(Note: The facts found below came from a Big Canoe POA Board Director.)

My reason for not voting for the Impact Fee:

The money from the Impact Fee will go into the General Fund to cover the underfunded Operating Budget.

Why?

Last year, the POA Financial Committee and the POA Board’s CFO told the Board leadership that the 2008 Operating Budget was 25% underfunded and the 2009 Operating Budget was about 20% underfunded. They recommended that the Board approve a 6% increase in the monthly fees for 2009.

Last year, knowing that the financial health of our community was less than acceptable, and while seeking re-election, a POA Board Director told the community that our financial condition was fine, and that only a 3 ½ % increase to the 2008 monthly fee was needed.

This same POA Director is now pushing to get the Impact Fee imposed by July, so that the Operating Budget will not be underfunded.

You are asking how this could be true. How can the new Impact Fee be used to fund the Operating Budget?

I asked this same question. The answer I received was that the money from the new Impact Fee will go into the general fund. It is like the federal government and Social Security, there is no lock-box. And the general fund is used to cover shortages.

I was asked, “Did you think that you were voting for money for the Sconti Rebuild when you voted for the current three-year Special Assessment?” And, “Where did it say that the money was going to be used for the Sconti Rebuild?” The three-year Special Assessment money goes into the general fund. Again, there is no lock-box.

These are examples as to why living in Big Canoe is so discouraging. These are the reasons I wrote and published “The Six Promises” blog hoping to get other Big Canoers to understand our community problems (and especially the reason behind Promise Number One - Truthfulness).

Until the POA Board is honest about the financial health of Big Canoe, I will vote NO on the new Impact Fee.

Want to know more about “The Six Promises” and why our votes in Big Canoe’s elections don’t really count. See The Six Promises at http://thesixpromises.blogspot.com