Where's the garbage man?

This morning I checked my e-mail and received an invitation from the Gilbert Tea Party to stand in opposition to a tax increase for the Town of Gilbert, Arizona. The sender of the e-mail indicated that the "opposition" would be there with full force (meaning the Gilbert employees) and urged that we come (and support our side) to prevent a sales tax increase or use tax from being passed by City Council to offset it's current budget deficit.

I was at the December 7, 2009 last week and arrived almost an hour before the meeting started. It was my first experience at a city counsel meeting although I had read minutes from other municipalities. It was rainy and cold that day as I walked into 50 Civic Center. I didn't realize the meeting was upstairs and was surprised to not see anyone else as the e-mail I received indicated that they wanted us there by 4pm. I sat in the waiting area and watched people pay their utility bills and perused the counters noticing the job postings still open for new city employees. After about 20 minutes, it occurred to me I might be in the wrong place as I saw a couple of people walk up the stairs to the 2ND floor where I guessed the meeting was probably going to be held. I confirmed this with one of the desk clerks and proceeded upstairs. As I walked into the meeting room, I noticed 6 tables forming an enclosed square and two groups of 12-18 chairs in 3 separate area in the room.

There was only one other person in the room when I arrived and I gravitated toward her. We said "hello" and I chose a chair and sat directly in front of her. I had brought my new video recorder and note book, as I am now chronicling my adventures as a new PC. I glanced around the room and noticed copies of the Steering Committees agenda and minutes from the last meeting in front of each place setting. The woman behind me, was busy with her highlighter and many copies of the agenda and preliminary budget proposals. I guessed she was a lawyer or lobbyist or someone important because she barely spoke to me. She finally acknowledged me when I took one of the committee members packets and began to review it. She indicated there were extra copies by the door if I wanted one but I might not want to read it once I saw what it contained. I put the packet back on its place setting and walked up to the front and captured my own copy and came back to my seat. I sat back down and began to desipher the anachronisms and various terms I have never heard before.

I examined and studied the input from the various committees which had been formed to get a broader view and perspective from different points of view. There were all kinds of proposals such as adding a use fee to the dog park, cutting the budget for fire and police uniforms, transferring land for a new fire station, a .25 increase in sales tax, a 5% pay cut for employees, a new use tax, out of city rental tax for investors of multiple rental income properties located in Gilbert, and an annual fire safety inspection fee for all businesses with store fronts.

As the meeting time grew near, council and committee members filtered in, town employees arrived as well as the republican representatives for LD22 of which I am now affiliated as a Precinct Committeeman for the Calistoga Precinct. As the republicans arrived I began to recognize some familiar faces with whom I have recently become acquainted during my participation in the Republican Precinct Committee Meetings.

I noticed several people standing near the entrance to the room, signing in and filling out their names on some small slips of paper. I stood from my chair (where I was spying on the lady behind me, trying to figure out who she was and what she was doing) and walked over to the group completing the forms. I asked the precinct secretary what the forms were and he explained that they were requests to speak for 2 minutes during the meeting. I told him, I had no idea what I would say and he said I could fill one out and then "defer" the time to him. I agreed and filled in my name.

He sat down in a chair in the front row in a group of chairs opposite to where I had been sitting. In the meantime, the "other side" was filling in and others were arriving with banners and posters. "No new taxes" read one. A graph showing the Gilbert employee salaries compared to other municipalities and private industry was clenched by another. The tea party people seemed to all make there way to the third grouping of chairs while others just hung out on the fringes.

It occurred to me, that we were all on "sides". Once side was the "bad selfish City employees, another were the staunch suited republicans while the tea party people sat together waiting to read their carefully edited dialogues. Once the big square tables were filled with all the decision makers, the chair person began the meeting. I found myself missing the Serenity Prayer. Where was God being put in all of this?

I sat fascinated as I watched the dynamics of the meeting with the garbage collector and city clerk waiting patiently for their time to speak. Eyes rolled on all sides as the meeting progressed and items from the various committees were reviewed, motions made, seconded and approved for further review and ultimate approval or disapproval in the upcoming meetings.

I felt bad for the City employees as I saw a Garbage collector still in uniform and a city clerk "texting" her children what to make for dinner. The chief of police sat near the tea party mom with the "no new tax" banner who waited almost 3 hours to read her sentiments on Gilbert citizens being penalized by no fault of their own. I felt bad for these people as I realized that someone was going to be the fall guy and it was all political. Who took the fall was going to be the ones making the least amount of noise and the voices in the middle control who gets to speak. Isn't this what is happening in Washington also?

When the topic of sales tax increases was given the floor for citizen voice, my name was called. To the surprise of my party affiliates, I spoke in opposition to both a tax increase and salary cut for Gilbert employees.
I shared about my experience as a small business owner whose income is solely derived from commission. If I am not making money, I invent a creative service based on the shifting demands in the marketplace. When I filed bankruptcy almost 10 years ago, no one bailed me. I had to change the way I was running my business and life. We are conditioned to respond to incentives, its just the way it works. What we place as our priorities and how we view ourselves in the context of the world dictates our behavior. Our behavior always is reinforced by our view and visa-versa. We must change our point of view to make lasting changes. Sometimes behavior modification is what it takes to get the ball rolling which is why changing some aspects of our system may be critical. I do know that when their is competition without cooperation there is oppression. When there is oppression, there is sabotage. If the Gilbert employees view themselves as oppressed and the Gilbert businesses feel overly burdened, we may find ourselves in further decline. We need to mix it up and think outside of the box of square tables and not sway from some spiritual benchmarks like humility instead of pride.

Instead, if we are to find a solution to the core issues surrounding the crisis we now find our selves in, we must examine our hearts and priorities and get back to a spirit of fellowship and being a good steward with each other and our resources. If we don't we are bound to repeat the same pattern of self defeating behavior that has us in a state of insanity where we keep doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.

After, I sent my reply back to the sender, I prayed to God for a scripture to associate with this issue and this is the one I was given;

Romans 12

I URGE you brother by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
3 For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself that he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
4 For just as we have many members in one body and all members do not have the same function,
5 so we, who are many, are the one body of Christ, and individually members one of another
6 And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly: if prophesy, according to the proportion of his faith;
7 if service, in his serving; or if he teaches, in his teaching;
8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality's; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord
12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer
13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you, bless and curse not.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY, SAYS THE LORD
19
20 "BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK ; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS UPON HIS HEAD."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Here is the e-mail I replied to today;

---- Denna Ray <http://us.mc656.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=denna_10@cox.net> wrote: > > > Dear Friends,> > > > Your attendance at the Gilbert Town Council meeting on Tuesday is vitally> important. Please speak out! > > > >

TUESDAY, 12/15, 7 PM> > 50 E. CIVIC CENTER DR.> > GILBERT, AZ >

> > > The opposition has promised that they will be at this meeting "en masse," to> fight salary and benefits cuts. > > > > We MUST be there en masse to state ONE THING to the Council: NO MORE TAXES> OF ANY KIND. > > > > Gilbert residents and business people who wish to speak should complete the> Citizen Communication form at the entrance to the auditorium asking to speak> regarding The Budget. > > > > Speak to the issue of "Please do not pass any kind of tax increase. "> Provide a brief (1-2 minutes) true, personal story, such as: 1) I've taken> a 50% salary cut, 2) a friend of mine declared bankruptcy, 3) my neighbor> lost his job and had to move to Apache Junction, 4) I just got a pink slip> today, 5) My business this year is 75% less than it was a year ago. 6) My> business costs have risen 30%, but I can't pass this off to my customers> because of the economy right now. 7) My neighbor with 2 toddlers couldn't> find work as an electrician, so he joined the Army and is a combat medic in> Afghanistan. This is the HARSH REALITY of the private sector that we live> in. All of the above stories are TRUE. > > > > Emphasize that we are ALL in a recession, not just the Town of Gilbert. We> as families cannot spend more than we take in. Our businesses cannot do> that either. The Town isn't any different. Gilbert is a great place to> live because it is a place with lots of good, law-abiding families. We> define our quality of life for ourselves. Having a JOB is more important> than recreation programs, special events, and building more parks and> projects that must be maintained. We have hundreds of HOA's that have> beautiful green areas. The homeowners pay for those willingly. The Town> needs to get its finances in order! > > > > If you are a Gilbert resident who does NOT wish to speak, please complete> the Citizen Communication form at the entrance to the auditorium and note:> "I do not wish to speak, but I want you to know that I am opposed to any> taxes of any kind." > > > > PLEASE BE AT THIS VERY IMPORTANT MEETING. STAND FIRM AGAINST THE SLOW> EROSION OF OUR INCOME. LET'S ALL STAND TOGETHER IN DEFENSE OF OUR LIBERTY.> > > > > Anita Christy> > > > > > >

My reply;

Anita,I was at the last meeting and did speak. I am in agreement that I do not want an additional sales tax or use rate increase in Gilbert. I'm not sure I agree with the salary cuts either. Why don't we come up with a third alternative rather than an immediate cut to their salaries? The truth is that unless we incentive the market place both in government and private industries such as health care, there will be no change. I think that the employees who do not want cuts to their salaries should not be viewed as opposition but rather additional recipients of the consequences of waste and corruption in the current challenging economic times. The real "opposition" are the greedy criminal corrupt bankers currently in control of our country who have systematically eroded our liberty by strategically placing powers in control of legislation and "rules". The words capitalism and free market are no long synonymous. Why don't we use Gilbert as an example to think outside of the box and utilize these employees as resources to find the savings in their own departments and invent incentives in the process? A "pay cut" will only breed hostility and resentment and additional waste because of it? A furlough our other cut would only be a temporary solution anyway. It does nothing to solve the long term issue; tax payer’s lack of accountability for their own government. We should challenge government employees to find savings and waste within their own departments.

As citizens who patronize Gilbert businesses we should broaden the tax base not by raising the tax rate but by increasing the volume of sales revenue for our small businesses through creative means. I am excited to see your response to my input.

Kara Holt

480-299-7236

UPDATE:

In the midst of writing this blog post, I had to run an errand. I took my son's old school books back to the public district school he was attending in our neighborhood, prior to my election to home school. As I pulled out of the school parking lot and on my way home, I spotted a For Sale sign which caught my eye and I decided to stop. In a synchronised circumstance, a City of Gilbert garbage collector happened to cross my path at the same time. I felt prompted to stop (in the middle of the street) and went up to his truck. As I peered up toward his garbage collector window, he proceeded to roll down the window and smiled at me with anticipation. I explained that I was against the 5% salary cut being proposed for his salary and gave him a homework assignment. I asked that when he went home tonight that he make a list and check it twice. From his vantage point, what is the waste he sees in the government bureaucracy in his department and how could it be eliminated? What ideas does he have on how to save or make the City money? I asked that he bring the list to the meeting tomorrow night. He smiled and thanked me and said he would. His name is Robert and I hope I will see him there tomorrow evening. I will keep you posted.

PS How ironic that a garbage collector could be the best one to ask how to eliminate waste!