Screw the Kids

0.64% of the PD Budget goes to PAL

Once again, our commission is in budget season without a clue.  On the budget proposals was eliminating the money for the PAL camps, a program that successfully serves North Bay Village kids at a reasonable price and is greatly valued by the parents and the kids.   

0.64% of the Total Budget goes for PAL

So our police chief/village manager says "Cut it".  

His reasoning is that it's too expensive and the kids can attend a completely different program (summer school) at twice the price to the parents.  

What are these outrageous costs?  Well, based on the Police Chief's estimate of $68 per hour in police resources (probably fair), the camp comes out to $24,480 and another $10,000 in supplies and field trips etc.  In case you are a member of the dais and can't add, that is $34,480 total.  

Out of a police budget of $5,391,162.  

In fancy math terms, that is less than 1%  of the total budget for the police.  (.64% to be exact.)

We have a police chief who is unable to find .64% of the budget to preserve a well received, useful and important youth program.   He even seems to feel bad about that.  

Now just for comparision, our administration this week alone gave away, gifted, a cool $136,000 to two employees with a grand total of 131 days of service, both of whom left because the mayor made their jobs a living hell and they had to be paid not to sue us.  

Mayoral Candidate Laura Cattabriga voted Yes without explanation to the gifting but did not take up for the PAL Camp because, hell, kids don't vote or finance campaigns.  

PAL Costs Versus Unearned Severance for 2 Village Employees

This doesn't even take into account the money being set aside to give our inexperienced lawyer an $84,000 raise, making him one of the highest paid municipal attorneys in Miami Dade, the money being spent for commission vanity projects ($166,500) or the other raises.

Nope, uniquely, this program which serves the kids of our community with direct, tangible benefit is the one to cut.  

There is a Budget Workshop on July 18 at 6:30.  Got a kid, like kids, like our community.  Be there.  

Kevin Vericker

July 13, 2018