Well, What do you know about that.

PARENTAL ADVISORY: THIS POST CONTAINS TRUTH, WHICH MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME READERS: VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

An individual recently left a comment on a fellow blogger's site railing on my post on whether Monticello will get what it needs from a tax.

HERE I will link to my post that got all of this started in the first place so that you may easily compare what I said to what he says I said. I will link to his comment here

Now lets begin at the beginning which is always a good place to start.

First learn the difference between a news site and an opinion site.

I stated the old tax was for ten years in everything I can find in that post.

Second point is that he is basically telling you that you will not get better streets to drive on if you pass this tax because no matter how much money you give the city they won't be able to afford it which just shows bad budgeting skills to begin with.

His comment on municipal sales tax is true, we are in the median, but I do not see this as an excuse to jump to the next level up without better planning and communication.

What are the real reasons that industry has not located here. Please enlighten us. We have a building, labor force with skills in place, housing, food, water, good schools, decent medical facilities, what are the real reasons? Is it because the few people that actually run this town, and I am not talking about the MEDC, Mayor, city council, or Chamber of Commerce, DON'T WANT ANOTHER INDUSTRY COMPETING FOR THEIR LABOR FORCE. Is it that we are unwilling to give tax breaks to new industry? Is this one of the incentives you speak of? Is it because that the people that don't want other industry competing for their labor force have conveniently bought up over 80 percent of the property in Monticello that is appropriate for industry to locate on? I just don't know.

Are you telling us that years and years of experience achieved by our fine citizens at Burlington, Chase Bag, Exopac, Dura Craft, Monark, and others was wasted? I know people that are driving to Dumas, Crossett, Arkansas City, and Pine Bluff, to make good money with those "useless" skills of which you speak. If you are going to win the hearts and minds of those voters you seek so desperately, please don't tell them their hard work was wasted and their skills are useless.

No comment on fire station? Police station?

The spec building. Oh my. So what this commenter is saying is that the MEDC has a budget for paying interest on loans that it took out to build the empty building and pay for the land. Loans that are probably at local banks owned by members of "LERG", who I am sure would rather see the building sold and occupied than continue to receive those interest payments. Yeah and Harry Potter is a real boy, pigs fly, and I am a six foot six 140 pound Latin male supermodel.

Now the only comment that truly angered me. The fact that I even remotely suggested that Monticello was "bad-off". I never stated that. If you read my post again paying closer attention to the end this time you will see that I stated the opposite. I will link to my post here

and let you be the judge. If anything the "pro-tax" group is saying that Monticello is so "bad-off" we need this tax or it is going to get even worse.

Now so far there has been no argument to the "if I pass the tax can you assure me that the cost of municipal services won't increase" question.

As far as population, what does that have to do with the issue at hand? If I had stated that Monticello was a bad place or "bad-off" then an argument could be had, but I did not so no argument needed. But, if I must comment, I already stated why in my original post. Because people in Monticello can drive a short distance and make money with the skills that they learned right here at home. Those same skills that you consider useless. There is no need to uproot family members and homesteads. I know one person that drives every day to Crossett to work for the City Housing authority. Another that drives to Dumas to work at a factory as a maintenance supervisor. If I know two people and I never go anywhere, how many are there really?

Now as far as the public slaughter of city officials and the MEDC specifically. Give me a moment to read my post again................. okay I am back, the MEDC is never mentioned in my post, and as far as the slaughter of city officials, is it slaughter to ask them to explain themselves and their decisions to the people who elected them? Is it slaughter to ask them what our money is being used for? I have always been told that if your cause is just and true you will defend it with honor, humility, and dedication to fact, and that fighting "taxation without representation" is how this country began. I have not been approached to explain my point of view, I have not been approached to discuss my point of view. I have been approached and asked to change my point of view. I have even been "told" to change my point of view. But instead I will give you questions to ask, the answers they will give, and the follow up questions you should ask.

What will the tax dollars be used for? Their answer, Infrastructure, community development, and economic development. Follow up: What specifically is infrastructure? Their Answer: It could be anything from street improvement, city service enhancement, or general improvements to make this a better place to live. Follow up: Yes, but what specifically are you wanting to enhance or improve? This is where the conversation will end. Then they will hand you one of their shiny new pro-tax buttons and there you go. (They had three hundred of them made they have to do something with them.)

Let me state this for the record: I AM NOT AGAINST A TAX IF THE USE OF THE MONEY IS PLANNED, PUBLIC, AND APPROPRIATE TO THE GOOD OF ALL. Come to me with a plan on how to specifically make Monticello better and I will shout it from the mountaintops. Come to me telling me how this tax "could" make Monticello better if that is what we decide to use the money for and sorry folks I can't help you. Remember, if there is no specific plan there is no accountability. No accountability..... no motivation to do the right thing.

In conclusion let me state again. I love Monticello, but it is in trouble. Not a bad place, but in trouble. You tell people to do their homework before choosing sides, I suggest that you side with people that have done theirs. You say that Monticello needs the tax, tell me why. Don't just say we need it, tell me why we need it. I can only surmise by the rather scripted comment you left that the "LERG" has gotten to you. I will make you a deal right now. You pass this tax for unspecified needs, and a few months from now when the county comes to you asking you to dip into your wallet again for a tax "specifically" for a new Library and "specifically" for hospital improvements you be as vocal in your support.

That is how you stop that....

Anyone have that annoying older aunt or uncle that at every wedding comes up and pokes you and says "your next". Irritating isn't it. Well, next time you are both at a funeral, do the same to them.

More stupid stuff I think about......

1. Can you cry under water?

2. How important do I have to be to get assassinated and not murdered?

3. If the professor on Gilligan's Island could make a radio out of a coconut, why couldn't he fix the hole in the boat?

4. Why do people go up in tall buildings and then put money in binoculars too see things on the ground?

5. Where does corn oil come from... where does vegetable oil come from.... where does baby oil come from?

6. What disease did cured ham have?

7. Why is bra singular and panties plural?

8. Why does a dog get mad when you blow in its face but hang its head out the window when riding in a car?

9. How did we put a man on the moon before wheels on luggage?

10. If electricity comes from electrons then morality comes from.......... Morons?

11. Round pizza, square box.

12. Threw, through, thru, three words three meanings. Bob, bob, bob. What the heck?

13. We drink Soy milk, but have you ever seen a soy teet.

14. For those of you who don't believe in bigfoot.... why don't you? Because you have never seen him. Ever seen a baby pigeon?

15. Why do we call a device that allows us to roam freely around the world and still stay in touch a "cell" phone?

16. What does a fire-drill in China really look like?

17. What idiot saw an egg fall out of a chicken's butt and wondered "can I eat that?" ( I have a whole adam and eve garden of eden theory on that one, let me know if you are interested and I will post it.)

18. Person who fights fires-firefighter. Person who fights bulls-bullfighter. Person who fights other Person-Boxer.

19. Figured out the third bob yet?

20. Why do people complain about how a baby keeps them up all night and then when they finally do get some rest the say they "slept like a baby"?

What Does Monticello Need? (and will a tax get it)

What does Monticello need? It is a good question actually. Here is a rundown of a few of the most important things that we need in Monticello and how we go about getting them.

Jobs. Probably the key to all other things we need. Will a tax get them? No

Industry. Of course it is easy to see that securing new industry will get you new jobs. Will a tax get that? No. Most industries consider the bottom line profit very important. If they are going to have to pay higher taxes to do business here when they could locate thirty miles away and still get our labor force because we will drive the thirty miles for a good paying wage they will.

Medical. We have decent health facilities here. But, they could be much better. Will a tax get you that? No. It should but it won't you know it and I know it.

Skilled Labor Force. Interestingly, we already have one of those somewhat. Many people worked at industries that have now closed for a large portion of their lives. They are skilled in many aspects of industrial mechanics, engineering, and production. Why could we not focus our efforts on bringing industry here that needs the type of skills that our residents are already trained to provide? Doesn't sound like rocket science to me. But, maybe that is just me. Will a tax get you skilled labor? Doesn't need too.

Street Improvements. Will a tax get you that? It should, but it won't. Let me defend that statement. The tax that will be ending has already been in effect for ten years. Now answer this honestly. Is the street you live on any better than it was ten years ago? Are any of the streets you drive on better? What do you have to show for ten years of being a loyal taxpayer? Your city owns W.C. Whaley School. An empty building in an empty industrial park. A sports complex that could be used as a pool and a pool that will never pay for itself and is falling apart already three weeks after renovation. And by the way, that's pretty much it.

Police and Fire Station. Will a tax get that. It should, the jury is still out on whether it will or not.

Now the proliferators of the "tax is good" stance will be coming out in force soon. Their battle plan is laid out and it is quite crafty (I know because I have it). You are going to be bombarded by radio, television, newspaper, and personal visits. Now they will not be able to tell you specifically what the money is going to be used for, because they don't know. Heck, they can't even account for the last ten years worth of money. Now to some they are going to promise that Jordan Park is going to be renovated. It's not going to happen. To some they are going to use fear tactics like an increase in price for city services like water and trash pick up. Ask them if the tax passes can they assure you that there will be no increase in cost for those services in the next fifteen years anyway. They won't be able to. I doubt in the last ten years that we have already been paying a tax there has been no increase in water, sewer, or trash pickup rates.

Now I have noticed lately that our Mayor has been rather tight lipped concerning the tax. It seems that since the idea of a community center was over-ruled he has been less than supportive of a tax. When you are approached, when you have the opportunity, ask one of these proliferators of "tax" why when the list was made of people that would be good to interview for a "pro tax" message for radio, t.v., and newspaper....... why the Mayor of our fine city's name was not on that list. Then go one step further, go ask the Mayor why his name is not on the list.

The folks who want this tax who will from now be known as the "League of Extraordinarily Rich Gentleman" or the "LERG" for short, will use many tactics to sway your opinion. They will tell you this tax is what Monticello needs to grow. Folks it is not about growing anymore. Monticello needs to survive. Growing can come later. If Monticello does not survive it will never grow. How many dead plants have you seen bloom? And folks, our fine city is on life support right now and the "LERG" is standing in line to pull the plug.

Ladies and gentleman, please listen to me very carefully right now, and take me very seriously. I have lived in this city all of my life. I was born here, grew up here, made big mistakes here, had great success here. I love Monticello, you will find no one that loves it more than I do. Many of you know me and know that I am no dummy. Many of you that read this don't know me at all. This is my home, it is the place I will always call home. And it is in trouble. A tax will not save it. the "LERG" aren't trying to save it by passing a tax that has no designated purpose, that is easy to figure out. The only ones that can save it are you and I. How do we do that, by demanding better for our home. By not standing silent any longer and only asking among ourselves "why?". It is time to take a stand. Time to stand up for something that cannot stand for itself. It is time to take a stand for our home. To stand one and all for Monticello.

You know I noticed something the other day. If you stand in the middle of the town square and look around you it is easy to see what is worth fighting for. But if you stand on the first tee at the country club........ you can't see Monticello at all.

Toys..

I was thinking this evening, for no particular reason, about toys. Interestingly I told someone special tonight that I had nothing to write about and then boom here this comes. So here we go with "Toys I Remember.

Shrinky Dinks

Rubik's Cube. I remember when they came out)

Armatron.  I know where one of these is and I may end up buying it just for nostalgia's sake.

Atari 2600 game console. Love me some "River Raid". I actually have it for the Playstation 2.

Radio Shack TRS-80 model three computer. It had a cassette player that plugged into it and that was where the programs were stored. Yes, an actual cassette like you would use in a car stereo. For those of you born after say.... the late 80's look up cassette on Google. 

Stupid Things I Think About.

The 8 facts post gave me what I think is a great idea. Post some of the stupid things I think about. So here we go.

1. Is there a such thing as a dead-end one-way street?

2. Why is it illegal to possess drugs but not to consume them?

3. How long did it take before the inventor of the paper clip finally "got it right"?

4. Has everything good already been done?

5. Did Oswald act alone. A former boss and myself flew to Dallas on a whim one evening to try to find out. One of my readers may remember that?

6. Why does a duck's opinion of me depend so highly on whether or not I have bread in my possession?

7. Who heard a dog bark and decided it sounded like bow-wow?

8. Why does my car only fail to start when I am leaving to do something I "want" to do not "have" to do, and why should I be surprised? 

9. If two plus two always equals four..... what good is it?

10. If Jeff Noble leaves going north to a city council meeting and I leave going south to the same meeting and Jeff receives two calls on his new I-phone while en-route, what is the probability that he will not answer either one and that upon arriving we will discover that our elected officials are still idiots?

11. Why do I want a stack of pancakes so badly for breakfast but then am so quickly sick of them once I begin eating.

12. If your dog could talk would he bother?

13. How do they know nine out of ten dentists prefer the taste of Colgate? Are there only ten dentists?

14. If I took my "area rug" out onto the porch would it then become a mat? And could I then get the new one I need cheaper?

15. Floor mats? Are there any other kind?

16. If I put peanut butter and jelly between two pieces of bread is not a sandwich just because it doesn't have the tangy taste of Miracle Whip?

17. Is Maury's favorite singer still Peter Cetera (In your eyes playing on itunes made me think of that)

18. What is that cat thinking?

19. Why can't we all just get along?

And finally

20. Aren't you glad God does not believe in the old saying "You never get a second chance to make a first impression"? 

CRAP!!!!

Well I have prided myself on being slightly mysterious. In fact I think only one fellow blogger actually knows who I am, but K.T. over at momma-tude has figured out a way to get me to open up a bit more. And, being that the blogger code, unlike the pirate code, is more than just a set of guidelines, here we go with 8 facts about me.

1. I am a certified Jeweler. I worked at a local jewelry store for ten years as a goldsmith and stone setter as well as a jewelry designer.

2. I am a certified firefighter.

3. I used to be a local radio Disc Jockey.

4. I am lonely all of the time. (and I don't know how to fix it.)

5. I wonder about stupid things. (why does a store that is open 24hrs a day have locks on the front doors? I mean really have you ever gone to E-Z mart and it be closed?

6. I live on one of the streets K.T. mentioned when she talked about flooding.

7. I suffer from a condition called Agoraphobia.

8. I honestly believe no one reads my blog and have been seriously considering not writing it anymore, but it seems to make me feel better when I do write on it.