Certainty?

There is nothing certain in politics. Even the most stalwart can be turned late in a game by a groundswell (sometimes defined as 15 citizens showing up to a meeting), an e-mail, phonecall or weblog campaign, an editorial from "the daily", or the big guns in a community weighing in on an issue.

With that said, had the City Council been seated in a regular meeting this past Monday instead of in a workshop, I believe the proposed tree ordinance would have passed with minor changes. But it was a workshop, where votes don't have to be taken, and if they are taken, then they cannot be binding.

What's holding up the tree ordinance now is one or two of the big guns. That's okay. We can remedy this to suit all if we start with this premise, "Almost all of our large tree stands are gone, so let's protect the overall urban forest, tree by tree, property by property, and not penalize those who have one of the two or three relatively large stands (and still quite small) left in the city."

My thought is, "why trash a good ordinance just to make a point, making a large shareholder in this city be penalized for not clearing its land before everyone else....land that is a very small percentage of the entire area?"

To tree or not to tree

At yesterday's City of Pensacola workshop on amending the City's "Tree Ordinance", eight people spoke in favor of enhancing the tree ordinance, one against, and three were split.

The one who spoke squarely against it, had issue with stormwater runoff being tied to tree preservation.

I said it was counterproductive to spend millions of dollars every year to treat stormwater runoff that would never have occurred had it not been for mowing down trees and replacing them with blacktop or concrete.

Indeed, the ordinance states, "The purpose of this chapter is to establish protective regulations for trees and landscaped areas within the city. Such areas preserve the ecological balance of the environment, control erosion, sedimentation and stormwater runoff, provide shade and reduce heat glare, abate noise pollution, and buffer incompatible land uses."

Now that the unified government study committee is seated...

The following is from a staff report published by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR). TACIR is a future-oriented organization concerned with issues and problems that impact the efficiency and effectiveness of governments involved in the intergovernmental process. Often called a "think tank" or "think and do-tank" by some, TACIR seeks to identify and diagnose public policy problems that loom on the horizon.

Both proponents and opponents of local government consolidation brandish a substantial list of reasons to support their positions. Yet, experts agree that consolidation has the potential to offer at least the following advantages.

An economic development edge: Having a consolidated government allows the community to react quickly to proposed economic development prospects. Instead of having to deal with two or more governments, prospective businesses have one point of contact. Business and industrial prospects like the idea of licensing and inspection offices under the authority of one government. There's less red tape. Also, cooperative countywide planning and zoning is an economic development plus. When Augusta and Richmond County in Georgia debated consolidation in 1995, one consolidation proponent said the merger would result in 10,000 new jobs in five years. Voters of those jurisdictions overwhelmingly endorsed the plan.

Economies of scale: Combined purchasing power and efficiency can result in taxpayer savings. For example, publics works operations can share machinery, personnel, and equipment. Consolidated law enforcement departments may find themselves with the ability to fund additional patrols. A small city may find itself better able to offer services that weren't cost-effective before.

Less duplication: Cities and counties many times fund similar operations, such as road building, fire protection and solid waste services. With consolidated government, one office would replace two or more.

Government accountability: One unified government is easier for voters to understand than several local jurisdictions. This increased visibility may better focus public attention on government operations.

Harmony: One government will eliminate some discord, such as annexation disputes, and local planning and zoning issues may be more readily resolved.

Now that the Consolidation Study Committee is seated, let them (and us) get down to transforming our region into a vibrant, competitive, community.

On the CMP and UWF

I want what is best for UWF in its talks with the CMPA and MPDP regarding the Fetterman Museum.

That is why I hope the university will be flexible and agree that what is best for the park is best for the City of Pensacola, the retailers who will locate there, the developer, and the university itself. That is not to argue that the museum has to move from its present location.

The CMP is an organic entity with many parts, but those parts must be arranged optimally for the body to work toward its full potential.

3-cent gas tax for ECAT

I voted against this tax for four reasons:

1) ECAT's performance with the money it has already is not good.
2) This tax does more to eliminate Escambia County's general fund revenue support for the ECAT than it does for increasing ECAT's budget.
3) ECAT needs a new business plan.
4) ECAT managers showed up hat-in-hand on Monday but brought no measures of effectiveness to demonstrate its level of performance---or bang-for-the buck. Several of the City Councilmembers who voted for the tax cited this as a problem for them. I guess the thinking is that if future reports are not satisfactory, that Council can repeal this. ??? I'm not sure it can.

Employee Compensation Study

-----Original Message-----
From: Lawrence Porto
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 1:17 PM
To: City Manager, City Council
Subject: employee compensation study

5/27/09


After the Committee of the Whole meeting of May 11 the Employee Representatives left with the impression that the overwhelming majority of Council was in support of not doing anything to employee benefits in a "piecemeal", shoot from the hip approach, but to have a professional, detailed study done. The only questions were who would do it, and how in depth it would be. To see council reject that reasoned, professional, defensible study and then contemplate the "piecemeal" approach was both surprising and disappointing.

I can tell you that I speak for all the Employee Representatives when I urge you to reconsider the professional study. Any cut in benefits without justification from a detailed professional study will only create deep ill will and mistrust from the Employees for this Council. A professional study will not only justify your actions to the Employees, but the media and Public as well. The idea that apprehension over what might be done is more painful than actually doing something that adversely affects Employees benefits, and therefore something must be done quickly, is misguided. We know of no employee who wishes that you would just cut something to get it over with. The budget is balanced for this year and next. You have the time to do this right. To your credit you have requested the Employees input. We urge you to honor that request and respect that input, and do a professional study.

Sincerely yours in public service,
Larry Porto

Recycling

A city resident not from my district wrote an e-mail to me expressing his displeasure with the City's decision to go from a two-day-a-week garbage pick-up, to one day for garbage and another day to pick up recyclables. He asked for a logical, no-BS explanation. My response is below.

City resident:

The “NO B.S.” answer:

1. Recycling reduces tipping fees for the City of Pensacola at the Escambia County landfill
2. Recycling prolongs the life of the landfill
3. Recycling conserves natural resources
4. Recycling is seen as a progressive move, something our area doesn’t get a lot of credit for in other areas
5. My voting public asked for it. Nine other council members agreed.

The initial savings to the City of Pensacola will cover the cost of the recycling cans. Hopefully, savings beyond that will go to the consumer.

Thanks for your input. Hope some to most of my answer seems logical to you.

Sam Hall
Pensacola City Council

900th post

Regarding economic development, I believe the Pensacola-Escambia Economic Development Commission (PEDC) is essential for any economic development plan. PEDC does not have to be the driver of economic development, but it needs to be plugged-in to help public-private endeavors, owing that it can issue bonds for development, it can transfer land easily for ED sites, and it has elected officials from the City of Pensacola, Escambia County, and the City of Century on its board. If public monies are going to be involved, then those held accountable to the taxpayer need to have a say in how that money is used. [Of note: there is a City of Pensacola appointee as well as one from the Board of County Commissioners along with two members from the Chamber of Commerce]

Ucci: City Pension Plans

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: P.A. Ucci
Date: Tue, May 5, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Subject: City Pension Plans
To: Diane Mack
Cc: Al Coby; City Council

We share major differences regarding your (5-4-09) blog article, "solving the city's pension problem". Hiring a consultant to examine pension plans continues the practice of the seeming inability of highly compensated staff to gain needed personal expertise in the fundamentals required to resolve any problems. You and your colleagues on Council are advised to abandon the consultant notion which, I suggest, lacks merit.

Generally, the financing of most private and public pension plans are based on employee/employer contributions and investment performance primarily in the financial sector. Traditionally, "professional managers" are hired and paid handsomely for their service. It is an established fact that, with rare exception, most of the professionals (over the long) term are paid hacks failing to match the returns of Index Funds. More on this in a separate email.

The questions you posed to the city finance director are not relevant now. Instead, Staff resources should be used to examine prior pension performance for future guidance. From FY1965 to FY2009 a spread sheet should be generated for each of the three pension plans showing on a YEARLY schedule the following fundamental parameters:

1. Total plan assets at 1965 through 2009.
2. Total number of pension eligible employees and total salaries.
3. Employee contribution to plan(s).
4. Employer contribution.
5. Investment return on assets, including investment gain or loss, interest and dividends.
6. Theoretical and actual investment return.
7. Total value and asset disbursement to pensioners.
8. Total management fees, i.e. fund managers, legal and actuarial fees, other.

Analysis of this historical data is crucial to measure the merits of the existing plans and to guide in formulating improved plans if necessary. It may demonstrate that INDEX FUNDS investing (my current preference) is flawed. It may also show some disconnect between all the variables in place governing current pensions.

CMP

On Monday, Mayor Mike Wiggins said the Trillium property had gone through six city councils, two referenda and months of negotiations to end up where we are now, poised to build a waterfront park at a public capital investment of $40 million.