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uniqs
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alancats
join:2000-09-20
New York, NY

2 edits

alancats

Member

Mixed Feelings

While I applaud the citizens for, understandably, attempting to obtain superior products to those offered by their incumbent (and, unchallenged) ISP, I think that one has to question the fiscal prudence of this move. It's interesting to note that the original article from 2010, describing the decision to roll out the new network, estimated costs at $33 million. »Charter Takes Aim At Opelika, Alabama Fiber Plan

Now, the project comes in at completion at $42 million. That's a pretty significant cost overrun, and, furthermore, that is a big chunk of change even for a major (million-plus population) city to spend, much less a small town of under 50,000 residents. Do the math -- achieving return-on-investment here is impossible, given the numbers involved. The wisdom of the expenditure has to be questioned. And, frankly, if I were a town auditor, I would be looking into whether cronyism played a role in awarding the contract to the vendor(s). It looks like the vendors made out like bandits, while the town residents will be paying interest on the bonds funding the project, for decades to come.

So, while I am totally sympathetic to the residents' motives here, this doesn't appear to be a fiscally prudent move by any reasonable measure.
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

4 edits

rody_44

Premium Member

They have already done the math. Its a little fuzzy but thats ok. Well, ok its way fuzzy, but still.

Seems like the kind of math my township uses. We just put a solar panel farm up. 1.2 million dollars. Breakeven point is 12 years if nothing goes wrong. Sounds good until i find out the panels only last ten years. See fuzzy math really does work.

Or the girls softball park we put in. 2.6 million dollars for 6 fields. That was sold as its going to be good for the local motels which brings in income. Somewhere along the line they forgot we dont have any god dam motels in our township. No problem fast forward to now. All is forgotten and now its time to raise the taxes again. Thats ok we still have them ball fields that dont get used and them solar panels for the birds to sit on. Anything the government can do private industry can do better. Its just the way it has always been and the way it will continue to be. Meanwhile we just keep paying them taxes and believing what they want us to believe.

Have to love the people that say oh they dont have to use union and such and can pay 15 dollars a hour. Yea ok, when is the last time you saw any township water or sewer guy driving a truck that doesnt have about a additional 50 to 75 dollars of expenses above 15 bucks a hour. Guess what, till you put that health insurance, gas, liability insurance. Might as well be union because its costing close to 100 dollars a hour anyhow. At least with a union guy you know what your getting.

Or this guy »www.phillyburbs.com/my_t ··· mode=jqm really is my township. 95 thousand dollars to upgrade our lights. Yep paid in full. WTF, we only have about 160 street lights in the whole township.

Meanwhile here we are, Another 1.8 mill increase in our taxes this year. thats ok tho as in 2018 our special exemption we have for over taxing our earned income runs out in 2018. So our 1.8 mill increase today will only amount to 4 dollars in 2018. Dam fuzzy math really does work. Thats at least if you put blinders on to the fact they will probably raise taxes every freaking year until then.

So they sell me this 1.8 mill increase on the basis of 24-7 police coverage. We already have 15 police officers in this township but its not enough for 24-7 coverage. Ok we can merge with quakertown and go 24-7 which we totally surround. But if we do that we have to lay officers off. So lets just hire three more and raise taxes 1.8 mills to pay for it. Yep thats how its going to go.