August 6, 2008
JOIN A GROUP THAT HAS THE TAXPAYERS' INTEREST AS ITS CENTRAL CONCERN
MEMPHISSHELBYREFORM
I have been involved in open records requests and investigation of governmental activities and financial affairs for almost four years. These activities, lawsuits and internet postings have been a solo activity and I think have had some positive effects on local government.
However the time has come to expand the operation and to enlist the support of the most important and underserved group in this City, County, State and Country, the taxpayers.
The Democrat and Republican parties are primarily interested in political power to advance their political and economic agendas which are not always in the best interests of the taxpayers. For instance, they cater to the public employee and teachers unions because they are a large voting block with an agenda that many politicians are afraid to oppose although that agenda is not always in the best interest of the taxpayer who pays all the bills.
Therefor it is obvious to me that the taxpayers need an organization around which they can rally and make their thoughts known and make the politicians listen and act on those thoughts. I envision and plan to organize a group that will work for the following initial objectives.
• A government that is transparent, open and accessible and that posts all financial and personnel information on the internet (e.g. all RFPs and bid results with winners and losers of the bids shown and explanation of why the winner was chosen, all personnel information with job descriptions, job qualifications, salaries, benefits, perks, promotions, all financial information with budgets and budget changes, all contracts before and after signing and all other relevant information that affects government efficiency).
• A government whose employees are paid at the same level of salaries and benefits as private for profit employees for similar job skills. (e.g. very few private for profit employees receive a defined benefit pension plan (they normally have a 401K) and very few get a generous health insurance plan after retirement paid mostly by their former employers.
• A City and County charter that allows citizen initiated petitions to change the laws under which they are governed and taxed. That petition right should include a level of signatures that is no higher than that required in the Tennessee Constitution for a Charter Commission, Article 11, Section 9) which is 10% of those voting in the most recent general municipal election. In 1997 the Tennessee Legislature changed this requirement for home rule cities and counties from 10% as above to 15% of registered voters thus raising the bar because they do not want the taxpayers to have a voice in their government.
• An open records law that requires the requested information to be supplied in electronic format (normally a spreadsheet or a word document). I have found over the last four years that the requested information normally starts out as a spreadsheet and then they give me printed copies of the spreadsheet and charge for these copies. This prevents me from having the electronic spreadsheet which makes it much easier to analyse the data. (a great example of this is my recent request to the Memphis School System for all salary and benefit information on the 16,500 MCS system employees. They let me look at over 1100 pages of the information which obviously came from a spreadsheet. I asked for the electronic information and they have not responded yet to my multiple requests.
• Under the current open records laws the person requesting the information is not entitled to ask for a particular electronic format even if it is obvious that it is available in that format and even if it would be cheaper than making paper copies. The only conclusion is that they do not want to make it easy for the taxpayers to know what is going on. A great example of this is the recent effort by Representative Brian Kelsey and Senator Paul Stanley that the election commissions in counties, with larger populations (e.g. Shelby, Knox, Hamilton and Davidson), be required to furnish their political contribution and expenditure reports in the same electronic format that state candidates adhere to. Actually it is easier to do so when compared to the current system of paper records. Moreover it certainly makes it easier to find out who contributes to whom and how the money is spent. Sound like a good idea? Of course it is except for one thing. THE LOCAL POLS DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW WHO IS CONTRIBUTING TO WHOM AND HOW MUCH. Therefore, despite good faith efforts to get it passed, HB2929 died.
Therefore I have started an effort around the formation of MEMPHISSHELBYREFORM. I plan to get 50 initial founders at $500 each (I already have commitments from 18 taxpayers). I am applying for the formation of a 501c3 non profit organization and will then use the initial capital to solicit 500 members at $50 each and then 5000 members at $20 each. The money will be used for educational and research efforts to point out to the public and the media inefficient and questionable government practices. The exposure of this information and the amount of backing from thousands of members will cause our elected officials to legislate the reforms necessary to bring efficient government and lower taxes to the people who pay for everything, the taxpayers. I ask for your help in this effort.
I have attached an article that appeared yesterday in the Memphis Daily News concerning the formation of this new organization.
Click here to read the Memphis Daily News article about the formation of MEMPHISSHELBYREFORM
JOIN A GROUP THAT HAS THE TAXPAYERS' INTEREST AS ITS CENTRAL CONCERN
MEMPHISSHELBYREFORM
I have been involved in open records requests and investigation of governmental activities and financial affairs for almost four years. These activities, lawsuits and internet postings have been a solo activity and I think have had some positive effects on local government.
However the time has come to expand the operation and to enlist the support of the most important and underserved group in this City, County, State and Country, the taxpayers.
The Democrat and Republican parties are primarily interested in political power to advance their political and economic agendas which are not always in the best interests of the taxpayers. For instance, they cater to the public employee and teachers unions because they are a large voting block with an agenda that many politicians are afraid to oppose although that agenda is not always in the best interest of the taxpayer who pays all the bills.
Therefor it is obvious to me that the taxpayers need an organization around which they can rally and make their thoughts known and make the politicians listen and act on those thoughts. I envision and plan to organize a group that will work for the following initial objectives.
• A government that is transparent, open and accessible and that posts all financial and personnel information on the internet (e.g. all RFPs and bid results with winners and losers of the bids shown and explanation of why the winner was chosen, all personnel information with job descriptions, job qualifications, salaries, benefits, perks, promotions, all financial information with budgets and budget changes, all contracts before and after signing and all other relevant information that affects government efficiency).
• A government whose employees are paid at the same level of salaries and benefits as private for profit employees for similar job skills. (e.g. very few private for profit employees receive a defined benefit pension plan (they normally have a 401K) and very few get a generous health insurance plan after retirement paid mostly by their former employers.
• A City and County charter that allows citizen initiated petitions to change the laws under which they are governed and taxed. That petition right should include a level of signatures that is no higher than that required in the Tennessee Constitution for a Charter Commission, Article 11, Section 9) which is 10% of those voting in the most recent general municipal election. In 1997 the Tennessee Legislature changed this requirement for home rule cities and counties from 10% as above to 15% of registered voters thus raising the bar because they do not want the taxpayers to have a voice in their government.
• An open records law that requires the requested information to be supplied in electronic format (normally a spreadsheet or a word document). I have found over the last four years that the requested information normally starts out as a spreadsheet and then they give me printed copies of the spreadsheet and charge for these copies. This prevents me from having the electronic spreadsheet which makes it much easier to analyse the data. (a great example of this is my recent request to the Memphis School System for all salary and benefit information on the 16,500 MCS system employees. They let me look at over 1100 pages of the information which obviously came from a spreadsheet. I asked for the electronic information and they have not responded yet to my multiple requests.
• Under the current open records laws the person requesting the information is not entitled to ask for a particular electronic format even if it is obvious that it is available in that format and even if it would be cheaper than making paper copies. The only conclusion is that they do not want to make it easy for the taxpayers to know what is going on. A great example of this is the recent effort by Representative Brian Kelsey and Senator Paul Stanley that the election commissions in counties, with larger populations (e.g. Shelby, Knox, Hamilton and Davidson), be required to furnish their political contribution and expenditure reports in the same electronic format that state candidates adhere to. Actually it is easier to do so when compared to the current system of paper records. Moreover it certainly makes it easier to find out who contributes to whom and how the money is spent. Sound like a good idea? Of course it is except for one thing. THE LOCAL POLS DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW WHO IS CONTRIBUTING TO WHOM AND HOW MUCH. Therefore, despite good faith efforts to get it passed, HB2929 died.
Therefore I have started an effort around the formation of MEMPHISSHELBYREFORM. I plan to get 50 initial founders at $500 each (I already have commitments from 18 taxpayers). I am applying for the formation of a 501c3 non profit organization and will then use the initial capital to solicit 500 members at $50 each and then 5000 members at $20 each. The money will be used for educational and research efforts to point out to the public and the media inefficient and questionable government practices. The exposure of this information and the amount of backing from thousands of members will cause our elected officials to legislate the reforms necessary to bring efficient government and lower taxes to the people who pay for everything, the taxpayers. I ask for your help in this effort.
I have attached an article that appeared yesterday in the Memphis Daily News concerning the formation of this new organization.
Click here to read the Memphis Daily News article about the formation of MEMPHISSHELBYREFORM
posted by watchdog at
8:36 PM
1 Comments:
I would love to help. What can I do?
By
mel525, at 7:18 AM
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