If a picture resembles a 1,000 words then the cover photo in this morning's Hernando Times says it all about the last several months of contention over the 2008 Hernando County budget. This photo screams Hernando County Republican Executive Committee, with Ms. Ana Trinque sitting in the center, with Linda Hayward giving the rallying cry from the podium to hold up signs showing the salaries of some county workers at the final county budget hearing Thursday night. One would have to look really close to see that Ms. Trinque was not actually holding the sign depicting the salary of county employee, Garry Allen.
After listening to the budget hearings in my office on Channel 19 yesterday, it was apparent after several minutes most of the outcry for tax cuts, over and above those being suggested, were an orchestrated effort by the group from Government Gone Wild and Lower Hernando Taxes, with the assistance of the chairwoman of the Republican Executive Committee. The audience was well schooled in their dialog which had been promoted by Linda Hayward, Blaise Ingoglia, and Ana Trinque concerning employee salaries and their misguided interpretation of the county budget. Talking points to use several key words and catchy phrases were used throughout this budget hearing by Hayward, Ingoglia, Trinque, and others. The most notable phrases in the budget hearing were "smoke and mirrors" and "shell game".
Some key words could also be used to describe this trio of Hayway, Ingoglia and Trinque. One that comes to mind is H.I.T. squad instead of their chosen names of Government Gone Wild, Lower Hernando Taxes and the HCREC. Another word to describe the comments made at the podium Thursday night by Ms. Trinque, HCREC chairwoman would be "shrill". Her "in your face" presentation was an embarrassment to the majority of republicans in this community that do not agree with her nasty approach to our county government. Maybe it is time that someone put their name on the ballot to run against Ms. Ana Trinque for the chair position of the Hernando County Republican Executive Committee in 2008.
Ms Hayward seemed more impressed by her notoriety at Thursday's meeting than making any real difference in our community. Would someone please tell Ms. Hayward to deposit those petitions into a circular receptacle since they aren't worth the paper and effort she used to collect them. Frankly, the public is growing weary of Ms. Hayward using these worn out petitions as a prop for her dog and pony show. Maybe her cause would be believable if she spent more time researching viable data than promoting herself as the poster child for tax reform.
Obviously, the leader of Government Gone Wild, Blaise Ingoglia has not done his homework again. Mr. Ingoglia chose to cherry pick figures out the 2008 budget to wrap his seminars around but he forgot one thing. His omission of valuable information to properly portray the county budget was the underlying premise of his entire seminar. Somehow obvious omission of facts only equates to telling a lie in many individuals' opinion. The proof is in the pudding, so to speak, with the obvious lack of knowledge Mr. Ingoglia actually possesses about our county government, in general. Maybe this is the reason why he didn't field any questions at the end of his seminars. Mr. Ingoglia's quote in this morning's paper only proves how ill-informed the leader of the Government Gone Wild series is when he stated, "If you never ever cut taxes before and you cut a dollar, you have the greatest tax cut in history". Too bad he didn't look at the trend of the county commissions, past and present, to lower Ad Valorem values based over a ten years period before he uttered this ridiculous opinion.
The Hernando County Commissioners reduced our Ad Valorem rate by a record 1.4675 mill on Thursday night, and I dare say, much to the satisfaction of the majority of Hernando County residents. The commissioners even included the approval of the additional Homestead Exemption of low income seniors in our community. Hopefully, we can look forward to more reform of the county and state budgets in the upcoming years.
8 comments:
First how would you know what most Republicans think about Chairman Trinque? When was the last time you attended a meeting of the HCREC? Your post here is less than positive and is nothing more than a hit piece on people fighting for the taxpayers of this county. Less taxes, smaller government and more freedoms are the backbone issues of the republican party. Are you against those principles? Aren't you for axing the taxes and cutting the fat????
P.S -I say two more years for Chairman Trinque in 2008.
The inner core of the HCREC has completely lost sight of the focus of mainstream republicans out here in the real world. Less taxes, smaller government & more freedoms?? Who are you kidding? With a "Republican" President that has only used his veto pen once & it sure didn't reduce the size of our government, who are you trying to kid? The "ax the tax/cut the fat" mentality could be described as a disastrous course of action, or better know as a "lemming" following blindly behind the ineffective leader of the HCREC. What I am for is responsible government, run efficiently, in a cost effective manner which is beneficial to everyone in our community.
AS usual you don't answer the questions posed to you. You don't know what republicans think because you don't even accept our basic principles. I hope you thank these three people for the cuts we did get that weren't mandated by the state.
Frankly, the H.I.T. Squad doesn't listen any better than you do when it comes to facts. Nothing would have satisfied your group on Thursday night except a letter of resignation from all five of the county commissioners...
Dear anonymous: 2 more years of Trinque will dessimate what's left of the Republican Party which isn't much. And most Republicans are NOT in the HCREC. She has alienated so many around her. I am no fan of alc but she has this one head on.
Dang I have to agree with you alc. Trinque's wild-eyed diatribe at the BOCC meeting, which I observed carefully, reminded me of the tirade that Howard Deen ripped out during the last presidential election. Most likely the HCREC seeks most to keep their good old boy/girl network tightly entrenched. It's time to get rid of them all.
Dear last anon Howard Dean is a liberal democrat who pushes a socialist agenda. Considering how you and alc have nothing to do with the REC or support republican ideals why would the REC care what you think.
Last anon: I believe the comment above yours, in reference to the comparison using Howard Dean was meant to emphasize poor, public behavior. Your last sentence "why would the REC care what you think" really says it all. This really highlights the arrogance by a handful of REC members who are under the illusion that they speak for all republicans in this county...
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