Your turn on Atlanta’s property-tax increase
What do you think?
The Atlanta City Council raised property taxes today to close a $56 million budget gap and end furloughs of city employees, AJC staffer Eric Sturgis reports.
For the average city homeowner, the increase amounts to $250 on a $240,000 home, officials said.
Is this the right move or should city officials have cut spending?
The City Council’s 8-7 vote in favor of the property-tax increase broke down like this:
Yes: Carla Smith, Ivory Lee Young, Natalyn Mosby Archibong, Anne Fauver, Felicia Moore, C.T. Martin, Joyce Sheperd, Ceasar Mitchell.
No: Kwanza Hall, Cleta Winslow, Howard Shook, Clair Muller, Jim Maddox, Mary Norwood, H. Lamar Willis.
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106 comments Add your comment
professional skeptic
June 29th, 2009
12:25 pm
On top of the additional $250 in annual property tax that I’ll be paying as a result of this much needed tax increase, I would happily pay even more in order to fund a proper, thorough investigation of Atlanta’s finances. We need to bring Deloitte (or similar firm) back to do a detailed analysis of the City’s internal control framework, leaving no stone unturned. Finance personnel should be interviewed to determine whether they have the skills needed to perform their jobs, and then replaced if they do not.
A study like this won’t come cheaply, but we sorely need it. The City also needs to audited financial statements available to the public on an annual basis. I have always been an advocate of the “pay as you go” approach to funding government. As taxpayers, we are obligated to pay for the services we desire. By the same token, Atlanta is obligated to demonstrate that our tax dollars are being spent wisely.
Paul
June 29th, 2009
12:26 pm
I could not be happier! I totally support paying higher taxes to appropriately fund our city. I am very proud of the city council for staring down the anti-tax crusaders and voting for higher taxes. Finally our police, firefighters, parks will be funded to responsible levels. Thank you city of Atlanta.
Tea
June 29th, 2009
12:30 pm
Cleta Winslow, Howard Shook, Claire Muller, Jim Maddox, Mary Norwood, H. Lamar Willis, and Kwanza Hall may have voted against the tax increase, but where are their alternative proposals for cutting $56M from the budget?
ViningsATL
June 29th, 2009
12:31 pm
Mayor Franklin’s threat of cutting fire and police services seems to have swayed the votes of the Atlanta City Council to her side. Could she not have made cuts in administrative and mid-management instead? Those salaries are probably higher than, or at least equal to, our firefighters’ and police officers’. Also, with the steep decline in property values, shouldn’t appraisals be done to reflect the loss in value? Seems to me that would create an even bigger budget deficit than the tax increase would resolve.
Linda Borchers
June 29th, 2009
12:32 pm
Follow the Money and listen to the Mayoral Candidate who actually has a FINANCAL PLAN and focus for the city and GO VOTE! There is a fabulous person to vote for this year!
PappyHappy
June 29th, 2009
12:33 pm
Well, watch more homes go on the market. Franklin apparently quite managing financial resources of the City the day after she assumed office. BEWARE OF THOSE WHO VOTED FOR THIS TAX HIKE!! IF THEY ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, KICK THEM OUT!
IC Atlanta
June 29th, 2009
12:33 pm
Why would you expect anything less from Shirley and the city council? This is Atlanta after all. The last time competence and Atlanta city government were mentioned in the same sentence Ivan Allen was mayor.
David
June 29th, 2009
12:37 pm
I agree with the (ugacpa02 @ 11:10 am) comment about AJC and quality Journalism. It’s easy to light the torches and let everyone run with pitchforks. Where’s the investigative reporting into what our tax dollars are going for? Where’s insight into how this all happened and what’s next? This whole “reading “Twitter” posts” – Journalism is thoughless and lacking.
MattAtlanta
June 29th, 2009
12:37 pm
I had a heart to heart talk just yesterday with my city Council-person. I’m only ONE person, but I can’t necessarily blame the council for their vote.
It may ( or may not) be surprising to many of you, as I was, to find out that that city’s books were so ” cooked” that many council members had no clue as to the city’s finances. They were in the dark as well.
If the city books aren’t open to council members, then how can the rest of us know?
Let the chips fall where they may…but we need leadership.
With that said, Mary Norwood is looking pretty good right now as a candidate…and I just may, for the first time in my life, become politically involved with a mayoral campaign.
Good Bye, Mayor Franklin! Please take Pennington, and the Director of Watershed Management with you.
Mike Jones
June 29th, 2009
12:39 pm
Typical Liberals. Raising taxes during a recession.
ugacpa02
June 29th, 2009
12:40 pm
The taxpayers don’t want most of these services. And certainly many of them should not be government run. That’s the problem.
Former Vine City Resident
June 29th, 2009
12:40 pm
Thank goodness that this is the last time we have to deal Philly Shirley. How are we to pay higher taxes when we do not have jobs? There will be a lot of vacate houses with no taxes paid. What are you ( City Council) going to do then? How much is really going to the firemen and policemen and how much will be allocated to their own personel needs? Nothing is going to happen in Buckhead, Mouningside and the neighborhoods that are mainly white. The poorer neighborhoods like Vine City, Dixie Hills, Mechanicsville, Cabbagetown and West End will be hurting most ( no increase in fire or police protection). LETS CHANGE THE FACES OF THE CITY COUNCIL. GET RID OF ALL OF THEM IN OFFICE NOW. TIME FOR A SERIOUS CHANGE.
Mechanicsville
June 29th, 2009
12:41 pm
To all those who say the poor communities are reaping the rewards of having a black mayor and council people… We aren’t!
As someone who lives in a rougher, poorer neighborhood I can assure we are getting NO money from north Fulton and Buckhead. We have the crime, overgrown parks and terrible schools to prove it. If a couple of these “leaders” lived in my community maybe some things would change?
John
June 29th, 2009
12:46 pm
Is the wino shelter city supported? If so close that.Mayor Shirley Nagens you have made us proud.
Proud to have been from other cities.Your administration makes Bill Campbell’s look decent.As Mayor Young suggested put the airport under private ownership.(Ouch no more kickbacks!)
Wax
June 29th, 2009
12:48 pm
As if we needed more proof that Shirley Franklin is one of the worst mayors in the country. This woman and her administration are absolute disasters. The corrupt Franklin types that now infest Atlanta government have proven their ineptitude over and over. Irresponsible spending and bribery have cost this city hundreds of millions over the years and we’re the ones who must pay the consequences. How pathetic…and not surprising.
Mike
June 29th, 2009
12:49 pm
I would like to see the AJC conduct a story on all of the unpaid, uncollected proberty taxes on the books in the City of Atlanta. I would guess that if didn’t completely close the gap int he Mayor’s budget that it would come close. Instead of a three mill increase, perhaps only a one mill would have been in order. For those serious about what is going on with property taxes, you need to vote this fall. All City Council positons are up for grabs and I for one will vote out of office my council member. Another point is what is wrong with furloughing city employees to include police officers and/or firemen. I am being furloughed for the next year and have not received a pay increase since 2007. Remember this when you VOTE this fall!!!
Atlanta Born / Atlanta Bred
June 29th, 2009
12:53 pm
After viewing how they voted the majority of the city council need to follow Shirley out of the door.Voters make it So. The one who is running for the office of president of the city council ( Mitchell) does not deserve to hold that office. VOTERS Make It SO!
Mechanicsville is so right the poorer neighborhoods wil not be seeing any funding and increase in service. Backs will be turned on the poorer neighborhoods again.
Informed Citizen
June 29th, 2009
12:54 pm
To those who say that the council members don’t know what state the city’s finances are in, the City Council paid $550,000 in January to have a consultant come in and audit the City’s finances (Resolution 09-R-0088). So its disingenuous for people like Mary Norwood to say she doesn’t know what the city’s finances are when she voted in favor of paying TWO people such a large amount to audit the books. People also need to be mindful that the President of Council only votes in the case of a tie. I’d vote for Dave Walker for Mayor before Mary Norwood. She may prance around City hall like some big shot, but most of these council members fail to even show up at committee meetings. The very act in which they were elected; to represent the people.
Norwood likes to sit on the fence until she is forced to make a decision. She knows the city is in dire straights yet voted against a tax increase. What is her alternative as a mayoral candidate then? Or did she know that the measure would pass anyway, so theres no use in voting for it. Thats poor leadership in my mind, and exactly what Atlanta doesn’t need at this time. Did she ever once provide an alternative policy, or blame the books for voting against a tax increase?
Shar
June 29th, 2009
12:56 pm
With Atlanta’s property values down over 25%, my appraisal has gone up over 30% and my appeal was just refused – with no justification or explanation. Now my tax rate is to increase by 42%. Meanwhile, Atlanta leads the nation in the number of city employees per capita population, the road I use to access the interstate is a test track, I tripped on a hole in the sidewalk yesterday and sprained an ankle and a knee, my daughter goes to private school because she was repeatedly threatened with death by another student and the City and APS refused to intervene, I have to stop the water in my shower when I wash because the water rates are so utterly insane, I take my recycling to the Farmers’ Market because it overflows waiting for the cutback pickup dates, the lawn trash people won’t pick up the dogwood logs (which are within the 4′ required length) that the City left on my front lawn when they came and cut down my tree – against my wishes, I can’t get a City permit to cut down the hackberry tree that is destroying my garage pad, and the police wouldn’t even come when my car was sideswiped.
Atlanta has been destroyed by the incompetance and corruption of the Council, APS and the Mayor. This tax increase is yet another attempt to protect the corrupt status quo at the expense of the productive portion of the citizenry. Every single member of this Council should be voted out of office in November, if they are not recalled right now.
socialismsux
June 29th, 2009
1:41 pm
How about taxing tenants instead? And maybe tax the deadbeats who ruined the real estate market by abusing the system to get breaks on housing that they did not deserve. While we’re at it, how about taxing welfare benefits? I’m sick of bailing out irresponsible, thieving spenders who think I owe them something. Some people aren’t worth the space they take up. Tax them.
Longtime City Resident
June 29th, 2009
1:46 pm
This is unbelievable! Shirley Franklin and our joke of a city council have done nothing but mis-manage this city into the ground. If the city doesn’t have the money – they should and need to cut back – not raise taxes. Typical government mentality – none of them has ever had a real job or run a business. Throw all of the bums out. If we could only get a decent mayor not some long time political hack!
BPJ
June 29th, 2009
1:48 pm
Let’s get a little perspective on this:
(a) due to the severe recession, tax receipts are down for governments across the country, and most have responded with some combination of spending cuts and tax increases – as has Atlanta, which laid off several hundred workers, according to news reports,
(b) half of our tax bill is the city school system, and that is unaffected by this rate increase; of the remaining half, two-thirds of that is Fulton County, also unaffected. So we are talking about one-sixth of the overall property tax bill being subject to this increase.
(c) while some people on this site have written of unsuccessful attempts at a tax appeal, many of us have been able to reduce our appraisals due to lower property values. That means this increased rate will be multiplied by a lower number.
(d) the increase is supposed to go to police and fire, and if it does that, it’s worth it. It is our responsibility as citizens to make sure elected officials follow through on this promise.
mark
June 29th, 2009
1:51 pm
and the reality is that things are even much worse than projected right now. I am involved in buying foreclosed and abandoned properties around many of the hard hit neighborhoods on the South side of town. These are properties that are being bought and sold for $20-$40K with another $10K or so bing spent to get them fixed up and rented.
Evert single one of these properties is currently assessed at somewhere between $150K-$250K and the taxes for this year are pretty much locked in to that depending on when we buy them an can appeal but for next year, those values will be coming down dramatically as the values reset across the board. This will put another giant hole in the budget.
The value of these homes have all fundamentally reset and will not b back to their current assessed levels or many, many years.
In the upcoming election cycle, ask the candidates about this issue and how they are going to deal with it. If they do not have a grasp of what is happening here, what the implications are and how they will deal with it then they are not who we need.
Do something about it.
June 29th, 2009
1:54 pm
All one has to do is vote them out of office. Its really that simple. When you get enough being voted out when corruption starts it will cease to be. Once government takes notice that we really arent going to take it any more by voting them out of office, then once again WE THE PEOPLE will matter. Until all Americans stand together without regard to color or title the government will continue to use us all like the trash on the corner that you cant get picked up.
ALL Righty then
June 29th, 2009
2:00 pm
Politicians will lie through their teeth to get into office. What people really need to do is look at the record, at their records. See how they voted and for what they voted. Go look and see what they voted against. Its all public record. One can say they are for less government and less taxes, but when you look at their voting record and see they voted for increased spending and taxes 75% of the time then you know they will continue to do so.
Americans need to stop listening to the media because the media is in line with big government. Americans need to do fact checking on their own. I dont know very many homes without internet access and keying in senate or house and their representative voting record is very simple. Educate yourself then vote accordingly. It will be worth it and we the taxed can get our country back.
Mike
June 29th, 2009
2:06 pm
Well once Mayor Franklin is out, perhaps a mayor that isn’t corrupt will take over and fix this mess. LOL…who am I kidding, this is Atlanta.
Southside
June 29th, 2009
2:14 pm
Mark,
Thank you for your interest in becoming a southside slum lord. It is because of you and other outside investors that most of the neighborhoods south of I-20 are section 8 and subsidized housing. With this housing comes more crime and a never ending cycle of poverty.
If you could please spread the crime to other neighborhoods like the Highlands or Buckhead we’d appreciate it.
Thank You,
Cleaning up your trash
Yolanda
June 29th, 2009
2:15 pm
“Atlanta has been destroyed by the incompetance and corruption of the Council, APS and the Mayor”…all Mayors in recent history for that matter. Can we stop voting for race and start voting for people who know how to solve problems and manage a city. Please vote EVERY City Council member out this next cycle. Then when Shirley “Ima-gonna-hook-a-relative-up-yo” Franklin’s time is up, vote for someone whose record stands. Don’t vote for the person who’s gonna give out free stuff.
Mike
June 29th, 2009
2:16 pm
Here’s the votes people!
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2009/06/29/howtheyvoted_atlanta_taxes.html
Informed Citizen
June 29th, 2009
2:28 pm
Did ANY of the ‘councilmembers’ that voted know ever present any alternatives to raising taxes that could’ve been debated before all this? Nope. Nothing but politics. They knew this was going to pass a month ago, and only voted no to say they opposed taxes.
Reality
June 29th, 2009
2:29 pm
Robbing the people, name one social program that the city finances to help the poor. Name one. Services of that type, if they exist, are mandated by the federal government and come in the form of block grants. They are not unique to Atlanta. Having said that I absolutely agree we can do much better as a city in providing services. Crumbling sidewalks in Buckhead of all places with the amount of taxes the residents in that community pay is inexcusable!
David
June 29th, 2009
2:37 pm
@ Informed Citizen/2:28pm.. should your post read: “Any Councilmembers ‘WHO’ voted ‘NO’”…maybe? Like Shirley would listen anyway..lol. Politics on both sides! Vote them all out!
Diane
June 29th, 2009
2:40 pm
I will never vote for Carla Smith again! What a two faced politician. This lady needs to be brought back to reality. My neighbors need their head examine for supporting this hypocrite. I don’t know how I will be able to keep my house. I am really scared. This is alot of money to come up with. How could they do this to us in this economy?
Glenn Thomas for Mayor
June 29th, 2009
2:45 pm
Mayoral candidate calls city council vote “irresponsible”
Glenn Thomas speaks loudly against property tax vote
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported today that the city council of Atlanta voted for a property tax increase; in the midst of citizens losing homes, losing jobs and trying to keep their families safe this action is irresponsible to say the least. This vote approval, unfortunately, does not come as a surprise to me; as a former city employee I have witnessed first-hand the lack of fiscal responsibility and oversight at city hall and today council and the administration has proven that city taxpayers cannot trust many our current leadership.
This property tax increase is not due solely to the economy; this increase is due to a lack of accountability and a misplaced responsibility to citizens. I am appalled with the mismanagement and disorganization that is prevailing at city hall, and a deficit continuing to grow upwards of $60 million. These mis-steps by the administration have resulted in over 700 lay-offs and the furloughing of civilian and public safety employees.
Atlanta deserves better, and is better than this lack of leadership; and it is up to the citizens of Atlanta to stand up and speak out for change. Collectively, we must raise our voices and say no more to the misuse of tax dollars and rebuild accountability in our city’s finance department, restore a strong public safety force, and uphold a committent to provide Atlanta residents with the highest quality of service delivery.
I offer to Atlanta my candidacy for mayor that speaks directly to solutions, not restating the issues; to my love for Atlanta, not long-awaited career ambitions; to hands on experience, not to a career in politics. I believe that Atlanta wants change, needs change, and deserves change; a change for a better Atlanta, a governement that is representative, responsive, and responsible for each and every citizen. Together, it’s up to us!
Informed Citizen
June 29th, 2009
2:55 pm
Do tell Glenn Thomas how you will achieve all this with no money? Not one solution either, just hope and change bruh. You should be an english teacher David. It’s a blog, not a Masters thesis. You understood the point though.
SteveSC
June 29th, 2009
2:59 pm
These cities just don’t get it. While most states are cutting property taxes or finding other ways to source revenue OR CUTTING BACK ON WHAT THEY SPEND….Atlanta does the opposite. Homeowners and businesses are already hurting. Perhaps more foreclosures will wake them up?
PokeUINURI
June 29th, 2009
3:02 pm
Used to work for the City, and I can say firsthand it is an inefficient, and incompetent operation to say the least. Atlanta needs smart, organized, competent people running the operation period, I don’t care what race they are.
Having said anyone who doesn’t see the big picture, in that these constant property tax increases are a part of the master plan; to further persuade gentrification of the city; to force that “element” that many of you so obviously hate out so that inside the perimeter has a totally different look and social makeup 5-10 years from now.
Atlanta1
June 29th, 2009
3:05 pm
Ok first of all the tax increase was needed. I’m not for it but something had to be done. People can’t even walk down the street anymore without fear. Luckily, we will have an election this year! Hopefully the tax increase will be short lived. I just hope with the tax increase, there is a noticeable police protection in place to justify the increase. I want all the police out on the streets. They don’t need cops pushing papers that an administrative assistant can do for them. Also, no one has mentioned this but what is up with the cops cracking down on speeding when people are out getting mugged and murdered every night?? Obviously priorities arent in place. I hope the police chief is fired asap!
As for the comments on not voting for race and the racial remarks toward black being fiscally irresponsible. I have to say that other than Mary Norwood, I don’t see any other white stepping up to the plate to help the city become a better place, rather just sit back and complain with no solutions in place to fix any problems. Just complaints and more complaints ( FYI, I’m white!).
MiltonMan
June 29th, 2009
3:06 pm
Can’t wait until Milton County comes into being. Good bye Atlanta & Fulton County you don’t deserve North Fulton!
2Cents
June 29th, 2009
3:06 pm
I don’t mind paying city taxes, but I expect city services in return. That doesn’t happen in Atlanta – the roads are bad, crime is high, city services, like water and trash pick-up, are shoddy at best. And don’t even get me started on the cronyism and unorthedox methods used to enforce work “permits” for residential projects. It’s a shame Atlanta is run so poorly and taxed so heavily.
I plan to vote for ANY mayoral candidate that shows (s)he’s willing to take on problems and fix them(i.e. city pensions)and doesn’t have a crony pipeline to every department at city hall. Mayor Franklin is a huge disappointment in both areas.
Glenn Thomas for Mayor
June 29th, 2009
3:22 pm
Solutions:
1. Reduce 10% ($54 million) in wasteful spending of the $540 million budget (ex. consultant contracts, procurement change orders, high priced commodities)
2. Recover the more than $20 million in revenues the city loses annually (ex. traffic/parking revenue, 20 year old outdated city fees/fines, obsolete/outdated MOUs with agencies that are liabilities to our budget)
3. Reduce the high paying salaries of excutives and replace them with more public safety officers, public works employees and technology initiatives.
JUST TO NAME A FEW…
InTownGal
June 29th, 2009
3:22 pm
Privatize, Privatize, Privatize!! Fleet Services, Airport Ops, Water, Parks & Recreatation, and Solid Waste. Competition will drive the prices of these services down. Vote the Crazies out!!! I live in Midtown, my assessments are up while my value is down and services are down–e.g. you have to pay to fix your own sidewalk in the City of Atlanta!!! Enough is ENOUGH!!!
Lisa
June 29th, 2009
3:42 pm
Shame on our city. It’s pitiful that our city is run so poorly by a few that now the many have to pay for it. If we could have city workers that were efficient and trustworthy at their jobs, none of us would have to pay more. Who has extra money right now? If I’m going to pay more in taxes, I want to see something for it…not just making up for others’ bad choices. What about better streets, less crime, better sewage, more qualified workers, etc? It is embarassing that our city is in this mess. I’m voting for Mary Norwood b/c SHE WILL make a difference. I wish the election could take place to today. Maybe more of us should move out of the city of ATL. Cobb co. is looking much more attractive.
Norman
June 29th, 2009
4:04 pm
Carla Smith, Ivory Young, Natalyn Archibong, Anne Fauver, Felicia Moore, C.T. Martin, Joyce Sheperd, and Ceasar Mitchell.
THEY VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE PROPERTY TAX HIKE…..REMEMBER THE NAMES
COME ELECTION DAY…..
jen
June 29th, 2009
5:21 pm
Raise property taxes the easy thing to do
For politicians like Shirley to rip off me and you
They couldn’t produce the budget we need
So homeowners hit hard pay for all the greed
Darrell
June 29th, 2009
6:33 pm
This action by the City Council is very insensitive to those in the City that are having to make ends meet in this tough economy through either the lose of our incomes or a reduction in our salaries. Why has the City not looked at doing what most tax payers are having to do, that is cut expenses. If we want to maintain the same level of Fire and Police, which I doubt will happen in this budget given how poorly the City is run, why do they not look to cover the budget for them elsewhere.
I have also heard that the City Council is not receiving accurate numbers from the Mayor, well they have a Fiduciary Duty to the Citizens to demand it or force the Mayor to provide those numbers so we can create a budget that operates within our means. I always wondered why Buckhead wanted to create their own City, but after today’s vote I totally understand their sentiments.
The actual tax increase wasn’t really the issue, what was the real issue was and is Trust.
The council doesn’t trust the numbers the Mayor’s office is providing and we don’t trust the council members to do a good job with our money.
I feel like they are just shoveling more money into a bottomless pit without knowing why and we aren’t stopping them.
Ange
June 29th, 2009
7:27 pm
I am just sick and tired of the incompetence of our current Mayor and her staff and services. Nothing seems to be getting done correctly from the roads filled with potholes to the unbelieveable lack of proper accounting. I agree wholeheartedly with Mary Norwood and support her for Mayor. She makes an excellent point when she says first account for the spending of money before you even consider raising property taxes.
Informed Citizen
June 29th, 2009
9:10 pm
Glenn Thomas, your 3rd proposal is what has gotten this city in the bind that its in. Instead of firing high-priced executives as you say, how about the next administration hires COMPETENT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR’S that have the educational background and experience that can get Atlanta out of this rut. By firing executives and hiring more police, you’re shiftin the problem from public safety to Finance (where it already exists), Code Enforcement, Public Works, and Watershed.
There has to be a balance, and there has to be Leadership in the next Mayor. I’m looking at policy Mr. Thomas. Things such as making city departments compete with the private sector for the right to be awarded contracts for projects, privatize solid waste, and address the issue with pensions as in the end it will be the taxpayer holding the bag. Raising my taxes isn’t the only way to address a budget deficit, and its frightening that you and other mayoral candidates failed to seize this issue to offer up diverse policies to completely solve this problem and not kick the can down the road. Or just more rhetoric.
How would you terminate binding contracts, as you claim in your first bullet point?
How would you collect revenue from fines and traffic enforcement when the solicitor’s office and parking enforcement has been decimated through layoffs?
Rhetoric is fine as long as you have a thought out plan to follow through with it. Enough of hope, change, leadership. We need action in this city.
Informed Citizen
June 29th, 2009
9:13 pm
Ange, with all due respect Mary Norwood has been a member of the Atlanta City Council for the last 6 years. If she truly wanted an accounting of the city’s finances, she only needed to introduce a personal paper requesting such and allow her colleagues to vote on it. Since she hasn’t, she just playing politics. She doesn’t even show up at Community Development committee meetings. Showing up is half the battle.
Homefries
June 29th, 2009
9:23 pm
At least there were enough on the council that had the courage to do the right thing. You don’t get something for nothing–it’s that philosophy that got us in the financial jam that we’re in to begin with.
To those Bush lovin Republicans and Libertarians out there who think you can get something for nothing; put up or shut up. Point out where the waste is, specifically and responsibly, and what can be done to specifically to fix those issues to save money. If you’re arguing that services should be cut, point out where and how much. If you have a good argument you’ll get people onboard and do us all a good service. Vague comments about conspiracies, corruption, and waste are only useful as fodder for hate radio.