Comments on: How the new mayor sees it http://www.northcoastnews.com/2010/02/24/how-the-new-mayor-sees-it/ Serving all the communities of the North Beach since 1987 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:48:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jim http://www.northcoastnews.com/2010/02/24/how-the-new-mayor-sees-it/comment-page-1/#comment-5301 Jim Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.northcoastnews.com/?p=6913#comment-5301 The City Council needs to read its own mission statement and follow it. The City Council needs to read its own mission statement and follow it.

]]> By: T.Tib http://www.northcoastnews.com/2010/02/24/how-the-new-mayor-sees-it/comment-page-1/#comment-5294 T.Tib Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.northcoastnews.com/?p=6913#comment-5294 The only thing one can do now is vote against all tax levies. Vote out all incumbents. Unfortunately It may have reached the point where even voting means nothing anymore. What is to be left left but to walk away and refuse to pay all taxes. Somehow this lack of response to taxpayers has got to stop. It doesn't even matter if taxpayers would prefer to pay less for less service. Our selfish government which is no longer democratic only thinks of itself and how to trick people into paying more for less. The only thing one can do now is vote against all tax levies. Vote out all incumbents. Unfortunately It may have reached the point where even voting means nothing anymore. What is to be left left but to walk away and refuse to pay all taxes. Somehow this lack of response to taxpayers has got to stop.

It doesn’t even matter if taxpayers would prefer to pay less for less service. Our selfish government which is no longer democratic only thinks of itself and how to trick people into paying more for less.

]]> By: rafael http://www.northcoastnews.com/2010/02/24/how-the-new-mayor-sees-it/comment-page-1/#comment-5286 rafael Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.northcoastnews.com/?p=6913#comment-5286 Ratio-horatio-who really cares. The point really is the retirees got the golden rod once again--no raise and more fees. What we need are more taxes and bigger and better levies so that we can go out and get part time jobs to afford to just sustain ourselves at existing levels. Oh, I forgot, unemployment is over 10% and all the part time jobs are already taken up by people in our work force just trying to survive. I have to go now to get my resume ready to apply for the city council opening. Find work wherever you can get it. Ratio-horatio-who really cares. The point really is the retirees got the golden rod once again–no raise and more fees. What we need are more taxes and bigger and better levies so that we can go out and get part time jobs to afford to just sustain ourselves at existing levels. Oh, I forgot, unemployment is over 10% and all the part time jobs are already taken up by people in our work force just trying to survive.
I have to go now to get my resume ready to apply for the city council opening. Find work wherever you can get it.

]]> By: CitizensAgainstCrime http://www.northcoastnews.com/2010/02/24/how-the-new-mayor-sees-it/comment-page-1/#comment-5283 CitizensAgainstCrime Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.northcoastnews.com/?p=6913#comment-5283 The operative words here are: "COLA is equal to the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index" It is not a Cost of Living Index. It is a Cost of Living Adjustment. Therefore, using the definition of inflation, which is the change of the Consumer Price Index over a period of time, as chosen by the government, over the starting Consumer Price Index. Therefore the ratio give the relative change in the Consumer Price Index. It is not very complex. I think they teach this type of math in grade school. The operative words here are: “COLA is equal to the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index” It is not a Cost of Living Index. It is a Cost of Living Adjustment. Therefore, using the definition of inflation, which is the change of the Consumer Price Index over a period of time, as chosen by the government, over the starting Consumer Price Index. Therefore the ratio give the relative change in the Consumer Price Index.
It is not very complex. I think they teach this type of math in grade school.

]]> By: Robert Stermer-Cox http://www.northcoastnews.com/2010/02/24/how-the-new-mayor-sees-it/comment-page-1/#comment-5273 Robert Stermer-Cox Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.northcoastnews.com/?p=6913#comment-5273 Thank you, CitizensAgainstCrime, for such an informative response. You did prove my point, however, that increases in SS or military retirement are not directly tied to inflation - it is a FACTOR in a very complicated formula. Glad you can tell the difference between a horse and a chicken. Thank you, CitizensAgainstCrime, for such an informative response. You did prove my point, however, that increases in SS or military retirement are not directly tied to inflation – it is a FACTOR in a very complicated formula. Glad you can tell the difference between a horse and a chicken.

]]> By: CitizensAgainstCrime http://www.northcoastnews.com/2010/02/24/how-the-new-mayor-sees-it/comment-page-1/#comment-5270 CitizensAgainstCrime Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.northcoastnews.com/?p=6913#comment-5270 So How does Inflation or Deflation relate to the CPI? “Price Inflation” is the percentage increase in the price of the basket of products over a specific period of time. “Price Deflation” is, of course, the percentage decrease in the price of the basket of products over a specific period of time. For convenience Price Inflation has been shortened in common usage to simply “Inflation” and similarly Price Deflation has been shortened to “Deflation”. (*Interestingly this is not Webster's definition of Inflation... More) In order to calculate the percent of inflation or deflation we have to use the Consumer Price Index as a starting point. So assuming You wanted to calculate the inflation rate from July 2000 until July 2008. You need to know the CPI for the starting and ending dates. So the CPI index in July 2000 is 172.8 and the CPI index is 219.964 in July 2008. (Note they went to a three decimal place accuracy in between). The formula is: (end -start)/start so we have (219.964-172.8)/172.8 = 47.164/172.8= .2729 Now that has to be converted to a percent so we multiply it by 100 to get 27.29% inflation. Normally, the inflation rate is calculated on an annual basis for example from July 2007 until July 2008. That will give you the amount of inflation in one year. Which is typically called "The Inflation Rate". So from this example we can see how the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is used to calculate the actual inflation rate. http://inflationdata.com/inflation/Inflation_Articles/Inflation_or_CPI.asp For the impact on Social Security, The Social Security Act specifies a formula for determining each COLA. In general, a COLA is equal to the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of one year to the third quarter of the next. If there is no increase, there is no COLA. COLA Computation For the December 2009 COLA, we measure the increase (if any) in the average CPI-W from the third calendar quarter of 2008 to the third quarter of 2009. These averages are 215.495 and 211.001 for the third calendar quarters of 2008 and 2009, respectively, and are derived from monthly CPI-Ws developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/latestCOLA.html So How does Inflation or Deflation relate to the CPI?
“Price Inflation” is the percentage increase in the price of the basket of products over a specific period of time.

“Price Deflation” is, of course, the percentage decrease in the price of the basket of products over a specific period of time.

For convenience Price Inflation has been shortened in common usage to simply “Inflation” and similarly Price Deflation has been shortened to “Deflation”.
(*Interestingly this is not Webster’s definition of Inflation… More)

In order to calculate the percent of inflation or deflation we have to use the Consumer Price Index as a starting point.

So assuming You wanted to calculate the inflation rate from July 2000 until July 2008.

You need to know the CPI for the starting and ending dates. So the CPI index in July 2000 is 172.8 and the CPI index is 219.964 in July 2008. (Note they went to a three decimal place accuracy in between).

The formula is: (end -start)/start

so we have (219.964-172.8)/172.8 =

47.164/172.8= .2729

Now that has to be converted to a percent so we multiply it by 100 to get 27.29% inflation.

Normally, the inflation rate is calculated on an annual basis for example from July 2007 until July 2008. That will give you the amount of inflation in one year. Which is typically called “The Inflation Rate”.

So from this example we can see how the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is used to calculate the actual inflation rate.

http://inflationdata.com/inflation/Inflation_Articles/Inflation_or_CPI.asp

For the impact on Social Security,
The Social Security Act specifies a formula for determining each COLA. In general, a COLA is equal to the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of one year to the third quarter of the next. If there is no increase, there is no COLA.

COLA Computation
For the December 2009 COLA, we measure the increase (if any) in the average CPI-W from the third calendar quarter of 2008 to the third quarter of 2009. These averages are 215.495 and 211.001 for the third calendar quarters of 2008 and 2009, respectively, and are derived from monthly CPI-Ws developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/latestCOLA.html

]]> By: rafael http://www.northcoastnews.com/2010/02/24/how-the-new-mayor-sees-it/comment-page-1/#comment-5268 rafael Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.northcoastnews.com/?p=6913#comment-5268 The cost of living index is directly tied to the consumer price index, which is: "an index of the cost of all goods and services to a typical consumer", which is inflation, which is:"The overall general upward price movement of goods and services in an economy". Call a horse a chicken, but it still remains a horse. The cost of living index is directly tied to the consumer price index, which is: “an index of the cost of all goods and services to a typical consumer”, which is inflation, which is:”The overall general upward price movement of goods and services in an economy”. Call a horse a chicken, but it still remains a horse.

]]> By: Robert Stermer-Cox http://www.northcoastnews.com/2010/02/24/how-the-new-mayor-sees-it/comment-page-1/#comment-5266 Robert Stermer-Cox Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.northcoastnews.com/?p=6913#comment-5266 "If there was inflation the people on social security would have gotten an increase." Wrong! Social Security and military retirement are not tied to inflation, they are tied to the Cost of Living Index. Entirely different. “If there was inflation the people on social security would have gotten an increase.” Wrong! Social Security and military retirement are not tied to inflation, they are tied to the Cost of Living Index. Entirely different.

]]> By: CitizensAgainstCrime http://www.northcoastnews.com/2010/02/24/how-the-new-mayor-sees-it/comment-page-1/#comment-5264 CitizensAgainstCrime Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.northcoastnews.com/?p=6913#comment-5264 Someone sounds so negative here. Other than claiming that everyone else is not paying enough taxes to support all the things that they wants. I think the assessor uses the same cost per thousand for all the property here, except for those that are exempt. They freeze the valuation. They reduce the special and excess taxes for those exempt individuals. However, everyone else pays the same. What inflation? If there was inflation the people on social security would have gotten an increase. It is the city trying to budget based upon everything but property taxes. Those are the payments made by the residents that vote and the owners of property that may or may not vote. However, the other things, sales taxes, B&O taxes, permits and other fees are paid by visitors and residents. Visitors could be tourist or business people that speculate on real estate and construction. However, when they do not come or do not invest because of the economy the city revenues suffer. We have to live on property taxes paid for by a town of 5000 people and realize we are not Seattle. The other counties may have different taxes than our’s. They also have more tax revenue from more houses, businesses, and other resources. Until we change the mix of businesses, find other sources or revenue and see tourism as one of our industries, we will flounder. Garland is at least recognizing this by what he says. Now it is time for our council, citizens and mayor to seek solutions outside of Ocean Shores that have worked elsewhere. This too Garland has identified and spoken to. Attacking the messengers is negative. Opposition is not negative. The world is not black and white. Opposition is a way to get the city back into equalibrium. Look where "Be Happy, Don't Worry" has gotten Jamaica and other places. We need the Ying and Yang here to balance us. Someone sounds so negative here. Other than claiming that everyone else is not paying enough taxes to support all the things that they wants.
I think the assessor uses the same cost per thousand for all the property here, except for those that are exempt. They freeze the valuation. They reduce the special and excess taxes for those exempt individuals.
However, everyone else pays the same.
What inflation? If there was inflation the people on social security would have gotten an increase.
It is the city trying to budget based upon everything but property taxes. Those are the payments made by the residents that vote and the owners of property that may or may not vote. However, the other things, sales taxes, B&O taxes, permits and other fees are paid by visitors and residents. Visitors could be tourist or business people that speculate on real estate and construction. However, when they do not come or do not invest because of the economy the city revenues suffer. We have to live on property taxes paid for by a town of 5000 people and realize we are not Seattle.
The other counties may have different taxes than our’s. They also have more tax revenue from more houses, businesses, and other resources.
Until we change the mix of businesses, find other sources or revenue and see tourism as one of our industries, we will flounder.
Garland is at least recognizing this by what he says. Now it is time for our council, citizens and mayor to seek solutions outside of Ocean Shores that have worked elsewhere. This too Garland has identified and spoken to.
Attacking the messengers is negative. Opposition is not negative. The world is not black and white. Opposition is a way to get the city back into equalibrium. Look where “Be Happy, Don’t Worry” has gotten Jamaica and other places. We need the Ying and Yang here to balance us.

]]> By: fixed-income http://www.northcoastnews.com/2010/02/24/how-the-new-mayor-sees-it/comment-page-1/#comment-5262 fixed-income Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.northcoastnews.com/?p=6913#comment-5262 "Maybe you should vonunteer some time to the city." I do, how about you? Yep, costs do go up. Like our "free" roundabout that now is up to $3 million and the State is going to pay only $1.3M of it. Or the $6M water treatment with the "Free" $3M Federal Stimulus and the other $3M at only 1% interest. It's already at $7M and is projected to run $15 million before it's done. Nobody's died from the water, so do we really need a new system at this time? And who knows what else is lurking in the fertile minds of those "in charge". By the way, we were paying about 22 cents for the library. It could continue to operate with that if they would give it to us. And that's full time, not the short staffed, reduced hours it's now struggling with. I also expect that to be gone April 1st when the city decides it can't afford to fund the current FTE. Sometimes it seems that bankruptcy may be the only way out. “Maybe you should vonunteer some time to the city.”

I do, how about you?

Yep, costs do go up. Like our “free” roundabout that now is up to $3 million and the State is going to pay only $1.3M of it.
Or the $6M water treatment with the “Free” $3M Federal Stimulus and the other $3M at only 1% interest. It’s already at $7M and is projected to run $15 million before it’s done. Nobody’s died from the water, so do we really need a new system at this time?
And who knows what else is lurking in the fertile minds of those “in charge”.
By the way, we were paying about 22 cents for the library. It could continue to operate with that if they would give it to us.
And that’s full time, not the short staffed, reduced hours it’s now struggling with. I also expect that to be gone April 1st when the city decides it can’t afford to fund the current FTE.

Sometimes it seems that bankruptcy may be the only way out.

]]>