The Bad ...
The Ugly ...
Needed in 2010 ...
Governments and individuals need to uphold established standards of ethics and prudence at all levels. Whether it be a political organization, a local, state or federal government, we have a lot of work to do to build a better tomorrow and to rebuild the trust of the American taxpayer.
The past year, we ran across a person who at the end of many conversations or e-mails, would simply say in his salutation or his departure ... "Pay Taxes"
While government has an important role at all levels, there is more to life than taxes ...
Let's work to build a better tomorrow, with getting involved in our local communities and working to better know our neighbors.
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On Monday, November 30Th, Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks announced that she will be a candidate for the Republican nomination for the 2nd U.S. Congressional District of Iowa to face current incumbant Dave Loebsack (D-IA).peace
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Congratulations to Ms. Running-Marquardt in her victory tonight ...
The City of Cedar Rapids is looking to establish a neighborhood center that will be used by all neighborhood associations? Doesn't that seem a little odd? Why would one location be used by multiple neighborhood assocations in a City the size of 126K?
City Council awards CR Neighborhoods a $100k grant - The Gazette
... the $100,000 grant to establish a neighborhood center to be used by all the neighborhood associations. Half of the grant money will be used for a grant researcher and writer who will work to find funding for the neighborhood center on an ongoing basis.
Will it work to expand mass transit use in the City of Cedar Rapids?
Proposed changes to city bus system could attract more riders - The Gazette
Proposed changes to the Cedar Rapids transit system would streamline the city’s bus routes and make it easier to reach more parts of town directly...
Preferential treatment in City parking ramps for those who drive Green vehicles ...
Efficient cars will get best parking in C.R. parking ramps - The Gazette
Drivers of hybrid, alternative-fuel or zero-emission vehicles will get the best parking spots in the city’s Fourth Avenue and Third Avenue parking ramps.The preferential treatment to encourage the use of energy-efficient vehicles likely will be adopted for other downtown parking ramps as well, said Sandy Pumphrey, a civil engineer in the city’s Public Works Department. Pumphrey said the special parking designation might be just the thing to persuade a family to drive the hybrid car downtown for dinner ...
Time to turn to national issues ...
Is the Federal Government really getting it right on the subject of Health Care Reform?
Morning Bell: The Obamacare Rationing Threat To Your Mammograms - Heritage Foundation
Last week, the United States Preventive Services Task Force issued new
guidelines recommending that women in their 40s no longer have annual
mammograms and that women ages 50 to 74 have them only every other year, instead of annually. The recommendations were highly controversial, and by week’s end most health insurers and the federal Medicare program said they would ignore the panel’s recommendation and continue covering annual mammograms. This is as it should be: the federal government collects information and makes recommendations, and Americans are then free to consult their health care providers, ignoring the government if they so choose. The problem is that Obamacare would forever change this...
relationship...
Critics See Health Care Rationing Behind New Mammography ... - Fox News
"Is this just a way to start cutting costs for government-run health care?" she asked. Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said the new guidelines may discourage a ...
GOP decries 'rationing' on eve of health vote - Washington Times
Obamacare: 60 Minutes Propaganda Piece Paving the Way for Health ... - First Things
The Senate returns the week of Nov. 30Th, after Thanksgiving to hit the Health Care discussion hard. If you are concerned about Health Care Reform, this is the time to let your Senators know your feelings.
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On Tuesday, House District 33 in Cedar Rapids will host a special election for an open position ...
Linn County GOP selects Thurston for HD 33 - Iowa Independent - Lynda Waddington
The special election in Iowa House District 33 was called by Gov. Chet Culver after former Rep. Dick Taylor, a Democrat who had represented the District ...
Sec. Mauro: Reminds voters to participate in HD 33 special election on Tuesday -
IowaPolitics.com (press release)
Additional information regarding the HD 33 special election can be found by visiting the Secretary of State's website at http://www.sos.state.ia.us, .
“We don’t need to raise taxes to build a new Taj Mahal. Let the citizens
vote on a new building if they want one." - Don Karr, At-Large candidate
Restore Cedar Rapids city hall, at-large council candidates agree - The Gazette
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Cidsports: Sadly, the tight end and H-Back may have gave away the play with theNorthwestern 17, Iowa 10: The Fifth Quarter - DesMoinesRegister.com
pre-snap conversation!
The country has been hit by a “difficult economic shock” over the last year.
He said huge government spending efforts like the stimulus bill haven't helped,
and said the government was on an “unsustainable” course - Rep. John
Boehner (R-Ohio), the House minority leader
When the smoke cleared last night in the House of Representatives, the score
was Speaker Pelosi 220 and the American People 215 - The Examiner
In its preliminary score of H.R. 3962, the Congressional Budget Office noted
that, in 2019 there would be “about 18 million nonelderly residents uninsured
(nearly one third of whom would be unauthorized immigrants).” Thus, unless the
number of illegal immigrants is projected to be fewer than 6 million individuals
in 2019—nearly half the illegal immigrants currently estimated to be in the
U.S.—the CBO score presumes illegals would have health coverage, raising further
questions as to whether or not said coverage would be taxpayer-funded - The
Examiner
Per the Gazette, 23% of the public 'Don't know/no answer' who they would vote for on the November 3, 2009 Municipal Election in the City of Cedar Rapids. More on the story titled:If elected, he will ask the City Council to put City Manager Jim Prosser under a
90-day assessment “to see how he performs.” - Ron Corbett
Big disparity in mayoral campaign contributions - The Gazette
McGrane leads in council campaign contributions - The Gazette
BizPac Endorses Cedar Rapids City Council Candidates - KCRG-TV
By Rick Smith, Reporter
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"Pugh called revenue diversification “a slippery slope,” and he said property
taxes have continued to increase even with a new franchise fee on heating bills
and a new local-option sales tax. Gulick said the property-tax increase for the
most part was needed to fix the streets." - Rick Smith of The Gazette
District 1 City Council candidates talk taxes, streets - The Gazette
District 1’s Gulick faces challengers Pugh, Russell; says city can’t afford new City Hall on its own - Rick Smith, The Gazette
REPLAY LIVE COVERAGE: Cedar Rapids District 1 Candidate Forum - The Gazette
The Gazette’s Todd Dorman will provide live coverage of tonight’s Cedar Rapids City Council District 1 candidate forum. The forum, which starts at 7 p.m., is being held at Pierce Elementary School, 4343 Marilyn Dr. NE.Cedar Rapids District 1 Candidate Forum
Polling the Candidates - The Gazette
Last night, during a forum for five candidates running for two at-large seats on the Cedar Rapids City Council, the hopefuls were asked who they support in the hotly contested race for mayor.Three candidates, Chuck Swore, Donald Karr and Nick Duffy said they support Ron Corbett.Swore said he’d love to have Corbett’s top rival, council [...]
Are New Taxes and Revenues coming to Cedar Rapids? Yes, if a couple of current City Council members have their way. The two in question (Chuck Wieneke and Tom Podzimek) are not up for re-election on November 3, 2009, but do they carry the same views as the current members who are up for re-election?
The following article highlighted the following:
peace"Podzimek also asked City Manager Jim Prosser about
establishing a system of payment, in lieu of taxes, that would attempt to raise
revenue from hospitals, churches, colleges, non-profits and others "not
contributing to this system" because they are exempt from paying property
taxes.""Prosser emphasized that the meeting was intended only to offer
a forecast of budget challenges ahead. Among those: a 3 percent drop in property
value because of flood damage, an expected 6 percent increase in personnel costs
and increased contributions to employee pension plans."
"Yard signs use a lot of time and money in a campaign, that's why it's so
disappointing to see that hundreds of our signs have been stolen from yards
during the dark of night," said Corbett. "We don't know who did this, but
our message is simple: this campaign will not be slowed by those who think they
can prevent the voice of the people from being heard."
We are asking for people to keep an eye out for the signs so that we can recover
them if possible. We are hoping that a business or homeowner will find
them disposed of somewhere and if so, we may be able to salvage some of them,"
said Corbett.
"The most disappointing part of this is that for many citizens, hosting a yard
sign or putting up yard signs is one of the ways people participate in the
election process. It's too bad that vandals would want to take away this
small part of democracy," concluded Corbett.
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The City of Cedar Rapids will conduct a General Election for six seats on the City Council, including the Mayor, on November 3, 2009. A run-off election will be held, if a majority is not obtained in the General.
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No sooner had state lawmakers around the country gone home after spending
months plugging ...
“You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy
out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for, another
person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to
anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because
the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets
the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get
what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of
any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it." - Adrian
Rogers
Page 21 is a bit creepy. I'm not defending or complaining at this point. I'm
just saying why are enough people concerned that the VA book was pulled from the .gov website and we're hearing that section is being removed from HR3200? ...I finally found the book online (thanks Deb) - and I kept a copy. - A person on Facebook wrote
Your Life, Your Choices -www.docstoc.com
Your Life Your Choices Planning for Future Medical Decisions: How to Prepare a Personalized Living Will Your Life Your Choices Planning for Future Medical Decisions: How to Prepare a Personalized Living Will Authored ...
The Monday, August 24, 2009 edition of The Wall Street Journal features a story titled, Budget pain spreads to energy-rich states. For more on economic recovery policy ideas, read Institute Brief: The American Option.
In the State of Iowa, newcomer Christian Fong, the Western Iowa native, who is a businessman here in Cedar Rapids, released his first radio advertisement that was critical towards the use of bonds by the current governor. In speaking engagements, Fong often speaks about the dangers of generational debt.
“As governor I would end the use of taxpayer money to fund lobbyists and- Christian Fong
veto any budget that is not balanced.”
Fong begins statewide radio ad campaign; Dems cry ‘foul’ - The Gazette CEDAR RAPIDS – Republican gubernatorial hopeful Christian Fong is on the airwaves with a statewide radio campaign. ...
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Cedar Rapids airport commissioners go green with netbook computers - The Gazette
The Eastern Iowa Airport is using technology to replace reams of paper, the latest in a series of green moves. ...
Sorry, but how are accrued property tax calculations considered quirky? The system hasn't changed over, forever ...
Cedar Rapids leaders: We were wrong on tax abatement period - The Gazette
We got it wrong.
That was the message out of City Hall on Thursday after city officials acknowledged that a council decision this week to recommend a partial abatement of property taxes for flood victims was premised on a faulty understanding of a quirky basic of local government — property taxes. ...
A look back at August 2006, when our first City Manager arrived in Cedar Rapids.
"I'm not coming in here to run the show. I play a role. My role isn't more
important than anyone else in this organization." - City Manager Jim Prosser
Jim Prosser's Plan for Cedar Rapids KCRG-TV9 Cedar Rapids, Iowa ... - KCRG
CEDAR RAPIDS -- Jim Prosser is now Cedar Rapids first City Manager. ...
It would be interesting to poll how people look at the City Manager's role in the City of Cedar Rapids today or even before the Flood of 2008.
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We have a little less than one month and counting to get the word out
all across this great land and into every community in the United States of
America .
If you forward this email to least 11 people
and each of
those people do the same ... you get the idea.
THE PROGRAM:
On Friday, September 11th, 2009, an American flag should be displayed
outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States . Every
individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this eighth
anniversary of one of our country's worst tragedies. We do this to honor
those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who
continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad
to preserve our cherished freedoms.
In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in
American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood
shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but
disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't
take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the
fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all
kinds.
So, here's what we need you to do .
(1) Forward this email to everyone you know (at least 11 people). Take
a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide
you.
(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans
should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a
priority on this day.
Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless America!
"The large deficit and the grim longer-term fiscal outlook also will
continue to play a big role in the debate over domestic priorities, such as
health-care overhaul." - The Wall Street Journal
Attempts are being made to stimulate demand by channeling resources into areas
that government planners consider socially beneficial. For example, a bonus is
given to individuals who trade in their “clunkers” for sub-compact fuel
efficient cars. In the end, such programs will prove futile and result in a
misallocation of resources. - Fred Buzzeo
I believe in letting the free market correct itself and letting competition
rather than the government decide "winners" and "losers." I’m doing everything I
can to prevent the Washington, D.C., mindset of government growth and spending
sprees from infecting our state. - State Sen. Luann Ridgeway (Mo.)
Stopping excessive spending not easy - Sun Tribune
The 2010 budget amounts to a 3 percent increase in spending — yet our income (tax revenue) is down 4 percent. Your federal tax dollars came back to us via ...
Of course, the spending spree by the Federal Government can cause difficult challanges to state and local budgets. Federal stimulus money is only short-term.
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"Although administration officials are eager to deny it, rationing health care
is central to President Barack Obama’s health plan. The Obama strategy is to
reduce health costs by rationing the services that we and future generations of
patients will receive." - Martin Feldstein
"But do Americans really want government bureaucrats
dictating access to care based on their perception of one's worth to society?
This question goes to the heart of the problem with rationing: A stranger far
from the scene decides who gets care and who doesn't. The person making these
decisions knows neither the patient nor the health care provider, yet he or she
is charged with the responsibility of allocating scarce resources among a
demanding population rather than providing the best possible care." - Ken
Connor
A Washington Times editorial on Aug. 18 criticized the claim that private
insurers “ration” care: “There
is no more rationing by private insurance companies than there is rationing at
the grocery store. In a private system, consumers can buy more
expensive health insurance plans if they want better benefits. Similarly, in a
grocery store, if you want more food, you pay more money. There is no rationing
in either case.”
About 60,000 senior citizens have quit AARP since July 1 due to the group's
support for a health care overhaul - AARP spokesperson
