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Preston puts on masterful budgetary performance in Anderson County
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Let’s face it: The $149 million Anderson County budget for 2009 must be such a disappointment for our county’s political ragamuffins.
From the moment Administrator Joey Preston stepped on the local political stage in 1996 as a bureaucratic whiz — with an ego to match — a certain section of his critics have tried everything to “ice” him: smack talk, trash talk, gossip, harassment.
And every year for nearly a dozen years, like every true star, Mr. Preston has gritted his teeth, stepped up and put on a budgetary performance so skilled that even his haters must privately give him credit.
The council would be insane to bow to pressure to run him out of town. Only his kind of fancy fiscal maneuvering allows public officials to have it all, even in election years like this.
His masterwork has a unique signature.
First, craft a spending plan that invests in the basic services and infrastructure that few people can disagree with and add enough projects spread across the county to keep hypocritical elected officials and their constituents happy.
Then front- or backload those expenses for reassessment years when the value of taxable property rises enough that you reap higher tax revenues and you can borrow more money, or for when you’ve just finished paying down previous debt.
Finally, massage the county’s reserve fund, this year by $4.3 million, so you can balance the budget and still hold the line on taxes at 75.4 mills.
All the while, work within some pretty tight constraints from the state: A cap on increases in the assessed value of property during reassessment to 15 percent, translating to about $4 million in extra revenue this year.
And a limit on local government revenue growth to no more than the combined rate of population growth, about 1 percent year-over-year, and inflation, pegged at 4.1 percent in 2007.
Now that’s fiscal discipline!
Part of the mystique that no doubts infuriates his opponents is that, with the notable exceptions of the proposed $925,000 for a Broadway Lake Community Center and $250,000 for a town of Honea Path community room, little of this new spending is easy to call out as “fluff!”
The budget includes 25 extra people, but 21 of the positions are related in some way to public safety, public health and emergency services.
There’s more than $20 million in extra spending for such things as sheriff’s vehicles; roads and bridges; emergency medical services; convenience centers and technology.
And there’s $1.6 million in salary increases for every one of the 924 county employees, but many of them have missed on raises multiple times in the past several years.
Judging by the council’s 6-1 vote for the plan on first reading, no one can dispute that Mr. Preston faithfully and expertly executes his job as a chief executive, following his board’s guidance and protecting our county’s long-term interests as the board defines them.
Voters have endorsed Prestonomics at every election, no matter how much candidates use him like the boogeyman, mostly for dramatic effect.
Forgive me if I tune out the budget-bashing this year. It’s just too boring.
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in response to theflash
While I don't always agree with everything you say, I do agree with your last post. But why did you leave out Bob Waldrep.
However I do feel that you are wrong about Ms. Adams.
If Mr. Preston has done such a fabulous job, then:
• Why has the budget for the years 2000-2009, increased by $125% - From $66.2 M in 2000 to $149 M in 2009? One of the excuses is more funding is needed to handle the population growth. Our population in Anderson County has only increased for the years 2000-2007 by 8.6%. If you take the annual growth rate of 1.2% and apply that for years 2008 and 2009, our population would increase by 10.2% for 2000-2009. There is a lot of difference in 10.2% and 125%.
• Why is there a rubber stamp approval year after year to increase the number of county employees? Since 2005 the number of county employees has increased by 37% - from 694 in 2005 to a projection of 949 in 2009.
• Why with all of the focus on supposed “economic development”, has the number of jobs in Anderson County decreased by 1200 jobs for the years 2000-2007? According to the bureau of labor statistics at the end of 2007 there were 1200 less jobs available than in 2000. With the labor pool increasing and less jobs, our unemployment has risen from 3% in 2000 to 6.0% at the end of 2007.
With a basic rubber stamp approval by the majority of this council for the $149M budget, with the majority of council saying what a fabulous job Mr. Preston is doing, with this council’s support for Mr. Preston to incur thousands of dollars annually in legal fees to prevent the public being fully informed, with support for Mr. Preston and his staff to spend our tax dollars any way they see fit at the most expensive restaurants, with support for boondoggles that aren’t producing results, with the majority of the council sitting back and taking everything Mr. Preston says as gospel, with this council deciding to hold special meetings to decrease public sentiment and discord, I know how I am voting. I don’t care who is running they have to be better than what we have. Anderson County is never going to be able to recruit the kinds of companies we need to provide jobs for the workers with this abomination of a council and administrator. There needs to be a complete turnover in the council and the Administrator needs to be sent packing.
Am I a CAVE person? No, I am a CAGGA person - - Citizens Against Government Gone Awry.
These are my thoughts and not the thoughts of any radio personality or another person. This is based on my own research and no one else’s. I am for growth and bringing in higher paying jobs to Anderson. I am for an honest and open government. I am for improvement in our infrastructure. I am for fiscal responsibility. I just hope the voters of Anderson County will do their own research and see that facts and facts alone indicate this council and the Administrator are failing miserably on the behalf of their constituents.
Well said again Disgusted. But the CUPS herd do not accept facts. They only believe what scraps they are fed from Preston's table. As has been said by many people on these blogs in the past few months, "Everything negative in our county can be traced directly back to Joey Ray Preston."
We must get our government back into the hands of responsible and honest representatives.
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IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE. VOTE THE GANG OF FIVE OUT.
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I love my Cindy Wilson4
after reading this article, i quickly scrolled to the bottom to see if a picture of the author could possibly have him in a skirt and net stockings. i don’t think i have ever read a more beautiful love letter. whilst free to expound as he wishes, outright political promotion of incumbents is not appropriate. for our local newspapers to allow themselves to be exploited as a propaganda mill, ruffles my sense of fairness, as it should yours. that being said. nick makes some interesting points. unfortunately, those points are lost amongst nick’s attempt to trivialize the voice of opposition.
while classifying any opposing sentiments as being from, boring “ragamuffins” that engage in “smack talk, trash talk, gossip, harassment,” and are prone to drama, this love affair begins with a Joey Preston depicted as the “whiz” bravely “gritting his teeth” performing “fancy fiscal maneuvering” to “add enough projects spread across the county to keep hypocritical elected officials and their constituents happy.” to do this he “front- or backloads those expenses for reassessment years when the value of taxable property rises enough that you reap higher tax revenues and you can borrow more money” and “massage the county’s reserve fund.” clearly the author doesn’t know a front load from a backload or he wouldn’t be so smugly singing it’s praises.
“then front- or backload those expenses for reassessment years when the value of taxable property rises enough that you reap higher tax revenues and you can borrow more money, or for when you’ve just finished paying down previous debt.”
the back-end load, is the opposite of the front-end load, or the contingent deferred revenue load (CDRL). basically, both of these types of fundings methods are ways of spending money you don't have, hiding the expense for the time being and then hitting the public with it at some later point when the County does a reassessment and raises the millage so they can pay for it. the level load which basically charges a real time tax ie the new proposed 1% tax, although seemingly well allocated, is actually the most expensive to the tax payer over the duration of the tax as it has no cap (they will collect as much as it produces, so you have no way of knowing how much it will be). basically we are spending money we don’t have, hiding it in the fancy footwork until we can pay for it by increasing taxes. finally you “massage the county’s reserve fund” so you can “balance the budget”. it is no wonder JRP doesn’t want to open the books up for the public to view this "massaging". may i remind you, audits only check the math, not analyze the purpose of use.
nick stick with the journalism buddy, because I don’t know how you see all this smoke and mirrors as being good for the county at a time everyone is groaning under financial pressure. as with the presentation by any good charlatan, Nick has been mesmerized by this Svengali.
incidentally, this article was in the "most commented" area for about five minutes until this response to the article was posted. funny how this newspaper attempts to manipulate it's readers by selectively disseminating information based on their picks for county government. blogging posts, that voices opposition, are quickly shuffled off the lead page or made more difficult to find. shameful!
wow and it just reappeared. amazing!
You really think that someone at AIM watches comments on a second by second basis and manipulates the Most Commented Section? If this was the case, then some of those really terrible posts would be removed more quickly than two, three hours after everyone has read them, but I digress....
Wait! I just had this mental image of Kausler sitting at his computer, hands together like Montgomery Burns. (Scary music plays in the background) He looks over at Nick and says, "In_Search_of_Truth has become too powerful with his commenting and must be stopped! Bwahahaha! (that is evil laughter) I will bump this story down the Most Commented List. Bwahahaha! (more evil laughter)"
I think you are right. That is exactly what is happening.
in response to JWhite
well. make light of it if you will. i have noticed how the people AIM endorses have loooong runs on most commented. people they do not support, or comments that are articulate and go against their agenda, seem to disappear pretty quick. i know <jwhite>, we are all idiots and you are the only clever one here. if you knew what i know, concerning information AIM has had concerning certain candidates and chose to sweep it under the rug, you would not be so quick to make fun. but hey, you are entitled to your opinion.
in response to In_Search_Of_Truth
please, do tell. you'll feel better after you get it off your chest.
in response to JWhite
do you really believe it was a coincidence that at the last election, on election day, there was not one thing about the fact that there was an election that day. AIM will probably argue, "we didn't want to print anything that would bias the election process." however, telling voters who was up for election and where the voting places are etc. would at least let people know what was going on. i talked to many people who told me they did not even know an election had occurred. now, by no small coincidence an incumbent has a much better chance of succeeding the fewer people that vote. why you might ask? well, all they have to do is organize a couple of busloads of people from one source or another (in this instance it was a church and a seniors group) to improve their chances of winning. one incumbent won by 45 votes. with the small numbers of voters in Anderson, it doesn't take much to swing an election one way or the other with some very subtle maneuvering. did you not notice how AIM took part in the public lynching of Jeff Waters but swept under the rug the fact that the exposure of the water bills made Dunaway and Peggy Maxwell complete liars. you are naive if your only thoughts are all this bwhahhaha nonsense.
okay quick example (and it may change before you read this) this listing has 9 posts. "Anderson County receives $2 million grant" has 15 poasts. it is listed last as most commented. this article is listed second. computers don't make those kinds of mistakes!
I am not naive ISOT. I just countered your ridiculousness with some of my own. I remember the lead up to that election (in which I too voted for Mr. Waters) and the AIM was full of coverage, you yourself commented many, many times on those articles. I have no idea what was in the print edition of AIM because I read it online, but I just googled it, and there was a story posted by Charmaine Smith-Myles on April 8, the day of the election. I understand your frustration, but I don't think that the AIM intentionally endorses one canditate over another via the comment section, and they quit actually endorsing candidates a couple of years ago. It's interesting how both sides of an issue often think that AIM has taken the other side. And, while I also enjoy commenting to pass the time, I think it's pretty self-important to think that AIM spends that much time worrying enough about your comments to bother to manipulate them.
With all of the lead up to that city election, anyone who did not know it was happening is so uninformed that I'd just as soon they stayed home anyway.
You see all of this silliness about local politics actually makes me quite angry. Ridiculous claims take attention away from serious people who are trying to move Anderson into this century. There are people here who need jobs, people who need safer neighborhoods, and kids that need a significantly better education. I just find that laughing helps me handle it better because I believe in free speech even for people who spout off ridiculous things.
If you only knew what I knew, ISOT, you would know that most people who say that actually don't know much of anything that the rest of us do not know.
ISOT you also have to factor in the age of each quote and the file size. It seems the program ages some of the comments out or an article with tons of comments would not be "unseated" at number one for quite some time.
Occam's Razor mean anything to you?
"Anderson County Recevies 2 Million Grant"
The last comment on this article was posted on May 25th, so it has aged out of the most commented.
While the "10th circuit solicitor candidates take campaigns to upstate court of public opinion" is still at the top for now because it has more recent comments, including one of yours about someone wearing a skirt which didn't really have anything to do with it.
Ya dig?
in response to JWhite
interestingly enough, you are the one that came up with the conspiracy theory. i had, at the time merely made the observation that the article had disappeared and so i had reposted my post to another article (the one wbout the solicitor's office.) no it was your idea that people sit around and worry about what i have to say. then you tell me i suffer from self-importance. so first you enlarge on my simple observation of the article disappearing and reappearing and then go on to say i should understand your silly response while not understanding mine about wearing a skirt. interesting perspective.
i don't think any meaningful suggestions are ridiculous nor do i think if YOU don't know something, it can't be known. unfortunately i am not at liberty to educate you.
is your spelling of Charmaine Smith-Myles correct? i find no results on google. i do recall an article written about people voting on alcohol on Sunday, if that is the article you refer to. if they have not endorsed anyone for two years what do you call this article (and don't try to tell me it isn't JRP running for office.) the article is clearly suggesting that any incumbent (5-7 of which support JRP and are thought of in a single unit as he seems to pull most of the strings) that "running JRP out of town" would be crazy. Basically a pitch to maintain the status quo and oust Wilson and Waldrep. that seems to be the way everyone is positioning it.
I'm not sure that "Occam's Razor" has any relevance here. your suggesting aging, file size, post count and relevance having effect on the "most commented" list, kind of contradicts that theory. you have added three possibile assumptions and the above named principle states the phenomenon should have as few assumptions as possible. actually, empirical data exists as to post counts, time on list, by writer, by poster, by subject. so with the existence of empirical data, i quote wiki "Occam's razor is not a theory in the classic sense of being a model that explains physical observations, relying on induction; rather, it is a heuristic maxim for choosing among such theories and underlies induction. Justifying such a guideline against some hypothetical alternative thus fails on account of invoking circular logic." i'll trust my own observations. thanks for your kind comments.
in response to JWhite
<jwhite> i found the article you referred to http://www.andersonindependentmail.co...
just as i suspected, it was an online article only, reporting the events of the day. you, like many, take a cursory look at something and make your assumptions.
does the "common sense" theory mean anything to you?
You just made a simple observation and then I made it crazy? Ok, yeah you're right. I just sit here all day dreaming up crazy theories about the AIM and what it does with your comments. I keep re-reading it and it still looks crazy to me, but anyway....
I said when I found the article that I had no idea what was in the print edition because I never look at the print edition. See above, please. I don't see the need to waste newsprint when I can look at it online. If you'll notice, they start an online article in the morning and add to it throughout the day. But again, I stand behind the statement that if you had no idea there was an election happening until that day, then you are probably too uninformed to make a decision and should just stay home.
By Occam's Razor I was referring to the more mudane meaning, also in your wiki article, that given several possibilities the most simple is usually correct. I was arguing that the formula of the computer program determined where your comments ended up instead of your more elaborate theory of manipulation by AIM. But, apparently I misread that rant and you just meant to say "hey look kids! Comments move!" My bad.
FYI: don't trust wikipedia for your information. This is a good article, but these things are edited by the general public who, given the comments under AIM articles, should not be allowed to edit an encyclopedia. Now there's some common sense for ya!
i am aware of all that. i am well familiar with various aging, LIFO, FIFO etc. techniques for algorithms populating Python pages. if you look at the source code for the page in question you will see how that box is populated. i had already taken into consideration the suggestions you made as i have serious concerns about this papers role in our neighborhood. while claiming not to be involved, they are constantly interjecting themselves in the election process by what they "leave out" more than what they put in the paper. most of what you read on these electronic pages is readily verifiable, but you won't read them in the printed version. Why? i assure you, i for one will not be foolish enough to say anything i can't back up with hard documentation. but for some reason this paper never quite follows through.
in summation it looks like this paper makes every effort to remain in the good will of the status quo, whoever and whatever that is. therefore, i must assume it is not willing to represent the conscience of the people. they mock it, they trivialize it, they call it names, but they never seem willing to step up and prove it wrong. you know why?
they can't. all they can do is keep you from seeing it and keep claiming it doesn't exist. if corruption holds the keys, how are you supposed to look in the cabinet?
Since you think AIM has such a sinister agenda, why are you on this site so darn much? Wouldn't they have deleted your username by now? They must have lost the keys to that corruption cabinet of which you speak.
"The paper makes every effort to remain in the good will of the status quo, whoever and whatever that is"
So you don't know who these people are that this dark conspiracy benefits, but they are out there?
Oh I get it, anytime AIM disagrees with you they are not representing "the conscience of the people."
I have met Don Kausler, Nick Charalambous, Heidi Cenac, Jake Grove, and Samantha Harris in different situations at different times and found them to be honorable people, so I'm not buying this, but I have an experiment to test your theory. Write a letter to the editor about this article or on any other topic that you consider to be purposely manipulated by AIM, even say in it that you think they manipulate information. Send me a copy (I'll give you my address through email) and send AIM a copy, and we will see if it is printed. Deal?
No answer? Maybe they kidnapped him!?!
in response to JWhite
no actually they blocked my MAC address as i cannot access this site anymore from my computer. there really is no purpose in discussing anything with you as your "agenda" seems to be to correct everyone elses English or what words they use, or introduce some philosopher's theory blah, blah. we aren't as educated as you are, we get your point. it seems like you respond just to tell me what you think i said, and then critique it. do you have any ideas or suggestions of your own. i am not interested in arguing with anyone or anything as most people don't have a clue what is going on. they just believe what they read in the paper. besides either i am a poor communicator or you a poor reader as everything i say seems to be made into something else entirely. you seem to do a real good job of putting words in other people's mouth and then sit and argue with yourself. i didn't say AIM held the keys to the corruption cabinet. i think JRP and the county council are who we are talking about. they are the ones blocking anyone from seeing the use of monies. AIM just clearly supports them in it's actions. if you could read the emails sent to me by AIM you might understand. i think they have to keep up the semblance of being fair and allowing free speech or they would completely lose their audience and all credibility.
i have already sent letters to the editor and done all those things you mentioned. never see them. of course i could just be imagining all of this. you know, delusional or something.
They blocked your MAC address? Do you not understand how delusional that sounds?
You're right though, there is no use arguing any further. It's just a waste of time for both of us.
in response to In_Search_Of_Truth
In search:
I will confess that a writer, even a professional one, doesn't always achieve what he sets out to. This column was one of those for me, evidently, because the column's main and really only point was that Joey <b>manipulates</b> the budget. I simply set out how he does it and then I point out two reasons why he gets away with it and then suggest, simply, that the carping from some anti-tax citizens can't be shared by the majority if a dozen years of this hasn't cost anyone their job yet ...
For the record, I have never been mesmerized by Mr. Preston, as anyone in his administration who worked with me as a reporter from the very early days will attest.
I will write 100 times on the blackboard that people don't respond well to subtlety or sardonic comments
Everyone:
As the person responsible for Independentmail.com, I think it's important for me to respond to the nefarious suggestions that we engage in manipulating the display of stories, create technical blocks on users or any such thing that are abiding by our use guidelines.
The only actions we take on comments are those outlined in our user contributions policies. We will NEVER engage in promoting or demoting content based on point of view etc.
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in response to JWhite
so much for your "bwahahaha nobodys paying attention" theory.
before i respond, <jwhite> you seem like an an intelligent person, do you buy the authors claim (ie. subtle, sardonic comments?) kinda hard to square with the "political ragamuffins", "his critics have tried everything to “ice” him: smack talk, trash talk, gossip, harassment", "hypocritical elected officials", "Forgive me if I tune out the budget-bashing this year. It’s just too boring."
while describing JRP as:
-a bureaucratic whiz
-like every true star
-so skilled that even his haters must privately give him credit
-council would be insane to bow to pressure to run him out of town
-His masterwork has a unique signature
-Now that’s fiscal discipline!
-the mystique that no doubts infuriates his opponents
-no one can dispute that Mr. Preston faithfully and expertly executes his job as a chief executive
remember we are looking for subtle and sardonic! nick, do you always make that beep beep beep sound when you back up? a definite faux pas.
incidentally, i think i remember sheriff crenshaw NOT signing off on the proposed budget. the notation had something to do with not getting first responder vehicles. while i'm on that subject, how do you expect someone to do the sheriff's job without topnotch vehicles. sorry they are gas guzzlers, but you would have them looking like barney fife trying to chase down the bad guys (who can usually afford whatever they want), in a four cylinder. purchasing vehicles commensurate with their tasking would make sense. process servers and administrative vehicles don't have to sport 500 horsepower.
so <jwhite>, other than my diction, spelling and lack of philosophical application, do you think this article is as the author claims or is it a letter of support for JRP? let's see where your honesty lives.
in response to JWhite
in answer to your question about why? this is the only forum of it's type in anderson (the sister sites all being included.)
for your professional or personal life, keeping a finger on the pulse of anderson county, is never a bad idea!
If you will read above, I believe I said...
"You're right though, there is no use arguing any further. It's just a waste of time for both of us."
But you go ahead, slay those pesky windmills.
in response to JWhite
darn and i thought you were one of the smart one's on here. you got me!
Bottom line is that we are in a recession and the county, every city and every school district are raising taxes. Add to that the Captial Project Sales Tax that everyone in Anderson County will have to pay. Add to that the credit crisis, petroleum crisis (and that affects way more than the price of gas), housing crisis, health care crisis and more.
This is not the time for raising taxes.
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