How many of these families have homes for sale, and
can't "dump" them so they can move to where the jobs are?
Please tell me, are the EMS services that have sprung up in the rural area (West
Valley, Evergreen, Lakeside), are they private or union? What is there cost to
those property owners in that Rural Fire District? Was it difficult to ""find" these
private entities to fulfill the needs? How are these EMS providers doing,, according
to local residents?
The number of responses last year (around 3,000), how does that compare to the
number the previous year? Three years ago? Please compare to the boom of
2007? Please explain why the EMS responders need to hire 4 more FTEs in
relation to an increase in city population or calls received b- these yearly
comparisons, rather than an increase in payments from the general fund.
Please explain how the current model of paying for the extra cost" currently
(through the general fund) is inferior to an increase provided in a mil levy. The
way I see it, the current model requires the Fire Department to come before tKit
council and justify its over- spending every budget cycle in order to gain funding.
This is the very meaning of oversight to spending.
Is the council too busy to provide the tax payer this oversight for the citizens
every cycle? With a mil levy (basically a statutory increase),, the Fire Department
just gains 18 mon to spend as they see fit, and what they see fit is an increase iral
personnel without providing a reasonable explanation for the need in increased
service (beyond their increase in costs). I
Please explain how in an era of unprecedented decline in Montana standards of
living, decreasing gross mean income, family wage earners holding 2 jobs, large
numbers of people in the county on food stamps and unemployment, that a
property tax increase sounds like a good idea?
Please explain how this council, passing this decision on to the voters (many ol
whom are not property owners, and therefore have "no skin in the g'ame", an
-thus will have no objection to increasing their EMS services when it costs the
nothing) will help us dwindling number of property tax payers? I
Please explain how this current Fire Union Leadership in Kalispell and state wide
actually) rallied to Helena to fight former Fire Chief Randy Brodehl when he tried
to introduce Legislation that would have given this class I city the ability to
choose how it provides fire protection by eliminating the requirement that they
must have paid fire departments without volunteers? HB 231 in 2011 is worthy of
your research, as today you could deal with labor based cost increases by having
flexibility. Yet here we are today, and they are basically asking for more money,
without allowing for any options for my City Council, and without any oversight to
how they use it.
Please explain the answer to the Question councilman Graham asked about the
lower cost of out of area service calls versus in area service calls? $50,000 for 190
calls I believe., versus $18 million to increase employees by 4? It would seem to be
using basic math, that this route is more cost effective.
In regards the five models presented, that were not recommended, can I see the
research/report that you accumulated to derive the answer that only property tax
increase is viable?
In conclusion, please ask these questions of your City Staff and get the answers
for me at the very least before you provide yet another tax reason for me to sell.
myhouse and leave the City of Kalispell.
I am a property owning tax payer in this city. Do you want to be my hero? You can
by getting me the answers to these questions, and then hopefully come to the
conclusion that asking for a mil levy in this economically depressed time is not a
great idea.
You are just pushing the property owners out of your city by allowing those who
do not own, determine what I pay. I did not vote for you to defer. I voted for you
to lead. Represent me with thoughtful decisions that have my best interest at
heart, and make the tough stand. Don't blow smoke thatvote for a tax
increasel you will give me a reduction. Can you honestly see that this will increase
your credibility with the property owners here?
I thank you for your consideration of my words, and await the answers to these
questions. You may send the responses via email to save the paper costs to my
City. I can be reached at; derekskees@gmaii.com