When it comes to politics or statecraft, we seem to believe that anyone who can collect the necessary votes is able to rule" - Plato

We're still here covering the Real news in Daytona Beach and reporting what the News-Journal won't.

Please feel free to comment or question what areas of concern you have about Daytona Beach in our Public Forum.

In the meantime, we'll be watching!

September 26th, 2008
CRA’s Unfairly Burden Taxpayer’s
Greg Gimbert from Striving Towards A New Daytona has been busy digging into the facts behind City Redevelopment Area taxes (CRA’s)and what he’s uncovered may surprise you. 
Here’s parts of his letter recently printed in the Hometown News:
CRAs are a tactic to create a pool of tax dollars for private development incentives in areas that are labeled "blighted." This pool gets bigger when property values increase, when tax rates increase, or a double whammy, when both happen. In good times or bad, the CRAs will always get their money because it’s hidden within legitimate tax collections across most of the items in your tax bill.  This money is usually given to developers or other public private partnerships as incentives to build, failing to follow the rules and guidelines of what this extra tax is intended for  Today our taxes are higher than necessary due to the current CRA set asides and it will only get worse.  The CRA tax base growth will never go toward paying for their own services until the CRA’s are eliminated.  As a result all taxpayers will suffer another round of tax increase to pay for the additional services for the more intensely developed CRA areas.
I want to share with you in percentages, just how much of your city's general fund tax collections will be diverted into area CRAs. Inversely, if you had no CRA your city tax bill would be this much less AND the County would have plenty of money to cover the loss of beach tolls, the ocean center debt service shortfalls due to declining bed tax collections, and also have a cushion to eliminate tax increases for the years to come.  Holly Hill 36.50%, South Daytona 25.30%, Daytona Beach 16.54%, Daytona Beach Shores 9.17%, Halifax Hospital 8.38% Ormond Beach 4.07%, Port Orange 2.45%, Deland 3.28%
CRA’s are a form of double taxation that city and county leaders either don’t understand or care about and should be prohibited.
Some will say we cannot eliminate CRAs because they are bonded. This only means we would have to divert all incoming CRA funds to paying off the bonds before elimination. The fact is most CRAs have no bonds and could be shut down immediately with a vote by our elected leaders.
Real Daytona says until elected officials wise-up and prohibit the collection of CRA taxes our community will continue to flounder with no growth and bought and paid for politicians, by developers that benefit from CRA dollars.

Thursday, September 25, 2006
City Selects Lower Bid For Park Use During Biketoberfest
It just keeps getting better. During the middle of a recession and the highest property tax levels in the county, Daytona Beach city management recommended we accept $300,000 less over three years in rental fees for Riverfront Park because Harley Davidson dealership Bruce Rossmeyer had rented it before and new what he was doing. The city initially drove Rossmeyer away to Ormond Beach a few years ago because of overly high park rental rates.  Now they want to make peace with him at a loss to taxpayers. 
With all the mllions we spent on unbudgeted items like the LSO, the new skate park and Daytona police to support the beach patrol, city management should get every dime it can from vendors.We should rent to the highest bidder, not show favor to a local millionaire who walked out on Daytona years ago.  Rossmeyer’s probably giving some nice kickbacks to the selection committee.  It’s amazing what a few free t-shirts can buy in this town.

Thursday, September 18, 2009
Butterflies More Highly Thought Of Than Taxpayers In Daytona Beach...
Our clueless City Commission rubber stamped over $440,000 of spending on the Consent Agenda, with no discussion last night.  Much of it was money never allocated in the 2008 budget.
In other words, new spending beyond what was budgeted for.  Here’s a short list of how your tax dollars are continuing to be wasted: $10,000 to the Butterfly Conservatory Group to hire a consultant to help them plan on how to raise money.  Normally the city’s Grant Writer would do this, but City Manager Chisolm fired her last year because she wouldn’t lie for him. $157,600 to purchase and rehab a house at 566 South Street. $40,000 to hire mentally and physically challenged workers for the city (seems like we already have enough of them at this point). $165,000 for even more electrical work at Manatee Island, $72,000 for renovation of a building on the public golf course.                                                                         
The Commission also voted to: Pass the Auditorium Streetscape program even though the redesign will leave a very narrow entry to Peabody and the Ocean Center, which will create bottlenecks in traffic.  No traffic study has been done yet we’re spending over $150,000 for this. They voted to postpone the appointments of the Historic Preservation Board, which City Manager Chisolm is trying to manipulate so no historic preservation takes place in our city.
They voted to change the way they manage CRA’s to meet the requirements of the state audit, even though city management gave no details how they planned to do it.
They decided not to formally present all the last minute changes in the Vision Plan to the public and just have the commission vote on it, continuing to change the rules and decisions as they go.
Lastly, over 250 people signed a petition requesting a special election to replace Dwayne Taylor instead of the Commission just appointing someone.  Probably won’t happen because most of our commissioners ignore what voters want, but it was good to see people turn out and be heard.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Developers Bray & Gillespie File Bankruptcy...
In a move that was no surprise to Real Daytona, beachside developers (these guys couldn’t develop a roll of film at Walgreen’s) Bray & Gillespie declared bankruptcy in a Jacksonville Federal court recently.
What’s more amazing is that these flip flop- film flam artists were able to string along our not so bright City Commission for ten years of their buy and flip property scam. These two carpetbaggers were able to fill the beachside with empty lots and collect huge insurance payments from storm damage with city help, not even managing to build a sandcastle on the beach during that time.
How did Bray & Gillespie do this with everyone watching? Simple, they bought and paid for every city commission they needed using tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations funneled through the various companies they owned.
Then whenever Bray & Gillespie wanted anything like zoning changes worth millions, all they had to do was ask the Daytona Beach City Commission, who were all to happy to serve their ‘masters.’ Just like a house of cards the whole scam came tumbling down, leaving the  Daytona  residents with higher taxes and empty water front lots for years to come.  The beachside tourist strip looks more like Beirut than a Florida tourist destination these days.
Wake up Daytona! The cozy relationship between these developers and our politicians is a classic example of a government that serves the wealthy few at the expense of the common taxpayer. Let’s hope that the next group of commissioners sits a little higher in the saddle so they can see the next group of carpetbaggers coming from miles away!

Tuesday, September 16th, 2008
Daytona Fire Department EVAC Scam
Looks like the ever-greedy Daytona Fire Department union is at it again, trying to scam residents out of more money.  This time they’re attacking the only successful private-public partnership in the county, the EVAC ambulance system.  EVAC’s been working well for years and is paid for by Volusia County residents.  The Daytona Fire Department is attempting to use misleading ‘fuzzy math’ to convince the Volusia County Council that they should take over the EVAC system and cover five or six other cities besides Daytona Beach.  Their argument is they can do a better, more efficient job than current EVAC employees.  Yeah, right!  It’s no coincidence that the fire unions’ political campaign coordinator Len Taft is the same guy lying to the public about EVAC.. The Daytona Fire Department is the highest paid of any in the county and it’s because   their union throws campaign contributions and support to any politician that will vote for a raise or increase in retirement benefits.  They’ve never been concerned about saving any money for residents and the EVAC ‘pitch’ is no different.  All they want is 27 more highly paid firemen with huge pension and benefits plans, plus all the new ambulances and support gear to operate EVAC.  The cost to taxpayers is around $15 million. $15 million to have a less efficient group do the job and put residents at a greater risk of dying because they’re not as well trained as the EVAC personnel.
Instead of trying to grow Daytona’s government some more let’s go the other direction.  Let’s vote to consolidate the Daytona Fire Department into Volusia County and have them work for   EVAC.  It saved a huge amount of money for Jacksonville.  Since the fire union is so concerned about saving money for Daytona taxpayers, they should have no problem with consolidation to the county.  Yeah, right!

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008
Daytona Wastes $800,000 On Skate Park...
City management and elected officials continue to waste taxpayer’s money.  A new $800,000 skate facility is to be inserted into the existing Bethune Point Park and expected to draw hundreds of participants and observers. These additional park patrons will add to an already busy corner according to City records which is already used for large group functions on a weekly basis.
As usual, city management doesn’t follow it’s own rules.  This plan has no additional restrooms or parking in a place already crowded with hundreds of people on weekends and holidays. City code calls for 120 parking spaces but there are only 60 not reserved for boat and trailer parking only. These existing spaces are always filled and cars park on the grass regularly against city code. With one drinking fountain and two showers, current restroom facilities will be grossly inadequate.  They’ll also be no regular City or police supervision in a Park that will attract hundreds of adolescent participants.
The access to the Skate park is on a dead end, non-conforming roadway that floods and becomes impassable even in a normal summer shower.
The Park will significantly effect the surrounding residential neighborhood. The City has a requirement to contact the adjacent property owners in writing to explain their plan before proceeding yet they’ve never done so.  Over 200 property owners and park patrons signed a petition requesting the skate park not be built at Bethune Point but city management ignored their request.
The competitive bid process wasn’t used to select the contractor for a project of almost a million dollars.
There’s been no mention of the amount of ongoing maintenance costs. A small 12,500 sq ft park in Boca Raton (Bethune will be 30,000 sq ft) has an annual cost of  $45,000.00 without staffing. With staffing their cost is $142,000.00.
The skate park plan calls for the design of a concession stand and bicycle store to be built in the future which is retail use and not consistent with the existing function of the park.
This plan is 34th on the agenda for the Commission Meeting tonight which will make it difficult, if not impossible, for most of the elderly adjacent property owners to attend and express their opinion.
We predict our witless city commission will rubber stamp this project for City Manager Chisolm wasting almost another million of our hard earned case.  Hey it’s only money, will just get taxed for some more.

Friday, August 29th, 2008
News-Journal Still Doesn’t Get It...
The Daytona Beach News-Journal ran an editorial criticizing attack ads and automated phone calls made before the primary election.  They claimed that virtually all political advertising is misleading and implied their endorsing of candidates is really the only true position residents should believe.  Yeah, right! 
Instead of investigating local government corruption and influence peddling the News-Journal has spent years profiting from it.  They accept advertising dollars from one of the largest influence peddlers in the county, International Speedway Corporation and make millions from it.  In exchange ISC rarely gets any negative press from the News-Journal.
Their editorial specifically criticized Ronald Bynum, chairman of Volusia Hometown Democracy, a political action committee that made thousands of automated phone.  The calls directed residents to their website where they compared candidates running for office.  As usual the News-Journal had to point out that Bynum owns the building which Lollipops Gentlemen’s Club leases.  Here’s a portion of Bynum’s response to the News-Journal’s editorial he posted on their website:
‘Every candidate discussed on our website was asked to provide a biography of information, list of accomplishments and anything else they wanted voters to know.  Some chose not to and we were forced to use what limited information we found on the internet and other media sources.  In fact, the majority of ‘unflattering news reports’ you mentioned actually came from previous stories printed in the News-Journal. ‘
’It (their website) was necessary because local media continues to fail miserably in it’s responsibility to report the news accurately and be a ‘watchdog’ for residents, influencing local government to act in a fiscally responsible fashion.’ 
It appears the News-Journal wants to keep the status quo or is just angry the person they endorsed for State’s Attorney lost.  Regardless, things are changing for the better in our community.  Past City Commissioner and ‘Queen of Mean’ Darlene Yordon no longer lives in Daytona Beach. Past City Commissioner Mike ‘Mad Wacker’ Shallow will eventually end up in jail or get shot in a bathroom stall by a ‘homophobe’.  Past city attorney Bob Brown retired early to avoid all the bar complaints filed against him. Now John ‘God told me to do it’ Tanner is done and the new States Attorney RJ Larizza has vowed to investigate government corruption in any city.  Corrupt Daytona Beach politicians and city management should take note, your time is up.

Thursday, August 28th
Why Did John Graham Leave International Speedway Corporation?
Rumor is John Graham left ISC because of a moral conflict.  He’s not happy with the France families’ choice to move into the casino gambling industry.  Apparently they plan to partner with
the Hard Rock Café, an American Indian owned corporation, at their Kansas racetrack, building a casino with them at that location.  Then they plan to do the next one in Daytona Beach.  Never happen you say.  We disagree.  The Hard Rock Corporation already received three exemptions in south Florida to build casinos where Indian reservations never existed and they have the money to pursue this venture almost anywhere in the US.  Many have forgotten that the pari-mutual (gambling) license owned by the old Daytona Hi-Li Company is still floating around somewhere.  Our bet is ISC or the France family purchased it.  Also remember that ISC’s been able to get the state to pay $2 million for a pedestrian overpass and our city management has given them anything they ever wanted for free race tickets and free private jet rides.
We’re surprised that Graham objects to casino gambling since he had no problems buying elections for ISC through campaign donations over the last ten years.  Maybe he just saw the future for ISC.  A recession, high gas and food prices mean less customers coming to races.  With the major automotive companies threatening to pull their corporate support for race teams ISC is probably looking at tough financial times in the near future, unless they move into casino gambling.  Graham may have left for that reason.  Regardless, letting ISC have casino gambling is a bad, bad idea.  Tourists will come to Daytona, camp out near the track and never spend any money at beachside businesses.  A better idea would be to allow small casinos on the beach as well as near the speedway.  Everyone could profit.  But that’s never been the goal of ISC or the France family.  They want to be the only ones making money while everyone else works for minimum wage in Daytona Beach.
If things go as ISC wants you’ll probably see NASCAR licensed hookers at the Daytona Beach Hard Rock Café, Casino & Brothel in the near future.  Yee Haa!

Wednesday, August 27th, 2008
Good-bye Mr. Tanner...
State’s Attorney John Tanner lost a close race for reelection to newcomer RJ Larizza early this morning.  Taking none of the responsibility for the loss, Tanner placed the blame squarely on low voter turnout.  Anyone with the least bit of political knowledge knows low voter turnout favors the incumbent.
The real reason for his loss was Tanner’s arrogance, use of the State’s Attorney’s office as his own private police force and steadfast refusal to investigate and prosecute government corruption.  It all finally caught up with him.
What never came out during the campaign was that Tanner hardly ever bothered to go into work.  He left that day to day drudgery to his second in command, David ‘The Undertaker’ Smith.  Smith ran the office and Tanner came in every few days or weeks to collect his paycheck.  The other issue that was never discussed was the high number of attorneys that quit Tanner’s office to work elsewhere.  Office moral was so terrible because of David Smith and lead prosecutor Dennis Craig, that their peers rarely stayed employed there more than a year before quitting.
During a recent campaign stop Tanner explained how god told him to leave his law practice and run for State’s Attorney years ago.  When asked why he didn’t retire at his age he stated, ‘God hasn’t told me I’m done yet.’  Well god may not have told you’re done Mr. Tanner, but the voters certainly did.  One arrogant, corrupt government red-neck down with dozens left to go in the capital of the Red-Neck Riviera.
 

Monday, August 25th, 2008
Who Real Daytona Supports In The Coming Primary Election...
This is who we support:
State’s Attorney 7th Judicial Circuit-RJ Larizza.  John Tanner is a corrupt, arrogant ass who refuses to investigate or prosecute crimes committed by his buddies in local government.  He uses the States Attorneys office as his own private police department and it’s time for him to go.

House of Representative-District 27-Terry Dilligard.  Dilligard has been a city commissioner in Deland, has a bunch of experience and is the least corrupt of the group running.  He also signed the STAND city charter amendment petition for Daytona Beach supporting voters right to petition their government. 

Volusia County Council-District 2-Paul Carpanella.  Carpanell was one of the only honest mayors Daytona Beach ever had.  He took on the unions and controlled costs while in office.  He’s been humbled over the years and seems to listen to what voters want.  He also signed the STAND city charter amendment petitions for Daytona Beach supporting voters right to petition their government.  The rest of the group is lost in America or ‘owned’ by their campaign contributors.

Sunday, August 24th, 2008
The Reality Behind Community Redevelopment Area Taxes...
Here’s a copy of a letter to the editor from one of our contributors that the News-Journal didn’t print.
Volusia County’s in trouble. We have an epidemic of depressed values, failing schools and rising unemployment. Don’t expect Tallahassee to save us. Their past solutions of public private partnerships and other forms of financial giveaways doesn’t work. We need to fund quality of life improvements and lower taxes, benefitting those who live here now. This will keep the jobs we have and entice new ones to freely come. The problem is how will we pay for this? We can start by eliminating the Community Redevelopment Areas (CRAs).
What is a CRA? The CRAs are a tactic to create a pool of tax dollars for private development incentives in areas that are labeled “blighted”. This pool gets bigger when property values increase, when tax rates increase, or a double whammy when both happen. In good times or bad, the CRAs will always get their money because it’s hidden within legitimate tax collections across most of the items in your tax bill.
The most well known failure is the documented fraud and corruption in the Daytona Beach CRAs, which are Volusia’s largest. The best reason, however, is a fundamental flaw in CRA logic. There is unfairness to every Volusia County taxpayer who lives outside of the CRAs because they get stuck with the tax bill, yet receive no benefit. All taxpayers have to show for CRAs are past due promise of  “if we just help them build this one more project, prosperity will follow”. Does Daytona Beach look more prosperous to you after 20 years of CRAs? Even in law abiding CRAs, most dollars are spent on developer giveaways instead of more meaningful and permanent infrastructure upgrades for the small area that was allegedly “blighted”. How do our elected leaders justify saddling every property tax payer with extra taxes that mostly benefits a few well connected individuals? Tax base growth. Unfortunately the revenues from this tax base growth, by law, can only be reinvested back into the CRA ‘giveaway pool’ never benefitting  taxpayers at large. Today our taxes are higher than necessary due to the current CRA set asides and it will get worse. The CRA tax base growth doesn’t go towards paying for their own services until the CRAs are eliminated. As a result all taxpayers will suffer another round of tax increases to pay for the additional services for the more intensely developed CRA areas. Volusia County taxpayers have yet to feel this second and larger tax increase since little has been built in our CRAs besides a water park, one functioning Daytona Beach project, and a half finished near empty condo complex in Holly Hill.
Some will say we can’t eliminate CRAs because they’re bonded. This only means we would have to divert all incoming CRA funds to paying off the bonds before elimination. The fact is most CRAs have no bonds and could be shut down immediately with a vote by our elected leaders. Let’s get this area back on track and lead an economic resurrection in Florida by eliminating  CRAs. It would lower everyone’s tax bill without increasing sales tax, reducing core services, or jeopardizing school funding. Honest solutions like this will never come from Tallahassee, but the opportunity is real and we can do it!

August 18, 2008
Mayor Lays Off 22 At Dealership, Does Nothing In City Government...
Mayor Glen Ritchie decided it was necessary to layoff 22 people from his automotive sales empire, in order to cut cost of operating his business, because car sales are doing so poorly. Employees are the number one cost of any business.  No one likes to lay people off, but sometime it’s necessary.
So, the question we pose to Mayor Ritchie is why is it you can layoff 22 people from your own company but choose to do nothing to encourage City Manager Chislom to do the same and save taxpayers money?  You’ve already been shown Daytona Beach employs 300 more people than other comparable Florida cities with similar population levels, yet you do and say nothing to change it.  You and the city commission continue to rubber stamp City Manager Chisolm’s request to raise property taxes and spending.  You chose to protect your own business and personal income by laying off over $1 million in salaries from your company but refuse to do the same thing in Daytona city government.  Why?  Was it the $2 million dollars of free retention ponds you received from Chisolm?  Maybe all the cars and trucks the city buys from your dealerships?  Whatever the reason you should be ashamed of yourself for selling out the voters that you claimed ‘mandated’ your election.  You’re a great example why we’ve learned to have no expectations so we get no disappointments, in the ‘red-neck riviera.’

August 13, 2008
Where’s Dwayne Taylor Getting His Money?
Dwayne Taylor is an interesting character.  Sometimes shrewd, other times dumber than a box of rocks.  He claims to be a writer yet has published nothing.  What does Dwayne do to make money?  Where does he get the money to drive around in a new BMW?  Maybe the answer lies with campaign contributors like Ivy & Associates.  They’re a mortgage broker with a pretty shady history.  When you actually evaluate their loans placed with local banks, you’ll find that the majority of them ended up in the fraud investigation unit.  They’ve built a pretty new building on Orange Avenue recently.  Rumor is that Taylor got involved and actually ‘found’ some grant money in Tallahassee to help get the building constructed.  When you look at his campaign contributors you’ll see Ivy has given thousands through the years.  It even appears Taylor received compensation directly from them as a ‘consultant’ from time to time.  Perhaps someone should investigate Taylor’s relationship with this group and some of his other campaign contributors to see who’s actually paying him for what.  We believe Taylor’s dirty, plain and simple and his vote is being purchased by people like Ivy Associates.  Guess we’ll see what else we  come up with from our list of helpful local informants.  Stay tuned!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Daytona To Become National Homeless Destination...
Daytona Beach City Management with support of the Chamber of Commerce is doing everything possible to lure homeless people from the entire nation to our city.  The following are portions of a letter from Uptown Neighborhood Group President Chris Daun to City Commissioner Sheila McCay-Vaughn regarding the most recent Catholic Charities proposal.
‘The Catholic Charities proposal to construct a social services center next to St. Paul’s Basilica on North Ridgewood Avenue will expand the homeless activity on Ridgewood Avenue even beyond it’s current high level.  This proposal is currently being considered by the Downtown Redevelopment board which is rather shocking since these kinds of activities are prohibited in redevelopment areas and St. Paul is in a redevelopment area. This is also a violation of the cities Land Development Code.
There’s been no discussion of this proposal with the City Commission or general public.  In my opinion this city continues to present these proposals to groups like the Redevelopment Board without proper public participation or preparation on the parts of the board members. Projects like these should be up for public discussion, at least in the neighborhoods that will be directly affected, before they go up for a vote.  But really our entire city will be affected as we increasingly attract homeless people from all over this country.  It’s happening now if you don't believe me. Please get involved in this one before it is too late.’
City management will do anything to get more money to waste, even bringing in thousands of homeless people so state and federal grants can be obtained under the disguise of providing more homeless services.  As he has in the past City Manger Chislom, will transfer the grant money and spend it on something else.  Meanwhile thousands of homeless will migrate to Daytona Beach, and there won’t be any money to provide services to them.  Our Mayor and City Commission continue to be oblivious to the problem and already have their rubber stamp ready to agree to anything Chisolm wants.  It’s time to call the Mayor and City Commission and tell them no to any new homeless centers in our city.

Monday, August 4th, 2008
JOHN GRAHAM RESIGNS FROM ISC TO TAKE JOB IN BANKING INDUSTRY!
In a move that is reminisant of rats jumping off a sinking ship, International Speedway Corporation Vice President John Graham resigned today, to take a position back in the banking industry. We wish John well in his new job (which if you know anything about the banking business probably doesn’t pay much more than a fry cook at a fast food restaurant).
The fact that Graham was one of the first to leave the ISC ‘ship of fools’ confirms the opinion that he was a ‘bright bulb’ in an otherwise dimly lit ISC boardroom. We hope he’s able to sell his floundering company stock before it plunges even further than it’s current 52 week low.
Inside sources at ISC said this is really a termination and in response to the recent failure of ISC to prevail in building a race track at Staten Island and Seattle, which the company lost millions attempting to do so. If ISC really wants to fire someone that does virtually nothing it should be Brian France.  He  should spend more time at work and less time driving around town drunk, careening into parked cars and palm trees.
It will be interesting to see how the Speedway races to save itself in this declining economy. Their 4th of July ticket sales were down almost as dramatically as their stock. The real tragedy in this saga may play out when those faithful ISC stockholders whose retirement is linked to the stock price see the value of their investment cut in half! Their best bet is to ISCA and get out while there’s still some value left in this company! 

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
NASCAR Seeks Revenge For Pearl Harbor...Punishes Toyota
In a move to punish a superior competitor in the Nextel Cup Series, NASCAR recently ruled teams using Toyota motors must make an adjustment that trims 16 horsepower off their engine package. This forces them to make modifications Ford, GM and Chrysler do not.  Toyota stated they use the same technology and parts as everyone else but have better machining and assembly processes which help them end up with a higher horsepower engine.  They don’t believe they should be penalized for that.
NASCAR blogers say Toyota Motorsport officials are livid and considering dropping sponsorship from the Nextel cup series. Unofficial sources have told us however that Toyota Motorsports have decided to stay in the series and “beat the racist white devils of NASCAR at their own game”.
In a related story insiders at General Motors, who’s been thrashed in the market for years by Toyota, have told Real Daytona they’ll cut their sponsorship to NASCAR teams by as much as $60 million in 2009.  This means millions in money to racing teams will have to be made up from contributions from International Speedway Corporation, NASCAR or the France family. It looks like a rocky ride for NASCAR and ISC over the next twelve months. Stock in ISC is trading near a 52 week low at $37.23 and looks like it’s headed towards less than $20 per share.  At that price maybe the France family will buy all the stock back and take the company private again.. You can just hear them yelling in the Toyota Boardroom TORA! TORA! TORA while they beat NASCAR ‘red-necks’ at their own engine building game. Too funny!

Sunday, July 27, 2008
Crumbling Daytona Pier a symbol of Ongoing Government Redevelopment Failures
A great deal of discussion has been taking place about the future of the Daytona Beach Pier. In those discussions the pier is often referred to as a ‘historic landmark’ or a ‘centerpiece of ongoing boardwalk redevelopment efforts.’  Let’s clear up some misconception.
The pier is a crumbling pile of wood that’s outlived its usefulness and unless a private developer is going to step up and rebuild the structure it should be torn down. It was a sad day when the City Commission paid Theresa Doan millions of our hard earned tax dollars to buy this pile of junk. It just shows what Doan was able to accomplish with some well placed bribes, commonly known as campaign contributions, in our city.  However some credit must be given to Theresa for being able to pull this deal off in spite of its obvious flaws.
The redevelopment contract with Bill Geary and George Anderson (both huge campaign contributors) should be voided and they should be sued for not repairing the pier and constructing the development they contracted for.  We’ve been forced to look at Geary’s empty lot for twenty years and all we’ve heard is a lot of talk. The board walk is essentially the same as it was twenty five years ago. It’s dirty, smells and is a magnet for crime.
The City of Daytona Beach needs to stop all the developer deals that have allowed millions of tax dollars to flow into the cesspool that is the board walk and surrounding redevelopment projects. The time for being nice to developers is over.  History shows it doesn’t work, costs the taxpayers a fortune and no redevelopment occurs after they get all our money.  We need real leadership from our City Commission to make these changes occur but sadly, that never happens.  If our elected representatives continue to be unwilling to make changes and close loopholes that have allowed unscrupulous developers to loot the treasury and produce nothing, then voters should get rid of them.  Our city’s future hangs in the balance.  Daytona Beach residents deserve better!

Saturday, July 26th, 2008
Daytona Police ‘StarBucks’ Scandal Larger Than First Revealed
Sources have told Real Daytona in an effort to control an expanding scandal involving Starbucks Coffee shops and Daytona Beach Police, police management has issued an unofficial order forbidding Daytona Beach cops from patronizing Starbucks anymore, while on duty.
The scandal, which first started when a Daytona Beach Police Lieutenant was accused of shaking down the Ocean Walk Starbucks for free coffee and tea, has now expanded to the Belair Plaza Starbucks and involved other officers. A patron at the Belair store commented, “There used to be police cars parked out front of Starbucks all the time but now they’re all gone”.  This observation seems to lend some credibility to the report of an ‘unofficial ban’ by police management.  It may not be long before a parade of these officers, more commonly known as the ‘Frapachino Felons” are seen on our local news for their shakedown tactics.

Thursday, July 24th, 2008
Schnebly Center Remodel To Include No Money For Youth Programs
Bad enough city management refuses to make public the renovation budget for Schnebly Center or let outside contractors bid against city employees to keep the cost as low as possible.  It was recently uncovered from sources close to Recreation Director Percy Williams that the city has no money allocated for youth programs at the center.  This news comes on the heels of a speech given at the Schnebly Center; by Police Chief Mike Chitwood that youth crime in the beachside neighborhoods was an ongoing problem.
Once again city government is more concerned with wasting our tax dollars on needless building renovations instead of putting the money where it’s really needed.  Solving youth crimes after they occur as opposed to preventing them by being proactive and funding youth programs makes absolutely no sense. Way to go Percy Williams! You’ve just joined The City of Daytona Beach’s worthless bureaucrat club!

Wednesday, July 24, 2008
City Management Continues To Fight Historic Preservation Ordinance
City Manager Chisolm wants to rebuild our city in his own image, which is fairly ugly and at a high cost. He continues to fight against the Historic Preservation Ordinance that the Historic Preservation Board has been attempting to get adopted for over two years.  He’d rather waste millions of CRA tax dollars razing properties and constructing ugly new buildings than preserving anything of historical value.  Problem is there’s millions of state and federal grant dollars available for preserving historic properties that Daytona can’t qualify for because of Chisolm inflexibility.  Cities that maintain and restore historical properties are typically worth much more in property value than those that don’t.  But that doesn’t matter to Chisolm.  After all it’s only money.  He’ll just spend and tax more.  The Mayor and City Commission will do what they’re told and Chisolm won’t have to fill out all the paperwork for grants. Meanwhile our city continues its downward financial spiral with the highest property taxes in the county and no new businesses interested in relocating here.  Yee Haa!

Friday, July 18th, 2008
Daytona City Manager Continues To Ignore Commissioner Requests!
Here’s an interesting list of questions City Manager (CM) Jim Chisolm doesn’t know the answer to our refuses to provide it to City Commissioners that made the requests:
Two months ago Commissioners requested the CM Susan Copeland of the Homeland Coalition make a presentation to them about their plans to increase the number of homeless coming to our city with the new shelter they plan to build.  CM hasn’t done so yet.
A Commissioner asked how long a developers permit is valid for and how often can it be extended?  CM said he didn’t know but would get back to them.  It’s been four months and no answer.
A Commissioner asked for a list of all the current development projects ‘on the books?’ CM said he didn’t think there was such a list.  Before Chisolm was the CM any resident could go to the Planning Department and access this list, now it’s hidden from public and commissioner  view.  So much for ‘open government.’
A Commissioner has asked every month for six months for a box to placed on the water bill where citizens could mark that they wanted to make a voluntary contribution to the new homeless center.  CM says he keeps forgetting to do it.
A Commissioner objected to spending another $850,000 non-budgeted city money to re-landscape around the Ocean Center pedestrian plaza and have responsibility for it’s maintenance.  No traffic plan has been developed even though they’ve had years to do so.  This money is in addition to the $250,000 they approved to pretty up a roof air conditioner and door that could be seen from the Ocean Center’s 2nd floor.  They were told it’s fair because the county is paying $500,000 and we should be happy to have this huge expansion.
A Commissioner objected to spending another $130,000 for surveying of the Riverfront park on Beach Street and doing any work there until it’s determined the current underground drainage pipes can handle the all the growth planned for the downtown area, per the master storm water plan.  They were ignored and the vote passed.  CM couldn’t answer questions on this issue.
A Commissioner asked about the CRA money that was to be paid back per the State Auditor and was told by CM, “There’s no time frame this year for that to happen.”  Were there any deadlines were to fix the problems the audit found and was told , “no” by the CM.  The state will be back in 18 months to revisit the problem but can’t force the city to do it.  Only the City Commission can and they don’t have the guts to take on Chisolm.
The City Manager ignores questions he doesn’t want to answer, ignores rules he doesn’t want to follow, ignores the budget and over-spends by millions and ignores most of the commissioners requests and concerns.  We pay this guy almost $180,000 and he ignores what we want.  Time to change his title from City Manager to King.  Maybe we should sent all the Commissioners some to bull testicle trailer hitch covers.  They obviously need to get some ‘balls’ to get Chisolm under some level of control.  But that’s never going to happen.  Get ready for more property tax increases!  Yee Haa!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Daytona City Employee Car Allowance Outrageous...
We came across some old documentation regarding amounts paid for personal care allowances to city employees that we thought should be shared with you.  This is reimbursement for use of personal vehicles and doesn’t cover the cost of the 400 city vehicles provided to employees for their full time personal and city business use.
In 2005 taxpayers were reimbursing city employees approximately $8,000 per week for use of their personal vehicles.  That’s $416,000 per year.  City Manager Chisolm gave everyone a huge 25% increase which cost us another $2,000 per week, for a new total of $10,000 weekly or $520,000 per year.  Don’t forget this was before major increases in gas prices or inflation occured.  We would guess Chisolm probably gave employees another bump of 20-25% in 2007 which would take vehicle reimbursements to approximately $650,000 annually as of June 2008, which is totally outrageous.
Add to that at least $1,000,000 in cost for the 400 city vehicles provided for full time, take home use to some city employees and $4,000,000 in fuel and insurance cost and taxpayers are spending almost $5,000,000 for our employees to drive better vehicles than the majority of Daytona residences have.
Let’s not forget the 15 city employees maintaining these vehicles which cost us another $575,000 in salaries and benefits.  So, grand total for Dayton’s city vehicle program is over $5.5 million dollars.  Oops, we neglected to at the $2.3 million to haul gas from St. Augustine to city storage.  Now we’re up to almost $8 million.
Chisolm always complains he can’t find anywhere to cut the budget which is obviously a lie pure and simple.  The Federal government uses motor pools for the majority of it’s employees and has vehicle maintenance done by an outside service provider.  This type of scenario would save Daytona taxpayers millions of dollars annually.  But Chisolm and the City Commission don’t want to save or money, just the opposite.  The more they spend, waste, borrow and bond the more they can say they need from us.
Yee Haa!  Wasteful local government at it’s best!

Tuesday, July 8th, 2008
The New Mark Bernier Golden Tampon Award!
There’s no doubt about it.  Mark Bernier is truly just a whiney Rush Limbaugh wanna-be bitch.  He never offers solutions, just bitches about what he believes are problems.  Mark never lets the truth get in the way of his opinions.  That might mean he’d have to ask a few tough questions of city management or staff and he couldn’t risk doing that.  It might upset his advertisers and affect the meager amount of money he gets ‘hawking’ aluminum siding or z-graph web sites. 
Bernier’s still that immature little kid who was beat up on the playground in grade school daily.  Now he’s graduated to believing his own bullshit and enamored with his perceived power of ‘hanging-up’ on those that don’t agree with him when they call in.
This guys so incompetent as a reporter he makes Geraldo Riviera look like Walter Cronkite.  He has no substance or style and is part of the reason Daytona Beach is never taken seriously.  He’s the poster boy for the trifecta of a failed marriage, dead end career and failed economic message for our area.
What better way to acknowledge Bernier for his utter lack of capability, and overall bitchiness than to create an award in his honor that can be given to others when they mimic his whiney bitch behavior.  So congratulations Mark Bernier.  It’s an honor to name this award after you.  You’ve earned it bitch!

Tuesday, July 8th, 2008
City Manager Chisolm’s Keeps Trying To Change The Subject
Daytona Beach City Manager Jim Chisolm was on Mark Bernier’s show yesterday complaining about the STAND city charter amendments.  His opinion was that STAND is ‘owned’ by Lollipops Gentlemen’s Club and they’re just getting retribution for losing the various lawsuits against the city over the years.  Yeah, right!  That’s why over 8,000 voters have already signed the charter amendments.
Greg Gimbert, the founder of STAND called in and told Chisolm, he works for AT&T not Lollipops and they had nothing to do with STAND, nor would they benefit from the passage of any of the city charter amendments.  As usual wanna be reporter Bernier hung up on Greg in mid-sentence.
City staff and elected officials have used adult entertainment to change the subject for years.  Remember when they got nailed on the CRA audit by the state?  The next day they announced they would be enforcing at the strip clubs.  Looks like changing the subjects not going to work anymore. The public has had enough of the waste, fraud, lies and corruption from this group of dirt bags.  Local community groups Such as Save Our Neighborhoods and the Bellair Community Group have mobilized  and will be taking the city commission to task for everything from water rate increases to all the giveaways they continue to hand out to developers.  Voters are beginning to feel empowered.  Elected officials and city staff are beginning to scramble for cover, just like roaches when the lights come on.  Positive change is coming to our city and you’ll all have a ring-side seat.  Yee-Haa.

Friday, July 4th, 2008
City Commission Gives Large Campaign Contributor Real-Estate Windfall Profit...
It’s amazing to watch city officials ignore real estate appraisals when giving gifts to their friends and major campaign contributors such as Theresa Doan.  They recently purchased a small piece of her property to use for the Ocean Center expansion, at almost twice it’s actual value!
The city and county committed to widen Auditorium Boulevard and improve the intersection of Peninsula Drive.  The project required acquisition of 20" of land with easements to widen the right of way and allow construction of a third lane.  The property was owned by Theresa Doan and appraised at $137,600 in 2006, during the peak of the real estate value run up in Daytona Beach.  The city did another appraisal in early 2008 and valued the property at $266,400.  Though every other piece of commercial real estate in our city fell in value by at least 30% amazingly Ms. Doan’s property increased in value by almost double!
No surprise she gets special treatment.  A few years ago Doan was allowed to level a building on Main Street and turn it into a parking lot.  While other business owners were forced to stay open off-season and renovate their properties, she was allowed to knock down a building and operate a parking lot that’s not zoned for in that area.
With closing and engineering costs Ms. Doan was paid $320,576 for a piece of property worth no more than $140,000 two years ago.  This action was agenda item #18 during the April 16th, City Commission meeting.  We should also mention she was one of the top five campaign contributors for Mayor Ritchie and many of the City Commissioners over the past few years.
Even after all the illegal, corrupt and fraudulent things this group of scumbags has done through the years we’re still surprised at the absolute contempt they show residents when it comes to wasting money and accepting influence peddling from campaign contributors.  Red-Neck Riviera politics are so dirty it makes us want to take a shower after this one.

Thursday, July 3, 2008
State Attorney Candidate Larizza’s Supporters Intimidate John Tanner At Flagler County Republican Club Party...
In a typical response against free speech the Flagler County Republican Club leaders refused to let State Attorney candidates John Tanner and R.J. Larizza complete their speaking engagement after 35 Larizza supporters showed up in anti-Tanner T-Shirts.  Club leaders asked to see everyone’s voter registration card to prove they were registered republicans.  Many did show their cards but club leaders still refused to let the candidates speak and rescheduled for July 12th.
Tanner’s paid consultant Maureen Ortegus wrote a broadcast email, acting like an outraged citizen, when in fact she’s on Tanner’s payroll.  Tanner wrote the following email as well, which as usual contains many lies and ‘spin’.
 E-mail from State Attorney John Tanner:
‘ALERT! Tonight, the meeting of the Flagler County Rep. Club was "crashed" by Teamster and PBA Union members (Jail guards and friends).
These supporters of my opponent, RJ Larizza were wearing anti-Tanner T-shirts and outnumbered the Club members. None had ever attended a Flagler Rep. Club meeting before. When the Club Pres. asked, they all claimed to be registered Republicans, but refused to show Republican credentials when asked to do so. Their apparent leader began to rudely challenge the Club Pres. and question the Club's authority to restrict attendance to Republicans. Several began to shout at the Pres. and were becoming unruly. The Pres., on motion from the floor, promptly canceled the scheduled time for me and my opponent to speak and asked the intruders to leave.
We are rescheduled for Aug. 12th in Flagler at 6:30, perhaps you and some friends will join us.
I expect similar intrusions and attempts to intimidate at future candidate forums. Alert the other Rep. Clubs.’
Tanner is angry the Police Benevolent Association and Teamsters came out against him.  Never mind the fact that he went on a ‘witch hunt’ at the Flagler County jail and spent $500,000 of taxpayers money to continue the cover-up of his involvement in investigating his daughter’s arrest.  As we’ve always said, Tanner is the worst kind of politician, a cop with a badge.  His office recently refused to investigate five criminal complaints filed against Daytona Beach city employees, protecting the local good old boy network that’s given him over $200,000 in campaign contributions.  Tanner’s people are as corrupt as he is.  Larriza’s running on a transparency in government platform and should be strongly considered as a replacement for Tanner.  Please go to www.larizza2008.com for more information.  Everyone  needs to vote in the August primary to unseat Tanner, since he and Larizza are both on the Republican ticket.

Wednesday, July 3rd, 2008
A Public Vote On Growth, Not Unlike Florida Hometown

DEMOCRACY, WORKS IN CALIFORNIA...       
From The Treasure Coast Palm, June 7th, 2008
While Florida and the Treasure Coast wrestle with growth and sprawl, a Southern California county voted to manage development via voter referendums —— similar to what Florida Hometown Democracy proposes. Here’s a status report on Ventura County’’s program to Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources, a decade after its implementation.

Thursday, June 26th, 2008
Commissioner Taylor’s Election Problems...
City Commissioner Dwayne Taylor forwarded his resignation for November 4th today, not realizing his election hopes for the District 27 Florida House of Representatives seat are fading.  He doesn’t understand the city commission not bonding the Yvonne Scarlet Golden Community Center has destroyed his chance of election.  Watching Mayor Ritchie, Shriver and Gilliland kick Taylor to the curb was a treat.  Taylor was assured they’d build this center with bond money to help his campaign, but they ‘pimped him’ and rightfully so.
Taylor knew he needed something high profile after selling out residents and business owners for years, voting for every property tax and spending increase ever suggested by city management.  To anyone in the audience it was obvious there were vague, hostile references between Taylor and the Mayor. It certainly appeared illegal conversations outside of ‘Sunshine Law’ took place on this issue.  The Mayor got so angry his face turned red and veins popped out on his forehead.  At one time he actually threatened Taylor to shut down the entire project if he didn’t shut up.
We’ve heard rumors Civic Pride is quietly shifting support away from Taylor to Jake Ross, after Terry Dilligard refused their support, extended through the Volusia Homebuilders Association.  Dilligard refused to stop supporting the STAND City Charter Amendments.  When Dilligard refused, Ross was Civic Prides’ only hope to hold on to any power. 
Why would Civic Pride shift away from Taylor in the first place?  The park and green space around the old Daytona YMCA.  It’s city owned.  Residents have learned Taylor is quietly working with Bishop Triplett to sell the city land and church property to developers to build affordable housing.  This would eliminate the park, tennis and basketball courts.  The Daytona Beach Chamber of Commerce also quietly supports this because it fits into their ten year homeless plan and makes their development buddies lots of money.
The word is spreading like wildfire.  Taylor is terrified his support from the black community is failing.  Civic Pride leadership know when residents discover Taylor is behind this, his chances to be elected will dim.  Why didn’t Taylor just go along at the commission meeting and accept their promise to build the center from general fund and ECHO dollars?  ECHO Chairman Gary Libby described how the city could secure $1.8 million of money from the county with the city needing only $1.2 million to complete full funding for the project.
If Taylor and City Manager Chisolm had their way, Daytona taxpayers would have lost $1.8 million in ECHO grant savings and spent another $6.5 million in interest from bonding. the entire project.  Looks like Dwayne will sell his soul, pimp the minority neighborhood and waste millions of tax dollars just to get elected.
Though we had most of the money needed for the center, Taylor still demanded we bond the whole thing.  Why?  Because he can already feel the financial support and election machine slipping away.  Residents are angry at his selling them out.  A fully bonded and quickly constructed community center would have given him some credibility. The reality is if the center had been bonded and built it still wouldn’t save the park, basketball courts and green space on Derbyshire.
Soon you’ll hear how the city plans to convert the Derbyshire land to affordable housing in conjunction with the Daytona Beach Chamber of Commerce’s ten year Homeless Plan.  It’s just a scam to run residents out of their neighborhood, take over city parks and pay for the process with tax dollars.  Large developers have run out of steam in the residential and commercial market and are going back to where they can always count on cash, variance waivers, land use changes and just like the beach and boardwalk, the giveaway of another public park.  Just like the new Walmart.
When this information becomes generally known, residents in the ‘hood’ will go nuclear.  Unlike the wimps in the beachside neighborhood groups, these guys won’t tolerate Taylor or anyone else taking away their basketball courts and public parks where they grew up and still hang out today.  You’re done Duane, you just haven’t figured it our yet.

Monday, June 24th 2008
$250,000 Anonymous Grant Giving To Daytona YMCA, Only For Derbyshire Area Use...
From the Hometown News.  The Greater Daytona Beach Area YMCA received a $250,000 grant from an anonymous donor, interim CEO Kenneth Barnes announced recently.  The money will impact about 300 families and children a year for the next three years, Mr. Barnes said.  "It's a godsend to get more kids engaged and covered," he said.  The YMCA will use the grant for after-school programs, daycare, swim lessons, youth sports and summer camps, Mr. Barnes said.  The only specification the grant came with was that the money must be used to provide outreach services to residents of the Derbyshire Road-Holly Hill area.
The grant comes at a time when that area is in a state of transition.  The Daytona Beach Area YMCA closed its outdated 40-year-old facility on Derbyshire Road last summer, and officials spent nearly a year looking for a new location.  The new home, at Nova Road and Third Street in Holly Hill, is a much smaller facility, without athletic fields, a gym or pool.  Some programs are being outsourced to city recreation departments and churches.  "This is an underserved area in the community," Mr. Barnes said. "The YMCA, although physically not located at Derbyshire (Park) anymore, has not abandoned the community."
With the first portion of the grant, the YMCA was able to provide 100 more scholarships to summer camps that began last week.  Families pay about $70 a week for kids, ages 3 to 13, to attend the 10-week day camps.  In order to register children in a short time frame, Mr. Barnes said he turned to referrals from schools and ministries familiar with families in the area that might benefit.
Even with a $200 million dollar budget, city management still couldn’t get the job done.  Real Daytona salutes the caring individual who helped make the summer better for kids in the Derbyshire area!

Sunday, June 22, 2008
Business As Usual During City Commission Meeting...
Jim ‘I run this city’ Chislom conducted business as usual during the most recent City Commission meeting.  They had a preliminary budget meeting at 4pm, to make sure most residents couldn’t attend.  After all he doesn’t need their input, just their money.  The meeting lasted a little over an hour with no comments and no audience participation.  Future budget meetings are scheduled for late August with the budget due in September.  Meanwhile city’s like Ormond Beach have already had close to twenty budget meetings.  Since Daytona doesn’t really follow it’s ‘fake’ budget, why waste time meeting about it.  Jimbo will take care of us, just open your wallet and everything will be fine.
Chisolm felt he’d have no trouble finding the additional $3.5 million needed to complete the construction of the Derbyshire Rec Center, on top of the $19 million he wanted to bond out.  That’s even before the City Commission has seen the construction budget and see if we can afford it.
Commissioners Taylor and Reynolds want to build it now because youth in the area is suffering.  Seems they’re trying to say youth problems in the community are because they don’t have a rec center.  Maybe Taylor should of thought of that when he said no to purchasing the Daytona YMCA which would have been a turn-key center for youth in his zone.  But that would have screwed up the sweetheart deal he’s been putting together with a church in that area and developer to build a bunch of condos on all that green space.  Good old Mr. Taylor, politician to the end.
$12 million in bonding was approved for storm water drainage work even though residents already paid $10 million last year in their water utility charges for this same thing.  Since the money was transferred to support other losing projects we get to place the whole ‘shell game’ again.
A bright note was the almost 1,000 calls the city commission received from residents angry about the change in water rates.  The commission saw the light and tabled the matter for sixty days.  Doubt if they have the guts to stand up to Chisolm for any longer than that but it was fun to watch.  The list goes on but suffice to say Chisolm keeps gaining more power to spend more of our money with less city commission oversight.  Business as ususal...Yee Haa.

Wednesday, June 18th, 2008
$19.5 Million Bond Request Unjustified...
Daytona Beach Manager Jim Chisolm continued his financial destruction of our city by requesting residents borrow another $19.5 million to enhance facilities at Cypress Recreation Center in Derbyshire park and expand storm water projects.  This request has few details of how the funds will be spent.  The proposal was initially up for final approval in May 21st, then pulled by Chisolm and delayed until today.  The meeting’s agenda contains no more details than were presented last month.  Bonds would be sold for a payback plus interest spread over 30 years. $4 million would be used for the Cypress Center, $3.56 million for building a new facility at Derbyshire and $12 million for storm water improvements.  Wait a minute, the city already taxes us $10 million a year for storm water improvements, where did that money go?  You remember, they take in $60 million in utility charges transferring $40 million in profit out to support money losing ventures like the city golf course and tennis center.  Guess there’s no reason to spend the money for what it’s collected and intended for in the budget. 
The only city commissioner that seems to care is Sheila McKay.  We admire her tenacity in taking on Chisolm, even though it’s a futile effort.  He’s bought off every other commissioner with financial perks so he can spend, borrow and lie as he chooses.  The mayor received two $2 million dollar retention ponds for free on his dealership properties and a multi-family zoning change to increase the value of his land swap in exchange for his vote.  Commissioner Shiver got an $180,000 over-payment on his sewage damaged house.  Commissioner Gillian does whatever the Speedway says since his wife works there and everyone knows all the perks they got for campaign contributions. Commission Taylor is a good ‘oreo’ do-boy and is getting support to run for state office if he votes with the group.  Cassandra Reynolds just does what Taylor tells her.
City Manager Chislom is the key problem.  He did the same thing in his last job and left before he was fired.  Voters are angry and we predict candidates like Taylor will feel their wrath in November. 

Tuesday, June 17th, 2008
What’s $250,000 Between Friends...
The conversation between Daytona City Manager Chisolm and Volusia County management went something like this.  ‘Oops another mistake at the Ocean Center, but it can be fixed.  It’s only taxpayer money.  We just realized the Peabody Auditorium’s roof is ugly, because you can now see it from the expanded Ocean Center.  But hey, for $250,000 we can build a pretty brick wall and paint a couple of doors.  It’ll look great!  Where do we get the money?  The CRA’s of course.  We never got in trouble for the last 22 spending violations, and the millions we wasted so let’s do it again.  Isn’t that money supposed to be for improvements primarily for residents properties‘Yes, but they don’t make anywhere near the amount of campaign contributions as the Speedway,  the Mayor, Brown & Brown Insurance, Brey & Gillespie or Theresa Doan.  Don’t worry about it.  No one will notice and we don’t care what residents think or want anyway except during election time.’

‘We know there’s not enough quality hotel rooms to lure conventions to our city.  Our beach looks like downtown Bagdad with fenced, sand filled lots and no construction. Failed developers who were buying land use changes through campaign contributions, then flipping properties are out of business.  But that’s alright.  The economy will turn around in a few year and Daytona will have it’s shot at becoming the gem it should be. Developers will bribe us again, we won’t bother worrying about running out of water and we’ll be right back in the money. Maybe I can buy my wife another beach concession to run.’

Chisolm and are politicians just don’t get it. You can’t polish poop into diamonds, no matter how hard you rub it with tax money. 

Wednesday, June 12th, 2008
NASCAR Sued For Racial & Sexual Bias...
We thought it would only be a matter of time before NASCAR or International Speedway Corporation was sued for discrimination or harassment.  Maurice Grant, a female technical inspector sued NASCAR for $225 million, alleging racial and sexual discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination.  In her lawsuit she alleges she was referred to as the ‘Nappy Headed Mo’, and Queen Sheba by co-workers.  She was often told she, ‘worked on colored people time’ and was routinely harassed by one official who often referenced the Ku Klux Klan when speaking to her.  Ms. Grant also said she was subjected to sexual advances from male co-workers, two of which allegedly exposed themselves to her and told graphic, lewd jokes.
NASCAR claimed to be an equal opportunity employer fully committed to a zero tolerance policy for harassment. Grant said she complained to her supervisor numerous time on how she was treated over the three years of her employment, to no avail.  Her immediate supervisor just dismissed her complaints stating most of her peer were ‘former military guys with a rough sense of humor.’
Grant kept a dated log detailing much of the harassment.  It included her being forced to work outside in the sun more than the white employees because her supervisors believed she wouldn’t sunburn as easily.  She was told to duck down while riding in a car at the Talladega Speedway so she wouldn’t ‘start a riot’ if race fans saw a black woman in the car.  She also was told during packing up of a dark garage to ‘keep smiling and pop your eyes out so we can see you.’  When Grant ignored sexual advances from co-workers she was accused of being gay.  Though fired for ‘conduct unbecoming to of a NASCAR representative,’ Grant regularly received positive job performance reviews.
Looks like the real NASCAR finally gets outed.  We routinely hear about sexual harassment of female secretarial and support staff in NASCAR and IFC offices.  Many employees who retire or quit are forced to sign non-disclosure agreements in order to get their severance or retirement pay.  Looks like you can take the red-neck out of the garage and put a suit on him but it won’t change the way he acts towards women and minorities.  This is just the beginning of NASCAR and ISC’s lawsuit trouble.  We predict the floodgates will open and NASCAR and ISC will be settling numerous harassment lawsuits.
They certainly don’t want to go to court and air their dirty laundry in public.

Friday, June 6th, 2008
Daytona Commissioners Taylor & Shiver’s Conflict Of Interest Vote...
During the most recent city commission representatives Taylor and Shiver voted with the rest of the commissioners to add a 2% cost of living increase (COLA) to city police and fire pensions after six years of retirement.  This action cost taxpayers an additional $1.2 million and will bring the total police and fire pension contributions to $6.2 million next year.  Only problem with this is both Taylor and Shiver are retired Daytona firemen.  Voting on this ordinance was an obvious conflict of interest for both of them since they’re retired and already receive pension payments.  We understand Shiver not caring about the conflict of interest.  After all he already took a bribe from City Manager Chisolm in the $180,000 overpayment for his sewage damaged house and property.  We’re surprised at Dwayne Taylor though.  You’d think running for a state office he’d be a little more careful about doing things that enrich him financially.  I guess we forgot about the loan Dwayne accepted from the city years ago and never paid back. Daytona continues to let our criminal politicians guard the bank vault (our city budget).  Some things never change in the Red-Neck Riviera.  Yee-Haa!

Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Daytona’s Child Felon’s...
The Associated Press printed the following article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune on May 31st.  Looks
like the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Police Chief Chitwood and City Manager Chisolm didn’t think it was talking about.  Certainly does nothing to better our city’s image.  Typical Daytona Beach thinking.  Ignore it an it will go away.Click here to read the Minneapolis Star Tribune Article

Monday, June 2nd, 2008
Daytona Beach, A City Out Of Control, Part One...
Here’s some comments from other Real Daytona contributors:
A troubling trend is emerging at City Hall in Daytona Beach. Recently the current administration headed by City Manager James Chisholm and backed by our puppet commission lead by ‘Speedway shill’ Mayor Glen Ritchey have made a number of spending decisions that have been at best troubling for taxpayers. Over the coming days we will be making you aware of the things that are going on while your elected representatives are asleep at the switch!
THE APPOINTMENT OF CITY ATTORNEY HARTMAN:
On the surface this might seem like a good money saving idea but on closer examination it nothing more than an appointment of a lifetime bureaucrat with no vision for revamping the cities legal department. The citizens of Daytona Beach would be best served by a competitive process where several candidates are interviewed by the commission and the candidate with the best ideas for providing competent legal advice to city officials in an efficient manner is chosen. Wholesale changes in the way the legal department functions are necessary, especially when you look the poor advice the commission and manager have been given in the areas of CRA’s and contracts with developers. Advice which has cost the taxpayers millions of dollars. Mayor Ritchey would have you believe that one of the attorneys responsible for the poor advice will somehow do better as the head of the department. Maybe he is the kind of father who if his son wrecked his car driving drunk, would get him off with a good attorney (Don’t use anyone on the cities legal staff) and then buy him a new car so he could do it again.
If the Mayor wants to make bad decisions with his money and his life that’s fine, however making bad decisions with our tax dollars is unacceptable. Promoting an employee who makes those bad decisions (and is being paid with my money) is outrageous!
Daytona Beach, A City Out Of Control, Part 2...
HALIFAX HARBOR MARINA
Offices in the Halifax Harbor Marina (prime riverfront real estate owned by the city) were renovated by city employees to serve as the new location for the Daytona Beach Utility Department. This seems like a money saving idea to utilize excess space owned by the city, it’s not. It’s really a huge waste of city revenue and resources.  It’s also a symptom of an ever expanding government in a city whose population hasn’t changed in ten years. So the questions that begged to be asked are why do city employees need to be moved to a beautiful spot on the river when that location could have been rented at a reduced rate to generate income?  Why did city employees do the renovation and how much did it cost? Did the city do a cost analysis to see if it was more cost effective to contract the renovations out? This move is troubling and smacks of a project that was dreamed up by someone at city hall who got bored playing solitaire on their computer and figured a way to funnel a large amount of money out of the budget.Someone needs to take a close look at this project and others. Perhaps it’s time for the appointment of an independent city auditor to look into this and other items, rather than continuing to believe the City Manager and Director of Finance. Our City Commission is supposed to protect the taxpayer’s interest.  Based on their stellar performance to date that’s just not going to happen.

Friday, May 20th, 2008
Mayor Ritchie Finds New Money To Pay For LSO
In Daytona Beach, the rich get richer and the poor get shafted.  To keep that traditional alive Mayor Glen Ritchie came up with the idea to charge poor black kids $2 for using the new pool at the Cypress Recreational Center.  He hopes this money will offset the yearly $500,000 taxpayer gift for  the London Symphony Orchestra to come to Daytona Beach.
Rather than have the local promoter raise LSO ticket prices, Ritchie apparently feels it’s better to just charge a few poor kids to use something that should be free.  Since the Mayor’s on a fund raising roll maybe he should try to profit off the two free retention ponds at his car dealership too. They cost taxpayers $4 million dollars but Ritchie got them for free.  
Glen could charge poor black kids $1 for a bus ride over to his dealership, sell them a hotdog for $6, $4 for popcorn and $3 for a drink, then let the swim kids swim in ‘his’ retention ponds for free. Another $1 for a ride home and Ritchie’s profited handsomely.  So what if a few kids get killed while playing near Nova road.  They’re just poor black kids and no one really cares about them here in Daytona Beach.  The city should be ashamed of itself for charging these under-privileged kids and families for use of a pool their property taxes paid for.  But hey, the LSO is much more important than a few poor black kids, right Mr. Mayor?

Thursday, May 29th, 2008
City Attorney Hartman’s Sweet Deal...
Ron Bynum, Chairman of Striving Towards A New Daytona, (STAND) a political action committee gathering signatures for city charter amendments forwarded a letter to the editor of the Daytona Beach News Journal regarding the promotion of Marie Hartman to City Attorney.  The News-Journal didn’t bother to print Bynum’s letter but we will.‘With over 20 years corporate human resource consulting and executive search experience, I question the rationale behind the Daytona Beach City Commissions’ promotion of Deputy City Attorney Marie Hartman to replace City Attorney Bob Brown.  Hartman’s demands for a salary equal to Brown’s are ridiculous.  Brown has almost 15 years more experience than Hartman, which was reflected in his salary. Hartman’s not qualified for Brown’s level of compensation.  If we’re going to pay the top of the salary range for a city attorney then our city commission owes it to taxpayers to interview other interested, qualified candidates besides Hartman.  It’s likely they’ll find someone better qualified, with more experience than Hartman for the same salary.
Hartman’s demand for ‘protection’ from STAND city charter amendments is ridiculous as well. No city employee should have a guaranteed job. A city’s changing financial position and taxpayer needs should determine what city staff positions are necessary. Not a guarantee of continuing employment under any circumstance.  If Hartman’s job is ‘protected,’ shouldn’t all senior staff positions be ‘protected’ as well?  If the city attorney’s office is eliminated by the STAND amendment what position would Hartman then hold?  Should residents have to pay her $160,000 to do a job she has no experience in and is not qualified for if her department is eliminated?
55% of Florida municipalities don’t use city attorneys.  They use independent law firms that save them hundreds of thousands of tax dollars annually.  Shouldn’t our  city commission have evaluated that option before just promoting Hartman and paying her top dollar.
Hartman’s comments make it appear she’s only concerned about her salary and guaranteeing her job  in Daytona Beach city government rather than performing at a high level and protecting taxpayers interests. Don’t residents deserve a city attorney that’s more concerned with doing an outstanding job and saving taxpayers’ money, especially if we’re paying that city employee almost $160,000 annually?  No wonder our city budget is $100 million more than other comparable Florida cities.  Our city commission continues to waste our tax dollars protecting city employees instead of operating in a financially responsible fashion.’

Wednesday, May 28, 2008
International Speedway Corporation Throws Taxpayers to The Dogs Again...
In a scam that would make deceased godfather Bill France Jr. proud, International Speedway Corporation (ISC), or the ‘Motor Sports Mafia’ as they should be called, have engineered a world class tax dodge scam involving the Dog Track in Daytona Beach.  First they set up a ‘dummy’ limited liability corporation headed by an attorney in Ormond Beach. Then they engineered a land swap deal to move the old dog track. The land swap deal leaves the old dog track property at its original value of $9 million dollars, not the true sales value of $30 million. Swapping the dog track property instead of buying it results in ISC saving hundreds of thousands in property taxes every year and giving Daytona Beach taxpayers a good screwing in the process.  But wait, there’s more.
This scam will continue when ISC annexes the old dog track property into the Racing and Recreation District property (which taxpayers own). ISC pays absolutely no property taxes on this land and the ridiculously low sum of $500,000 per year to lease! Bottom line, instead of paying property taxes on the $30 million land value of the old dog track, they pay nothing.
Feeling thrown to the dogs? The citizens of Daytona Beach should be used to it by now. This nonsense has been going on for fifty years. Campaign contributions guarantee ISC will get the vote from the City Commission and Racing and Recreational District Board.  The Real answer to the problem is to elect a city commission that’s not bought and paid for by the Motor Sports Mafia.  So remember, get out and vote standing up or get back down on your knees for the ISC ‘shagging.’  Red-Neck Riviera politics are amusing if nothing else.  Yee-Haa!

Monday, May 19th, 2008
Mayor Ritchie Promotes Inept City Attorney...
In his typical arrogant fashion, Daytona Beach Mayor Glen Ritchie decided rather than interview a number of qualified candidates for the City Attorney’s job, to just promote Deputy City Attorney Marie Hartman to replace Bob Brown, who retires June 1st.  Brown retired a year and a half early in order to save his pension.  A number of Florida BAR complaints were filed against Brown by local political activist Ron Bynum. If found guilty, Brown could have his legal license revoked and lose his pension. Bynum is the Chairman of the political action committee STAND, a group attempting to get six money saving city charter amendments on the ballot.  In his complaints Bynum alleges Brown was negligent and ‘failed to protect taxpayers interest on numerous occasions.’  He cited Brown’s involvement in the city’s $180,000 overpayment for City Commissioner Rick Shiver’s home after a sewage back-flow incident and Brown’s negligence and cover-up of city employee fraud in the Beach Street condominium project.  The complaints are still under investigation by the Florida BAR.
Marie Hartman is a semi-competent attorney but a horrible human being despised by most other city employees, business people and residents that have had to work with her.  She ignores public records laws regularly and attempts to block the release of information or charge high prices for it.  Unmarried, living with a convicted felon that’s fathered two of her children, Marie Hartman is definitely not the type of City Attorney we need to change Daytona’s eroding image.  Our City Commission again demonstrates it’s ineptness and inability to make good decisions to better our community.

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008
City Commissioner Shriver’s Running, Not Running, Running, Not Running....For County Counsel Seat.
City Commissioner Rick Shriver can’t seem to make up his mind.  First he said he wouldn’t run for the County Council seat.  Then he said he would.  Now he’s withdrawn again and thrown his support behind past Ponce Inlet Mayor Nancy Epps, instead.  Remember Epps?  Voters in her town had an initiative process to take away the power she grabbed while in office a few years ago.
Looks like all the dope Shriver smokes has continued to fry his already pea-sized brain.  Initially, local power brokers were behind Shriver figuring they’d get him to vote for the new CRA’s City Manager Chisolm wants.  (The county council now has to vote on them too.) Maybe they got worried that Shriver couldn’t win against a real opponent like Epps.  Perhaps they realized too many voters remember that it was Shriver that originated and championed the first Vision Plan, until 1,000 residents said no.  It was Shriver that took $180,000 in over payment hush money from the city for his home purchase.  It was Shriver that voted for every tax increase, spending increase and CRA giveaway since elected.  It was Shriver who was about to appoint the ‘beach street play toy’ with no experience to replace him on the city commission.
Maybe County Elections Supervisor Ann McFall’s plan to go to even year elections caused Shriver to withdraw.  If enacted, it would give Shriver an extra year on the city commission to vote all his buddies more freebies and raise property taxes and spending by a few million dollars more.  Who knows what the real reason is and who cares?  Rick knows down deep he never had a real chance to win anyway.

Thursday, May 8th, 2008
City Management and Politicians T&A Fascination Costs Taxpayers $15,000...
Daytona Beach city officials can’t seem to get enough T&A action.  First they fought the strip clubs for eight years, wasting thousands of city attorney hours, placing millions of tax dollars at risk and paying tens of thousands to consultants so boobs couldn’t be shown behind closed doors.  Then Daytona police had the Sears ‘sting’ arresting mad-wacker and past city commissioner Mike Shallow.  It now looks like he’s going to get off (figuratively) because of the cops many screw-ups.  Now 45 year old mother Elizabeth Book, whom was arrested for displaying her breasts in public to protest the city’s nudity ordinance, is getting paid $15,000 of taxpayer’s money to dismiss the case.  Thank God are elected officials and city management continue to protect our virtue, accept of course during Spring Break and Black College Reunion, or what’s left of it.  While prostitutes, homeless and illegal drug sales are evident on almost every block of Daytona, our city management has focused on boobs displayed behind closed doors and violating peoples’ privacy in public toilet stalls!  Typical Red-Neck Riviera logic.  Ignore the really bad stuff and maybe it’ll go away.

Thursday, May 8th, 2008
City Finance Director Resigns...Thank God!
One of Daytona’s ‘Axis of Evil,’ Ricardo Kisner has resigned and is heading to Glenview, Illinois.  City Manager Jim Chisolm credited Kisner with many ‘innovative techniques’ that improved city finances.  Innovative techniques such as violating state laws with CRA spending, buying property without appraisals, paying $180,000 more than appraised value for Commissioner Shiver’s home, reimbursing employees for travel and phone expenses without receipts and the list goes on and on.  Kisner and Chisolm can be partially credited for doubling spending by $100 million in just over five years and doubling  property taxes by more than 118% during that time as well.  Kisner’s one of the smarter ones, getting out before the crap rolls down hill and covers Chisolm.  Chisolm’s lost nine department heads in four years.  That usually happens because a good City Manager comes in, cuts costs and ‘cleans house’.  In this case a shitty City Manager came in, sucked the Speedway/Hyatt Brown/Glen Ritchie/ Theresa Doan ‘tit’ and forced every other manager out that wouldn’t play the game.
Maybe we could pay Glenview, Illinois $9 million to take Chisolm with Kisner.  That’s the same amount of money we’ll lose if Chisolm gets to take over beach management to protect his wife’s  concession from the Volusia County consultant.
The worst part is Chisolm will convince our witless City Commission we have to pay even more than what Kisner made, around $140,000, to get another ‘innovative’ Finance Director.  That way Chisolm can screw the taxpayers even better.  Yee Haa!  Some things never change in the Red-Neck Riviera!

Wednesday, May 7th, 2008
STEAL OR DON’T  STEAL...THE TAX MAN’S COMING, DON’T BE FOOLED!
Homeowners who’ve been savaged by property tax increases in Florida are looking to a new plan that shifts school funding from property taxes to sales taxes. A word of advice folks, hold on to your wallet!  Although providing short term property tax relief, this plan creates a huge opportunity for the ‘tax man’ to raise taxes on the back side of this initiative.
For example, a local Daytona Beach taxpayer seeking relief votes for this plan and has their $4,800 dollar tax bill reduced by 40% to 2880.00 dollars. That sounds great! Then in a year, under the guise of some public safety problem or dire infrastructure need, your property taxes are raised $400. Dollars.  You’re still feeling good because you used to pay $4800 dollars for property taxes so $3280 isn’t that bad, is it? It’s actually a rip off and a huge tax increase since you’re now paying sales tax on everything you purchase.
So let’s recap this shell game. Property taxes go down, school funding goes down, sales taxes go up and then Daytona city management grabs a share too by raising property taxes ‘just a little more.’ In the end you got nailed with a 10% or higher tax increase. If you’re like most people you’ll be patting yourself on the back for voting to lower your property taxes.
Any tax is a by-product of government spending.  State, County and City governments continue to cry poor when in fact they’re just refusing to cut over-spending.  Now is the time for taxpayers (THAT’’S YOU) to exercise due diligence and confront the tax man before he raises any tax and you become just another victim of tax assault.
Support groups like STAND in Daytona Beach or Tax Watch in Volusia County.
Remember the money you save will be you own!