WE WERE WONDERING...XX
12-5-07
*Why has it taken SIX MONTHS for the evaluation of the Police Department to be done...and we still do not have the report! We could have told everyone what is wrong with the Police Department for a lot less than $48,000. What is wrong with the Police Department is Jimmy Martin and James Perkins, Jr! One is incompetent and the other is a facilitator of incompetence in his department heads. Further, the $48,000 to pay the consultant was taken from the POLICE SALARIES...FROM SLOTS BUDGETED FOR WHICH NO POLICE OFFICERS WERE HIRED. Each year, Martin and Perkins budget for 60 officers, BUT NEVER HIRE THEM. They then take the extra money budgeted and use it for other pet projects.
Why Perkins has allowed Martin to remain Chief for 6 months after Martin resigned? NO BUSINESS in the world would have permitted this situation. Perhaps Martin will finally go IF we ever see the evaluation of the Selma Police Department. If ever a situation begged for competent leadership, it is the Police Department.
Why anyone would believe that the Bond Issue is anything other than a re-election ploy by Mayor Perkins? To do this five months before the City Election in August leaves little doubt that this whole thing is designed to get Perkins re-elected. Beyond that, it is a bad idea to use up ALL of the City's Bond borrowing capacity for years to come in ONE BOND ISSUE! Remember, the Bond Issue will cost more than $20 million in principal and interest - not $12 million as the Mayor says.
Why the City would spend $1,800 to buy a Christmas tree for the Mayor to light? Wouldn't someone donate a tree had the City asked? This is ridiculous as is the $3,000 or more dollars the City spent to bring the band from Mississippi for the Christmas parade. Someone needs to ask who in City Government knows whom in the band from Mississippi.
How long the new Editor of the Selma Times-Journal will be permitted to remain in Selma if she keeps writing editorials like those in this week's Sunday and Monday editions? The Mayor will not long put up with this kind of informative writing! WATCH YOUR BACK LEESHA!!
Why the City Attorney talked about the proposed business license increases as a "grand opportunity" for the City? A grand opportunity it was..to rip off Selma businesses. WHEN WILL THEY LEARN THAT REVENUE IS GENERATED NOT BY INCREASING TAXES, BUT BY GROWING BUSINESSES (which will then pay more taxes as their sales increase). Speaking of taxes, sales taxes were down $145,000 in the last fiscal year and down $82,000 in this October campared to October of 2006. What this means is that retail sales in Selma are in the tank as more and more people shop elsewhere. Also, more than 50% of our people are low and moderate income people who do not have excess disposable income to spend. WHILE SELMA'S POPULATION HAS DECREASED EVERY YEAR PERKINS HAS BEEN IN OFFICE, SELMA'S LOW AND MODERATE INCOME POPULATION HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED SINCE 2000.
