Heavy Hitters!

freddy wrote:Oh LP, you're just ticked over the daffodils

And tell me Freddie what is that supposed to mean. The Daffodils will be a breath of fresh air but I would think if that Donar, that paid for the daffodil project, had known and been asked to rethink his project, he could have used all that money for a more worth while cause like the Streetscape and still would have had a great tax write off. The Streetscape project should have been in the newspapers a long time ago with pictures, plans, etc. People needed to know how this could have helped our town. Nitro should have pleaded their case. But the more I think about the whole thing now after hearing about the Stock Market crashing, Circuit City closing, Goodies closing, the plant in Ravenswood closing, two major tracks in WVa laying off half their help, and with the look of the turn out at our tracks this last week, that could be our tracks next. I don't think anyone can afford the Streetscape at this time if we can't get Donations and a Grant. We need to be counting every dime and dollar several times before spending. We need to be cutting way back. What is happening now is more than most of us have ever seen in our whole life. No one is predicting a speedy recovery. Just think how nice the Streets were at Goodies, the Streets didn't help that business. Nitro needs to get real with their plans and projects.

I don't understand your reply since YOU are the one that approached Harvey Peyton about buying Dogwoods and he said NO!. He offered to buy daffodils and that was all. He knew about streetscape and he CHOSE not to participate in that way. You wanted dogwoods and you got daffodils, get over it.

freddy wrote:I don't understand your reply since YOU are the one that approached Harvey Peyton about buying Dogwoods and he said NO!. He offered to buy daffodils and that was all. He knew about streetscape and he CHOSE not to participate in that way. You wanted dogwoods and you got daffodils, get over it.

Excuse me, but at the time I talked to Mr. Peyton about the proposed Dogwood project I knew nothing about the Streetscape project and he mentioned nothing about it either. We both wanted something to beautify Nitro and to be done as a donation project only. My project was to get everyone involved and hopefully get some beautification awards for Nitro. My project would have cost a bit more money also in donations.
Freddie if you remember correctly I went into a complete research on the Dogwood Trees only to find out that the trees would be illigal because of the RR rule not have anything growing that tall that would block the view of the trains. It was sugested by many to do it anyway but I could not take donations away from the people of Nitro and then take the chance that the RR would come and tear them down if they so wished. Once I got that word my hopeful project ended.
The Streetscape project was brought to my attention later and I suggested at the time to get a grant. I went to some meetings on the project and everything was going very slow on the project. After my mother became ill and I was helping her I then heard the daffodils were planted. No one ever called about a work team or anything. Hopefully it will bring a lot of beauty that never cost the people a dime. We know one person that was willing to Donate. Thanks goes to Mr. Peyton for his beautification donation.

LollyPop wrote:

freddy wrote:Oh LP, you're just ticked over the daffodils

Just think how nice the Streets were at Goodies, the Streets didn't help that business. Nitro needs to get real with their plans and projects.

Hey Freddie, maybe you changed the subject to the daffodils because I hit it on the nail when I said that Goodies and Circuit City had great streets and that didn't keep them open. Once again this is not the time for the Streetscape project without a lot of DONATIONS and GRANTS. It is just not the time. It is Cut Back Time.
VOTE NO FOR THE LEVY

You are a constant contridiction...you want MORE done you better vote FOR that levy. Your Goody's and Circuit city analogies don't fit.

freddy wrote:You are a constant contridiction...you want MORE done you better vote FOR that levy. Your Goody's and Circuit city analogies don't fit.

Oh it fits alright and so will all the wants of the fire department. They will start their Fire shed. They want to be up and ready when the Dog Track get's up and running, if the dog track ever does. I see more lay offs in our valley. Believe me Nitro has big plans..All Nitro needs now are the Christmas Tree light back up. with all the banners. Just think of all the wasted money.Be prepared for lots of spending if this Levy passes. It won't take them long to be crying for more money again.Vote No For The Levy

i saw a big banner across the main drag..'harvey peyton blvd' and it said vote FOR the levy

isn't there supposed to be something up there that says 'paid for by idiots ?"

there wasn't
go get em jerry

The levy will NOT change anything..it will maintain status quo. It is NOT an addition to the budget, the thing has been there for YEARS. It is NOT a raise in taxes or revenues.
For pete's sake, all ths "much ado about NOTHING"...the darn thing cost you about 30 bucks a year! Even those who own the most expensive homes don't pay much more than 50 bucks a year...what a bunch of cry babies!

Freddy, you are absolutely wrong about that!

Wrong about what? The fact that the levy is in place, and has been for years and voting for it changes nothing ...or the cost to taxpayers?

The levy HAS been a part of the City budget most of the time since 1932.
The average figures were obtained from the county assessors office and compared with neighbors and friends.
WHAT is wrong? YOU may pay more, but those who live in homes with a value similar to YOURS in Nitro are VERY FEW. There might be 40 or 50 out of a couple thousand. Municipal excess on MY tax statement is $20.06 with assesment of a little under 50 Gs. Market apprasial last year was a little over 100 Gs. The house I own is (comparably ) upper mid range for Nitro, nothing wrong that I see. I get homestead but even if you double that it's only 40 bucks a year.
You guys are griping about pennies! A fifty dollar/year assessment is a WHOOPIN 96 cents a week!

You are wrong about the excess levy costing people with more expensive houses just $50/year.

Have you ever thought about how many people, especially retirees in Nitro (most of the people in Nitro are seniors) are living on small, fixed pensions and how even a small amount will help them. The residents need a break.

Nitro has been very poorly managed for years.

This hype about the POOR seniors is as bad as the stuff about closing the library. The POOR seniors that own there homes are like me...on homestead and paying about 15 or 20 bucks a year. It is NOT going to help them one iota to vote down this levy...45 cents a week really doesn't matter much....especially in this ecomony. At that rate it would take more than a month to save up a loaf of cheap bread!
If they are THAT poor, they don't own a home anyway.
BESIDES the city has already given these poorer seniors a break by lowering their municiple fees by 10 dollars every month!!! Seniors still get the reduced rate!

YOU may pay more, but those who live in homes with a value similar to YOURS in Nitro are VERY FEW. There might be 40 or 50 out of a couple thousand.

I have already conceded that there are a VERY few who pay more, but if you can afford a home valued at 250K and up you can afford the levy assesment on that home! It might hit 100 bucks a year,OH MY! We all know that the area you live in has homes valued at a quarter million up to about 3 mil. You folks can afford it.

Whether the levy passes or not, I don't care. But I have my suspicions about what is going to happen down the road. If you think the Muny fees won't go up anyway or that Nitro is not going to have more financial problems later on, I've got a bridge to sell to you.

In today's economic times, it would be prudent to trim the budget and stick to it.

Now THAT statement I can agree with! I just don't think the levy is going to change that either way.

Readers' forum: Jan. 27, 2009
Don't give Nitro levy money to waste; Curtail spending before approving levy

Editor:

Citizens of Nitro are being asked to approve an excess levy that will take approximately $380,000 out of their pockets.

When the current levy was put in place, the city budget was $3.9 million, including money from the excess levy. The current budget is approximately $4.9 million. The increase is mostly taxes from Nitro Marketplace and the dog track. The Casto administration spent it all.

If a million-dollar increase is not enough, what is enough? $3 million? $4 million? $10 million? You cannot give the Casto administration more money than they can spend/waste. It appears the only remedy to curbing wasteful spending is to cut the funding.

Mayor Casto believes that threatening to cut the swimming pool, library, senior programs and streetlights will help pass the levy. Nowhere does he say cut the wasteful spending. This administration has demonstrated repeatedly they do not have the will or the ability to protect taxpayer money. Do not give them more to spend. Vote no on the levy.

Don Karnes



Curtail spending before approving levy

Editor:

Nitro is preparing for yet another excess levy vote. They are forgetting about the residents who pay their municipal bills on time; they are forgetting promises made to put in sewers; they are forgetting that the mayor said he would decrease the municipal service fee. It appears that city officials will not curtail their spending and Nitro residents pay the price. Continual budget overruns even with the excess levy, the dog track and the Marketplace. I'm voting NO because they are not good stewards of residents' money. Once again, who is watching the store?

Nitro will never have enough money because of their spending habits. In today's economy, it makes good business sense to curtail spending, cut budgets, plan ahead for financial shortfalls. When will Nitro officials learn?

Karen Fritz