There are reasons I like Richard Stan for Ward 6 Council Representative

Ed Lyons has been useless in helping me do my job of making sure the public understands the decisions Council makes on behalf of the City.  I just came upon this article by Richard Stan that makes me believe things could be much better next year.
 

From the desk of Richard Stan:

Rebuttal to Ed Lyon’s Speech to the League of Women Voters on Thursday, Oct 1.

My honorable opponent, Ed Lyons, spoke to the effect that all is going well in Huber Heights, and Council is doing a great job. Here is my perspective:

Point 1. Mr. Lyons offered up as proof that the Huber Heights Director of Finance received the Auditor of State Award from the Ohio Auditor’s office for the second consecutive year. This award is given based upon excellent compliance with the filing of timely financial reports with the State of Ohio Auditor’s office and that required statutory and financial reporting was in compliance with GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). I join with the current members of City Council in congratulating Mr. Bell for his meritorious hard work. That being said, the Auditor of State Award is NOT a certification that all of the business and spending decisions made by the City, which generated all of Mr. Bell’s debit and credit accounting entries, were good. It is NOT a certification that the City had made wise spending decisions; it is not a certification that the City has done a great job on competitively bidding contracts for assets acquired or services paid for; it is NOT a certification that the City has always done their homework before engaging in multimillion dollar projects, and it is NOT a certification that the monies spent on tax breaks, business incentives and business development initiatives have created a definable, positive economic benefit for the taxpayer.

Point Two. Mr. Lyons spoke to the fact that Council was doing a great job on development and growing the City. If the City were truly growing, the tax base would be expanding. If the tax base was expanding, more revenues would be flowing into the City’s coffers, such that tax increases would not be needed. We know that the City has within the recent past received an increase in the City income tax and also received a levy increase for police/fire/EMS services. A reasonable person has to ask “so why is more money needed and where is it going?” I filed a Public Information Request about 1-1/2 years ago asking for a comparison of all tax breaks, business incentives and business investments made on one side of a piece of paper and on the other side of the piece of paper a listing of the positive revenue inflows resulting from the tax breaks, business incentives and business investments made. The answer I received – we don’t have that information. A reasonable person has to ask “who is making sure that my tax dollars are being spent wisely and not being wasted?”

Point Three. There was an inference by Mr. Lyons that the candidates challenging the Council incumbents, including myself, are just making things up. I and many of my neighbors have been attending Council meetings for years. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that most of what we tried to discuss and bring to light was either ignored or written off as mindless grumbling. Additionally, why is it that Council votes almost unanimously to approve every request for spending brought before Council? Why are so many “emergency” spending requests placed before Council on a routine basis, when Team Huber has verified that every other city in the region tries to avoid using “emergency” spending requisitions as much as possible? A reasonable person has to ask what is Council’s agenda?

I trust that the residents of Huber Heights will ask more questions before the Nov. 3 election, and I trust that the residents of Huber Heights are up to the task of making an informed decision.

To see the article as presented on Facebook click here





Here are some other recent articles that I'm hoping prompts you to support my efforts in Council by voting for the challengers in this election:

DDN article concerning staff at General Council Meetings

Recent videos from Local 2926 interviews

Ed Lyons - Thank you council for a billion dollars!

Election message for the residents of Huber Heights

There are reasons I like Richard Stan for Ward 6 Council Representative

Letter to Ward 6 residents
 

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