Sorry for the lack of posts as I have been working and traveling for the first half of April so I have not had any time to post.  Someone has to work to pay these high city taxes.

Openred my Manassas utility bill tonight (Sunday) where I read on the first page that I can find a copy of the proposed 2008-09 Budget for which a public hearing will be held on the following evening.  Trouble is, when you go to link provided, www.manassascity.org, there is no info nor link to this budget. 

Called two city councilors tonight, Marc Aventi and Andy Harrover.  Marc had his cell phone off so had to leave a message.  Andy took the call and even he could not find the proposed budget.  He suggested that I call the City Manager for help which I had already had.  It will be interesting to see how long it takes City Manager Larry Hughes to return the call.  

I mean, the public hearing is in 24 hours and the city council can not even make its proposed city budget available?  Yikes.  No wonder this city can not work with the money it does collect.

Perhaps this is how these councilors treat their customers in their own businesses, but it seems to me that if a government entity is going to increase its taxes on us and says that the information to justify it (the proposed budget) is available on the web, that it would be easy to find...even for a city councilor!  My expectations are too high it seems.

But then, I have already predicted that this Council was going to raise taxes.  Why would they want its citizens to actually see and read how they plan to spend the money?

That is something that should be debated by the candidates for next month's City Council election.  Oh wait.  There are no challengers for that election so all the incumbents who are raising taxes and hiding the budget don't have to campaign.  How convenient.  

The Soviet Union lives and breathes in Manassas.