Heavy Hitters!

Anyone out there want my opinion on Nitro's waste of money?

I lost an election for Council Woman in Nitro by 20 votes in 2008 but I still own a home in Nitro and pay taxes on my home in Brookhaven and have for 42 years. I live in a subdivision that’s roads have been ignored for years by my town of Nitro.
1- Today I read an article in the Daily Mail about Nitro officials saying they will have to make certain cut backs if a certain Levy does not pass.
Last year at the Meet The Candidate Fiasco the Mayor stated to everyone that if he was re-elected to the Mayor position he would drop the $5 that his council added to the Municipal Bill. He stated that the city was in much better shape. That was his promise.
2- Now if the Levy doesn’t pass the paper says that the municipal bills will be raised $5 to $10 more per house hold, of course the council will have to vote on this proposal, but how can this be even proposed by council after what the Mayor promised everyone.
3- Last year before the Levy was up for vote the town of Nitro talked about not opening the pool. That it would cost too much...It opened anyway and the last time I was at council everything was going fine about the pool. Now the paper says it might be shut down if the Levy fails. What a thing for our children to hear from the City.
4- Funds could be slashed and hours could be cut at the city library....Another terrible thing for our children to hear and have to worry about.
In 2008 they put in new carpet at the Library and 2 new sweepers that cost about $500 each were donated which one was given to the library. Everything seemed fine.
5- Some streetlights might have to be shut off–I did hear a few comments about the light bulbs costing a lot but to shut any off at a time when people are losing more jobs than has ever been in my life is not a good thing for any public to have to worry about. Who will want to live in Nitro with that situation?
6- And saying Brookhaven road work would have to stop was a low cut after all the years of neglect to that part of Nitro. Come on now, Brookhaven was just born in 1962. When the town took Brookhaven in the streets were new. The real problem there is that money was never set aside for any streets in Nitro for repair. Real work on Brookhaven has never begun.
7- A major street and sidewalk beautification project would be off the table--- In 2008 the council was going for grant money like St. Albans did. The paper said that Nitro would have to come up with $60,000 of their own money to be able to get $300,000 of grant money. Why is this news just now coming out. This past year one attorney alone donated Thousands of dollars to Daffodil planting along the railroad in Nitro. Is there only one man in Nitro that can make a donation of any sum to a cause that would bring more shoppers, money and beautification to Nitro that would be getting $300,000 from a grant. Why hasn’t the word been passes to everyone? Who missed the boat this time? Instead an addition $8000 that is being spent on another election that didn’t pass in the first place. Everyone could have benefit from that Grant. That $16,000 would have gone a long way on advertizing this whole Beautification Project.
There are pro’s and cons to everything but let’s get real.
Table Gambling is here now. Just a little behind in time but up and running. Advancement money was given by the tracks. Additional money will now be gotten for the Mall property, there was still that $100,000 in the treasure in August that had been put aside, and everything was looking better for everyone. Is it all gone? Where is the money going? Nitro Council has a $4.8 Million Dollar budget. They were in the hole before all the great news was put out at a convenient time just before election. Now where’s the BEEF.
The people of Nitro would feel more like helping if the Council of Nitro thought more about the peoples needs instead of their needs.
In all my many, many years in Nitro we’ve had a pool for our children, we’ve had ample supply of street lights to protect our families and a wonderful Library for our community to use. We should never be threatened by there loss.
There seems to be a NO win in Nitro. The more we get the more we spend. When will we ever learn.
Nitro needs to stick to their Budget. They know what needs to be done but refuses to do it. They need to be held responsible for their actions and not spend another dime for anything new till we have enough in our hands to pay cash for it or am I just another dreamed. I don’t think so.
Vote NO for the Excess Levy Jan. 31, 2009

Not only do they need to stick to the budget, they need to CUT the budget drastically.

VOTE NO ON THE LEVY!

Yep vote no and PAY MORE!! That ought to work out for those who can afford to give up even MORE just to make a freakin' point. Listen to Sis guys and I PROMISE it will cost you at least 10 extra bucks a month on your municiple fees!! Don't be stupid.

So, freddy, does this mean that you are FOR the increase that the levy would bring?

Freddie, you don't seem to understand that the budget needs to be cut because it doesn't matter if the levy passes or not, Nitro spends every dime it gets; there is no accountability for where they spend the money; and soon, there won't be enough money - again - to support the city. Raising the Municipal Fee is only a bandaid. Nitro needs to stop the bleeding by CUTTING their budget.

If the levy doesn't pass, our taxes GO DOWN. Officials for the city need to cut their spending and be more realistic when coming up with the new budget. They continually spend money they don't have.

"They" are once again using scare tactics to get people to vote yes. Residents need to vote NO and council needs to cut the budget.

VOTE NO. Mayor - cut the budget and be realistic when figuring the revenues and stop spending; stop giving raises that are cannot be maintained in our current nationwide crisis.

Before long - Nitro, too, will be in the red once again. They need to think smart! Give back to the residents.

No afan. The voting for the levy will maintain status quo...voting against it will likely cause a increase in muni fees to cover the loss. Therefore I am voting FOR the levy. I don't plan to give them an excuse to charge me even more.

Yes sis, I understand what needs to be done...I also understand that I won't be done. What WILL happen is we will pay more in the end. I am voting for that levy and that is the end of it!
Our taxes will go down about 30 to 50 bucks a year and our FEES WILL GO UP ABOUT 120 bucks a year when council votes on what they are promising to do..DO THE FREAKIN MATH!!!!!! You call it a "scare tactic"..I have lived here for over 50 years and it is not a scare tactic, it is a FACT! THEY WILL NOT CUT THEIR BUDGET, not for YOU or anyone else.

From today's article... enuf said for me!

"Right off the bat, the pool would be cut back to two or three days a week, if it's even open," he said. Casto said library hours will probably be curtailed, and city officials will probably be forced to raise municipal fees.

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/200901130749?page=1&build=cache

Freddie is going along with what the newspapers say about closing the pool, etc.
Freddie, were you at the Meet The Candidate ordeal this past summer when Rusty said he would remove the $5 that his Council tacked on the municipal bill. I heard it and so did everyone that was there. It was meant to be heard but not meant to be done.
Well, the people of Nitro are fed up with the lies. Once again they were taken. I'd prefer my taxes to go down. I'd like to be proud of my town, not always knowing we've been had by council. After all, Freddie, the council will have to approve these additional fees to be added to our bill and that will be the proof in the puddin who is for the people and who is for themselves.
Nitro needs to cut costs, not give raises this time. These people that are crying for another raise needs to be thankful they even have a job right now and tuck their tails and be grateful. I'm not getting a raise this year and don't know too many that are. Just a bunch of high and mighty Nitro people that think they will always get by with their scare tactics. Vote no for the excess Levy

Make NO MISTAKE..the council WILL approve those additional fees. I have already been asking and been informed that those tht will vote for a raise are...Savilla, Casebolt, Javins, Matthews, Racer, and Fields. That raise WILL pass a vote! You guys just refuse to see the facts here. The levy will pass, most of us have the good sense to hear what we are being told and NOT chalk it up to scare tactics or idle talk. It will happen, they will raise fees and the darn levy is CHEAP at 30 -50 bucks a year! Vote no if you want, I have no plans to be stupid and shoot off my foot for a principle.

And I have no problem with speaking up for what is right and acting on what is right. Vote No For The Levy

Freddie, I think you are forgetting that not everyone pays their Municipal fee. There are many who do, but there are just as many who don't. I don't like having to pay for those who don't. Do you? Are you that generous?

There are thousands of dollars that have not been collected because the nice residents of Nitro don't pay their Municipal bill. How do you feel about that! So even though they might raise the Muny fee, they still won't get all the revenue. Again, it will just come off the back of residents who do pay. When they straighten up their finances, including collections of unpaid fees, I will feel a lot better. There is a better way.

VOTE NO ON THE LEVY!

WHAT does all that have to do with raises in muni fees? They WILL go up. Lots of things are not right with our world today....your soultions do not fit the problem at all. You want us to vote No because you are angry about how things are handled...that is NOT going to help that problem one iota. All it will do is cause us all to pay even HIGHER TAXES in another form. STUPID is the only way to describe that. Doesn't matter much though, I believe the levy will pass this time.

LollyPop wrote:7- A major street and sidewalk beautification project would be off the table--- In 2008 the council was going for grant money like St. Albans did. The paper said that Nitro would have to come up with $60,000 of their own money to be able to get $300,000 of grant money. Why is this news just now coming out. This past year one attorney alone donated Thousands of dollars to Daffodil planting along the railroad in Nitro. Is there only one man in Nitro that can make a donation of any sum to a cause that would bring more shoppers, money and beautification to Nitro that would be getting $300,000 from a grant. Why hasn’t the word been passes to everyone? Who missed the boat this time? Instead an addition $8000 that is being spent on another election that didn’t pass in the first place. Everyone could have benefit from that Grant. That $16,000 would have gone a long way on advertizing this whole Beautification Project.

On Jan. 9th I put this message out. On Jan. 14th in the Daily Mail Mayor Casto confirmed once again that a failed levy would affect other aspects of the city, as well, including the NITRO PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE CITY SWIMMING POOL, SENIOR CITIZEN' PROGRAMS AND THE COMMUNITY CENTER..... Shame Shame Shame
I've dealt with the people for the last 40 years. Why won't these people at City Hall get real with their advertizement. Why don't they speak to the people of Nitro instead of threatening the people that are paying their salaries. Why don't they talk to the people in Nitro about the matters. Why don't they call a meeting for Nitro and call it "Meet the City Problems" and get everyone out. Ask for the $60,000 in donations. This Streetscape project is to improve the business in Nitro. There should be a big interest with the business owners in Nitro to have a handsome town as St. Albans has. There should be quite a few wealthy people in Nitro that would be interested in investing in the betterment of our town and not rob the hard working people of Nitro once more. If the people won't donate then drop the new project till another time. Apparently then there is not enough interests for the people that already have a business to be concerned enough to want to make more money, or maybe they are already drained all they can do. These questions need to be addressed up front. We the people of Nitro need to know these answers.
We have enough worry about our street conditions alone. We should never have to be in this condition if the City would get real and do the things like asking the town to contribute, to get involved instead of the City workers doing everything themselves and messing up. There are others that also have interests and good ideas and the pro's and cons need to be concidered, not brushed off the table like bread crumbs. There is more than one way to shin a mule and being honest with the public is the best way always.

Oh LP, you're just ticked over the daffodils