Issue 1 question...

[excell]

Personally, I would prefer a recall to vote Coleman out. Like I said, I see the merits of the increase - we needed it five years ago. But he was too afraid to spend his political capital and put his seat in jeopardy asking for it.

 

The tactics used to get the issue to pass, such as threatening public safety, were shady. Even more shady was the pressure put on City employees to assist in getting this passed. In some departments it was basically "you better help somehow, either door-to-door or phone bank, or you may find yourself on the end of a pink slip if it fails". My wife, thankfully, wasn't pressured nearly as hard and we found out a month ago that even if it failed she was safe for now. She was pressured some - and I made it clear from the start that while I'd support the increase because I see the need, I categorically disagreed with the way it was being pushed and would not lend any support beyond my vote.

 

One vote that will never be granted again is for Coleman. I will abstain from the race before I vote for him again.

 

P.S. Tim, yep, beer for sure.

[truckin]

I understand why people didn't want this tax to pass........Coleman is a joke and so is most of city hall. They spend money with no fiscial responsibility, he's gotten away with it to too damn long. The Real crime is the people who voted for him in the first place! The same people that put Strickland and Obama in office!

 

Now as far as people citing public safety layoffs were a scare tactic.........I can tell you first hand these were NOT scare tactics. We were preparing for the worst. Closing House's, Browning out companies and taking companies out of service were a reality! From a FF stand point we were already trying to get our members set up with jobs else where (not as easy for us as the Police).

 

We are understaffed as it is (staffing is lower than levels in 1987 and city has grown in population and square miles), Layoffs would've been a disaster for the dept. with less people ENGINES,MEDICS, LADDERS ETC WOULD'VE BEEN TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE. What this means is......LONGER RESPONSE TIMES, CARDIAC SAVE RATES WOULD DROP (CFD has one of the highest survival rates in the country, twice the national avg.) So that convience of that Medic right down the road who can be on scene in about 4 min from time of call will now take 8-10-12 mins? comming from the next closest station.

 

 

I know alot of people feel the threats to PS were bullshit and would never happen, go ask a FF or Cop with up to 9 yrs on the job how much of it was BS!

 

I also agree that not being able to vote for this if you work in the city but don't live in the city is BS. I too work in the city, but live outside the city. I still have to pay the tax as well, hopefully it helps out come tax time?

 

Did I or fellow FF's/Cops want to pay more and ask the people of Columbus for more money in a time like this? Hell No! Did we want to support Coleman? Hell NO! WE DID NOT SUPPORT COLEMAN........WHAT WE DID DO IS PROTECT JOBS AND THE SAFETY OF THE CITIZENS OF COLUMBUS.........OUR JOB.

 

So the most important aspect of this issue passing is the people of Columbus will still have it's Public Safety forces intact to protect and serve not only Columbus but surrounding communities.

[craig71188]

Now as far as people citing public safety layoffs were a scare tactic.........I can tell you first hand these were NOT scare tactics. We were preparing for the worst. Closing House's, Browning out companies and taking companies out of service were a reality! From a FF stand point we were already trying to get our members set up with jobs else where (not as easy for us as the Police).

 

 

I would like to clarify - it was a scare tactic to make the choice of cutting safety services instead of waste in the city government. In fact it should be considered criminal.

[craig71188]

I had a thought last night - what would be great would be a grassroots issue on the November ballot to repeal the income tax. I don't know the particulars about submission time and signatures required, but it would be great to see Coleman and the city council have to run against this issue. It has been said this is the REAL reason they needed to spend half a million dollars on a special election.

[Skinner]

how long has the city tax been at 2%?

[TurboNova]

20 years

[Archie]

Coleman is a fucking puppet. I just don't see the need for the excess police officers... I can see fire and public works but I lost all respect for the CPD - mainly from what I saw at Good Guys this year: there were a whole convoy of cop cars and legions of gay bike cops swarming the area.

 

I would like to see these pansy ass pigs patrolling more in some of the rougher parts of columbus --- not harassing old car enthusiasts that contribute to society. It seems that the main focus of the CPD these days is harassing college kids, handing out DUIs and speeding tickets, and pulling over people at rush hour so they can jam up traffic.

[Skinner]

20 years

 

Hell I say it was long over due then when you consider how much the city has grown and how much the general cost of everything has gone up. Even then with the increase the city is still over budget.

[TTQ B4U]

Hell I say it was long over due then when you consider how much the city has grown and how much the general cost of everything has gone up. Even then with the increase the city is still over budget.

 

Not me. There's still a ton of waste especially in public safety. Between 2005 and 2008, police overtime expenses increased by 47.5 percent, while fire overtime increased by over 96 percent. That's FUCKING CRAZY Stupid.

 

OT has gone up in both Fire and police by some 92% in 2008 alone. That's over the 58% in 2007!

 

Oh yeah.....and the Mayor threatened to lay them off...sure, and pay even more fucking OT to those left to do the work? Smart move mayor.

 

Sad thing is in their own budget outline, they stated that the "reasons for sworn overtime in Police are not as readily identifiable and require more study and conversation in order to get under control."

 

I won't bet a $1 that they get that shit under control.

 

The fat is there sheep.....I mean people.....and giving them more of our hard earned money isn't the answer.

 

I won't even get into the waste I see in the main police dept. building alone. Let's just say that they have six redundant systems spread out throughout the entire place doing the same thing that one single system can do. I'm in the midst of an analysis for the procurement dept. that has put a hold on a 7th system and asked for some data to back up their cause for pause. They will have that within a few weeks. Let's just say I hope I get the business, but overall, even that's with a lot of luck.

[Akula]

I had a simple question, I got it figured out. I see banhammers coming out soon so lets lock this up, mmmmmmkay?

[dakotart]

Hell I say it was long over due then when you consider how much the city has grown and how much the general cost of everything has gone up. Even then with the increase the city is still over budget.

 

As the population increases, the taxes collected increases as well.

 

Also, if Columbus keeps having to get an increase due to "the general cost of everthing" going up, you might as well just sign over your whole paycheck.

[Skinner]

As the population increases, the taxes collected increases as well.

 

Also, if Columbus keeps having to get an increase due to "the general cost of everthing" going up, you might as well just sign over your whole paycheck.

 

Last time there was a tax increase you were 7, with that being said I can handle a .5% increase every 20 years.

[truckin]

how long has the city tax been at 2%?

 

Actually It's been 27 yrs since the last tax........1982

[truckin]

Coleman is a fucking puppet. I just don't see the need for the excess police officers... I can see fire and public works but I lost all respect for the CPD - mainly from what I saw at Good Guys this year: there were a whole convoy of cop cars and legions of gay bike cops swarming the area.

 

I would like to see these pansy ass pigs patrolling more in some of the rougher parts of columbus --- not harassing old car enthusiasts that contribute to society. It seems that the main focus of the CPD these days is harassing college kids, handing out DUIs and speeding tickets, and pulling over people at rush hour so they can jam up traffic.

 

Not to be a ass here but you actually don't see the need for more COPS? Seriously... Most of the Officers at Goodguys are their for a reason (requested by OHP, fairground consultants etc. working special duty paid for by Goodguys, and it's sponsers).

 

And you have a problem with cops pulling over or giving tickets to people who acting like complete ass's who happen to be drunk in public or under the influence while driving? And you also have a problem with cops because they have a vehicle pulled over for speeding or driving with a total lack of due regard towards others on the road? Wow your bright.

 

I wish it was done more!........if people wouldn't be complete F-ing morons and make better decisions then, some people would actually live to see the next day! And Cops wouldn't have to enforce "Harass" as you say the LAWS!

 

Tell ya what man.....how bout you walk yourself on down to the Bottoms, near eastside, or Cleveland ave precinct's about 10pm and ask for acouple "pansy ass pigs" and explain to them how you feel about them and see if you can do a ride along for a night! In in the mean time while your pissing your fucking pants hiding in the car crying for your mom to come pick you up, maybe you can take a moment to reflect what these "pansy ass pigs" do for you and your family everynight of the week.

Edited August 7, 2009 by truckin

[LJ]

Coleman is a fucking puppet. I just don't see the need for the excess police officers... I can see fire and public works but I lost all respect for the CPD - mainly from what I saw at Good Guys this year: there were a whole convoy of cop cars and legions of gay bike cops swarming the area.

 

I would like to see these pansy ass pigs patrolling more in some of the rougher parts of columbus --- not harassing old car enthusiasts that contribute to society. It seems that the main focus of the CPD these days is harassing college kids, handing out DUIs and speeding tickets, and pulling over people at rush hour so they can jam up traffic.

 

so what, you think there are no cops that work the rougher areas? I have a buddy who works the bottoms. He works about 14 hours per day between his shift and all the paperwork he has to do for the numerous calls he responds to every single night.

[truckin]

Not me. There's still a ton of waste especially in public safety. Between 2005 and 2008, police overtime expenses increased by 47.5 percent, while fire overtime increased by over 96 percent. That's FUCKING CRAZY Stupid.

 

OT has gone up in both Fire and police by some 92% in 2008 alone. That's over the 58% in 2007!

 

Oh yeah.....and the Mayor threatened to lay them off...sure, and pay even more fucking OT to those left to do the work? Smart move mayor.

 

 

It is the Mayors stance and they City's that they would rather pay OT than Hire more people......They have said it is cheaper to pay OT than the cost of training, outfitting, insurance cost etc for new employees. IS this Stupid? Hell Yes it is. As I stated above CFD is operating at 1987 levels we are set to loose another 200+ members by the end of next year These people HAVE TO GO NOT AN OPTION!. On average we loose 15-20 members through retirement each year, this # does not include members who have resigned for whatever reasons, passed away while still active (10+ in 3 yrs), or the idiots who decide to shoot their dogs and get fired (PLEASE DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THAT TURD). Just food for thought, in the last 5YRS we have hired 79 FF's 1 did not make it through the academy, 2 others resigned for other job's elsewhere. So 75 new hire's, now in that same time with FF deaths, retirement, Firing's, Resignations we have lost 100 +/-. Where the police was pumping out classes of 75 2 times/yr we're VERY lucky to get 25 every 1.5 yrs.

 

Yes OT has gone up and will continue to go up because we don't have proper staffing for the size/people in Columbus. OT has also gone up due to the fact of increased arsons, structure fires,vehicle fires, having to bring in Medics, FF's, Bomb squad individuals to cover shift for members who are ill, injured, or who have vac etc. Again lack of personal and the increased incidents within the city.

 

Sta 10 in the bottoms was averaging 3-4 working fires a day on some units the fist couple months of 09. That same sta had 20+ working fires in a 1 month time frame. 90% of structure fires occur after midnight so this requires an OT investigator (40 hr personnel).

 

Each time some college kid thinks he's cool and sets a couch or a dumpster on fire on campus.......guess what! Investigator! I have been held over at work multiple times because we don't have enough manpower to staff a truck, sometimes it's 20min sometimes it's an hour before we can locate another FF in the city on duty who is extra and get them to another station to work so I can go home and they can staff the truck.

 

Now i'm not saying people don't abuse the system, cause like any job theirs always that guy who try's to screw their employer on OT. But for the most part the OT is a necessary problem. We have to abide by NFPA staffing levels on equiptment.

 

If the Levy didn't pass, not only would OT go up, but then to help offset the OT and loss of members, Equiptment, Stations would begin to dissapear. And let me tell you this if we lose it the city ain't giving it back. So the long term affects would be very bad.

 

Does OT need to be reduced? YES, the only way to do this is more people on the streets! And Coleman dosen't understand this! He dosen't care!

 

The only way to get us back on track in this city is to vote someone else in office! But then again.......all politicians are worthless IMO.