$29 isn't all that much...

Discussion in 'Sun City General Discussions' started by BPearson, Nov 16, 2022.

  1. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    For many of the readers of TOSC, you know the RCSC is proposing a $29 increase to the annual lot assessment in 2023. Some of you have attended meetings and know the increase was buried in the proposed passage of the 2023 budget. Rather than just telling the membership they wanted more money, they hid it in the motion.

    By the way, the motion was defeated as 5 directors said no, "you don't need the money." Now we have come to find out one of the directors leaving the board will change his vote in a "reconsideration." The question is did he vote it down because it was wrong, or because he didn't know what he was doing? In the end, it doesn't matter, because as he runs out the door he will do what they ask him to do (maybe he will prove me wrong and i will quickly and loudly apologize).

    After years of no increase, a $29 hike isn't the end of the world. $525 for a couple is cheap. $525 for a single home owners isn't, and in fact is higher than what a single owner will pay in Sun City West (they are still on per person assessments, it's more fair). As a heads up, i will be asking any board member at Thursday's meeting to have readily available the number of single home owners paying the soon to be $525. Another stat we never see or hear.

    So we are clear, i will be speaking against the motion. I know the 5 board members supporting the increase don't care, but my comments will be directed at the millions and millions of those who will be watching at home. Okay, so i am exaggerating a bit but i couldn't resist the line used so often by the Rock.

    I've never been opposed to increases we need. NEVER. While on the board, i voted for them. The one thing i demanded as a board member was for the general manager to explain why we needed it. It was never simply because SHE wanted it.

    I wanted to know what it was going to be used for:
    * How much would be used to enhance clubs requests?
    * How much was going towards communication and member outreach?
    * How much was going towards employee salaries?
    * How large an increases were management getting and were there bonuses?
    * How much was being set aside in the reserve account?
    * How much was being used to subsidize golf? (Nope never did tell us that).

    These are all valid reasons to increase our annual fees. I don't see any answers posted anywhere justifying the $29 raise. Perhaps the board and or the budget and finance committee knows the answers. The real question is; why wouldn't the members being asked to pay it be told?

    Here's the real kicker and let me shout it so you all are aware of what a shameless money grab this is: EVEN WITH THIS HYPER INFLATION THE RCSC HAS BEEN WHINING ABOUT, IN CALENDAR YEAR 2022, THEY ADDED 2 MILLION DOLLARS TO THEIR CARRY FORWARD FUND. SAY FREAKING WHAT?

    Two million dollars they had in hand and didn't spend. Yet they claim their are 4000 items on the list that need to be addressed. Why are we waiting? The GM told me point blank; he wants more money in the bank. Why?

    I know, he sees us as a business and not as a community. I get it. That's why the board is elected by the membership, to be his boss. Sadly they have bought the argument, they work for him. Until that changes, nothing in Sun City will change.
     
  2. FYI

    FYI Well-Known Member

    And if you notice, the posted Agenda continues to hide the increase in the assessment. The only thing the Agenda says is there's a "Motion to Reconsider" without actually telling you it's a motion to reconsider the vote to approve the proposed annual budget!
     
  3. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    As i just wrote a group of friends Tom:
    Nothing from them surprises me anymore, nothing!
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2022
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  4. FYI

    FYI Well-Known Member

    And it shouldn't surprise you to learn that it's to late to Reconsider that motion. It had to be done back in the meeting where it was voted on. And NO, as much as Dale will tell you that their meetings are year-long sessions therefore it's allowed, wrong again! Go check Robert's Rules of Order (RONR 8:4) It has to be specifically specified in the bylaws, otherwise each meeting is, in fact, a separate session!

    They like to shove Robert's Rules down our throats when it benefits them, but when it benefits the Members they simply ignore them.
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2022
  5. jeb

    jeb Active Member

    Not sure on this, but I think the entirety of their answer was paper towels have gone up 7.2 trillion% this past year.
     
  6. FYI

    FYI Well-Known Member

    You sure it wasn't toilet paper because of all of the BS they've been spieling?
     
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  7. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    That's exactly why numbers matter Jeb. We heard Darla read the information regarding the massive percentage increases last year and yet they: put 2 million dollars in the bank last year. Wonder how many of those struggling to get by were able to shovel any money in the bank, or even be able to pay their bills.
     
  8. GCotten

    GCotten Member

    The new word on the street this morning is that the $29.00 increase has been reduced to $18.00. A participant at the SCHOA meeting said that is what he was told yesterday when paying his annual assessment..... so that probably creates a lot of new thoughts. In addition it is my understanding the GM is on a limited 2 year employment contract....if correct does that explain any of the unusual activities that have been occurring? (maybe this is old info and addressed elsewhere)
     
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  9. Linda McIntyre

    Linda McIntyre Well-Known Member

    Really? So, the question would be, what do they plan to take out of the budget (that we can't see) that equals the amount of the reduction? The whole budget process is a fiasco. If the Board is truly having a session after the Member/Board exchange to work out a plan for their meeting on the Dec 17th, then my suggestion would be that people voice their opinions on Dec 5th, stay to listen following the exchange and attend the meeting on the 17th.
     
  10. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    I hadn't heard any of this Gary. Odd, because i have no idea when anyone (the board) would have met to have these discussions. We'll see how much of this comes to pass.
     
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  11. GCotten

    GCotten Member

    Bill....I agree with what you say...strange. Possibly the sources on both bits of info drank the bad water...lol.
     
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  12. FYI

    FYI Well-Known Member

    Would the board have to meet or could there have been another meeting of the F&B committee where this could have been discussed?

    Could be just another one of the boards unofficial breakfasts...where not all board members are invited?
     
  13. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    One would hope the chairman of the finance and budget committee would have been invited to attend, but these days, stranger things have happened. Perhaps what is most curious is someone would be running their mouth at a SCHOA meeting. Who in the world would have access to that kind of information?
     
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  14. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    As I lay in bed last night, i couldn't get my head around how or why a rumor like this would start? I know rumors as well as most, i hear any number of them. I also know there's usually a kernel of truth in what i hear, or what others hear. I cannot imagine this one having legs, unless of course someone is trying to float a trial balloon to see if it gets any traction. We know the general manager was fixated on adding the 4.5 million dollars to the Reserve Fund (currently at 5.6 million dollars). He wants 10 million as his safety net.

    We also know the budget and finance committee recommendation didn't come with that 4.5 million dollars transfer. Adding to the rumor mill are comments attributed to the GM that he doesn't want them (the board) spending his carry forward. While i would be less than honest by not stating, i didn't hear him say that, i do need to say this: The carry forward is not his money any more than the 2023 budget belongs to him. He's an employee hired to work for the board.

    This misnomer the general manager is some sort of Supreme Leader has to end. While that may sound disrespectful, it's not intended to. Historically the general manager was an employee who ran the day to day operations. If you have read anything i have written over the years, the breakdown came when the general manager became the one making every decision.

    Sorry, that's not how it is supposed to work. Unless and until that changes we are doomed to be treated as second class citizens allowed to live in the community we all own and love.
     
  15. Linda McIntyre

    Linda McIntyre Well-Known Member

     

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