Where is the dramamine? Chapter Thirteen

From the Sun-Sentinel-

Everyone should contribute to hurricane preparedness, Gov. Charlie Crist said Wednesday, whether that means residents buying supplies, emergency workers learning more about response efforts or local governments prioritizing their spending.

Crist assured that emergency services would not be affected by the looming property tax relief proposals, which likely will drastically reduce local government budgets. The local entities, such as city fire departments, county health departments and emergency management departments are typically the first to respond in times of emergency.

"Local governments will do what local families do -- they will prioritize their spending, and so will the state government," Crist said at a news conference preceding his speech at the 21st annual Florida Governor's Hurricane Conference this week at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale.

Then we have this news from the Palm Beach Post-

WEST PALM BEACH — The future of the city was given a ghastly face on Wednesday as heads of the city's biggest departments described cuts by the dozens and scores of lost services if the state legislature's property tax reform they fear - and the public craves - becomes a reality.

The possible lost services, outlined at a community meeting residents were invited to attend, ranged from the closure of three fire stations so far unnamed, no more yard waste pickup, 38 fewer police officers on the streets and shutting down four community centers run by the recreation department.

The presentations were denounced immediately as alarmist by several residents and by state Rep. Susan Bucher, D-West Palm Beach, the only legislator to attend. She said the projections were based on old plans that legislators have scrapped.

But Mayor Lois Frankel said the meeting was a starting point meant to brace the public and begin the task of cutting. Commissioners decided to assemble a task force of residents to advise the city on the cuts.

Still, Frankel took the opportunity to suggest that residents pressure the state legislature not to pass reform that would mean drastic cuts to city revenue.

Could Knucklehead Mayor Frankel be using scare tactics? I'm ambivalent so far as property tax reform goes. We pay $1,200 a year at present and I'm not complaining. Like anyone else, I'd like to pay less however I feel if the state legislature passes some kind of reform, the tax burden will be shifted to something else. I'm liable to be paying more, but in a more indirect way.

Linked to- Bullwinkle, Third World County, World According to Carl,