The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 111
“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot” *
THE JULY 14 COMMISSION WORKSHOP SETS THE STAGE FOR DESTROYING VITAL COMP PLAN PROTECTIONS – HERALDING THE END OF MARTIN COUNTY AS WE HAVE KNOWN IT
Agenda item 8B at the July 14, 2009 Martin County Commission will focus on three groups of EAR Comp Plan amendments: Future Land Use; Conservation and Open Space; Drainage and Water. All are important, but Future Land Use is the most critical because it will cover the most radical Comp Plan changes proposed by Future Group. They would massively, irreversibly and destructively impact what Martin County is. The lives of residents will never be the same unless commissioners stand up to exploitation.
The Commission’s key vote on the Comp Plan changes will wait until September. However, the commissioner workshop discussions and directions to staff as to what should be included in proposed amendments will make the September vote a foregone conclusion.
The Future Land Use amendments have been explained in detail in DEFENDER Nos. 99 and 108. Here we will briefly touch on a few of the ways that you, as a Martin County resident, will be affected.
None of these unhappy anticipations are wild speculation. All are based on what has happened to people living in other South Florida counties which have allowed the rampant development that current proposals by growth machine supporters will make possible here for the first time. [See unsolicited reader reports below.] As so many other Floridians have learned, once these radical changes are implemented it is almost impossible to reverse them. Martin needs slow growth, not unrestrained growth.
POCKETS OF DEVELOPMENT WILL SPRAWL WESTWARD
The wording of proposed Comp Plan amendments requires that so-called Traditional Community Developments (TCDs) – in plain language, Mixed Use Clusters - be “implemented in all Future Land Use categories except Conservation, Recreation and Power Generation.” That means that TCDs can be scattered all over the county, wherever residential and agricultural uses are allowed.
HIGHER TAXES TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR TCDs
The proposed wording says that the county “shall provide incentives” for those developments. Basically that means the county would pay for things that the developer would normally pay for.
STILL HIGHER TAXES TO PROVIDE INFRASTRUCTURE
TCDs scattered around the county mean more costly and inefficient extension of roads, schools, utilities, law enforcement and fire/rescue services. Count on more traffic jams, as well as higher taxes.
DOWNGRADED QUALITY OF NEIGHBORHOOD LIFE
The high sounding words in proposals are: “developments which contain a diversification and integration of uses.” That means you would have the mixed use of factories, stores, multi-family apartments and giant warehouses next to private homes, adverse to both the environment and family tranquility. TCDs not only allow that, but are pushed with incentives.
MARTIN COUNTY WOULD BECOME JUST ONE MORE VICTIM OF OVERDEVELOPMENT, WITH SEPARATE URBAN ENCLAVES SCATTERED FROM THE ATLANTIC TO LAKE O
Why now? It’s convenient timing.
The Future Group grab shrewdly coincides with the state mandated Evaluation & Appraisal Report (EAR). Any other time, such a flood of Comp Plan changes would gain little traction. Furthermore, developers and their crews are pressed by a realistic fear; namely, that should the Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4 pass next year, voters would have a voice in deciding how their communities grow. That’s too terrible for Working Group members to contemplate.
"I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!!" **
Because of the weak economy, and the fact that government moves slowly, the nasty impact on our lives from manipulation of Comp Plan rules, as noted above, will not take place overnight. But just as soon as economics allow, they will take place if the Commission approves the outrageous proposed changes to the Comp Plan. They will take place because some commissioners are beholden to their campaign contributors – money-driven developers, lawyers, planners, bankers – the very people who would benefit financially from the Comp Plan proposals they are insisting be adopted …. supposedly for the good of the county.
Only aroused citizens that let officials know their views can stop it.
If you are not mad as hell at what is going on, then sit back and let the growth machine roll over you. That will be the legacy you leave for the children.
You can speak up to prevent opening the floodgates to irresponsible development. Attend the July 14 Commission workshop.
Also, contact the commissioners before July 14: Tell them to save our Comp Plan, which has served us so well for so many years.
svallier@martin.fl.us; sheard@martin.fl.us; eciampi@martin.fl.us; dsmith@martin.fl.us; phayes@martin.fl.us
HISTORICAL COINCIDENCE: July 14 is Bastille Day, when ordinary citizens of an earlier era were mad enough not to take it any longer. They took matters in their own hands.
What readers tell us
According to considerable mail DEFENDER has received, residents who follow local political shenanigans are becoming mad as hell. Their ire is not primarily directed at the developers, whom they view with a fatalistic “what do you expect” attitude. Aware residents are mainly angry at the commissioners who, in positions of trust, are selling out to the developers.
As more people see the terrible results of stripping away Comp Plan protections, the more they will detest the commissioners who did us all in. It will be the duty of the press to keep the individual names of the responsible commissioners – and what they did – before the public well into the future.
“You don’t know what you got till it’s gone” *
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It can’t happen here – Oh yeah?
UNAWARE CITIZENS FROM SOUTH OF US LEARNED WHAT OVERDEVELOPMENT DOES TO COMMUNITIES
To those who believe that our worries about residential overdevelopment are overblown, perhaps the best responses are the personal experiences of a couple of local residents who once lived where terrible changes were not contemplated.
From Reader C.S. – “Wellington in Palm Beach County was a satellite community in the 70’s. As it was being built, the fill-in began and it is now wall to wall cars and homes. Every bit of land is built on and no significant open areas are left. Taxes are very high and the quality of life is revealed in the crime statistics. The developers changed the community planning codes to fit their needs and fill their wallets. Martin County is next.”
From Reader S.T. – “
Our family moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1967 from the Bahamas. At that time, ‘Paradise Island” was known as ‘Hog Island’ and it was pretty barren. I played there often after crossing the harbor. My parents never worried about where we were as New Providence was safe at the time. Now Bay Street is unsafe after dark and the rest of the island is worse.
“Fort Lauderdale was a nice little oceanfront town in 1967. Look at it now. My uncle was one of the developers there. He was one of the group that got the variance for Pier 66 that led to the Landmark Bank Building, the Federal Building and the rest. He was also a leader in the Westlake subdivision and Harbor Beach. Later in life he could not stand his own creation and moved. In his 80’s he proclaimed that it was the worst thing that he’d done in his life.
“We moved to Martin in 1985 because it reminded us of Fort Lauderdale in the ‘60s. I cannot stand the lack of competence in governmental management. Growth accomplishes little.”
Learning from the unfortunate experiences of others helps us to avoid grief in our own lives.
Is another Commission-Fire/Rescue ripoff of public funds in the works?
The County Commission has quietly announced a non-televised workshop meeting with Fire/Rescue representatives to consider a proposal to replace the current ad valorem tax with a non-ad valorem assessment for fire protection services and capital improvements within unincorporated Martin County. The meeting will be held Thursday, July 9 at 2:30 pm in the fourth floor conference room in the County Administrative Building,
2401 SE Monterey Road .
The ever vigilant Martin County Taxpayers Association has expressed a valid concern about what may result from this meeting. MCTA issued a statement that included the following:
“What will be proposed is probably a valid option for funding our Fire/Rescue Service and very similar to techniques that have been used by a number of other Florida Counties. Unfortunately, it could very easily be an attempt by our elected officials to avoid the annual budget busting by the Fire/Rescue Service that will probably become much worse in the near future. The Commission is between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
“Over the last ten years or so they gave the politically powerful Fire/Rescue union excessive raises. They relinquished management control and awarded unwarranted benefits. Earlier this year, in order to limit excessive overtime costs (that was largely caused by decisions such as granting overtime to highly compensated management personnel) the Commission allowed the Fire/Rescue Service to add 9 new trainees. This is at a time when the County population was decreasing and all other County departments are cutting personnel.
“It was also swiftly followed by accepting a Federal Grant tied to adding yet another 33 trainees. Unfortunately, this grant does not include training costs, is only 90% for the first year and rapidly decreases each year to $0 at the end of the 4th year. And, by the way, the County has to repay the total grant if they decide we cannot afford or do not need them and have to reduce Fire/Rescue personnel in the future.”
Commission postpones decision on supporting Rivers Coalition lawsuit
On July 7, 2009, the Martin County Commission postponed deciding on an appeal that it file a Friend of the Court brief in support of the Rivers Coalition backed lawsuit to stop the Army Corps of Engineers from polluting our estuary. The Stuart City Commission has already filed such an amicus curae brief. [See DEFENDER No. 105 for details.]
The issue has been rescheduled for the July 14 Commission meeting. It is hoped that the Commission majority will approve the needed amicus curae despite Commissioner Doug Smith’s foolish opposition.
One state senate candidate supports Rivers Coalition lawsuit
We asked the two candidates for State Senate District 28 a simple question: “Are you for or against the Martin County Commission filing an amicus curae brief in support of the Rivers Coalition backed lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers.”
Candidate Bill Ramos immediately answered: “I am completely in support of the Martin County Commission filing an amicus curae brief in support of the Rivers Coalition backed lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers.”
Candidate Joe Negron’s staff acknowledged receiving our inquiry. Several days later – no reply. Hmmmmm.
Socking it to boaters
Now that Palm Beach County is imposing a $10/day parking fee for boat trailers, where will Martin residents find space to park at local boat ramps as visitors use up space?
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* Lyrics by Counting Crows
(Listen to the song at the DEFENDER website – click on Archives, Current, Song)
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
** From 1976 film Network; words spoken by Howard Beale (actor Peter Finch)
“I want you to get mad! I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot. I don't want you to write to your Congressman. I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out and yell, ‘I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!’ “
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For a free subscription to The Martin County Defender, send request with “Subscribe” in the subject line to: mcdefender@gmail.com
Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 7/8/09
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2009 by WordsmithAmerica,
Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991 . All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website:
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 112
LAST CALL!
It’s now or never to head off catastrophic approval of the worst of the developer created Comp Plan amendments. If the Commission approves it, it will result in the sprawling over-development and higher taxes rampant in other counties.
Email Martin County Commissioners now – then call them on Monday, July 13, the day before they meet – to tell them that you do not want new town mixed use clusters of factories, stores, warehouses and multi-family apartments next to private homes, or PUDs in ag land, scattered across the county.
Commissioner Doug Smith: 221-2359 / dsmith@martin.fl.us
Commissioner Susan Valliere: 288-5421 / svallier@martin.fl.us
Commission Patrick Hayes: 221-2357 / phayes@martin.fl.us
Commissioner Sarah Heard: 221-2358 / sheard@martin.fl.us
Commissioner Ed Ciampi: 221-1357 / eciampi@martin.fl.us
Please do it!
LPA makes a mockery of public input, approves worst proposals for sprawling development
The July 9, 2009 meeting of the Local Planning Agency (LPA) started off well. Growth Management Department’s Senior Planner Clyde Dulin made an excellent presentation of staff’s proposals. He clearly explained why they were recommending changes in Comp Plan Chapter 4 – Future Land Use. Staff’s proposed changes were reasonable. They focused on clarifying certain rules, such as density transitions between existing homes and new development, that were confusing enough to provoke litigation. Basic policy was not being changed.
Dulin noted that he was talking only about the updated staff draft, not Traditional Community Developments (TCDs) – the outrageously bad mixed use developer proposal discussed in previous DEFENDERs.
24 members of the public addressed the five LPA members, 14 of them opposing TCDs and other efforts to weaken Comp Plan protections. The other 10 were almost entirely people who would benefit financially by massive changes to a Comp Plan – a plan that has been working fine as is.
The first speaker, developer Tom Kenny, very briefly mentioned being in favor of Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) in agricultural land, which are currently prohibited. None of the following speakers mentioned PUDs, which are stand alone residential or industrial developments.
After public comment was completed prior to voting, the LPA members discussed what had been presented. Thereupon the three LPA members serving as mouthpieces for developer interests – Barbara Essenwine, Chris Sorensen and John Leighton – not only voted to approve the staff proposals that had been examined, but they also approved the Future Group TCD proposal.
Then came the unexpected shocker: This LPA trio also voted to approve the PUD proposal that had been discussed in some previous meeting. LPA members Jim Moir and Sandy Zweben opposed. If any of the slow growth advocates present had had any idea that PUDs all over western agricultural land were being considered for a vote at this meeting, they would have expressed their concerns. They didn’t because they did not know. So much for honoring public comment. Slick!
Now if given final Commission approval, we can have Rural Clusters, TCDs and PUDs from the Atlantic to Lake O. Call it Broward North.
The matter voted on by LPA now moves on to the Commission – the folks who appointed the LPA members.
Local governments sue state over recently passed pro-developer law
A coalition of local governments on July 7 asked the courts to throw out a new growth management law they say will leave them holding the bag, reports Michael Peltier of the News Service of Florida.
Six weeks after Gov. Charlie Crist signed SB 360 into law, plaintiffs, including Lee County and the City of Weston filed suit in the Second Circuit Court in Tallahassee asking the court to do what opponents couldn't in the 2009 legislative Session: Kill a measure that among other things loosens local control over development in the state's most densely populated areas.
Passed during the final days of the 2009 session, the bill was amended to include a number of other provisions local governments say will cost them at a time they are already scrambling to make ends meet. The suit attacks the new law on a couple of fronts by saying it improperly encompasses multiple issues and amounts to an unfunded mandate prohibited under the Florida Constitution. "The significant costs of SB 360 on local governments in Florida were well-known to (but ignored by) the Legislature," the lawsuit contends. Other local governments are expected to sign on as the lawsuit works its way through the courts.
The plan removes transportation concurrency requirements in the state's dense urban land areas -- tracts with an average of at least 1,000 people per square mile or in counties with populations of at least 1 million. The provision would directly affect eight of the state's largest counties and nearly 250 municipalities across the state [including Stuart].
The measure exempts from the development of regional impact process those dense urban areas or parcels classified as urban infill, community redevelopment or those that are part of an urban service area. It also creates a two-year extension of projects that are otherwise compliant with local and state permits [accommodating Martin County Commissioners already extended for three years].
"This re-write substantially alters the role local governments can and will play in the process," said Lee Arnold, a lobbyist for Lee County. "In the end, it will dismantle growth management as we know it."
A musical correction
Your pop music history challenged editor stands corrected. A county official and a former commission candidate were tied for first in pointing out the “They Paved Paradise and Put Up a Parking Lot” song, noted in DEFENDER No. 111, is actually titled “The Yellow Taxi,” by Joni Mitchell. Counting Crows recorded it later.
A Stuart musician suggested that the ditty should become the official song of Martin County.
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For a free subscription to The Martin County Defender, send request with “Subscribe” in the subject line to: mcdefender@gmail.com
Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 7/10/09
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2009 by WordsmithAmerica,
Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991 . All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website:
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 113
July 14 Commission meeting highlights
TCD & PUD SPRAWL PROPOSALS POSTPONED
RIVERS COALITION SUPPORT APPROVED
The July 14, 2009 County Commission meeting ran from 9:00 am to 7:30 pm. Almost all of it was devoted to the workshop focused on the Land Use Element of the Comp Plan. Though the final vote would come in December, how the commissioners now stated their positions for instructing staff essentially nailed down how they would vote later.
By adjournment, commissioners had time only to consider Growth Management staff proposals, which did not include the Future Group proposals for Traditional Community Developments (TCDs) and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) sprawling across the county, which the LPA had approved without fair public input.
Commissioners had received a deluge of emails and calls opposing these developer generated proposals. The mixed use TCDs and PUDs will be discussed on July 21 primarily because Commissioner Hayes favors the PUDs in agricultural land. In a surprise comment, the commissioner whose name is on the Valliere Rural Cluster Amendment said she opposed the PUDs because she had promised that her amendment would not increase density. Applause from the audience for her principled stand.
Rivers Coalition: Responding to pleas by numerous speakers, the Commission voted 4-1in favor of the amicus curae supporting the lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers. Commissioner Doug Smith said “You expect us to view the bigger picture,” added much blah blah blah, and voted against helping our rivers. He does not seem to understand that what we expect is that he represent the views of his constituents. Commissioner Hayes was also against supporting the court brief, but he seemed intimidated by the outpouring of resident support and admitted that he had switched his position to favor it.
Vacancies and Overdevelopment: Can you believe that the county claims it can not count the number of vacant homes and homes for sale? Even realtors and MLS don’t know – or so it is claimed. How about just checking with FPL and the phone companies? They’d know. Commissioner Smith was (foolishly) adamant that the county has no say in home building. Supposedly it’s all up to the builders. Maybe he’s forgotten that the Commission controls impact fees, Comp Plan density changes, zoning, extending utilities, setting Land Development Regulations (LDRs), etc. Wake up Mr. Smith!
Population projections: It turned out that the figures the county was using for population projections to 2025 were outdated. Thanks to Commissioner Heard, the numbers to be embedded in the Comp Plan will be up-to-date …. and 15,000 less than what had been presented.
Most staff proposals: It’s a tough, tedious job wading through hundreds of pages of Comp Plan revisions, additions and deletions proposed by staff, but the commissioners did it. This fine tuning was intended to consolidate and make rules consistent. Mostly the many changes were discussed briefly and approved unanimously, though it was not an official vote.
Contentious proposals: Some issues had lengthy and conflicting discussions. Further consideration of those proposals was postponed until the next scheduled workshop on August 11. Among them were:
- Transition Densities between residential developments.
- Service Node stores at western intersections
- Underutilized (failed) Strip Malls converting to residential development.
- Granny Flats for older family members.
Homeowner plaintiffs in airport “takings” case are in financial jeopardy
In 2005, a lawsuit was filed against Martin County by homeowners who claim that the 1998 runway extension at Witham Airport was a “taking” that reduced home values. The plaintiffs demanded that the county compensate them for the resulting loss. No earlier than December, the court will hear the plaintiff request that the case (Telnack v. Martin County, docket #432004CA459) become a class action representing all homeowners in similar position.
We suspect that the complaint may have little legal merit. Well, it is up to the court to decide if the runway was a “taking” in the sense of the government seizing property without owner consent.
However, we are quite concerned about an aspect of this case that has not received public attention: The liability of plaintiffs should the county win the case, as we suspect it will.
Sometimes when lawyers working on contingency fees talk to potential clients about joining a case as plaintiffs, it may not be made sufficiently clear that plaintiffs may be obligated to pay defendant legal costs if the case is lost.
Sometimes money-focused homeowners may be enticed by the fact that they do not have to pay anything up front, just paying a substantial percentage of what is recovered – but only if they win. Perhaps less sophisticated citizens do not want to examine the caveat about loss liability.
There are presently about seven Telnack plaintiffs. Each has been offered a settlement by the county in the $200 to $250 range to cover their filing fees. None have accepted the settlement. That opens the door for the county, which may spend on the order of $500,000 to defend the case, to recover that amount from the plaintiffs if the county wins.
We are not inclined to tell anyone not to become a plaintiff, any more than telling anyone not to waste their money on the lottery or a horse race. Each person decides for himself and lives with the gain or loss. However, we do believe that it is important for homeowners near the airport to understand the risk they take. By becoming plaintiffs, they could end up paying many thousands of dollars if they lose.
The Aug. 4 State Senate election
VOTE FROM YOUR HOME FOR THE BEST MAN
You can participate in the August 4, 2009 election to replace retiring State Senator Ken Pruitt by voting from your home. Just call the Martin County Supervisor of Elections at 288-5637 and request a mail-in ballot. Be sure to do it before July 29.
Competing in the District 28 election are Joe Negron (R), Bill Ramos (D), and write-in candidate Josue Larose. We do not consider millionaire Larose a viable candidate, though he may make the election interesting.
Negron has collected $386,993 for his campaign chest, including over $10,000 from the Republican Party of Florida. Ramos has collected only $24,167, with the Democratic Party of Florida abandoning local candidates as it has often done.
When we compare the positions of the two candidates, the race seems to be the money guys vs. the people. Here are a few different opposing positions and viewpoints:
Should the Martin County Commission file an amicus curae brief supporting the Rivers Coalition backed lawsuit?
Negron: Refuses to answer the question.
Ramos: “Absolutely.”
Does growth pay for itself?
Negron does the politician tap dance in his answer, avoiding a yes or no: “Communities have a right to expect development to contribute to the infrastructure and services costs associated with that development.”
“Post Facto land regulations” – What’s that?
Reader RS reports that Stuart’s former development director gave a neighbor a full occupational license to operate her business out of a residential duplex. The ridiculous justification was that future code was going to allow it! Reader RS called it “post facto land regulations.” The license was withdrawn and the business moved when he threatened a lawsuit. It pays to stand up for your rights.
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For a free subscription to The Martin County Defender, send request with “Subscribe” in the subject line to: mcdefender@gmail.com
Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 7/15/09
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2009 by WordsmithAmerica,
Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991 . All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website:
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 114
Commission’s July 21 workshop leaves key land use issues up in the air
IT WAS MOSTLY PUD YES; TCD NO …. SORT OF
At the July 14 Commission workshop, a decision on giving guidance to Growth Management staff concerning the proposed Land Use Element changes in the Comp Plan was postponed after hours of discussion. The issue was to be continued on July 21. It was an encore performance on the 21ST resulting in no cohesive, unified guidance for staff. They may come up with something on August 11. Some commissioners suggested another workshop to clarify their concerns, but that was not decided.
That is not to say that a general drift toward a majority viewpoint was not present. Overall, it looked like four of the commissioners were inclined to reject the outrageously bad mixed use TCDs (so-called Traditional Community Development) proposed by Future Group. The exception was the developer mouthpiece on the Commission – Doug Smith.
Most commissioners do favor PUDs (Planned Unit Development) in agricultural land as a support for the existing Land Preservation Amendment, aka the Valliere Rural Cluster Amendment. The focus would be to specify exactly which protections should be put in place in authorizing the PUDs.
Another issue mentioned, but not acted upon, was TDRs (Transfer of Development Rights), which allows developers to ruin one piece of land if they protect an equivalent piece. It is already provided for in the Comp Plan. One hopes that, at the very least, the Commission will not allow transfer from the Urban Services District to rural areas.
What the Commission should have done was simply to put to vote the staff’s proposal, which rejected TCDs. They could then have done the same with the LPA decision to approve PUDs in ag land. Then staff would have had clear direction. No doubt Growth Management’s capable Nicki VanVonno and Clyde Dulin will do their best under the circumstances.
Snippets: Commissioner comments
At the July 21 Commission meeting, comments made by commissioners provided (A) clarity of legal intent, (B) wrong-headed and inappropriate nastiness, and (C) disarming frankness about the difficulty of wading through hundreds of pages in too short a time.
(A) Comment by Commissioner Sarah Heard: “EAR is not intended to be a complete rewrite of our Comprehensive Plan …. We need to slow down and stop rushing changes.”
(B) Comment by Commissioner Doug Smith attacking Heard personally for the above statement: “A nice campaign speech …. There is enough fear spreading there to last a lifetime.”
(C) Comment by Commissioner Susan Valliere: “There is so much to read, and I am a fast reader, that I don’t feel prepared today.”
The arrogant non-response of some Martin County commissioners
Many readers pass along to us copies of their email exchanges with the various commissioners. It is disheartening, even disgusting, that most commissioners in their exalted offices on the fourth floor think they should ignore the letters from constituents whom they apparently consider the little people.
We’ve taken a couple of representative exchanges and printed them below. Since the key issue here is the arrogant refusal to reply to residents, and not the names of those individuals, we have substituted initials for the resident names.
Exchange with Commissioner Heard
----- Original Message -----
From: JD
To: Sarah Heard
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 9:41 AM
Subject: Re: "comp plan amendments"
Thank you for taking the time to reply. You've been the only one!
----- Original Message -----
From: Sarah Heard
To: JD
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 2:33 PM
Subject: RE: "comp plan amendments"
I agree with you, Mr. D. Thank you for taking the time to write to us with these valid concerns.
-----
I sent an e-mail to the Commissioners, and also described the awful traffic and crowding I saw on a recent visit back to Broward County, etc., and got a very nice response from Commissioner Heard. That was the only response.
MF
-----
We wrote to all of the Commissioners on July 10 just before we left for five days to attend the Space Shuttle launch at Cape Canaveral. The only one we heard from was Sarah Heard.
We sent another note to all of the Commissioners on July 18 to let them know that we are against Martin County becoming another Broward County and thus urging them to vote against the amendments to the Comprehensive Plan.
P&LF
-----
Exchange with Commissioner Hayes
Dear Patrick Hayes:
How can you possibly represent your constituents if you delete email messages relative to topics before the commission without even reading them?
I am extremely disappointed - especially since you represent the area in which we live - Hobe Sound!!
V&PT
Prior email exchange
From: Patrick Hayes [mailto:phayes@martin.fl.us]
Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2009 12:26 AM
To: VT
Subject: Not read: EAR Comp Plan amendments - July 14, 2009 Martin County Commission
Original Message
To:Susan Valliere; Sarah Heard; Edward Ciampi; Doug Smith; Patrick Hayes
Subject: EAR Comp Plan amendments - July 14, 2009 Martin County Commission
Sent:Tue,7 Jul 2009 15:14:55 -0400
was deleted without being read on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:26:01 -0400
Whatever happened to saving by leaving empty county positions unfilled?
Construction is at a low ebb, especially in Community Redevelopment Areas (CRAs). So why is it necessary to fill the open development director job right now for about $100,000? An experienced Growth Management Department planner was interested in the job, and something worthwhile for the county could have been worked out. Instead, the county decided to reach out to Colorado to fill the job. Were moving expenses included? The job could have remained vacant longer. There is a rising tide of public belief that belt tightening is a must for government.
Comp Plan – Getting our goals straight
In the EAR debate over what should go into the Comp Plan’s “Goals,” we should make clear that its purpose is to maintain the best quality of life for residents. Secondary to that is the Future Group’s Goals proposal to promote economic growth. When the two clash, it’s quality of life that should prevail.
Getting a Federal Government job in Florida
Private industry is being forced to lay off employees because of the recession, but Uncle Sam is hiring (with your tax dollars). Check the following website:
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/?WT.svl=footersearch
which is operated by USAJOBS, the official job site of the U.S. Federal Government. It currently lists over 800 jobs to be filled in Florida. It covers everything from a Navy Fire Protection Engineer, salary range $28,282 to $152,670 (huh?), to an Office Automation Secretary for the DEA, salary $39,795 to $56,973.
QUOTABLE QUOTE
"We the people are responsible for the actions of our leaders." - Walter Cronkite
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For a free subscription to The Martin County Defender, send request with “Subscribe” in the subject line to: mcdefender@gmail.com
Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 7/22/09
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2009 by WordsmithAmerica,
Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991 . All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website:
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 115
When enough of the public spoke out, this time our commissioners listened
Just before the critical July 21 Commission workshop, where commissioners sensibly did not support TCDs (so-called Traditional Community Developments), a keen observer of the local political scene asked me: Isn’t it a done deal that the Commission is going to approve putting county-wide TCDs in our Comp Plan?
My answer was: Hopefully not. Many of us are working hard to make everyone aware of how adverse to our quality of life and tax burden TCDs would be. We’re urging residents to speak out and let commissioners hear their views.
And speak out they did. Commissioner Heard reported receiving 1,200 emails. On most issues, commissioners often don’t even get 12. That does not even count phone calls and clippings, almost all in opposition to TCDs. A thumbs up salute to all citizens who stood up to be counted (and especially many of our readers).
Some experienced political observers have opined that for each expressive communication an elected official receives, there are 20 others who did not take the time to do so. Other observers guess the ratio could be not 20, but 40-to-1.
Whatever the number, Commissioners Valliere, Hayes, Heard and Ciampi have done the math and the right thing. They did not support TCDs in their instruction to staff. That is as it should be because we elect them to represent all of us, not just those influentials seeking financial gain. Our sincere thanks to each one of them. Only Commissioner Smith seems unable to understand such an outpouring by citizens, or perhaps he is too wed to developer interests to care.
This week, commissioners have a demanding schedule, meeting Monday through Wednesday, July 27-29. We wish them well. Their toughest job will be working on the 2009-2010 budget and capital improvements. They will have to be tough minded about spending when so many residents are hurting financially.
Commissioners will also workshop EAR Comp Plan amendments that may cover rural PUDs (Planned Unit Developments) in rural areas, drainage, rules for coastal areas, and TDRs (Transfer of Development Rights), among others. The latter is worrisome because TDRs can become a shifting shell game for development, contrary to the wishes of the many people who were so persuasive in putting mixed use TCDs to rest.
The residents of Martin County simply do not want sprawl and higher densities. They look north and south and see where that leads.
Watch it all live on MCTV
The July 27-29 meetings noted above, starting at 9:00 am, will be televised live by the county’s excellent TV service, MCTV, on Comcast channel 20. Re-broadcasts of regularly scheduled Commission meetings (which may be different from workshops) are scheduled for Wednesdays at 9:00 am and 11:00 pm, and Fridays at 4:00 pm. So including the live cablecast, the regular meetings normally air four times. However, with three meetings this week, the schedule may change.
In addition, you can watch the entire meeting or a particular Commission item by visiting the county website, www.martin.fl.us, and using the Video On Demand (VOD) service. VOD is invaluable for checking back on votes and comments on specific issues.
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Al
Al Forman, Editor 7/27/09
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2009 by WordsmithAmerica, Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website:
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 116
---------- Special Edition ----------
101 Easy Ways to Reduce Household Expenses
The current recession is a human tragedy. So many of our fellow citizens are suffering the financial and emotional pain of lost jobs, failed businesses, reduced income, foreclosed homes and disrupted lives. However, America is a resilient nation; this, too, shall pass.
Until we do move forward again, each of us should do what we can to provide relief for those in dire circumstances. In my own case, I know how to gather information and present it in an easily understandable form. I’ve been doing it almost all my life. It occurred to me that ideas on how to stretch scarce dollars would be helpful to so many families in need.
So I did the research – read reports, spoke to people, surfed the internet - and found 101 relatively easy ways that people can substantially reduce their household expenses. These ideas have been organized into 16 categories in this digital collection.
I am making it available absolutely free, no strings attached, to anyone who sends me an email requesting a copy. Though this work is under copyright, I hereby waive the copyright protection, except that it is prohibited for anyone to sell this work or to claim it as his own.
In its digital form, it is easy to copy and to pass along to others. I encourage every reader to send it to family and friends who may find it of value.
Not all of the money saving tips found here may be practical for everyone, but I believe that many of them can be put to good use by most people. Even a few savings can add up nicely.
Perhaps the most difficult obstacle for some to overcome will be an orientation that considers being thrifty as somehow unfashionable. Old habits persist. Please be assured that needless consumption is not worthy nowadays. It’s “green” not to be wasteful. Frugal is cool.
If you have a practical money saving idea not covered here, please tell me about it. It is one of the blessings of the digital age that the very next copy to be distributed can be immediately updated.
Al Forman 7/29/09
Copyright 2009 by Al Forman,
Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991 . All rights reserved.
CONTENTS
Budgeting (#1)
Food Shopping (#2-9)
Food/Meals (#10-18)
Non-Food Shopping (#19-24)
Telephone & Cable (#25-36)
Electricity (#37-47)
Hot Water (#48-54)
Air Conditioning (#55-61)
Home Maintenance (#62-69)
Coupons (#70-71)
Bill Payments/Credit Cards (#72-75)
Automotive (#76-83)
Insurance (#84-90)
Personal Grooming (#91-93)
Gifts (#94-96)
Entertainment (#97-101)
*****
“A penny saved is a penny earned”
*****
Budgeting
#1 – MAKE A WRITTEN BUDGET: There are printed forms available. They focus your attention on where the money is going, and minimize denial. Running your monthly family finances is much like running a small business. List income and expenses. You can separate such discretionary expenses as entertainment, eating out, hobbies, charities and vacations from regular mandatory expenses such as rent or mortgage payments, utilities, insurance and debt service. Adjust the budget monthly to accommodate reality.
Food Shopping
#2 - BUY SALE ITEMS: Before you say “Well, duh!” think about foods that may not be on sale this week, but are likely to be on sale in the next week or two. Soda, ice cream, certain fruits and vegetables, and cereals are among the many on rotating sale (the same applies to such non-food items as toilet paper, cleansers and many others). So plan ahead. Cherry pick the bargains.
#3 - DON’T TAKE THE KIDS: Whether you are just too kind to your offspring, or have a low toleration for whining, leave the children home. They can’t resist pleading for high profit margin prepared snacks and items blessed by Sponge Bob.
#4 - TAKE A CALCULATOR WITH YOU: Some store shelves have the unit prices on the shelf labels, but some of the best buys are on the less easily seen higher or lower shelves. It’s amazing that some items are priced counter-intuitively with larger packages costing more per ounce than the smaller packages. The calculator can show the differences between packages.
#5 - MINIMIZE PREPARED FOODS: Frozen dinners and boxed mixes may be convenient, but they're usually more costly. Buy the separate ingredients and display your home cooking skills.
#6 - BUY IN-SEASON: Out of season fruits and veggies can be expensive because of scarcity and long shipping distances. Mount Rainier cherries, corn and blueberries are examples.
#7 - BUY STORE BRANDS: The quality of canned or packaged foods carrying the store’s brand is usually comparable to that of the big advertised brands. Except for special promotions, the prices are always lower.
#8 - DON’T SHOP HUNGRY: An empty belly is a magnet for unnecessary food purchases.
#9 - SHOP WITH A LIST: Lots of people shop with a list of items needed, but many do not. A list saves in two ways: You avoid the cost of another trip the next day for foods you forgot; and a list cuts down on unimportant impulse purchases.
Food/Meals
#10 - FREEZE FOODS: Foods, bought at sale prices, can often be frozen for later use. Many people freeze bread, cheese, meat, poultry, fish, butter, etc. But you can also freeze eggs (break open, mix yolk and white in ice cube tray, cover; two cubes are about one egg) and milk (store in original container, but remove one cup per gallon to allow for expansion).
#11 - REDUCE MEAT AND FISH MEALS: Beef and fish are among the most desired foods (forgive me, vegans), but they are also the most expensive. More meals centered around pasta, beans, eggs and chicken will save money.
#12 - PACK A LUNCH: Whether you pack a sandwich, thermos of coffee, apple (don’t forget the cookie) in a paper bag or lunch box, your meal will probably be more nutritious and less costly than going to a restaurant.
#13 - BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: If you absolutely must eat out, a number of restaurants will offer a free meal, or at least a free dessert for the birthday boy or girl of any age. Call ahead.
#14 - FREE MEALS: Unless you’re destitute, leave the soup kitchens for the homeless. However, there are numerous festivals, grand openings, church events and supermarket samplings that hand out free, tasty food.
#15 - FOOD STAMPS: If economic times are really difficult, there is no shame in applying for food stamps.
#16 - TENDERIZE MEAT: One key difference between a filet mignon and a slice of meat one quarter the price is tenderness. There are multi-blade tenderizers for pounding, and enzyme tenderizers for soaking the meat into submission.
#17 - DISCOVER POT-AU- FEU: That’s French for toss in everything but the kitchen sink. Soups, veggies and meats are simmered for a long time with spices. Not much goes to waste in this tasty concoction. Dig out that old stewpot.
#18 - FOOD BANKS: You can find a couple of them in the phone book yellow pages. Or you could plug “Food banks in Florida” into Google search, and in 0.35 second there is a list of over 21 million.
Non-Food Shopping
#19 - BEST BARGAINS AT GARAGE/TAG SALES: People who want to get rid of perfectly good clothes, furniture, electronics, dishes and more put them out on their driveway. Some incredible bargains are available. These sales are listed in the newspaper classified. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
#20 - NEWSPAPER AND ONLINE CLASSIFIED: Those free classified ads in the local newspaper and on the internet Craig’s List can be sources of bargains.
#21 - THRIFT SHOPS: We used to call them second hand shops, but a rose by any name can offer savings. In particular, those thrift shops run by charities such as Safe Space enable you to do good as you do well for yourself. And keep an eye on church bazaars.
#22 - COMPARATIVE SHOPPING: Don’t think the prices in competing stores are usually close. Here is what one published shopping report found for 100-count Aleve pain reliever: Walgreen, $11; CVS, $10.60; Wal-Mart, $8.60; Target, $8.20. For some other product, the ratings may reverse.
#23 - BATTERIES: Buy store brand in larger packages of 16 or 24 for lowest unit cost (only on sale, of course). Large volume consumers should consider rechargeable AA and AAA types.
#24 - SWAP ‘EM: Friends can swap clothing with one another. Have a combined coffee klatch and swap party. It’s especially practical with different size children. Keep an eye out for organized swap events.
Telephone & Cable
#25 - BUNDLED SERVICES: In some areas, service providers offer reduced rates for bundling internet, phone and TV service, rather than using separate companies.
#26 - SWITCH TO VOIP: That’s Voice-Over-Internet Protocol. Your voice travels over the internet instead of regular phone lines. It’s much cheaper than the phone company. You may have to purchase a router, but some VOIP providers give you one free on sign-up.
#27 - SWITCH TO CELLPHONE: Some people are giving up their landline phones and depending entirely on cells. Even if you keep the landline, using the cell for long distance, not a premium charge, cuts landline bills.
#28 - GO A LA CARTE: You may save by unbundling some services from your phone contract. If you don’t really need call waiting, caller ID, call forwarding or message recording, drop those features,
#29 - SHOP FOR COMPETING SERVICES: The phone business is competitive. You can change providers and still keep your original phone number.
#30 - FAMILY & FRIENDS PLAN: Many cell phone companies offer free in-network calls or allow you to choose a small group of in-network friends and family that you can call for free. So, get all of your most-called people on one plan.
#31 - DON’T MAKE TOLL-FREE CALLS ON YOUR CELL: Toll-free calls aren't free when you make them from a cell phone; so save your 1-800 calls for when you access a landline.
#32 - DON’T CALL 411 ON YOUR CELL: Such an information request may cost you $1 or so. Call from a landline, or better yet, use the internet. If you need a business phone number while you’re mobile, call 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-3733-411). It’s a free speech recognition service from Google.
#33 - GO PREPAID: If you use your cell phone for less than 200 minutes per month, a prepaid plan may be the cheapest service option for you. Shop around. You may spend as little as $20 every three months.
#34 - OFF-PEAK CALLING: Consider your phone habits. If you make a lot of calls in the early evenings or on weekends there are cost saving plans for you.
#35 - PLANS FOR TEXTING: If you or your offspring do a lot of texting, it can get expensive. One can twitter away bucks at 10 or 20 cents per tweet. Find a cell plan that allows unlimited texting.
#36 - NO OVERSEAS CELL CALLS: They soak you. Stick with the landlines or internet.
Electricity
#37 - UTILITY HOME ENERGY SURVEY: Contact FPL. The utility will provide you with a customized report on how to save on your electric bills. The service is free.
#38 - SWITCH LIGHT BULBS: The new CFLs, or Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs, use a fourth of the energy of traditional incandescents. It has been calculated that every frequently used 60 watt incandescent you replace with a CFL could save you roughly $37 over the life of the bulb. Switch out the most widely used bulbs in your home. Then, replace the rest as they burn out.
#39 - INSTALL MOTION SENSORS: Motion sensors can be installed both inside and outside the home to ensure that lights only come on only when they’re needed.
#40 - NO DISHWASHER HEAT DRY: Turn off the heat dry feature, and you'll minimize the power drain.
#41 - ELIMINATE PHANTOM LOADS: A substantial percentage of the energy used by home electronics is consumed when they're turned off. These "phantom" users include: televisions, VCRs, stereos, computers and many kitchen appliances - basically anything that holds a time or other settings. A simple solution is to plug these items into power strips, and then get in the habit of turning off the strips between uses.
#42 - TURN OFF ROOM LIGHTS: When you leave a room, that is when you do not plan to return soon, shut the d--- light. For younger members of the family, it is a lesson and reminder about waste and thrift.
#43 - OVEN OF LAST RESORT: The main wall oven may be the largest electrical energy consumer in the kitchen, so keep its use to a minimum. Often the microwave or toaster oven will suffice.
#44 - CLEAN REFRIGERATOR COILS: Refrigerators do not work as hard when the condenser coils have been cleaned of dust buildup.
#45 - LINE DRY LAUNDRY: Clothes dryers are huge consumers of energy. A clothes line will do a fresh air and sunshine job. If that is not practical, hang clothes on the shower rod.
#46 - OFF-PEAK RATES: If your utility offers cheaper electric rates during off-peak hours, that is the best time to wash laundry, heat water and run the dishwasher.
#47 - FRIDGE ’N FREEZER SETTINGS: There is no need to set refrigerator and freezer temperature settings to maximum. In between low and medium usually works fine.
Hot Water
#48 - LOWER HOT WATER TEMPERATURE: Dropping the hot water heater setting 10 degrees will save energy. The 130 degree level suits most people.
#49 - PUT ON A BLANKET: Especially for older water heaters, wrapping insulation around them and the output pipe will reduce power usage.
#50 - HEAT SMALL QUANTITIES: If you just want a cup of hot water, it’s cheaper to heat in the microwave or on the stove than to let the hot water faucet run until it gets hot enough.
#51 - WASH FULL LOADS: Whether washing dishes or clothes, it’s more efficient to do so with a full load. That’s still true even if you set the clothes washer on a lower load size setting.
#52 - DON’T PRE-RINSE: Scrape dishes and a quick swipe with a wet sponge saves all the hot water used with pre-rinse settings.
#53 - COLD WATER LAUNDRY: 90% of washing machine power is for heating water. Some clothes with less grime will clean sufficiently with cold water.
#54 - LESS SHOWER POWER: Shorter showers produce savings. In addition, moderately priced low-flow shower heads reduce hot water usage.
Air Conditioning
#55 - PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT: Replace your simple on-off thermostat with one that is time programmable. Then set it to run less when you're at work and when you're sleeping.
#56 - KEEP LAMPS AWAY FROM THERMOSTAT: Keep lamps and other heat producers away from the thermostat. They'll cause your air conditioner to run more than it needs to.
#57 - PLANTS COOL THE COOLER: The outdoor condenser for your air conditioning system works more efficiently if shaded from the sun. Plantings are good.
#58 - CHANGE FILTERS: Change air conditioning filters regularly for peak efficiency. Filter life can be extended by cleaning with a strong vacuum.
#59 - CLOSE BLINDS: Closing window blinds and curtains anywhere in the house, but especially where sun streams in, lowers air conditioning load.
#60 - SHUT THE DOOR: Leaving the front or back door open lets cooled air (and dollars) waft out.
#61 - FRESH AIR INSTEAD OF AC: When it’s comfortably warm, not hot, shut off the air conditioning, open the windows and turn on the central and overhead fans. It’s a nice, yet inexpensive, feeling.
Home Maintenance
#62 - VINEGAR – A NATURAL CLEANSER: Instead of buying costly cleansers from that amazed housewife in the TV commercial, take the vinegar out of the pantry and mix one part with one part water. Put in a spray bottle and use it as a highly effective, economical kitchen and bath cleaner. It disinfects, deodorizes (the vinegar smell disappears when it dries) and laundry fabric softener. It will also help remove lime deposits and sticky paper labels. Don’t mix with chlorine.
#63 - BAKING SODA – ANOTHER NATURAL CLEANSER: Scrub surfaces like any abrasive cleanser. Put an open box in the refrigerator to absorb odors. Reduce chlorine use by putting some in the clothes washer. For general cleaning, mix four tablespoons with one quart of water. Experiment like you were back in the high school chemistry lab.
#64 - FREE MULCH: Why pay several dollars per bag of mulch for your garden when you can get loads of it free at the county mulching facility? That’s where all those trees are brought and ground up. The county is glad to give it away to get rid of it.
#65 - LAWN WATERING: Whether you are on metered utility water, or pump it from your own well, water costs. So what if the lawn is brown for part of the year? It recovers with natural rain. But the condo commandos at some developments may have rules against conserving water.
#66 - POOL MAINTENANCE: Maintaining a pool is not rocket science. The pool store where you can buy the chlorine and other chemicals needed will test your water for free, and tell you how much of what is needed. Do-It-Yourself is cheaper than a service.
#67 - DIY EXTERMINATING: If you are being bugged – literally – do-it-yourself spraying is not that complicated. Rarely is it absolutely necessary to pay for the man-hours, the truck, and the scary advertising.
#68 - CLOTH INSTEAD OF PAPER: You don’t need to pay for a paper towel to clean up that spill. An old rag will do the job, and cost you nothing.
#69 - COMPOST FOR YOUR GARDEN: A closed compost container on your patio can turn your apple cores and banana peels into free fertilizer.
Coupons
#70 - CLIP COUPONS: The person in front of you at the supermarket just paid $2 less for a product than you will because she had a discount coupon. Generally, savings from 15 to 50% can be expected, depending on how diligent a couponer you are. Discount coupons are everywhere: In the newspaper, at the market, on the internet, in your mailbox. It’s just a matter of organizing them and planning their use.
#71 - STACK COUPONS: Sophisticated couponers are not satisfied with one coupon. They stack them, combining a manufacturer’s coupon with a store coupon, plus a rebate coupon if available.
Bill Payments/Credit Cards
#72 - PROPERTY TAXES: You can get a discount of a few percent on a big ticket item – your annual property tax – by paying soon after you get the bill in the fall, instead of waiting until the spring deadline.
#73 - CREDIT CARD BILLS: The interest charges on deferred payments are simply outrageous. Pay on time. Better yet, don’t run up big credit card bills.
#74 - AUTOMATIC REMINDERS: You can set up email reminders on some card issuer websites that tell you when payments are due and how much. It can save late fees.
#75 - AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS: Recurring payments for loans, cable service and utilities can be made automatically. The amount is taken out of your bank account. So you save postage and gain peace of mind.
Automotive
#76 - STEADY AS SHE GOES: Cruise control, combined with avoidance of very high speeds, will cut gas consumption.
#77 - SMOOTH DRIVING: In addition to constant speed, gradual acceleration and deceleration when starting and stopping improves gas mileage.
#78 - DON’T IDLE: Though starting an engine uses more gas than idling for those few seconds, much more gas is used by a longer wait while the engine idles. So shut down and start up again when you are ready to roll. Drive-in windows with long lines are gas eaters.
#79 - LESS AC, BETTER MILEAGE: Shutting off the air conditioning and partially opening a window saves gas. So enjoy the breeze. Also, keeping the car cooler by leaving windows slightly open, or parking in the shade, places less load on the ac.
#80 - COMBINE TRIPS: The fewer errands you drive, the less ga$ you use.
#81 - CARPOOL: It’s not for everybody, but if you share with a few co-workers, everybody saves.
#82 - CHANGE YOUR OIL: It’s messy to get under the car to unplug and drain. However, a reasonably priced pump is available that requires only that you stick a tube down the dipstick pipe to suck out the old oil.
#83 - CHECK YOUR TIRE PRESSURE: Pressures higher than manufacturer recommendations mean excessive wear, lower pressure means poorer mileage and control.
Insurance
#84 - ONE CARRIER FOR ALL: Many insurance companies offer a discount of about 10% if you have all of your insurance policies – home, auto, boat – with that one company.
#85 - HIGHER DEDUCTIBLES: This is a classic trade-off of risk versus cost. A higher deductible for car and home may be worthwhile, especially if you’re a careful person.
#86 - ALARMS PAY: Both home and car insurance provide about 5% or 10% discount for good alarm systems. Plus you get peace of mind.
#87 - COLLISION NOT FOR JUNKERS: If your car is old and paid for, consider eliminating your collision coverage.
#88 - TEEN DRIVERS: Oh those wild and crazy kids. Teen drivers boost insurance premiums, but some companies will provide a discount for high performing students who have taken a safe driving course.
#89 - ETCH YOUR VIN: This is a lesser known discount not offered by all car insurance companies, but it pays to ask. It requires etching your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on the windows.
#90 - CHALLENGE UNSUPPORTED CHARGES: If you get a bill from, say, a hospital that your Medigap or other insurer rejected a claim, challenge it. Ask the hospital to provide a complete printout of all the specific codes, charges and reasons for rejection. Depending on what you get, challenge either the hospital or insurer. In one case, we saved $900 based on wrong coding by a clerk.
Personal Grooming
#91 - HAIRCUTS: Stretch visits to barber/salon by a couple of weeks (or even years). There are also hair cutting kits, quite suitable for children.
#92 - HAIR COLORING: Reduce the cost by doing basic coloring at home. Let the hairdresser do the highlights.
#93 – MAKEUP REMOVAL: Baby wipes are just as good as fancy makeup removers – and a lot cheaper.
Gifts
Assemble a better and more useful gift at lower cost by personalizing it
#94 - FOR BAKING ENTHUSIASTS: In a basket or mixing bowl, you can include such implements as measuring spoons, whisks, sifter, cookie cutters, spatulas or a cookbook. Or you can include such ingredients as baking spices, yeast, baking powder, extracts and powdered sugar. Decorate.
#95 - FOR COOKING ENTHUSIASTS: Utensils might include strainers, cutlery, tongs, ladles or an apron. Seasonings can include such standard choices as garlic and thyme, but a selection of ethnic spices could make it more interesting. Stir and serve up in a pretty wrapping.
#96 - FOR GARDENING ENTHUSIASTS: Here again, you can include tools, gloves and the like, plus plants, seeds and growth chemicals. Use your imagination.
Entertainment
#97 - FREE CDs & DVDs: Well you can’t keep them, but the library has many hundreds of excellent musical CDs and movie DVDs – all free to use.
#98 - GAMES: There are a myriad of indoor and outdoor games available, free or inexpensive. Every family is different so it is not practical to suggest specific games. However, their cost is as nothing compared to commercial entertainment. Also, have family fun by all joining in junior’s computer game.
#99 - PUBLIC EVENTS: Festivals, flea markets, sponsored concerts, art shows, car shows, parades, and library events are just a few of the free or low cost entertainments listed in the newspaper. Take advantage of them.
#100 - MOVIE CANDY: Buying candy in the movie theater lobby is a lesson in monopoly pricing. Tuck the sweets in your pocket before you leave home.
#101 - THE BEACH IS FREE: At least until the tax hungry government imposes a parking fee.
Additional Tips from Readers
TO COME
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 117
Switching Fire/Rescue from ad valorem to fees eliminates it as an IRS tax deduction
Martin County residents pay for Fire/Rescue services as part of their ad valorem (proportionate to value) property taxes. Commissioners are considering the possibility of switching to fee payments more closely related to size, use and difficulty in providing protection. Some churches and non-profits have complained that this would be a new cost for them since they are currently exempt.
Overlooked in weighing the ramifications of a fee based system is its impact on federal tax deductions for residents filing their annual Internal Revenue Service tax returns. We are indebted to Richard Towne for bringing this problem to our attention. He writes:
“Going to fees and dedicated funds could have a significant impact on individual taxpayers and increase the outflow of dollars from Martin County …. The instructions [for IRS Form 1040, Line 6, Real Estate Taxes] state that to be deductible, taxes on real estate must be based on the assessed value of the property. It is clear, then, that any taxes based on square footage, for example, would not be deductible. Another requirement for deductibility is that proceeds from an assessment must be used for general community or governmental purposes. One could conclude that those taxes that are destined for dedicated funds would not be deductible.”
Let’s not rush into any major changes until we know how all of us will be affected. There’s enough of that going on now in Washington, D.C.
Thumbs up for one commissioner
DEFENDER No. 104 addressed the item on our property tax bills called MSTU (Municipal Service Taxing Units). We referred to District MSTUs as commissioner slush funds, akin to congressional earmarks, but worse because they aren’t specific as to their use. Residents of each of the five districts pay this tax into that district’s fund to be used at the discretion of the district’s commissioner. The current total tucked away is $6,751,000.
At the time we observed: “When we consider the service cuts and layoffs required to create a tight 2010 county budget, it’s nothing short of greedy irresponsibility to let those millions sit there. The Commissioners have the power to turn the money into the general fund, and to do away with District MSTUs altogether.” We doubted that any of them would give up the personal power of the purse.
We’ve been proven wrong. Recently Commissioner Susan Valliere gave up her MSTU slush fund. Though we have disagreed with her on various other issues, with regard to this matter she deserves everyone’s praise. It’s as likely as tortoises flying that any other commissioners will follow suit. But we’d be delighted to be proven wrong … again.
Thumbs down for a commission prospect
Some newspaper scribblers have started to tout the potential candidacy of former Commissioner Lee Weberman. They expect him to make a run for one of the Commission slots currently filled by Susan Valliere and Sarah Heard, who are up for re-election in 2010.
If you have a short memory, this may sound like a good idea. One would have to forget why Weberman, a two-termer, was beaten in 2008 despite his overflowing campaign chest. People were fed up with him. It wasn’t just his capricious voting record, which usually favored developers. It was his nasty way of being verbally abusive to citizens who came before the Commission. That’s what, as they used to say, done him in. He should remain a “civilian.”
The anti-river commissioner
First he was the only commissioner who refused to support the Rivers Coalition backed lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers polluting our estuary. The four other commissioners voted to send a supportive Friend of the Court brief (amicus curae), showing they care about such things.
Then last week, this commissioner expressed his desire to do away with the protection that requires restaurants and other commercial construction to be set back 20 feet from the water. This prevents much of the runoff from polluting the Indian River Lagoon and the St. Lucie River.
Readers may have already guessed that we are referring to Commission Doug Smith. This bit of recent history does not mean that Mr. Smith fails to appreciate the beauty of our waterways … which figured prominently as backdrop in the TV commercial part of his $200,000 re-election campaign.
Commission can save a zillion gallons of water by making lawn irrigation optional
I was at a lunch meeting of the Future Group (we can talk cordially to people with whom we disagree) watching an interesting slide presentation called Living Green. One slide speculated: “We will run out of water before we run out of oil.”
A little earlier, my research had turned up applicable data. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, approximately 8 billion gallons of water are consumed daily for outdoor uses, and the majority is used for landscape irrigation. In fact, it is estimated that the typical suburban lawn consumes 10,000 gallons of water above and beyond rainwater each year. In one typical town, lawn irrigation accounted for 20% of water consumption.
After the presentation was over, I turned to the fellow next to me, an environmental consultant, and remarked that I had saved a lot of water by turning off the irrigation system for my oversized lawn. Part of the year the grass may be somewhat brown, but mostly the rains keep it green. He told me that he had tried to do the same, but his homeowners association required him to resume watering.
So it occurred to me that the County Commission could save a huge amount of water by using the same power that counties use to restrict when lawn watering is allowed. All they have to do is to pass an ordinance that makes lawn watering voluntary and optional at the discretion of the home owner, whether the association likes it or not.
Health care for seniors at risk
We don’t normally comment here on national issues, but when pending health care legislation in Congress will disproportionately impact Martin County residents, it’s appropriate to do so. We refer to the high proportion of senior citizens in Martin. According to the Census Bureau, 26.1% of our residents are over 65 years old, compared with 17% for the state and 12.6% nationally. If you are not yet 65, with a little luck, eventually you will be. Medical care for seniors can be improved, but the present House of Representatives bill is likely to make matters worse, far worse.
That 1,000+ page ObamaCare bill HR 3200 is designed to squeeze $500 billion out of Medicare in order to provide coverage for the 15% of the population that is uninsured – almost 60% of whom have been reported to earn $50,000/yr or more. Supposedly the saving would come about by eliminating waste. The only question there is whether this anticipation is wishful thinking or brazen political lying.
In operation, the proposed system being rushed through Congress would ration healthcare by denying or delaying some expensive procedures such as angioplasty, knee replacement, cancer radiographic scans, and new medical innovations. These are the very procedures that extend a decent quality of life for the elderly. Provisions adversely affecting seniors are widely dispersed in the bill, including those on the following pages:
P. 29 – Healthcare will be rationed.
Pp. 30, 42, 85 – Government appointed committee decides on acceptable treatments.
P. 241 – Doctors of most specialties, including those of advanced knowledge needed by seniors, will all get paid the same, discouraging such services.
P. 272 – Patients in cancer care hospitals will be open to rationing.
P. 280 – Hospitals deemed to allow preventable admissions will be penalized. So seniors will have a tougher time being admitted. Some would be sent home to suffer.
Pp. 425-430 – This may be one of the worst set of provisions. Government decides on treatments relating to end of life decisions. The very sick elderly become expendable.
Pp. 623, 632 – Government sets standards to assess outcome and functional status of patients. Doctors are told when to give up on patients.
P. 800 – Bureaucrats decide which health conditions merit payment support.
There’s more, lots more, all couched in legalese, that will make healthcare for seniors far worse than it is now. Learning the true nature of HR 3200 will become a teachable moment.
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Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 8/3/09
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2009 by WordsmithAmerica, Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website:
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 118
Commission 8/11/09 meeting highlights
-- Utility water rate increase: Commissioners approved a 2.39% rise in water rates for the utility’s 30,000 customers. That’s a $1.58/mo increase for the average user. Very large water users – over 25,000 gpm (gallons per month) - may see a 31% increase. This is the first rate rise in about eight years. In addition, to avoid periodic large increases, a Rate Index will be applied annually, limited to a 2.5% maximum, to cover inflation and system maintenance.
Other notable facts presented during the water discussion include: Water sales over the past six years are down 17%; average home use is down from 7,000 to 6,000 gpm; the county utility has reduced its operating budget by 14%; it provides golf courses with 4,000,000 gallons of reclaimed wastewater. Utility management struggles with the inherent conflict of conserving water on the one hand, and making up for sales loss when less water is used.
-- Projecting residential capacity: It’s complicated guesswork to plan for how many homes will be needed in the Urban Services District (USD) to meet the demands of a growing population. This is especially tricky now that a new University of Florida study states that Florida lost 50,000 residents between April 2008 and April 2009. Opposing views on the Commission focus on capacity.
The pro-development faction subtracts 23.5% of vacant land in its calculations, plus deducting wetlands and still buildable lots, to arrive at available land. This approach would show that we have less capacity than we really do. Clearly the way capacity projections are calculated needs much more study. Nevertheless, the four pro-development commissioners (Sarah Heard dissenting) made their headlong rush to judgment. They voted for the methodology that excludes an excessive amount of vacant land, thereby reflecting a lower residential capacity.
-- Transitions between developments: It was 4:40 pm before commissioners got around to the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) workshop. The question was whether a 40-foot buffer arrangement was a suitable alternative to the current transition rule between a new, higher density development and previously built homes. The current rule requires a tier of the same density before the new development can build homes with higher density. Commissioners finally saw that a buffer alternative without tier had serious problems, needing significant restrictions. It would have been even better to get rid of the buffer idea altogether.
-- PUDs in agricultural land: This is a key issue, tying in with the Land Preservation Incentive Amendment (LPIA - aka Valliere Rural Cluster Amendment). The big question chewed on at this workshop was whether a Planned Unit Development (PUD) would be required to have a Comp Plan Amendment (CPA) approved, as the LPIA originally specified, or just an easier Commission PUD approval.
Another concern was the need to spell out environmental benefits for the county when 50 homes are built on 100 to 500 acres, and 500 acres are set aside as open space. Thanks to Commissioners Heard, Valliere and Ciampi, the consensus was to retain the CPA requirement, and to spell out how the county will not end up with the worst 500 open acres. That is the direction given to staff for final wordage of the amendment, a good decision.
There was more related to this (needless?) massive EAR rewrite of the Comp Plan. This marathon Commission session, started at 9:00 am, and adjourned at 9:40 pm. Commissioners and staff surely earned their keep this 13- hour work day.
Cash for Clunkers is good for sales, not necessarily good for the environment
Local car dealers have had a tough time this past year, so we are glad for them that the Cash for Clunkers program has produced a quick sales boost. However, junking fully operative older vehicles in favor of those with better mileage may actually increase the carbon footprint.
It takes a lot of energy to produce and assemble the metals, plastics and glass components used in the new vehicle with higher MPG. Plus it takes energy to crush and recycle the old car. Further, energy and landfill are needed to dispose of unwanted parts, as well as liquid contaminants. All that energy may net more than the several MPG saved.
For many old cars, taking less than 5% of the $4,500 Clunker cash from our taxes, and using it for a major tune-up, can greatly improve gas mileage. Or use 5% of the $3 billion CforC fund to educate drivers to save gas by driving more slowly. So let’s recognize Cash for Clunkers for what it is: A temporary pump primer, not an environmental protection.
Furthermore, there are philosophical considerations. Is it wise to destroy products that still have a useful life just to push sales? Is a policy of deliberate waste better than conservation of assets? Since so many poor people would love to have one of those clunkers, is this much different than farmers dumping food years back to raise prices when people are hungry? Beware unintended consequences from Clunker laws.
A JAUNDICED VIEW: "Is fuel efficiency really what we need most desperately? I say that what we really need is a car that can be shot when it breaks down." – Humorist Russell Baker.
Congratulations to Martin’s ANAC
When citizens with opposing views in our county get together, and work together, we can resolve many problems. Recently, Martin’s Airport Noise Advisory Committee (ANAC) was awarded the state’s General Aviation Project of the Year from the Florida Department of Transportation Aviation Office. The award for this Best Overall Project for noise abatement was given to Witham Airport’s Director Mike Moon.
No free lunch to attract industry
Martin County is fortunate that the Commission has been more or less prudent in spending to attract new industry. Neighboring Palm Beach County has been basking in the glow of attracting Scripps Research Institute, but now (and into the future) the annual debt service bill for financing the Jupiter facility is due: $25 million! No wonder Palm Beach is going to raise its property tax about 15%, cut services substantially, and lay off enough employees to bring staffing back to about the 2002 level. Grandiose projects cost.
What they’ve been saying:
DEVELOPMENT: “The Legislature has fallen into hands that are irresponsible and have come close to crippling the Department of Community Affairs …. Proposed new developments are being rushed through in an apparent attempt to beat the Hometown Democracy Amendment …. Martin County is the target of a powerful group of developers.” – Nathaniel Reed, Comprehensive Planning Act contributor, former South Florida Water Management District Board member. His family founded Jupiter Island.
HEALTH CARE: “Just 25% of voters strongly favor the [health care] reform effort, while 41% are strongly opposed …. 68% say they have good or excellent coverage…. 48% of voters rate the U.S. health care system as good or excellent, up from 29% a year ago. Only 19% now rate the system as poor, down from 37% a year ago.” - Scott Rasmussen, a leading national pollster.
GOVERNMENT HELP:“The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I'm from the government and I'm here to help.’ ” - President Ronald Regan.
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For a free subscription to The Martin County Defender, send request with “Subscribe” in the subject line to: mcdefender@gmail.com
Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 8/12/09
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2009 by WordsmithAmerica, Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website:
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 119
Unverified inside info:
State Chamber of Commerce to abandon their “Smart Growth” amendment
We have obtained inside information, not yet verified, that the Florida Chamber of Commerce plans to abandon its proposed ‘Smart Growth” Constitutional Amendment. This Amendment was intended to be on the 2010 ballot if they could gather about 230,000 more signatures. Some 443,000 valid petitions have already been submitted.
The CofC petition was created in the summer of 2007. Its sole purpose was to beat the Florida Hometown Democracy (FHD) Amendment 4, which will be on the 2010 ballot. The FHD Amendment lets voters decide on Comp Plan changes approved by Commissions, but does not affect ordinary zoning and variance decisions by the Commissions.
As people learned that the Smart Growth Amendment would discriminate against active military and National Guard deployed abroad (they would have to come home quickly to sign petitions only at the Supervisor of Elections Office), support started to dwindle. In addition, the Smart Growth Amendment discriminates against disabled, homebound people, probably violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
After spending about $4 million in their campaign so far, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is reportedly ready to recognize that their petition is – or will be –dead. So they are said to be pursuing another approach to maintain developer control of growth. They are going to lobby the Legislature to come up with a competing amendment to kill FHD Amendment 4. If this comes to pass, it will be a central issue when legislators seek re-election.
CORRECTION: The report in Defender No. 118 on commissioners requiring Comp Plan approval for PUDs in ag land was in error
Maybe we were punchy after trying to capture every word spoken by commissioners, staff personnel and members of the public during the 13-hour Commission meeting on August 11. Perhaps Commissioner Ciampi’s inclination to muse aloud about his thought process (I understand this, but on the other hand I think that …) contributed to misunderstanding. In any case, it is the editor’s obligation to get it right, and we didn’t.
So apologies to readers for our mistaken report that a Commission majority instructed staff to write up a Comp Plan Amendment (CPA) that retained the Land Preservation Incentive Amendment’s (LPIA) requirement that Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) in agricultural land continue to require CPA approval.
It is unfortunate that Commissioners Smith, Hayes and Ciampi decided to remove this important anti-sprawl protection. It’s a bad decision, possibly driven by the fear of growth advocates that Home Democracy Amendment 4 will move part of CPA control to voters. Once adopted, the new Commission-directed CPA will forever allow cluster-PUDs in ag land by the simple vote of three commissioners. Unless such PUDs are severely restricted, or developers are required to pay for all related infrastructure, PUDs can end up being a severe taxpayer burden. It’s unwise to try to fix what’s not broken.
We have a suggestion about the Commission giving guidance to staff at workshops. It would clarify such guidance by taking a vote instead of relying on a non-specific feeling of consensus. Though such a definitive vote would not be an official adoption of a measure, it would avoid not only the confusion of the recent workshop, but similar uncertainty in earlier budget workshops.
“Property rights” a phony excuse for sprawling development out west
We are strong believers in property rights, but we must dismiss the phony claim that such rights must allow large landowners in western Martin County to build whatever they want. At a recent Commission meeting, developer Tom Kenny used the property rights argument to say that “farmers” should be able to build anything other property owners are allowed. Except for a few real farmers, if you picture Kenny’s farmers as sunburned rubes in bib overalls and straw hats hacking at the hardscrabble ground, you’d be mistaken.
Almost all of the private parcels over 500 acres, the minimum allowed to build clusters under the LPIA (aka Valliere Rural Cluster Amendment), are owned by 78 corporations or similar entities. They cover 157,981 acres, 44.4% of Martin’s total land area. A few owners do real farm work in the field. However, most of these so-called farmers are rich executives with secretaries in air conditioned offices.
But to the heart of the property rights argument. Every inch of land is zoned for a particular usage. This is well established in law. It is for the protection of the owners, and for the good of the community, to have an orderly environment. Were it not for such enforceable restrictions, someone might want to build a truck-stop gas station or slaughterhouse on the residential lot next to you – or even next to Mr. Kenny. Not a good idea.
School Board: Stop silencing our Superintendent! We want to hear her
Can anyone imagine the Martin County Commission ordering our Acting County Administrator not to speak at a meeting? Of course not. It would be too stupid to contemplate. But that is what is happening at the School Board. The chair, backed by a vengeful majority, has told Superintendent Nancy Kline not to speak unless asked to!
Imposing silence on the superintendent is irresponsible for many reasons, but we’ll just mention three:
1 - It imposes a hostile environment that is non-productive, if not destructive.
2 – It deprives the Board of operational information it should have, and deprives the Superintendent of policy information she should have. The students lose.
3 – It deprives the public of transparency, the ability to see first hand some of the internal problems that need attention.
It seems when some politicians are in their positions too long they become petty tyrants. If you want the Board to listen to what our elected Superintendent has to say, you can let them know by emailing them at:
shekail@martin.k12.fl.us, hershes@martin.k12.fl.us, gaylorl@martin.k12.fl.us, barrysm@martin.k12.fl.us, andersd1@martin.k12.fl.us
Better yet, though notice may be too short, you can speak to them directly by attending the School Board meeting at Jensen Beach High School (2875 NW Goldenrod Road, Jensen Beach) on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 7:00 pm.
Want to learn more about what the healthcare dispute is really about?
We have gathered three published articles about the healthcare dispute and combined them in a 5-page compilation. These articles are truly informative and incisive. There is no fiery rhetoric about death panels or protesters being un-American evil-mongers. It will give you a more in-depth understanding of what is involved. The articles answer such questions as:
What percent of a hospital’s costs are reimbursed by Medicare?
Which two simple reforms could solve some key healthcare problems?
How much money does defensive medicine waste?
What percent of people under 65 are covered by their employer’s insurance?
What is the average national health insurance premium, and the New York premium?
To obtain the three-article compilation that answers these (and many other) questions, simply email DEFENDER at: mcdefender@gmail.com. Type “Healthcare” in the email’s Subject Line and Body.
Quotable quote
“The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a government program.” – President Ronald Reagan
DEFENDER LETTERS POLICY: We invite and welcome civil e-letters containing general commentary, praise or criticism. We do not normally publish such correspondence, but we do personally reply to 95% of the many e-letters received. Readers who write that they no longer wish to continue receiving the DEFENDER are promptly deleted (unsubscribed) from the distribution list.
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For a free subscription to The Martin County Defender, send request with “Subscribe” in the subject line to: mcdefender@gmail.com
Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 8/17/09
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2009 by WordsmithAmerica, Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website:
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 120
EXPOSED! The hidden reason why developers want to build in ag land
HINT: IT’S NOT THE LAND COST. IT’S THE TAXES
There is a good reason why residential builders want to develop Martin County’s western agricultural land. It’s not because the cost per lot is necessarily lower, even though the cost per acre is lower. To maintain lower population density, larger lots are required. It’s because there are huge savings available in ag land property tax. Of course, there are also savings in road construction by clustering houses in PUDs (Planned Unit Developments), but that is obvious and applicable anywhere. Only in ag land are the huge tax savings obtained.
To understand how this occurs, let’s look at two top quality vacant lots, each with a value of $400,000. One is in a residential area, perhaps two prime acres on waterfront. The other is a 20-acre lot used to raise cattle, the minimum size for a residence on land zoned agricultural. Using round numbers to illustrate, the millage rate, or annual ad valorem tax per $1,000 of value, is about $15 for both.
RESIDENTIAL TAX VS. AG TAX
So the lot in a residential area would be taxed at 400 x $15, or $6,000/yr. (For less costly residential lots, just scale down the tax.) The 20-acre ag land lot, in sharp contrast, would be valued for property tax purposes at only $240/acre, despite its real market value. So 20 acres times $240 produces a total taxable value of $4,800. Using the same calculation as above, 4.8 x $15 would produce a total tax of only $72/yr. Rest assured that this is not a typographical error. Only $72/yr tax for a $400,000 parcel!
The reason for this ridiculous result is that the State of Florida has established a public policy intended to preserve agriculture. Specifying a taxable value of $240/acre for cattle range (or $800 to $2,800/acre for groves) somehow, maybe, relates to the value as a business income producer rather than its true market value.
CALCULATIONS FOR A 50-HOUSE DEVELOPMENT
Now let’s consider what happens, not with a single house, but with a development of 50 houses. Using the same numbers as the above example, say a developer gets approval to build 50 houses on a vacant 100-acre tract zoned residential. His annual property tax just for the land would be 50 x $6,000, or $300,000/yr. As people buy these lots for future homes, those buyers would assume the obligation to pay the tax. So if, after a period of time, the developer sold ten of the lots, his annual tax would reduce to $240,000.
Now let’s examine the developer with a 1,000-acre tract with cattle in ag land. If he developed 50 lots of 20-acres each, his annual property tax bill would be 50 x $72, or a mere $3,600/yr until he sold the lots. And until the new owners stopped the farming and built houses, their annual property tax would remain at $72.
It’s much the same financial results with cluster-PUDs under the Land Preservation Incentive Amendment (aka Valliere Rural Cluster Amendment). The only difference is that half of a 500-acre minimum parcel must not be developed. So in the 1,000-acre example, 500 acres would remain as farm or preserve, while 50 houses on 2 to 10 acres each would be developed. If perhaps the 50 houses were on 5 acres each, that would leave 250 acres for amenities. The inducement to cluster is lower construction costs. Again, the total ag property tax would be $3,600/yr, a far cry from the $300,000 it would be in a residential zone.
Hardly anyone – other than developers, builders, land use lawyers, speculators, planners, large landowner/farmers, environmental and engineering consultants, bankers and accountants – understand how this tax “benefit” works for the growth industry. Now you know. NOTE: Most commissioners and legislators do not understand this slick gimmick
ABUSE OF THE AGRICULTURAL CLASSIFICATION
When so much money is at stake in saving taxes, it was inevitable that abuses would arise. That is, some people would claim that their property is being used for agriculture, when in fact it is a sham, a token, a pretense of such use. This abuse shifts the tax burden from developers to the rest of the residents.
Martin County’s highly competent elected Property Appraiser Laurel Kelly is more than diligent in trying to root out the ag tax racket. She and her staff are dogged in making sure that claims of agricultural use are bona fide before issuing an agricultural classification. The Property Appraiser’s office investigates each claim to make sure that Florida Statutes and Administrative Code are strictly followed.
Administrative Code 12D-5.001(2) says, in part: “Good faith commercial agricultural use of property is defined as the pursuit of an agricultural activity for a reasonable profit or at least upon a reasonable expectation of meeting investment cost and realizing a reasonable profit.” Two goats, a bee hive and three orange trees will not suffice.
AGRICULTURAL CLASSIFICATION VS. ZONING
There is a significant difference between an Agricultural Classification and an Agricultural Zone. The Classification must be applied for and approved, even in non-agricultural zones, to get the tax break. The Zone is what the county deems is land reserved for agricultural use. Getting the Classification is not automatic.
Martin County has over 2,000 parcels classified as agricultural. About 13% to 17% of applications for Agricultural Classification, which may cover multiple parcels, have been rejected by Property Appraiser Kelly. In 2008, 24 of 145 received were denied. In 2009, 14 of 105 have been denied. Even when the Classification is granted, if agricultural use stops, the Classification may be withdrawn
AG CLASSIFICATION IS A LEGAL AND POLITICAL MESS
It would seem like plain common sense that when the proposed residential plan has received all the necessary permits, and the County Commission has given final approval to proceed with construction, that the parcel would become taxable the same as a PUD in a residential area.
Indeed, in addition to the Administrative Code cited above, the applicable Florida Statute, FS 193.461(4)(a)3 makes that point clear. It says: “The property appraiser shall reclassify the following lands as nonagricultural: Land that has been zoned to a nonagricultural use at the request of the owner.”
But that’s not how the law is often (mis)interpreted by the courts!
Unfortunately, thanks to the wrong headed intervention of the judiciary, the clear intent of the law is thwarted because some judges are fixed on the idea that even nominal ag use after conversion to residential still retains the ag tax rate. Property Appraisers across the state have been fighting against such judicial decisions – and losing. Here is an illustrative example of a (defectively reasoned) opinion that flies in the face of reality on the ground.
APPEALS COURT CASE … AND TORTURED REASONING
Broward County Property Appraiser William Markham denied Agricultural Classification for parcels owned or leased by Shannon Development Corp., PB Joint Venture No. 1, and some revocable trusts because it had not been established “that the actual physical use of the land is agricultural.” The taxpayer must show that such use is both ‘primary’ and ‘bona fide.’ The trial court agreed that the landowners had not met the statutory “burden of excluding every reasonable hypothesis which would support the property appraiser’s determination.” Denial of application upheld.
Subsequently, , the 4th District Court of Appeals, which also covers Martin County, reversed the trial court, favoring the landowners. After listing all the valid reasons why the property appraiser denied the ag classification, the Appeals Court went on to accept the word of an agricultural economist (no doubt hired by the developers) that the dairy made a good faith commercial use of the property.
The fact that the property was overgrown and mowed maybe once a year, fences were down, junked cars were strewn about, the lease and sales contract were oriented toward development, and so on, meant nothing to the DCA judges. It had long been a farm, and it still sort of was a semblance of a working farm to them. That’s the kind of tortured judicial reasoning – if one could call it reasoning – which property appraisers have to contend with.
PROPERTY APPRAISER’S DILEMMA
This conflict between statute and case law discourages enforcement across the state. For example, a letter from the Property Appraiser of Lake County cites 21 cases where he denied Agricultural Classification to developers for good reasons, yet the Special Magistrate overturned those decisions. Here is his brief description of one of those overturning decisions:
“BL Land Investment, LLC purchased 190 acres of land for $805,000 and was annexed into the City of Mascotte. The property on inspection did not appear to be in use as a cattle or hay operation. Property owner provided a copy of a lease showing lessee paying $1,500 per year. Denial overturned by Special Magistrate.” That’s the developer’s “I leased it to a farmer” sham.
We’ve seen aerial photos of an out-of-county PUD that is two-thirds built out. Nestled between those homes are vacant lots with some “tax plantings.” Those lots pay the insignificant ag tax rate. It’s an outrageous perversion of pro-ag tax law.
POOR PROGNOSIS FOR CORRECTION
This ag tax ripoff is a state problem. You might ask why the Legislature doesn’t do something to fix it. By fixing the law, true farm operations can be preserved, while preventing the property tax abuse. Any attempt to do that would result in a swarm of growth industry lobbyists - the farm lobbyists, the builder and developer lobbyists, the real estate lobbyists, the land lawyer lobbyists, the mortgage provider lobbyists, probably the general business lobbyists as well - jointly smothering the supposed representatives of the people with reminders of who contributes to their political campaigns.
It would help if, in the future, we asked every state rep and senator running for election if he or she would support the corrective legislation that Property Appraisers have wanted for many years. This issue has not been raised by the public in Martin, and perhaps anywhere else, because voters were not aware of the problem. Can the farm/growth machine’s arm twisting be overcome? Only if ordinary taxpayers and County Commissions rise up.
Jensen Beach SLAPP suit settled
Reader Ed Maxwell has informed us that litigation between Jensen Beach residents and Reily Enterprises has been settled. His report states:
As of Friday August 21st 2009 the Jensen Beach Group and the named residents of Jensen Beach have reached a settlement with Bill and Nancy Reily and Reily Enterprises bringing the SLAPP suit and the SLAPP-back suit to an end. We cannot comment about the settlement but we are well satisfied with the conclusion of the
cases and we are glad the litigation is over.
The lawsuit filed by Mr. Reily against residents of Jensen Beach was a classic SLAPP (StrategicLitigation Against Public Participation) suit designed to silence citizens who objected to – and still object to -- the Pitchford's Landing project he proposed to build on the Pitchford's RV Park site. Residents successfully challenged the permit Reily applied for to build a concrete seawall on the Indian River Lagoon.
The Department of Environmental Protection and the Fourth District Court of Appeals ultimately agreed with residents that the seawall project could be harmful to the environment and the permit was denied. Residents also successfully challenged the density and height of the proposed project, which was scaled back 40% by the Board of County Commissioners in response to the comments of the Jensen Beach residents.
The litigation has been going on for more than three years and has cost all parties in the range of a million dollars. It has been emotionally and financially draining for all of us and we welcome an end to the battle of Pitchford's Landing but do not regret the action we took. If you do not stand up for your rights, if you do not protect your community, then no one else will do it for you.
Pondering an etymological observation
Any item that has the word “cluster” connected to it – cluster bomb, cluster headache, cancer cluster, cluster flies, cluster funk, cluster housing – is sure to mean trouble (;-)
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For a free subscription to The Martin County Defender, send request with “Subscribe” in the subject line to: mcdefender@gmail.com
Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 8/24/09
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2009 by WordsmithAmerica, Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website: