Spike,

In The Hawkeye this weekend, the question was asked to the council candidates about how to handle the pension increases and the burden to the City budget.

Finance director Doug Worden was also quoted in the same article that our 52 cents per thousand, property tax increase is "all" for the pension increases. It looks like a problem facing our citizens. Mayor Edwards don't seem to think so!

Some candidates offered suggestions. Mayor Edwards said he'll deal with it when it is an issue. Edwards doesn't think it is an issue? What is wrong with this guy? He is putting the unions ahead of all of the other citizens and that's wrong. It has increased dramatically over the last 3 years. The citizens can't afford much more.

It is costing the citizens of Burlington over $20,000 per year per employee for health insurance and pensions. The state sets the pension rates, but the City needs to take responsibility for the contracts that they agreed to with little resistance.

In the council forums, Mayor Edwards stated that they have cut out or reduced 43 different programs or services because there was no money. The City continues to cut services for it's citizens, but has plenty of money for employee pay raises, free health insurance and increased pensions. No Mike, it is an issue now, and you better deal with, but you never will because you bring your strong union attitude and beliefs to city hall and everybody pays for it. The unions will support Edwards and if this community votes him back in office, we will get just what we deserve.

The Hawkeye endorsed Edwards for Mayor in 2006 just because he is on the Vision Iowa board. It is good to have a Burlington representative on that board, but that alone should not be the only criteria to represent the City of Burlington and it's citizens. Edwards is not a good leader and his personal appearance sometimes looks more like a biker from the 60's.

Will he represent the unions and his Case workers, yes? He even said in the forum, that sometimes he does a lot of thinking at work and he can bounce his thoughts off of his 230 coworkers. Several of his coworkers don't even live in Burlington and pay our taxes.

Edwards needs to get outside the union circle if he really wants to represent ALL of Burlington. (Heland and Courtney should listen too) they are almost as bad and they are letting down a lot of our citizens with this attitude.

Edwards also recently boasted and rightfully so, about all of the new construction and it's increased property valuations. They brag about this every year. In this weekend article, Edwards stated that he hoped we could deal with this increased cost with new tax dollars. The problem is, we have new construction tax dollars every year and it is never enough to keep up with the spending. It is no different from a family on a budget.

We can't keep spending more than we make. Edwards just don't understand this, because he isn't smart enough and doesn't have the discipline to manage.

We need to take a new direction and manage differently in these local governments and it is wrong for our local public unions to financially strangle the rest of us. What about all of the retired citizens here in Burlington that were not as fortunate to retire from Case Co. or a City/County job? Do we keep pouring it on them?

What about the young couple trying to raise a family and purchase their house in Burlington, but are not as fortunate to work at Case or for the City? Does anyone at City hall really care?

Does Edwards care? As long as they are getting theirs, everything is fine. The council sets policy, but they haven't had much guidance in this area from our City manager either.

SO

I can’t figure out why everyone is so enamored with Edwards. The newspaper, the Chamber and the rest of the media I guess want to support a wanna be thug.

I’m glad I don’t have to bounce my decisions off 230 people. I’d have 240 different answers sometime in the next 6 months.

Instead of leading the Council, Edwards sat back and let it implode. And it imploded from the lack of leadership. When Lost Keys Ell took over with his infinite theories of cover up and deceit Edwards just sat there and let it happen.

Pensions won’t be a problem until Slagle tells Edwards they are a problem. And then Edwards will pop out of his hole with his big old rubberstamp.

What is most disgusting is that Edwards is supposed to represent the citizens and not union special interests.

Hairdo? Give him a couple of wild hairs and he would look like Alfalfa on Little Rascals. Except for the earring and gun.

Spike

On Monday's KCPS Big Show 1150 AM Tommy thought Lee County had spent $117,000 on health club memberships.

They did. Over a 15 year period of time.

Fred, ease Pit Bull Tommy back inside the fence.

Newspaper publisher Bill Mertens wrote, “He (Mayor to be Mike Edwards) and the others also will have to come to an understanding about who's in charge. It's not the staff. By extension it's the voters. But....they expect the people they elected to offer ideas for moving the community forward.”

Vote to bring that responsibility back to the council.

Memorable Statements & Mistruths From King

King Speaks Mistruths
King said he had never been caught in a lie on the front page of the Hawk Eye. He's been caught in lies on all the other pages of the newspaper and here on BurlingtonDerailed.com what makes him think he didn't lie there?

The Railroad Lawsuit
“The lawsuit is about jobs, it’s not about the money.”

Citizens' Rights
In one forum King tried to show us a pyramid flow chart with the citizens at the top. Only thing is, he had just realized he has been holding it upside down for 4 years.




King Blasts Wal-Mart on Talk Show - Don't Shop at Wal-Mart
On a KBUR talk show King stated that our economic problems are due to shopping at Wal-Mart and that we shouldn’t use economic development incentives to entice companies like Wal-Mart to locate or maintain existing facilities in Burlington.
If Senator King wanted to kill economic development incentives to commercial development why is he now touting incentives for infill commercial development?

King Interprets Iowa Code for Newspaper
King said City Manager Bruce Slagle was empowered to file suit against the railroad without the City Council taking a vote in open session as mandated by Iowa law.

Economic Development & the Southeast Iowa Regional Economic Development Consortium
King sits on the Grow Greater Burlington Board of Directors but has zero influence over the Board or the Southeast Iowa Regional Economic Development Consortium aka the Southeast Iowa Let’s Form a Group and Do Lunch and Not Much More.

Horace Mann Water Pressure
Former Mayor Jeff Heland brought the low water pressure problem in the vicinity of Horace Mann to former King’s attention. When speaking about our reader’s letter complaining the problem hadn't been fixed, King said to Fred and 7 on KCPS’s 1150 AM Big Show, “I’m not going to get into it right now because he (our reader) didn’t come to me (King) with the problem.”

King Says His Constituents "Aren't Jack"
King said city residents having a problem that don't bring them to him directly, ""aren't Jack".

King’s thoughts on taxable development
King said the city is looking for more commercial property taxpayers to pay "their 100%" tax rate. Trying to get the companies wanting to expand to the pay to relieve tax burden has zero chance of attracting any real job providers.

King examined every one of Power's legal bills
Chris King says he examined every one of Scott Power's bills even though Power didn’t submit the bills, only a summary of charges.

Speed Limit On Central Street Overpass aka Bondo Bridge
King responded to Councilwoman Mary Baker's question about what the speed limit on Central Street at Valley is. King opined, "I guess the answer is always as much as you can get away with."

Rec Plex
King said Rec Plex was a money maker but never provided any meaningful financials to prove it.

Off Topic Closed Session Meetings
King will hopefully get his opportunity to explain Iowa law regarding illegal closed session meetings to the judge.

About the1985 Railroad Agreement
The Minister of Misinformation and Deception told BNSF Shop workers attending a council meeting that he already knew about the 1985 agreement with the BNSF. King said, “At the time I had information about the previous agreements the City of Burlington held with the BNSF Railroad.”

Fortunately for the truth, King admitted months earlier complete ignorance of the 1985 agreement, that he didn’t know anything about the 1985 agreement.

BurlingtonDerailed.com deemed “enlightening and entertaining.”
Even though we are reviled by many, hated by a couple and cheered by all the rest we reached a new plateau with King- "enlightening and entertaining." Strange he acknowleges the "enlightening" part when it challenges his untruthful statements.

Regarding City Attorney Scott Power
King said, "...(Scott Power).... has never, to my knowledge, withheld pertinent information from me, or any member of Council." That is a blatant lie. If the 1985 agreement with the railroad wasn't "pertinent" to voting on entering a lawsuit, there can't be much that ever would be after that mind slip. Other than the lawsuit is about jobs.

About King’s Power in Office, Gaining Weight, Snowplows and Dreams
Senator Chris King had thoughts of the “power” he gained from election to office he described as "exhilarating." King had “dreams about city council meetings.” King got a ride in a snowplow because he always wanted to. But best of all he said the council job "would take up a lot of my time, but it's better than sitting around the house and gaining weight."

Bill Mertens’ thoughts on King
Newspaper publisher Bill Mertens wrote King “will be the loudest member.” King is the biggest rubberstamper with his big, old “OK Bruce” rubber stamp.

King still hasn't learned his lesson from Mark Twain.
“I was gratified to be able to answer promptly and I did. I said I didn't know.” from Life on the Mississippi.

King Final Grades:
Heart In Right Place C
Subject Knowledge D
Citizenship Skills F
Ability To Gain Respect F-
Communication Skills D
Able To Work With Others F
Fiduciary Responsibility F
Temper F
Willingness to Resolve Problems F-
Ability to Wield Rubber Stamp A+

Attitude F--

Leadership 0

Public Truthfulness FF---

Ability To Listen F----

Big Mouth A+