April 2011 Newsletter

Kansas City Mo Democrat rep Leonard Jonas Hughes IV wasn't eligible to run for office in 2008 or 2010 because of taxes he owed in excess of $1300. Point Pleasant Beach, NJ the town will pay $11,200 to the ACLU for some legal fees stemming from lawsuits the group filed to end the towns practice of allowing council members to say a prayer before meetings. Memphis, TN could lay off 1400 workers cause of a $20-70M budget shortfall according to George Little CAO the amount depends on how they must pay $55M debt to schools. Boise I'd wants to increase cigarette taxes by $1.25 a pack. Indianapolis, IN two hearings were held to take public comment on Dukes Energy's request to pass along to ratepayers the $2.9B cost of a coal-gasification plant near Edwardsport. Concord, NH the gov. wants to close half the states rest areas to save $800,000. Virginia Beach, VI $15M for sand on beaches. DC 51 city resident who installed solar panels on their homes will not be reimbursed as promised because the funds were diverted $700,000 help close a city budget gap. Bismarck, ND records show the state pulled 113M barrels of oil out of the ground in 2010. Salem, OR $34M spent on a 5 story courthouse square building has been determined to be unsafe it was built in 2000. Charleston, SC $5M spent on cell phones in the first 9 months of last year. Healthcare the 10th amendment powers not granted to the federal gov nor prohibited to the states by the constitution are reserved to the states or the people. Thomas Jefferson in 1798 first outlined the notion that states have the right to void federal laws that they think are contrary to the US Constitution. Montana gov. Schweitzer stated any act to nullify federal law is anti American and he would veto any bill that came across his desk to do so. Middletown, DE the Economic Development Office will award $2.06 to help with construction and equipment and a $385,000 jobs grant to Johnson’s Controls-Power Solutions Group for investing $60M in a new production and distribution center. CFO pay 225 hrs a year $228,000. Talks of cutting budgets haven't spurred any talks of cutting any foreign aid to the UN or other nations but they are cutting programs such as public broadcasting, family planning programs, N.A.SA., just to name a few. Dover, DE. Is spending $20M, for a new public library. Trenton, NJ cuts budget by 2.6% asks for more $ from state employees for their benefits and then giving $200M in tax cuts to businesses. Utah immigration bill what are they saying to Americans when they want to allow illegal immigrants to work in this country. What if we were to say illegals can run for public office? Kansas City, KS $7M for 47 buses that run on alternative fuel, compressed natural gas, at a cost of $148,937 each compared to Fargo, ND who bought 4 hybrid buses at $600,000 each a nice motor coach can be bought for that. Hampton, VI $773,000 to replenish the sand at Buck roe Beach provided from federal coffers. Flint, MI. has received a $32.5M grant for demolition, rehabilitation, and construction, provided by the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, or federal coffers. New York City, NY $3.27B for the first stage of a waterfront redevelopment plan to create 50 acres of parks and expand dozens more, overhaul city sewage systems and dredge waterways for giant ships, and this is just the first stage how much will this totally cost. Pierre, SD $2.8M for a 7500 sg. ft kitchen at a county prison at a cost of $373 per sg ft. NASA $753M or $63M per person from 2014 to 2016 for 12 US astronauts to fly to and from the international space station paid to the Russian government. Prior Lake, MN the mayor is considering returning a$2M surplus to taxpayers in the form of rebates. DC received a $20M for an evidence warehouse. Arkansas wants to cut $35M from grocery taxes and they say they can do that, have a balanced budget and adequately fund education. Upper Marlboro, MD. Is using a $50M fund to create jobs and increase the county's commercial tax base. Phoenix, AZ is using a $12M grant they received from federal coffers for 1000 low income homeowners to lower their utility bills by making their homes more energy efficient. Portland, MN is using a $28M in bonds to upgrade the 34 year old civic center. Hartford, CT is using $13.3M from federal coffers to lend to credit worthy small businesses. Georgetown, DE is using a $680,000 grant for an 89K solar grid. Raleigh, NC is using a $461M federal grant to create faster and increased passenger rail service from Charlotte to Raleigh. Salt Lake City, UT $15M federal grant for the states 1st liquefied natural gas station. Honolulu HA is spending $96,000 or $6000 each for 16 solar cameras. Let’s talk about cabs and some of their fares, I have seen some fares as high as $5 a mile plus tolls. What does a cab do? Drive someone from one place to another, maybe 3 people but the rate goes up for each and every person who gets in, carry a few bags. I know they provide a much needed service but the rates don’t fluctuate. Cabs fuel mileage is probably in the neighborhood of 20 to 25 mpg. Tires for a cab $75 to $100, an oil change $20 to $40, and an engine rebuild $1000 to $1500, licensing $100 to $500 a year. Anything over 8 hrs a day 40 hrs a week is overtime, and they also receive tips. Freight rates for hauling the products around the country in a commercial vehicle do fluctuate depending on what is being hauled and the loaded miles. Some of the freight we haul I personally have seen as cheep as .80cpm of which I get .35cpm fuel costing $4 a gallon, averaging 5.5mpg. .80cpm x 5.5mpg =$4.40 that leaves .05cpm to maintain the equipment hauling the things up and down our highways to the stores we buy it from. New tires for a 18 wheeler average $400 to $600 each, a oil change $200 to $300, a rebuild $13000 to $30000, licensing $1700 to $2500 a year, 14 hours a day, or as much as 88 to 100 hrs a week with no overtime. If you have a story you would like to submit feel free to email it to letyourvoicebeheard@traprats.info