tt post nov 17, 2016

bq. _"... Sarantou saying it would only be for a few years, and then it would go back to the original split. It's never gone back, and they keep taking millions of $ from capital improvements to fund salaries."_

Sarantou seems like a dangerous person to have around Toledo's finances.

In May 2010, Toledo voters "approved":http://toledotalk.com/cgi-bin/tt.pl/article/175873#175959 the transfer of some money from the Capital Improvements Plan to the General Fund.

Prior to the May 2010 election: "Sarantou urges vote in favor of Issue 5":http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2010/04/23/Sarantou-urges-vote-in-favor-of-Issue-5.html

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Toledo Councilman George Sarantou urged voters yesterday to vote in favor of Issue 5, which will allow the city to reallocate its 0.75 percent income tax.

"Passage of Issue 5 will allow the city of Toledo to use the dollars from capital improvement to be used to support Toledo general fund," Mr. Sarantou said.  "Approximately $7 million could be reallocated to the general fund, largely to support public safety operations."
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Sarantou loves the illegal refuse fee tax.

Excerpts from my April 2015 "comment":http://www.toledotalk.com/cgi-bin/tt.pl/article/186437#190152

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In the spring of 2007, Toledo city council 'endorsed' an illegal tax on Toledoans. It was a 7-5 vote. Five democrats voted against the illegal tax. All four republicans on council voted for the illegal tax. Allegedly, the republicans made some kind of deal with then-mayor Czarty.

Council did not vote specifically on this illegal tax. That is, the illegal tax was not its own, separate resolution.

With the 7-5 vote, council approved the 2007 budget, which contained this illegal tax. Voting for the budget meant supporting the illegal tax, in my opinion.

This illegal tax was suppose to last only for one year, but it didn't.  I think republican [city councilman] and alleged financial guru, George Sarantou, said the city became too dependent upon the revenue.
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This was the  "spring 2007 city council vote":http://toledotalk.com/cgi-bin/tt.pl/article/21674/Refuse_fee_lawsuit__against_City_of_Toledo_-_August_2008_Update#Spring_2007_Trash_Fee_Vote to approve the budget and therefore support the new illegal refuse fee tax:

Voting FOR the new city tax :

* Joe Birmingham 
* Mark Sobczak
* Rob Ludeman
* Betty Shultz
* George Sarantou
* Wilma Brown
* Phil Copeland

Voting AGAINST the new city tax :

* Michael Ashford
* Mike Craig
* Ellen Grachek
* Joe McNamara
* Frank Szollosi

The one-year illegal tax will be 10-years-old this spring. No word yet if it will be increased again like early this year. Remember, years ago it was suppose to drop to zero for people who recycled. That was also a lie.

February 2008 Blade "story":http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2008/02/16/Toledo-officials-say-canceling-trash-fee-may-be-too-costly.html

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An idea to charge Toledo residents who don't recycle a higher trash fee and nothing for those who do recycle at the curbside is admirable, but may create a budget crunch, Bill Franklin, the city's director of public service, told a council committee yesterday.

Councilman George Sarantou acknowledged that the idea could increase recycling. "If the money doesn't come in because everyone is recycling, then you have a $4.8 million problem," Mr. Sarantou said.
q..

The illegal fee was implemented to encourage more recycling in order to increase the lifespan of the landfill. It was not sold as a money grab. It was suppose to be for altruistic reasons. 

Toledo politics: No such thing as a temporary tax, no such thing as altruism, and it's always about taking money from others.



In the spring of 2008, the city "promised":https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2008/03/28/Trash-rates-have-Toledo-seeing-green.html to drop the illegal tax to zero in 2010 for recyclers. Obviously, that never happened.



In November 2015, Sarantou "suggested":http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2015/11/12/Mayor-kept-20M-deficit-from-voters.html increasing the illegal tax. And last November, he publicly "stated":http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2015/11/15/Police-tool-will-help-city-nab-speeders.html that the handheld speeding cameras are for safety reasons.