A Pen in The Woods

“Your dad and I are exactly the opposite.  He’s a government bureaucrat, and I am a capitalist.  We get paid, and our success is measured in opposite behaviors.  

He gets paid to spend money and hire people.  The more he spends and the more people he hires, the larger his organization becomes.  In the government, the larger his organization, the more he is respected.  

On the other hand, within my organization, the fewer people I hire and the less money I spend, the more I am respected by my investors. That’s why I don’t like government people.  They have different objectives from most business people.  As the government grows, more and more tax dollars will be needed to support it.”

From Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki.  Warner Books, 1997, p. 96.  ISBN:  0-446-67745-0

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Government Bureaucrats…

One stated at 11/17/08 meeting that they would feel “uncomfortable” facing non-union TT employees if there were no pay raise for 2009.   

One agreed on 11/17/08  to 9 recommendations to reduce the budget for 2009, only if  a reverse -911 system and 2 extra police officers were worked into the budget.  This occurred after the Superintendent of Police, had stated he could do without them.  (This Supervisor later found funding for the reverse-911 system within the County – a program we in Tredyffrin would have paid twice for.)  

One said the recommendations were “draconian” at the 11/17/08 meeting, and for referred to items like music in the park as “quality of life issues.”  The quality of life issues that TT manages are:  police, fire, and roads.  

The last Supervisor lamented at the 12/1/08 meeting a non-union employee salary freeze for 2009.  With the way he carried on, one would think the BoS’s had decided to terminate all 50 of them.  (That would be draconian!)  It is only a one-year salary freeze , and in a recession a salary freeze equals a raise, because costs of goods will decrease  while the salary is maintained.  One of my friends was told recently she will get no salary increase for three years.  

Frustrated?  Help Us!  Stand with us at the next meeting.  

We are doing everything we can to affect a change with this BoS’s, and we need your help.  The Board of Supervisors (BoS)’s heard many people object to a tax hike at the 11/17/08 meeting, but many of them were unswayed.  Come to the meeting:  speak at the mike, bring a small or large poster, or just sit quietly.  Let’s not let them stop us from using the mike until each citizen has had an opportunity to voice their opinion.  It’s our last chance.  

TT BoS meeting is on December 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Township Building on DuPortail Rd.  Our goal:  standing-room only.  Get your friends and neighbors at the meeting.  Call them on the phone.  If you will be at the meeting, please place a comment.  

-A Pen

P.S.  If you are good with numbers, look over the TT 2009 Budget Presentation available as a PDF.  I hope at least one of these links works for you.