RALEIGH'S ARTS PROGRAM - WHAT THE MEDIA IS NOT TELLING YOU

Raleigh's City Council passed a monstrous abuse of taxpayer dollars in the form of the arts program at yesterday's City Council meeting (2-17-09).

Some things to note that are in Resolution 2009 that created the program and some things that are not.

1. Art "creates a dynamic and creative urban life." Read more money for downtown Raleigh to be wasted. Urban = Downtown.

2. Art "enhances the reputation of Raleigh and promotes attracting business and increasing tourism;" Do you know what also helps that out? Paying for more police protection and keeping the murder rate below the almost 50% increase it experienced last year.

3. It's not exactly one half one percent. "It is recognized that the permanent program may take a variety of forms, including but not limited to the creation of a fund into which the one-half percent allocations may be allowed to accumulate if some projects may not be ideal for the incorporation of public art." Read - they'll have a huge piggy bank of your tax dollars to spend. They'll milk every project possible for money to put in the piggy bank. Then they'll spend those dollars elsewhere.

• "The need to have a pool because not all projects would necessarily have an art component but the one-half of 1 percent of the construction cost could go into a pool and that money could be used to put art in areas that do not have a specific project." (Minutes - Raleigh Budget and Economic Development Committee, 1-13-09)

5. They are going to find the highest level of hard construction costs from which to determine the one half of one percent. "If the actual construction bids are higher than the City's pre-bid estimate the percentage shall be accordingly adjusted upward." (Resolution No. 2009)

6. In a time when Raleigh has a hiring freeze, they are discussing hiring yet another bureaucrat for arts. "Commission Chair Starky pointing out they have a current budget and the funding could come from the current budget." (Minutes - Raleigh Budget and Economic Development Committee, 1-13-09) They'll actually be taking money from arts instead of putting money into it.

7. Finally City Manager Russell Allen stated recently that Raleigh has a hiring freeze and is delaying some capital projects. So why in the world in this condition would someone drive up the cost on some capital projects even further?

This isn't over yet.

8. "the final budget for staffing and operation of the program will be established by the City Council as a part of its 2009-2010 annual budget deliberations."

Contact your Raleigh City Council member now and tell them to stop this ridiculous waste of taxpayer dollars. You can reach them here.

RALEIGH SAYS DO AS WE SAY, NOT AS BEV PERDUE DOES

The photos above come just a few mere feet from one of the doors of the State Capitol in downtown Raleigh.

What raised my eyebrows concerning a fairly insignificant sign and uneven pavement on walkways around the Capitol was a story on WRAL News.

Apparently the Pfeiffer family is out $2600 to fix repairs on the sidewalk fronting their home. Raleigh officials told them the sidewalk must be repaired. The property owners incur the cost of repairs.

City code language states that:

Sec. 12-1037.1.

REPAIR OF SIDEWALKS AND DRIVEWAYS BY PROPERTY OWNERS.

It shall be the duty of every property owner in the City to maintain in good repair and safe condition, the sidewalk and driveway abutting his property for the safe passage of pedestrians over the same except as otherwise provided in §7-2008.

What struck me as intriguing is that the walkway pictured above shares similiar uneven surfaces. However, it seems that posting a warning sign will suffice.

The Pfeiffer family is now out apparently $2600. It would have been much cheaper for them if they could have posted a sign.

Carl Dawson with Raleigh Public Works says they investigate sidewalk complaints and give property owners 30 days to fix the problem. If you want to email him about the Capitol's sidewalks, he can be reached at carl.dawson@ci.raleigh.nc.us.

Let's see if he gives Governor Perdue just 30 days to fix the problem.

RALEIGH ARTS COMMISSION WANTS TO SPEND AT LEAST $1.13 MILLION FOR PUBLIC ART AT NEW CLARENCE LIGHTNER PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER ..... FOR STARTERS

The economy's in the tank. Raleigh has just significantly raised taxes and fees on Raleigh residents with Mayor Meeker seeking further increases, crime is soaring and basic police protection services remain underfunded.

So what do you do?

Well of course, blow more money on sprucing up downtown Raleigh.

Raleigh's Arts Commission has proposed that "half of one percent of expenditures of capital improvement municipal projects (involving public buildings, parks and streetscapes) to the creation and development of public art.

The additional millions required to meet this proposal is staggering.

Just think how many more Light + Time Towers could "grace" Raleigh under this proposal.

For the new (not voted on) Clarence Lightner Public Safety Center new art would run $1.13 million under this proposal.

Maybe if their lucky, the residents on Bragg Street and Tarboro Road can get the nets changed on their basketball courts.

Raleigh's Budget and Economic Development Committee was scheduled to meet this morning to discuss this proposal. Let's hope this idea was properly flushed.

Of course I would not be surprised if they don't find a way to blame the homebuilders for lacking the funds to put more beautiful art like Light + Time around Raleigh.

QUESTION FOR MAYOR MEEKER ON THE MOVE

Mayor Meeker:

As you seem to be moving with fevered intensity to impose increased sales taxes and vehicles registration fees on Raleigh residents to buy more buses, quick question:

HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE MASS TRANSIT? IN FACT HOW OFTEN DO THE OTHER MASS TRANSIT CHEERLEADERS ON THE RALEIGH CITY COUNCIL USE MASS TRANSIT? WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU NOT ONLY BELIEVE IN MASS TRANSIT RELIGION BUT ALSO EXERCISE YOUR FAITH AS WELL.

Here's a great place where you could keep us informed.

OUR DING-A-LING

RELATED STORY

NEWS SERVICE OR PROPAGANDA MACHINE?

Will this year's September/October "At Your Service" promote tax increases as much as it promoted "NO PROPERTY TAX INCREASE" last year?

RALEIGH PUSHING WAKE UP WAKE COUNTY TRANSIT AGENDA?

Appears so. Why is Raleigh pushing an agenda that would require massive tax increases, unaffordable housing and a whole host of flawed social engineering policies? They made a mess just trying to regulate garbage disposals and we want these folks to rework the comprehensive plan and regulate people's transit patterns?

Wake Community asks the question: How many of these officials commute on a daily basis? How many of them carpool? We would love to know.

As a courtesy, watch the video for yourself.

THIS WEEK - RALEIGH RESIDENTS: 0, WAKE/DOWNTOWN RALEIGH ELITE: 2

SO FAR (JUST THIS WEEK):

David King, head of the Triangle Transit Authority, proposes yet another regressive sales tax increase for area residents.

Boylan Mayor Meeker proposes a very regressive 50% surcharge on Raleigh water users.

Also let's not forget that Gordon Smith and the downtown Raleigh elite also want to raise your taxes through the property revaluation process.

I'm sure this is just beginning. Raleigh's City Council (Meeker & Co.) will also use the bonds passed last fall to raise property taxes as well.

Look soon for the "it's just a cup of coffee daily for the children, etc." lobbying effort. We've long since gone past the cup of coffee. We've already taxed the whole breakfast meal and are moving on to lunch and dinner.

RALEIGH'S OFFICIAL POLICY IS REVENUE NEUTRALITY

IN 1999 the Raleigh City Council passed a resolution that tax rates should remain "revenue neutral" in years when property in the city is revaluated.

In fact, former City Manager Dempsey Benton stated in the News & Observer "That's always been our practice." (N&O 2-18-00)

Let's see if Boylan Heights Mayor Meeker and his merry band of newcomers respect tradition or find yet another way to financially burden Raleigh taxpayers with a hidden tax increase. They've done that in the past with fee increases. Maybe the revaluation will be 2008's version of a tax increase.