Go to the Mayor's Ball, get a TV!

With all the things missed in this budget it should be
called a "fudget" And your taxes are still going up.

Mayor Daniel T. Drew is reminding all members of the community that the seventh annual Mayoral Benefit Gala, to benefit Amazing Grace Food Pantry and Middletown High Goes to the Symphony will be held on Saturday, June 2, 20l2 at 7:00 pm. at the Middletown Elks Lodge. 


In Dan Drew's own words: "Above all, I want to make Middletown’s government honest. For years, the city has suffered through decisions made in the best interests of municipal contractors and private developers who have political or familial connections. In the meantime, the middle-class working men and women of Middletown have seen their taxes rise, their property values fall, and they are receiving fewer services for their money. In March of 2010, the incumbent Republican mayor used the Kleen Energy plant disaster as an excuse to purchase (with tax funds) a 42-inch LCD television for his personal office and have it mounted to the wall – presumably to monitor news and weather following the disaster. Another television was purchased for the lounge area outside the mayor’s office. Upon taking office in November, I will immediately end these types of practices and I’ll auction both televisions for charity at the 2012 Mayor’s Ball."  source here: https://secure.democracyforamerica.com/campaigns/4164-drew-2011

FACT: 1. The televisions were purchased with grant money from Homeland Security and cost the tax payer's of Middletown  "0". 


FACT 2. The Democratic Council voted down each of the Republican Mayor's budgets that would have either kept taxes the same or reduced them. This year, Mayor Drew drafted a budget giving himself a increase in allocation for a cell phone, ipad, and grant writer position for the Mayor's office. Drew has also raised taxes, yet managed to cut from the budget funds providing bus transportation for school age children to Park & Rec run summer day camps. In fact Park & Rec does enough funds to keep all of its parks operational this summer, yet, Councilmember Todd Berch & Drew lobbyist buddy is gunning for a public dog park.


FACT 3.  If Drew wants to talk about rising taxes and cuts in service he should look no further than his own budget.  Money for the arts & summer concert series and costs associated with the show mobile were also cut from the budget. To be reinstated, the money must come from the general fund, which the Common Council votes on in June.


FACT 4.  This spring Middletown High Band students, the Band Booster Club, and parent's of students fund-raised all the money it took to send over 200 band students to Disney World; over $1,000 per student. No money came from taxpayers. And the students did a fantastic job winning big in the Magic Kingdom. Drew stuck taxpayers with a $5,000 bill for a secret trip to China and public has yet to see any report of this trip or benefits to citizen's and job growth. Great example our leader has provided.


FACT 5: Honest government. Drew blew $2,500 on an architect to draw up plans of a City Hall addition to house a proposed Senior Center after the project was already being developed by architects that won the public bid to design a renovation of Eckersley Hall to house the project. These plans never saw the light of day. Drew then tried to damage control and claim he supported Eckersley Hall project from the get-go. Dishonest?


It it seems the budget is a little "fudged" and not completely thought out, but what can we say Drew is a busy guy out shaking all those hands & getting his picture taken. Later in his self-written article, Drew asks voters to "hold me accountable,"ok so we are! Where is the missing $1. million from the BOE? Will the tv still be auctioned despite it not being an expense born by taxpayers? Will this campaign promise regarding the tv's be retracted? What else is this fudget under funding?