Author Archives: M_Blank
Emergency Services Surtax and Human Services
Comm. Carruthers tried to cloak her self-serving Emergency Services Surtax (ESS) proposal in some appealing promises to get people to bite. That proposal is supposedly dead for now. But from Carruthers’s point of view, its too good to stay dead for long. I have … Continue reading
Posted in BOCC, Fire and Ambulance, Human Services, Taxes
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Emergency Services Surtax – Tavernier
Tavernier, like Stock Island, is one of those sub-areas that has special issues when it comes to Comm. Heather Carruthers’s Emergency Services Surtax (ESS) proposal. Local residents in Stock Island will be especially hard hit by the ESS because of its high proportion … Continue reading
Posted in BOCC, Fire and Ambulance, Taxes
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Emergency Services Surtax – Stock Island
The Emergency Services Surtax (ESS) proposal is supposedly “in the freezer“. But I don’t expect it to stay there for long. County staff’s misleading analysis claims that this new tax will shift the cost of emergency services from locals to … Continue reading
Posted in BOCC, Fire and Ambulance, Taxes
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Key Largo Wastewater Board – Lots of Interest
It looks like the two open seats on the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District board are generating a lot of interest. There are five candidates lined up so far. That’s great! It’s nice to see all that enthusiasm. I think … Continue reading
Posted in KLWTD
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Zombie Tax Won’t Die
I saw this headline on KeysNet.com: Dedicated property tax for emergency services is dead for now. Hmmm…dead for now? As in, it’s going to come back to life at some later point in time? Like a zombie? Well, somebody please … Continue reading
Posted in BOCC, Fire and Ambulance, Taxes
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Bernstein Park – The Pattern Repeats
I was away for a week and it was great! Now I’m catching up on the news. I saw this item on KeysNet.com. Despite being very “irate” over the escalating costs of improvements at Bernstein Park, the Board of County Commissioners … Continue reading
Posted in BOCC, Parks
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Affordable Housing – Going Forward
Updated: Had to fix a problem with my table. The percentage of cost burdened households was way too low because I had an oops in my formula. Also my totals for Monroe County were off. All fixed now. My point still … Continue reading
Posted in Affordable Housing
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Emergency Services Surtax – Look Ahead
It doesn’t look like the Emergency Services Surtax (ESS) is going away any time soon. It popped up again in the state of the county presentation. County staff has supported the proposal with some questionable assertions. The ESS is being sold to … Continue reading
Posted in BOCC, Fire and Ambulance, Taxes
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Peary Court Sunshine Violations?
For most of us, the Peary Court purchase never did pass the smell test. The property was sold by the Navy for $35 million two years ago. Now the City of Key West was anxious to buy it for $55 million? Hmmm…
Posted in Affordable Housing, Bubba System
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Fact Checking Steve Gibbs
I saw this story in the Free Press this morning: Sewer Commissioner Seeks 2nd Term. Comm. Steve Gibbs is running for re-election to the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District board. Unfortunately, he was quoted as saying something that isn’t quite … Continue reading
Posted in KLWTD, Wastewater
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The Real Poop 