Issues Page
Where does Bob Ford Stand on Issues of Concern?
Budget Cuts: Port Orange's focus during these difficult economic times should be on preserving basic services - public safety and maintaining infrastructure (roads, water, sewer etc.). I am against across the board budget cuts (for example, the 9% across the board cuts currently being studied) that reduce patrol officers on the street, reduces infrastructure maintenance, and closes fire stations. For example, proposed 9% cuts call for significant reduction in patrol police and fire officers, but no decrease in the city's legal staff.
Research from previous recessions has demonstrated that "uniform cuts applied across the organization do not distinguish essential from less important activities, productive from unproductive operations or the impact of proportional cuts of programs of different scales" (International City Managers Association, 2010). I believe what is needed is directed cuts that preserve key services while reducing peripheral duties and bureaucracy.
Budget cuts, when required, should be directed to administrative overhead, peripheral services, and non-essential projects. In particular, land purchases by the city should be stopped until revenues improve. (For example, in the last year almost a million dollars in land purchases have been made).
There will be hard choices, not doubt. However, a directed approach is wisest for both the short- and long-term health of the city.
Contracting for Police Services: The city council, in a budget workshop session on June 22, 2010, asked City Manager Parker to have the Sheriff cost out a contract to take over police services for the city. The City Manager subsequently sent a letter to Sheriff Ben Johnson (dated June 28, 2010) detailing the police services the city wished to have priced. (On July 1 the News Journal reported on this request for a contract for police services.)
I oppose the contracting out police services. In most cases, contracting police services neither reduces costs nor improves service:
- There is little to no potential for savings in such contracts. The basic costs for the Sheriff to provide such services is the same as if the city directly provided the services. Salaries and benefits for police are roughly similar for the Sheriff's Department and Port Orange. The number of personnel required is the same if the Sheriff provides the same services. Thus, the costs are going to be roughly similar. For example, a check of the Sheriff's contract for Deltona illustrates the similarities in cost structure per officer.
- There are few economies of scale in policing. Most police resources are assigned to patrol. It takes the same number of patrol officers to mount a specific amount of service, no matter who is delivering the service. The same is true for investigations.
- Generally, the service is better when delivered by an agency that identifies with the community that it serves. A bond develops between a community and its police officers.
- Contracts are generally advantageous in the first 1-3 years of the contract. After that, costs tend to skyrocket. In part, this is due to the service provider seeking to present an attractive pay proposal at the outset of a contract. However, over time, service providers find it difficult to maintain the preferential rate structure. In addition, service provider's police officers will need the same salary and benefit of the regular department. The community has little or no control over increasing costs -- or the quality of service.
- Since starting a police department is tremendously expensive and difficult to do, it is difficult to end a contract once it is implemented. Essentially, once the Port Orange Police Department is dissolved, it will be doubly hard to re institute.
- During area-wide emergencies, Port Orange will not be able to call in deputies or control emergency response personnel. Port Orange will have to compete with other areas for the use of the deputies.
- The unique needs of our community, may be ignored by a department that addresses county-wide concerns.
- The police contract will not address the pension shortfall (unfunded liabilities). With or without a contract, Port Orange residents remain responsible for past unfunded pension liabilities. Since sheriff deputies are covered by a state pension and port orange officers are covered by a city pension, what happens to officers who are vested in the city pension and now go to another employer? What happens to employees who have elected to be in the drop? This could evolve into a legal quagmire with port orange taxpayers losing their local police but keeping a number of pension related costs.
- The majority of city employees (about 70% ) live in the City of Port Orange. They shop here, pay city taxes, and support city businesses. Sheriff's employees will be more likely to live in a wider range of locations -- and spend their money closer to home.
While I remain convinced that the costing out of services will show that the Sheriff will not be able to provide significant cost savings, what concerns me is the impact of such requests upon the morale of those that serve as Port Orange officers. A requests for a contract sends a message to our officers that they are expendable, a commodity to be costed out. This is not likely to build loyalty among employees.
Contracting for Medical Services from EVAC: Currently, the Port Orange Fire Department (POFD) responds to medical calls within the City of Port Orange. In fact the POFD in 2007 the state Bureau of Emergency Medical Services named Port Orange Fire-Rescue as the top emergency medical services provider in the state of Florida. In a letter dated June 28th to Executive Director Michael Mellon of EVAC Ambulance ( A private not-for-profit agency) City Manager Kenneth Parker (at the request of City Council) asked for cost figures for a contract for EVAC to provide all medical services for Port Orange. I am strongly opposed to such a contract for many of the same reasons noted about contracting for police services and:
- Due to more rigorous construction codes, the number of fires in the city are limited in number. However, because one can be sure when a fire or other disaster will occur, the city needs to still staff fire stations. It makes good sense to make multiple use of cross trained fire officers, so they can respond to medical calls as well as fire calls. Throughout the nation, fire departments are increasingly taking over medical response duties. Multiple use of city employees makes good fiscal sense.
- If the fire department were allowed to transport patients to medical facilities reimbursements for transports would cut the cost to the taxpayers significantly of fire/medical services. We should be pursuing this option, not a contract with EVAC.
- EVAC Ambulance has faced criticism recently for a 32 minute response time to a call in Edgewater in which the patient subsequently died. In medical emergencies response times are critical. How could adequate response times be assured? (See Hometown News Story)
- EVAC Ambulance receives a subsidy from Volusia County. Port Orange's taxpayers contribute to this subsidy. Why should we as city residents have to pay additional taxes for a contract to an agency that our county taxes are already subsidizing. Are we getting double dipped?
Reducing Overall Cost of Fire Services: For the long term, POFD should be permitted to transport the sick and injured, and receive reimbursement for such transports to reduce the burden on the Port Orange taxpayers. Our city council should continue to relentlessly pursue this option. Cooperative arrangements among Volusia County fire departments that permit improvements in response times and more effective use of fire department resources should be continued to be pursued.
Closing of Fire Stations: Fire stations should not be closed, since time matters in health and fire emergencies. Interestingly, the fire union has suggested an immediate option -- have fire supervisors respond when fire staff is limited. On the days when full staffing is not available, trained officers serving in specialized or administrative positions should be manning engines until staffing issues can be resolved.
Environment: Port Orange has a rich and varied environment. In general, Port Orange has been sensitive to environmental issues. It is important that we continue to remain sensitive to the quality of our natural environment. In the case of the Oasis Marina, the City was not as sensitive to environmental issues as it should be in approving this ill-advised marina. A comment on the Oasis Marina that followed a News Journal article on this topic reflects my view:
"It is amazing in this day and age that Port Orange would even consider putting a Marina in the midst of a wildlife sanctuary. The city must bend all the rules, destroy wetlands, add to the river pollution, and make the already crowded adjacent parking areas even more congested." (News Journal, 11-19-08)
As a council member, I will work hard to protect and preserve Port Orange's sensitive lands and waters.
Port Orange's Public Pensions: The incoming council will face a major dilemma in addressing the unfunded liabilities of the police, fire, and general employee pensions. The city is faced with unfunded liabilities in public pensions of about $35 million dollars. Most of the unfunded liabilities are divided equally between the police and fire pensions.
How did this happen? There are a couple of factors: 1 - The pension plans were not adequately funded over the last two decades. City contributions to the plan were not sufficient to support the contracted benefits. 2-In 2003 and later, increased benefits were provided to employees while their own contributions were significantly reduced. 3- Declines in the stock market and resulting values in pension plan investments in 2008 reduced investment income upon which the plans also rely.
Looking to the future, there are two basic and inter-related issues to pension shortfalls. The first issue is how can the current unfunded liability be addressed? The second issue is how can we make police and fire pensions sustainable for the long term?
There are several options for addressing past unfunded liabilities. The city is presently considering a bond to fund the full amount of the liability. A 20-30 year bond would be paid back over the life of the bond using city revenues. The city could also allow the fund to remain under-funded, and gradually, over time, as funds become available place them in the pension accounts to incrementally bring pension fund balances in line with pension commitments.
To make city pensions sustainable for the long term changes will be needed in either funding amounts, employee contributions, or in pension benefit packages. Sustainable pensions will most probably require changes in all three criteria. Representatives of both the police and fire departments have noted that they are willing to work with the City to develop a pension program that meets both the needs of the employees and protects the taxpayers of Port Orange.
Debt: : Port Orange is generally financially healthy, but it clearly is not a wealthy community. While the city has over $30 million in reserves, it also has incurred considerable debt over a number of years. Current city debt approaches approximately $160 -200 million. A sizeable proportion of the debt has been used to fund water and sewer projects, and these are reasonable expenditures; however, they still contribute to the city's overall indebtedness. Debt repayment costs the city approximately $14 million per year -- more than the yearly budget for the police department.
Overall, city debt should be reduced by the council whenever possible. For example, as each fiscal year closes, a proportion of surplus funds from the previous year (often called 'carry-over funds') should be applied to debt reduction. Until indebtedness can be reduced, the council should refrain from incurring additional debt.
Neighborhood Preservation: The Riverwalk Sign, which is now being prepared, calls Riverwalk the "heart" of Port Orange. I disagree. The heart of Port Orange is its neighborhoods. As a councilman, I will work hard to support and protect our neighborhoods. My decisions will always involve the question, "How will this change, regulation, law or rezoning effect the area's neighborhoods"?
Growth: The positive economic impacts of improper development are short lived. However, the cost of improper development is long term and borne by all of us. For example, congested roads negatively impact the environment and waste our limited resources. Growth for growth's sake is foolish.
Taxes: Port Orange millage rates have been ranked generally in the lower third of municipalities in Volusia County. We should strive to keep Port Orange taxes affordable.
Town Center CRA (Riverwalk, Sea Bird Island): Since the 1990s, Port Orange has invested heavily in land purchases in the Town Center CRA. Presently, Port Orange has a sizeable investment in the Riverwalk area. The CRA (Community Redevelopment Area) is funded by taxes (based on the value increase of the property since program inception). Port Orange has entered into an agreement with a private developer to develop the Riverwalk site. In 2005, the cost of the proposed Riverwalk Project was calculated to be over $750,000,000. It was anticipated at that time that the development would start in 2005, with one phase of 17-story high rises completed by 2006 (Riverwalk website, 2010). This was not accomplished and the project remains currently in limbo.
The Town Center CRA has not moved forward, yet it has demanded considerable public investment. It also has reduced revenues available for other city needs. Rethinking the design of the current project is needed, especially given the current economy. Interim uses of city properties in this area should be considered. The 17-story high rises for the Riverwalk area, and the proposed parking garages should be reconsidered as well. There are many uses for this historic area of Port Orange that can benefit the community while maintaining the city's quality of life.
Economic Development: Port Orange does not have the resources to market economic development nationwide. We should continue to work with the local Chamber of Commerce, neighboring cities, and Volusia County to advance economic development. EastPort should continue to be an important recruitment tool to convince businesses to relocate to our community.