Finance Committee Chairman Scott Gray says: I Really Suck as a Leader

At least that's what I got from Scott Gray's letter in the Watertown Daily Times on Tuesday.  Let's dissect the letter, shall we: 

I will share a couple of observations regarding the trend in revenue to the county from the period of 1999 to 2009 where the majority of the board has served 60 percent to 80 percent of that time frame.

60 percent to 80 percent of the board has served during this 10 year period?  Holy crap that's a huge variance (I'm trying to help the Chairman with some of the bigger terms here).  Does Gray aggressively estimate sales tax revenue, departmental budgets or the JCC Capital plan with a range of 20 percentage points?  Boy, we're more screwed than I thought we were.

And during how many of these years was Scott Gray the Finance Committee Chairman? 50 percent to 70 percent of the time is my guess.  But Scott's laying the ground work to further blame the 60 percent to 80 percent of the board that's still there. 

You can skip Scott's next three paragraphs listed below and find something important to do with the 25 seconds you save by not reading his "look how smart I am" section.

The property tax levy in 1999 was $26,917,921 and currently the levy is $44,340,006, which is a growth rate of 5.12 percent compounded annually. The rate of growth easily outpaces a reasonable growth rate around the Consumer Price Index, which if you use 3 percent then the levy would currently be $36,175,435.

The sales tax revenue during the same period was $12,766,798 in 1999 compared to roughly $30 million today, which is a growth rate of 8.92 percent compounded annually compared to again a reasonable index of 3 percent that would put the sales tax revenue at $17,157,509.

Combined, the revenue has grown at a rate of 6.48 percent compounded annually, which is double the rate of inflation.

Man, county staff must have been working overtime to get these numbers for our fearless leader.  Back to the letter:

If the administration presents a sound fiscal budget that controls spending, then I commend them for exercising fiscal constraint and our constituents have been better served as a result of this debate. If not, and they present a budget that provides for a substantial levy increase that results in a property tax rate increase, well, then the issue speaks for itself.

I am comfortable in the position that I continue to advocate for and with the resulting transparency in the process.

Scott A. Gray is a Jefferson County legislator.

This is the "I have no power over the county administration" disclaimer.  Now that Scott has written this doctrine, he is absolved of all guilt and blame.  Any increase in spending, budgets or taxes is no longer the fault of the Finance Committee Chairman.  All blame lays on the county administrator and the rest of the county legislators.  He seems to forget he gets to vote on this stuff. 

I still can not believe how much JB Johnson (Watertown Daily Times owner) and his rag shill for this guy. 

Comments

[JeffGOP]

You are a complete whack job.

The legislators serve two year terms, most have served either 6 or 8 years therefore they have served 60-80% of the time frame used in the example.

Need someone speak S L O W E R to those who are reading impaired.

[w]

Who are you anonymously shilling for?

[Brinker]

JeffGOP,

This is the issue you have with my post -the 60 percent to 80 percent part? You don't take issue with me calling your guy a non-leader looking for someone to blame?

Another point I forgot to mention yesterday. The letter ends by stating Scott Gray is a County Legislator. No mention of his chairmanship. It's like he's running away from his title now and not just his responsibilities.

JeffGOP, if you feel you have something to say, email me anything you want me to post and I will glady put it up on my blog. No swear words, please.

[Brinker]

w,

I'm shilling for everyone that hasn't been able to stand up to Political IV and the Watertown Daily Times. These two platforms have been used for purely political purposes for far too long and no one has been able to hold them accountable.

I hope I can help change that.

[Jerry Mand]

Speaking of percentages, here's a 100% guarantee: JeffGOP will not take up the challenge.