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Pacman
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612 |
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Posted: Jul 07 2010 at 3:59pm |
Dr. Berwick to be administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
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Neil Barille
MUSA Resident Joined: Jul 07 2010 Status: Offline Points: 238 |
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Some good points. If it were up to the "Wild West" conservatives in this country we wouldn't have any reform at all, the rich would get the care, scr*w everyone else, and our average life expectancy would resemble Bangladesh. |
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Bocephus
MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 04 2009 Status: Offline Points: 838 |
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Nelson Self
MUSA Resident Joined: Aug 17 2009 Status: Offline Points: 144 |
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Mr. Barille -
Please provide some background information on the rationale for greatly expanding HUD Housing Choice Vouchers in Middletown during your tenure as Planning Director. This is a much discussed topic so, your commentary will be greatly appreciated.
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Neil Barille
MUSA Resident Joined: Jul 07 2010 Status: Offline Points: 238 |
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Mr. Self,
After decades of systemic, racial, and cultural inequities in our society, the "Great Society" programs of LBJ ushered in an era where we finally began to address some of the unfairness. Part of this response was to increase the choices and affordability of housing options for the poor in our community. I don't see how the growth of the Section 8 program is necessarily the reason for Middletown's current situation. The tenants cannot be blamed for mistakes by previous councils, the flight of businesses in town, and the natural decay of an aging industrial city. But every group with pitchforks needs a whipping boy, so the Section 8 program has become just that. Would a 50% reduction in the program have kept AK here? Would it have made the thousands of aging houses in town any more updated or inhabited by responsible home purchasers? I don't think so.
The Bible teaches us to love thy neighbor. Government and its programs, via your taxes, are a means to help our neighbors. Judge not lest ye be judged.
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Nelson Self
MUSA Resident Joined: Aug 17 2009 Status: Offline Points: 144 |
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I wonder if the influx of HCV rental units from 2000 to 2005 had a direct, measurable negative impact on the precipitous decline of owner-occupied homes in Ward 2 and other older segments of Ward 1 ??
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Bobbie
MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 05 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 288 |
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The Bible does teach us to love they neighbor. But I do not think that Govt programs are a means to what the Bible was saying. There is a big difference in helping your neighbor and supporting your neighbor. I believe that we should help those in need. But sometimes the best help you can give someone is by not doing anything for them and letting them stand on their own two feet.
There is no way of knowing if something different would have stopped AK - but we all know that if we did not have the vouchers that we do - our house values would not have dropped like they did. Proof of that is looking around Butler County, and you would see what area have been hit the hardest.
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Neil Barille
MUSA Resident Joined: Jul 07 2010 Status: Offline Points: 238 |
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Mr. Self,
I am not alone in wondering what traits you exhibited at work for the COM that resulted in a "direct, measurable negative impact on the precipitous decline" of your career?
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Pacman
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612 |
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Nelson Self
MUSA Resident Joined: Aug 17 2009 Status: Offline Points: 144 |
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Down Payment/Closing Cost Assistance -- From mid- 2007 until the end of 2008 almost 70 first-time buyers were helped in purchasing homes. Many of these were vacant, foreclosed dwellings. Prior to my arrival five or six first-time home buyers were assisted.
Dollar Homes Program -- After my arrival we properly addressed this costly boondoggle. Four homes were sold and seven others re-acquired from a local non-profit housing organization. Mr. Adkins demolished six of these after neglecting to rehab same for re-sale. This is an example where quite alot of HUD funding was foolishly wasted.
Citizens Participation -- I resurrected a mostly dormant HUD-required committee. It was comprised of target areaa residents, local real estate professionals, local mortgage bankers, etc. Because they were properly informed of several interesting internal problems and made efforts to reform bad public policy, they were abolished by Judy G. and Ginger Smith in late 2008.
Home Buyer Education Classes -- In the latter part of 2007 monthly Home Buyer Education Classes were held at One Donham Plaza. More than 300 prospective first-time buyers attended.
Middletown Home Ownership Partnership -- In the latter part of 2007 a major outreach effort was carried out to meaningfully involved local housing industry professionals. For the first time there was a close working relationship between target area residents, the Middeltown Board of REALTORS, mortgage bankers, etc.
Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation -- Prior to my arrival only five home owners were assisted in 2006. In the following years $500,000+ annually was invested helping 20-25 home owners per year.
Minor/Emergency Home Repair -- Prior to my arrival about $50,000 annually was spent helping elderly and permanently disabled home owners. Beginning in 2007, I forged a partnership with People Working Cooperatively and the Federal Home Loan Bank. As much as $500,000 in combined funding greatly expanded this program.
Section 8 -- Prior to my arrival Housing Code Enforcement staff was directed NOT to handle Section 8 problem properties. I immediately changed this policy resulting in frequent communications with CONSOC that led to better landlord property compliance.
Scandals -- Upon my arrival, and thanks to the assistance of Skip Batten, I was made aware of a number of questionable decisions involving property rehabilitation. In at least five instances home owner private debt (mostly credit cards) were paid off with HUD funds. Also, in the early part of the last decade and in 2006, a large amount of delinquent, non-performing HUD loans were written off. I instituted a private sector model loan servicing procedure that brought this hidden problem to the forefront.
I welcome any comments you might make to refute what I have said.
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spiderjohn
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749 |
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wow--after making all of the biblical directive quotes towards mankind, Mr.Barille takes the low road by cheap-shotting Mr.Self.
Isn't Neil Barille the former ED director(great job!--thanks for leaving this fine mess with your failed agenda) who caught his office/the city building on fire when he fell asleep while smoking a cig in his office?
I remember his wife and him as very nice people, though not particularly successful in moving Middletown forward(where have I heard that phrase b4?). Another retired bureaucrat whom we are still paying for mucking up our city long-term.
Maybe when the pers system goes broke, and the members move to the SS system(oops--they didn't pay in!) and Obama healthcare program, he will think differently. Maybe not. Still--don't worry--we still have abundant Section 8 for you!
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Neil Barille
MUSA Resident Joined: Jul 07 2010 Status: Offline Points: 238 |
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It wasn't a cigarette, it was one of Ron Olson's joints.
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VietVet
MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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Mercy, Mr. Barille, Pacman's newfound article from your era of planning is a clear indictment of your assessment of the city development plan versus what has actually occured. That quote from Mr. Crout about Middletown being a "city with no slums" certainly has changed since you left, right? Gotta think the Section 8 program, which you appear to be defending, has something to do with the contribution to the rapid decline in this city toward the development of the ghetto, poverty slums. Putting out a "Welcome All Section 8 Voucher People" sign in the town's front yard would tend to do something like that. Mr. Crout's statement about the city's fixation on the downtown and not riding out the I-75 area turned out to be quite a dose of insight, didn't it? You mentioned in the article that "we are beginning to diversify and play a role in a larger economy". This is 2010 and the diversity still hasn't happened. I talked to Bill Donham in council chambers in the late 80's and read a letter to council that night about "putting all the eggs in one basket" concerning diversity and not relying on Armco as much anymore. Still have the letter. Didn't do any good. They didn't listen then and they still aren't listening down at city hall. The Bible teaching forgiveness? Ya gotta earn forgiveness by demonstrating you want to change for it to mean anything. No one in this city government has demonstrated a desire to change in a long time. No forgiveness on the horizon from me as yet, for what they have done to this once proud city. You have contributed to its demise Mr. Barille. JMO
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Vivian Moon
MUSA Council Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187 |
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Thank you again Mr. Self.
It is because of Mr. Barille and Mr. Kohler that |
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wasteful
MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 27 2009 Status: Offline Points: 793 |
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Mr. Braille, I knew you had to be smoking something when I started reading your comments from the past and see you haven't stopped even today.
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spiderjohn
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749 |
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Oh-OK
That also explains the logic of that period.
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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From that, it's plain to see that it is the big plan from the mid-1990's!! No...wait...it's the new Crossroads 2000 plan from the year 2000!!
No wait!!! It's the brand new Master Plan from 2005!!!
NO...Now I recognize it!!! It's the very LATEST, brand new and improved plan that will be coming in 2010!!
Completely unlike any of the others!!!!
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Or are you one of the "Do as I say, not as I do" crowd???
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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From the Equirer article:
And just wait until you see the big, bright, expensive to operate and maintain "water feature" that Mr. Barille’s protégé, Mr. Kohler, has planned for us at our new “gateway”!!!
Will it do for our new Renaissance Centre what the old water feature did for City Centre??? |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Pacman
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612 |
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The above article in the Enquirer was written in June of 1998.
How can one city hire so many people, that get it so wrong, so much of the time?
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VietVet
MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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You're right Mike. I didn't read it very carefully as to dates, did I?
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spiderjohn
Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749 |
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But---no mention of bike baths or bark parks!
Or that popular Bicentennial Commons that had it's parking repaved last year.
Has it been used since?
So--a water fountain for Towne Malle should turn it around in a hurry!
Water fountains everywhere should solve everything!
Obviously the demise of the area formerly known as downtown is largely due to the removal of that magnificent indoor water feature.
So simple............
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Vivian Moon
MUSA Council Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187 |
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From that, it's plain to see that it is the big plan from the mid-1990's!!
No...wait...it's the new Crossroads 2000 plan from the year 2000!!
No wait!!! It's the brand new Master Plan from 2005!!!
NO...Now I recognize it!!! It's the very LATEST, brand new and improved plan that will be coming in 2010!!
Completely unlike any of the others!!!!
Hey Mike you forgot to add that they continue to appoint the SAME people to the City’s Master Planning Committee.....and expect different results... |
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VietVet
MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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OR, Miss Vivian, they appoint the same people to the City's Master Planning Committee to PROTECT/GUARANTEE the SAME results....ie, the results that will produce no problems for them. Obviously, assigning the "friends of city government" to all of the vital committees, will allow them to remain in control of the city's destiny, right? Pretty much guarantees no dissention nor opposition in the ranks and no change in venue for their master plan of destruction. It would be a gamechanger if we could get a council put together that would launch the start of the deadwood cleanout. Only way I know of to effectively break this cycle. Start firing certain people in the city building for insufficient performance detrimental to the city.
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