1-We blogers receive many comments about our blogs and wish more readers would send their own thoughts. We do publish all that are in good taste and related even peripherally to the blog. Some comments are very profound and reflect the authors thoughts about a particular subject. Others are supportive for the bloger and are appreciated. Still others, fortunately less frequent, blast the bloger n his position. Those too are posted because because they reflect the concerns of a sizable segment of the population. There are some that seem to be just propaganda for an individual with a chip on his shoulder. Those would be better served if the writer would have a blog of his/her own, and will not be given exposure on this blog. There are a rare number that are vituperative without any real facts. They too will go into the trash.
Of the many I have received, I think this one is the commentary of the year. It was sent in response to my blog "Weird Potpourri" about how one must access the Mayor's Office. I thank Jim Pivnichny for his original blog .
Binkysmst said... hmmm ring a bell and someone comes out to ask what you want....sounds a bit like the Wizard of Oz...
Isn't a sense of humor great. Sometimes I too think Plainfield's government is fantasy.
2-Less than two weeks until Labor Day. We can look forward to 8 weeks of political prattle,squawk,and smirch. May the truth emerge and the voters cast their ballots aster scrutiny of facts rather than binding to party and ethnic affiliations. That would be too much to hope for but it would be for every one's benefit if Democracy worked as envisioned.
3-It is my opinion that it would be less confusing for our taxpayers who receive their tax bill based on a Calendar year if the City discarded the Fiscal Year in use and returned to the Calendar Year finance formula. I know that some members of the Council agree with me, and I am sure that others would if they considered the change.
However the City Administrator has stated that it would be difficult for Plainfield to do so. Strange, other adjacent communities have already or are in the process of reverting to the Calendar format. They have found no problem to discourage them from being sensible.
To be sure the difficulties in producing a budget will still continue if the Administration waits to know what the Extraordinary State Aid will be. Yet there is no need to procrastinate for 8 months. A realistic estimate can be used and the budget amended if need be when the actual amount becomes available.
4-The Government has just released the news that there will be no COLA adjustment for Social Security this year. I do not know how the COLA is calculated, but in the past few years the adjustments have been below the true rise in the cost of living. Certainly, there is no relationship between the built in raises in municipal workers contracts and Social Security.
With the annual rise in the Medicare deduction (insurance premium) and the greater increase in the cost of the associated prescription plans many Seniors will receive a smaller monthly check in 2010 than they get this year. Even with this years larger than usual COLA adjustment my wife received less than last year and next year will be worse.
An unfortunate fact of the present Medicare attached prescription plans which are products of the commercial insurance companies but the premium is deducted from Social Security is that most savings are in generics only. Level 2 and Level 3 drugs require a higher copay and in some of the level 4 medications the insurance pays less than half. Sure there is a saving but in actual dollars it can be insufficient since many drugs unique to geriatric patients such as those used in treating dementia or depression fall into levels 3 & 4. And then there is the "donut" where the patient is responsible for 100% of the medication costs.
When and if I get around to write about Medicare and the Public Option or one payer plans I will further expand on this subject. In the mean time I plan by tomorrow to post something on the Public Option question.
(How is this template?)
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The administration cannot even defend its own policies, can you imagine chaning to a calendar year? It is too disorganized, Dashield is heading too many departments to properly address this.
ReplyDeleteWhile I believe Dashield can do it, I think he is smart in trying to defer this at the moment. He is too overwhelmed by duties he did not sign up for.
the template is wonderfull doc,keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteI too believe that Dashield can do a good job at either of the position she is filling, the organizational structure suggests that each i a full time position. If tha be true the we need two bodies ,and there has been no bonafide attempt to fill the "Finance directorship. " If we don't need two bodies lets restructure our TO and demand results.
ReplyDeleteThe template is great, Doc. I enjoy your commentaries - so well developed.
ReplyDeleteI agree about OZ, too, but which wizard (if either) do you get to see - Sharon or Jerry?
typo error I just noticed in earlier comment. Dasheild is not a she. Sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteChanging to a Calendar year will be very much like all the office moving at City Hall. With the Administrator in the Annex have taxes, crime or litter been reduced in the City? No, but some guys are stronger from all the heavy lifting up the flight of steps and will be ready to reshuffle again when someone else has a new reorganization idea.
ReplyDeleteGB