Sunday, March 1, 2009

Opt4Better Agrees to Help Return Public Safety Funding to the Ballot in November

Bill Lynn, 5th Ward alderman, will host a short news conference Monday, March 2, at 1:15 p.m. at City Hall, 226 West 4th Street, Davenport, IA.

"The voters could have voted on shifting sales tax funds to public safety independent of the Promise entitlement program," says Bill Lynn, 5th Ward Alderman. "Mayor Gluba broke the tie vote that would have allowed refocusing sales tax funds to public safety without the unneeded, and costly, Promise program. The problem with the 10% on the referendum is that it does not guarantee one more public safety employee, nor one more dollar being spent on public safety."

"We’re surprised anyone understands the Davenport City government with the current financial manipulations and lack of transparency," say Mark Nelson, chairman of Opt4Better. "Playing on taxpayers’ real concerns for public safety and high taxes doesn’t help that understanding. Mayor Gluba clearly has no more concern for Davenport’s public safety problems and high property tax rates beyond pandering for Promise votes."

"We do understand how more funding for public safety can help Davenport grow," says Nelson. "
But, voters who are concerned about public safety shouldn’t have to pay for an entitlement program that will burden the taxpayers. If the Aldermen do not do the right thing, and return this issue to the voters when the Promise referendum fails, we agree to help petition to return the 10% reallocation of sales tax funds to the ballot in November."

"We also will help campaign in November for greater transparency in the City’s budgeting," says Nelson. "We trust the voters to understand and make decisions without the political manipulations being used to support the Promise proposal."

Opt4Better, is the nonpartisan taxpayers’ watchdog working to lower taxes and bring a more limited government to Davenport.

The Website for this campaign is nomorepromises.com.

Mark Nelson can be contacted Phone: 563-340-2597; Email at opt4better@mchsi.com