Government grants? Ka-ching! Without the redistribution of wealth, there would be cuts so big to the county's budget or services cut, there would probably be a revolt...or maybe not...
The Commission rubber-stamped 550,000 dollars that will go towards increasing traffic enforcement, conduct sobriety checkpoints, saturations, and compliance checks to protect the public from drunk drivers. The only problem here is the penalties don't fit the crime. The sentences often work around the schedules of the offender so as not to upset adults with children and also to keep the offender from losing their job. This money could be better spent increasing the penalties for these offenses which would lead to fewer offenders and you wouldn't need to keep looking for grants from the federal government every year to employ the personnel necessary to perform these useless checkpoints. Yes, I know you take off the streets temporarily someone who might endanger the lives of other citizens, but they don't solve the problem. They only treat a symptom of the problem.
They also rubber-stamped 538,000 dollars for the provision of Clean Tennessee Energy Grant Programs Initiatives...I'm quite sure no on would be revolting over not funding this...
How about 797,809 dollars for Project MOST (Motivated Offenders Succeeding Tomorrow) ...
I won't go too deep into this but it's a program to deal with prisoner recidivism...You want to end recidivism? Make prison a place where NO ONE wants to return ever again...wouldn't cost extra and would work like a charm...don't think there will be any revolts over not funding this...
7,150,254 dollars for the purchase of a new computer aided dispatch system for the Emergency Communications Centers of Shelby County. I don't doubt this might be a legitimate need but I do wonder if we are getting the best deal in the way that Fedex or any other private company that was looking to upgrade it's system would get the best deal. A private company would have to make sure they got the best deal in order to stay in business. All government has to do is spend other people's money and you know how any human works when spending other people's money...just sayin and I don't think there would be any revolts over not funding this....I do appreciate Commissioner Billingsly getting someone to explain what this grant fund was all about, but my previous concerns remain...
So Ka-ching, Ka-ching, Ka-ching is the sound you will hear at every meeting. There does need to be more scrutiny of the seemingly endless Ka-ching of the government cash register...
The Commission rubber-stamped 550,000 dollars that will go towards increasing traffic enforcement, conduct sobriety checkpoints, saturations, and compliance checks to protect the public from drunk drivers. The only problem here is the penalties don't fit the crime. The sentences often work around the schedules of the offender so as not to upset adults with children and also to keep the offender from losing their job. This money could be better spent increasing the penalties for these offenses which would lead to fewer offenders and you wouldn't need to keep looking for grants from the federal government every year to employ the personnel necessary to perform these useless checkpoints. Yes, I know you take off the streets temporarily someone who might endanger the lives of other citizens, but they don't solve the problem. They only treat a symptom of the problem.
They also rubber-stamped 538,000 dollars for the provision of Clean Tennessee Energy Grant Programs Initiatives...I'm quite sure no on would be revolting over not funding this...
How about 797,809 dollars for Project MOST (Motivated Offenders Succeeding Tomorrow) ...
I won't go too deep into this but it's a program to deal with prisoner recidivism...You want to end recidivism? Make prison a place where NO ONE wants to return ever again...wouldn't cost extra and would work like a charm...don't think there will be any revolts over not funding this...
7,150,254 dollars for the purchase of a new computer aided dispatch system for the Emergency Communications Centers of Shelby County. I don't doubt this might be a legitimate need but I do wonder if we are getting the best deal in the way that Fedex or any other private company that was looking to upgrade it's system would get the best deal. A private company would have to make sure they got the best deal in order to stay in business. All government has to do is spend other people's money and you know how any human works when spending other people's money...just sayin and I don't think there would be any revolts over not funding this....I do appreciate Commissioner Billingsly getting someone to explain what this grant fund was all about, but my previous concerns remain...
So Ka-ching, Ka-ching, Ka-ching is the sound you will hear at every meeting. There does need to be more scrutiny of the seemingly endless Ka-ching of the government cash register...
The only other issue to speak of was the cuts to County Government employees via their healthcare plans. Apparently, due to increases related to the Unaffordable Care Act, there is a 17% increase in costs. To make up around 11,000,000 dollars the county administration is proposing an increase in premiums of any where from 2.00 to 8.00 depending on the employee status and the plan he picks. Not exactly a huge jump when compared to the rest of the country who are facing massive increases. Also, they want a spousal carve-out, if, and only if the employees spouse has access to healthcare that meets the minimum of standards care. This seemed to be the biggest point of contention. There was debate on why this needed to be passed today, the open enrollment is supposed to start Nov 3rd and because it was referred to a special meeting on Thursday, it will mean there will most likely be a delay in the number of open enrollment days the employees have to make their choices. Hard decisions have to be made here and just like the rest of the country is experiencing, there is no saving grace that will reverse the damage done to our healthcare system costs. In light of this, I think they should have just passed this but in the future they should make an effort to not have these types of meetings be rushed. Like most businesses who operate to stay in business, they have to make allowances for the constraints of time and someone should have seen this coming.
Interesting points I learned today from this discussion....
The County(Taxpayers) pay 70% of healthcare costs for government employees. I work for a HUGE company and they only pay 50%. Are there other companies who pay the majority of healthcare costs for their employees? I know other companies did in the past, but I don't know of any who do now....
Also, county employees got a 3% raise last year that was about equal with the premium increase they need this year...pretty self-explanatory...
Commissioner Roland mentioned something briefly about illegals having insurance. I'm not sure what this was in reference to but I hope to have more information on that soon.
The ordinances regarding minimum wages and benefits requirements was only on it's 1st reading. One of them passed and one of them didn't. Not sure why this would be but we will find out more next time...
Until then...stay tuned!
Interesting points I learned today from this discussion....
The County(Taxpayers) pay 70% of healthcare costs for government employees. I work for a HUGE company and they only pay 50%. Are there other companies who pay the majority of healthcare costs for their employees? I know other companies did in the past, but I don't know of any who do now....
Also, county employees got a 3% raise last year that was about equal with the premium increase they need this year...pretty self-explanatory...
Commissioner Roland mentioned something briefly about illegals having insurance. I'm not sure what this was in reference to but I hope to have more information on that soon.
The ordinances regarding minimum wages and benefits requirements was only on it's 1st reading. One of them passed and one of them didn't. Not sure why this would be but we will find out more next time...
Until then...stay tuned!
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