Yes, It is 68% - A Clearwater City Employee asked if the comment by Mayor Frank Hibbard was correct. The mayor stated that the city budget would be an important issue in 2006 and that 68% of the General Fund ($103 million) budget is allocated for compensation to city employees.
The mayor was correct.
In fact, the real number is 68.5%.
The number was so large that the city employee himself was surprised at the cost.
“But I think people should know this number includes management where the pay-scale is much higher.”
Pat Lokey’s Store To Close – Clearwater businesswoman and longtime community activist Pat Lokey is closing her store in downtown Clearwater.
“It was time to retire and I received an offer on my building that was too good to refuse,” said Pat.
Pat’s store, (a fixture for 25 years), will be missed by many long-time customers.
Downtown Clearwater Marina – The good folks in Clearwater would clearly support a new downtown city marina project.
One referendum – with one issue.
Who could oppose a city project that helps local business, pays for itself and adds funds to future city revenues (to help offset tax increased)!
Downtown city marina?
Of course, yes.
Missing – If you are following the story about a missing (murdered) young groom from Connecticut who was celebrating his honeymoon on a cruise ship, then you know the young wife needs to fully explain the last evening on the ship to authorities.
Blood stains (cleaned by employees of the ship), suspicious ship employees (from Russia), another young newlywed couple (who left them at 11 p.m. in the evening), an elderly couple who heard loud noises in the newlywed’s room (in early morning hours), ship employees who knocked on the door early in the morning, little or no ship investigation, contamination of the suspected murder site, and less than full cooperation with the F.B.I.
The young man’s family wants justice.
Ironically, the young wife appears calm, composed and not emotional about the loss of her new husband. A strange thing.
New information.
Ships records now state that they found the young wife the next morning getting a massage while wearing the same clothes as the night before.
Does she know more about the murder? She says she is talking to the F.B.I.
She says she hopes they solve the murder.
One young man murdered at sea – another young woman murdered while on vacation in Aruba.
International law?
If you travel outside of territorial U.S. law, you may find yourself in a place where investigations into terrible events may not meet your expectations.
Young people and Spring Break outside of the U.S.?
It is just asking for trouble if young college students expect to party in another country.
Cruise ship reform?
Absolutely.
Who Speaks For The Working Man? – Are you a person who must work for a living? If yes, read on. If no, stop here.
The tragedy in a West Virginia coal mine may have opened more minds to the plight of some working people – right here in America.
Coal miners, steel workers, iron workers, construction workers and a host of other dangerous jobs are critically important to all of us who rarely think about those workers at great risk. Yes, and when a tragedy strikes, like in W. Virginia, many of us are brought back to the seriousness of certain occupations. We ask: Who is looking-out for the safety of those workers? People who write law?
Democrats?
Republicans?
Independents?
When was the last time you heard any big name politician talk about reforming laws for hazardous occupations?
Ted Kennedy?
Hillary Clinton?
George Bush?
No, no, and no.
Political rhetoric will soon flow from the lips of politicians who had never uttered a word to reform hazardous jobs in America. “Can’t destroy the industry,” some say.
What about the people who need jobs and take the worst jobs?
Where are those people speaking for the coal miners?
“They’re Alive,” was the headline.
No, they are dead, one barely alive.
Reform?
Coal is an important fuel in America and around the world. Recent reports state that half of our power comes from things like coal. The tragedy in W. Virginia is similar, however, to others around the globe, in places we may have never heard. Does that make the problem less important?
Reform for hazardous jobs.
Stiff regulations and penalties (much like the new accounting rules for many large public corporations). This coal mine in W. Virginia had over 144 citations in 2005, some more serious than others. However, the serious citations should have required a federal safety inspection team to clear the mine before workers could enter … and, of course, if the mine is closed, workers should be paid while the safety issue is fixed.
Dangerous jobs require safety precautions.
Who do you trust voting on these things in Washington?
You tell me. I regret to say that coal mining safety and other issues, and worse, have been going on for years. I refer you to the Coal Miner’s Pension Plan in the 1960’s that was looted from within.
Happiness - Happiness is not given – it is exchanged. - Unknown Author