Friday, May 28, 2010

Supporting Data

I'm taking the weekend off. I hope everyone does. These are tough times, but we're Americans and have survived tough times before. So let's remember this Memorial Day weekend those that gave the full measure in keeping us safe and free.

But here's some light reading to give you something to think about regarding our fair city. This was data the city required us to file a FOIA to get.

I'll have more to say about this next week, but please note the last time the city had general fund revenue that roughly equals the worst case projections...2005!

8 comments:

marv rein said...

THE police and fire training center was repainted,,if there is a group of citizens organization planning a people effort to clean up the mess,count me in..,

Helen said...

Let's not forget to suggest ways to make Troy a better place for business.

Along those lines I'd like to encourage everybody to learn about the National and State Fair Tax proposals which I think would really help bring business to MI and the US.

www.fairtax.org
www.mifairtax.org

marv rein said...

time 4 RE-thinking,or back to old TROY.you say I'm whinning.I'm saying,till we organize,,as the TROY chamber,CITY manager and all his resources,our tax money against the people,these people make their living promoting ideas and twiting regulations at will.
I footnote,,and 'since' I really do not have "standing" I move on.but over 50 years of these types of "favors' has put TROY in this mess.a new VISION of TROY must be made,so the change,can be visual,and until,,the DDA true cost to the city is known,,the real clear picture/budget can be MADE.

Barry said...

Okay, Marv, but as Helen says, how? How do we get together? How do we engage everyone? I don't care who voted yes or who voted no. That's water under the bridge. Our crisis is real, though we may argue about how bad bad is. Okay, that's fine with me. At least we're all on the same page.

My initial inclination, before I went public with this site, was to try to engage with the Council individually, hit them with real data, unfiltered, and see if we could get somewhere. We almost did. Darn, we almost upended this monster called Option 1. So where do we do from here. How do we get the residents, the Council, even the City Manager, to come to the table and admit, this isn't working?

How? Talk to me about how? Anyone.

cactusjim said...

Barry, I agree that getting the message out to all Troy residents is the starting point. Going door to door is expensive and almost impractical. With stories like the one in the Freep today about Highland Park re-opening their Library as the city is coming out of recievership would it be logical to think that the local press would find a story in Troy's closing of it's library? I can compile an email list of editors, reporters, and news outlets to send info to and see if we can add to the "buzz".

Helen said...

Barry - is it ok if I download your files and share them with people outside of this blog?

thanks,
Helen

Barry said...

Helen - Absolutely. Please do. The more people understand the numbers, the way they've been manipulated to create a predetermined outcome (by all appearances), the better the chance we can still save these services and let our "protected" and most favored groups know that now is the time to participate in the solution because later will be more painful. No one wants that. Spread the word to all good citizens of Troy. This is the point of this blog.

marv rein said...

and 2005,is when the Z-man,quit/fired, tried start this plan,only Nelson's actions slowed this down.as 4 people who live in TROY,not very many computer types.remember many of TROY's empolyee fear about talking about TROY.
TROY TIMEs,6/3/10.front page.SUPER-rich give away,ok? but what's the gain? in money.
page 3:VISION 20/20,turn TROYin2 a retirement community moves on,cafe story,
both projects cost TROY something,
???since there is no one in charge in TROY,,FUND Raisers,,city vs school vs chamber wastes alot of money.
the budget is what it is?took many hours of forward thinking to cause TROY to DE- construct,
Till TROY turns back,,to the MAYOR is paid to be Mayor,,and stop running as a City_manager System..TROY will be one PERSON's playground..The Z-man.bUT THEN the Chamber loses control of TROY.Ms Hodges.
and YES.I get many threating phones calls,and attacked 4 my comments .
Solution: Troy built the aqua center 4 profit!10years ago,I have asked the TROY POLICE departmant to BUILD an indoor Gun range 4 the public,it would make a profit,but was TOLD,,they use the gun range,,in Royaloak..because it's owned by one of their freinds.