I think one of Val Peacock's worst offenses is her lip service to ethics and transparency, while actually abusing executive privilege to conduct business behind the cloak of secrecy afforded by executive sessions (and in the case of disgraced former town manager Kevin Sutherland, also non disclosure agreements.) I predict her bad administrative instincts will be reinforced by the unfortunate election of Earl Brechlin to the council. Brechlin also trades in a facade of cheery bon homie masking his modus operandi of in group cliquishness, which he rebrands as 'civility' and 'preserving island ways.' What puzzles me is the acquiescence of those on the council (and at The Mt. Desert Islander) who surely know better.
It also seems Versants and all of Maine's power prices are now well above the national Average. Here is the increase from 2022, to 2023 from the EIA. Cents per Kwh Take a look at you next bill.
I find it curious you don't bother to mention the amount of property taxes paid by the three large hotel companies while accusing us of abusing town services at the cost of the residential taxpayer. My company alone is paying over a quarter million in taxes this year. My company is responsible for 1 out of every 100 dollars of the taxable assessment. Do you really think my company alone is consuming 1 out of every 100 dollars of public expenditure? I'd love to see you try to prove that. As for Ocean Properties, I believe they pay 7 figures in property taxes annually. Witham can't be far behind.
I also find it curious you basically praise the Lab for its water/sewer usage/fees then immediately proceed to slam hotels for their water/sewer usage/fees. How does that work?
Additionally, I'm curious when you calculated the top contributers to water/sewer whether you aggragted hotel company holdings or simply took properties individually. I'm guessing the latter.
You also fail to note that property taxes are 100% margin (zero cost to the town coming out of that as no specific service is being provided directly to support it) whereas water/sewer revenue is collected at some less-than-100% margin, like when a restaurant sells you a pizza for $20 but only nets $2.
Just more of your typical biased political angling.
Property tax has 100 percent margin??? that means there is no cost. More voodoo economics. How's your luxury car collection doing? Are you a member of APPLL? How's the B&B coming along on Cottage Street?
Do you sincerely fail to understand the difference between property tax revenue and water/sewer revenue? Obviously property taxes get allocated to cover costs, however there is no actual direct "cost of goods" associated with them, aside from maybe the assessor's salary. With water/sewer revenue the Town actually has to incur the cost of providing the service itself, which eliminates a lot of that revenue. Certainly $1 of property tax is more valuable to the Town than $1 of water/sewer revenue. If you want to call such a simple observation "voodoo economics," you're simply too far gone to reason with (but we already knew that).
You also note the Lab for its 40k building permit but never, in the million times you've discussed my projects, have you mentioned my building permits. Like, my friend... you're just not even passing the straight face test.
My luxury car collection is doing well. Want to discuss my excise taxes? Viola Hong Kong 296 GTB is on order, I'll let you know the bill on that when it arrives.
My hotel is going well. I'm sorry you spend so much time failing to realize that the title of a use doesn't matter much; only the language of the definition. A B&B5 is a hotel, yes, fascinating. That's not a scandal nor even a point of interest to anyone of any basic sense.
Why you chose to move to this place, where you seem to dislike everything and everyone, never ceases to baffle me. "Hey, let me move from Connecticut to MDI and immediately proceed to start trashing everyone and the way everything works on MDI!" Very bizarre life strategy, if you ask me. Of course, you never do ask me--you just spew specious BS every week and never ask for the other side of the story.
"Journalism." Hope you're enjoying that major award as much as I'm enjoying my Ferraris. But I have a sneaking suspicion you're not. You seem rather miserible.
I'll take up your offer. Let's start by comparing all your employees and how many of them pay property tax and compare that with JAX, Park, COA employees since they are being demonized. I'd love to have access to your records on permits etc ... you're right on several fronts. I'm not the funnest guy in the world, not someone you'd want to have a beer with ... most good journalists I know are similar misanthropes. That's why we see the world differently. PS: I also went through an adult toy phase in life ... it's is not what it is trumped up to be. It only made me a public caricature of obscene disregard for the rest of the world - kinda like how Bar Harbor is turning its back on the teachers, cops, waiters, nurses who make our lives better.
Do people turning their back on nurses pledge $100,000 to the hospital?
Do people turning their back on waiters eat every single meal out at local restaurants? Ask Kevin how many thousand unredeemed rewards points I've racked up at West Street. No, seriously, ask him, and then tell me I've turned my back on waiters.
Do people turning their back on teachers sponsor sections at the Library?
Some of your critiques are comically ironic. I hate to have to mention it but I'm over getting slandered so screw it--I gave away 100k+ to local non-profits last year and you're sitting at your keyboard telling me I have "obscene disregard for the rest of the world." How many youth baseball fields did you irrigate last year? How many youth basketball programs did you sponsor? How much construction did you fund at area colleges? And, though I realize you hate the Chamber of Commerce, let's not forget who pays for the fireworks, the parade, seaside cinema, etc. Who do you think is paying for that stuff?
Yes, I'm just a complete menace to the community. No regard whatsoever. Those goshdarned sports cars on which I pay a small fortune in excise tax just to puttz down the street are just so harmful to the community. Oh the horror.
Well, Steve, if nobody else is going to commend you for substantial charitble gifts to the community, I will. Chipping in $100,000+ demonstrates leadership.
Please note, in another Comments section rant, Coston admitted that as the owner of Bed & Breakfasts, he knows his current Cottage Street project is not actually a Bed & Breakfast, although it meets the town's definition. And accuses people who oppose the project of 'being Marxists who don't want to see a local boy making a few dollars.'
Just saying.
As one sort of Bar Harbor business person, Coston's stance is in character. As it is for a right wing political candidate trying to pass himself off as an independent. . But his intemperance should be of concern to voters.
I guess you didn't notice, but I also "admitted" that in this comment section rant.
My intemperence? LMAO. I've been getting lambasted by you nutty Marxists (yes, you're right about that part, that is precisely your problem) for a solid six years and I've never said much of anything in response until recently. About the time people are printing fake newspapers about you and handing them out at the 4th of July parade I think it's fair to start presenting a factual self defense, and maybe even to be a little annoyed when all you're asking is to simply be left alone.
Well now, I sure hope you feel better having gotten all that off your chest. Look at it this way: at least the guy from Connecticut lets you say your piece and does not delete or even edit you. Rather generous of him, considering it is his blog and all.
I'm not from Connecticut. I'm from Taiwan, which is about as far "away" as possible. I will never fully assimilate here. Most of my readers appreciate that I possess a set of lens which allows me to have a clear view of my milieu and not be blinded by local prejudices. It should be obvious to anyone with a high school education that this island is going to hell - quickly. Some of us are battling every day against the forces which take the natural gifts we inherited for granted. It won't be there for long if things continue.
Local prejudices? What about your personal ideological prejudices? "Business = bad" is not a lens. It's a half-baked, binary perspective molded counter-factually in order to fit the square peg of the actual situation into the round hole of the caricature of reality you create to fit your ideological view of the broader world.
How in the heck am I taking the natural gifts we inherited for granted? The head of landscaping for my company is from the Land & Garden preserve and is fully committed to organic gardening. We don't use harmful chemicals and we specifically choose our plants to support pollinators. But see, you never asked me, so you wouldn't know that.
Weekly? C'mon dude ... I've written your name maybe six times the last 3 years.. if you want to stay out of the limelight, don't be the only council member to vote to allow cruise ships during the pandemic, don't be a hotel owner who was investigated for violating town ordinance on renting only to essential personnel during the pandemic, don't be a rare incumbent who gets crushed for re-election, don't run for state rep and get slaughtered by Lynne Williams, don't go building B&Bs against the legal opinion of the town counsel. This was all self-inflicted, pal!
Using "profit margin" as a measure is a gross misuse of the financial premise of property taxes which are imposed by local governments to generate revenue for funding services and infrastructure. They are not considered a profit or revenue source for individuals or organizations, or companies. The revenue generated from property taxes is used to support various public expenditures, such as schools, roads, public safety, and other essential services. Applying accounting principles such as "cost of goods" is a non-sequitar. Water services in Bar Harbor probably has the best "profit margin" because the infrastructure was amortized decades ago and the product - water from Eagle Lake - is free. But to apply that principle is idiotic. Conners Emerson is a huge unprofitable enterprise. So why don't we just eliminate it.
You're the one who wrote, "the general fund does not discriminate against the source of the money." I'm the one who pointed out that, actually, property tax revenue and water revenue are fundamentally different in nature. I think you just borrowed my own argument, tried to flip it against me, and called me an idiot. LoL.
I think one of Val Peacock's worst offenses is her lip service to ethics and transparency, while actually abusing executive privilege to conduct business behind the cloak of secrecy afforded by executive sessions (and in the case of disgraced former town manager Kevin Sutherland, also non disclosure agreements.) I predict her bad administrative instincts will be reinforced by the unfortunate election of Earl Brechlin to the council. Brechlin also trades in a facade of cheery bon homie masking his modus operandi of in group cliquishness, which he rebrands as 'civility' and 'preserving island ways.' What puzzles me is the acquiescence of those on the council (and at The Mt. Desert Islander) who surely know better.
It also seems Versants and all of Maine's power prices are now well above the national Average. Here is the increase from 2022, to 2023 from the EIA. Cents per Kwh Take a look at you next bill.
Maine 24.12 18.33 +31.59%
Trouble in the Mardens of Eden.
I find it curious you don't bother to mention the amount of property taxes paid by the three large hotel companies while accusing us of abusing town services at the cost of the residential taxpayer. My company alone is paying over a quarter million in taxes this year. My company is responsible for 1 out of every 100 dollars of the taxable assessment. Do you really think my company alone is consuming 1 out of every 100 dollars of public expenditure? I'd love to see you try to prove that. As for Ocean Properties, I believe they pay 7 figures in property taxes annually. Witham can't be far behind.
I also find it curious you basically praise the Lab for its water/sewer usage/fees then immediately proceed to slam hotels for their water/sewer usage/fees. How does that work?
Additionally, I'm curious when you calculated the top contributers to water/sewer whether you aggragted hotel company holdings or simply took properties individually. I'm guessing the latter.
You also fail to note that property taxes are 100% margin (zero cost to the town coming out of that as no specific service is being provided directly to support it) whereas water/sewer revenue is collected at some less-than-100% margin, like when a restaurant sells you a pizza for $20 but only nets $2.
Just more of your typical biased political angling.
Property tax has 100 percent margin??? that means there is no cost. More voodoo economics. How's your luxury car collection doing? Are you a member of APPLL? How's the B&B coming along on Cottage Street?
All heavy water/sewer users, including the lab, should pay a surcharge ... that's how it works.
Do you sincerely fail to understand the difference between property tax revenue and water/sewer revenue? Obviously property taxes get allocated to cover costs, however there is no actual direct "cost of goods" associated with them, aside from maybe the assessor's salary. With water/sewer revenue the Town actually has to incur the cost of providing the service itself, which eliminates a lot of that revenue. Certainly $1 of property tax is more valuable to the Town than $1 of water/sewer revenue. If you want to call such a simple observation "voodoo economics," you're simply too far gone to reason with (but we already knew that).
You also note the Lab for its 40k building permit but never, in the million times you've discussed my projects, have you mentioned my building permits. Like, my friend... you're just not even passing the straight face test.
My luxury car collection is doing well. Want to discuss my excise taxes? Viola Hong Kong 296 GTB is on order, I'll let you know the bill on that when it arrives.
My hotel is going well. I'm sorry you spend so much time failing to realize that the title of a use doesn't matter much; only the language of the definition. A B&B5 is a hotel, yes, fascinating. That's not a scandal nor even a point of interest to anyone of any basic sense.
Why you chose to move to this place, where you seem to dislike everything and everyone, never ceases to baffle me. "Hey, let me move from Connecticut to MDI and immediately proceed to start trashing everyone and the way everything works on MDI!" Very bizarre life strategy, if you ask me. Of course, you never do ask me--you just spew specious BS every week and never ask for the other side of the story.
"Journalism." Hope you're enjoying that major award as much as I'm enjoying my Ferraris. But I have a sneaking suspicion you're not. You seem rather miserible.
I'll take up your offer. Let's start by comparing all your employees and how many of them pay property tax and compare that with JAX, Park, COA employees since they are being demonized. I'd love to have access to your records on permits etc ... you're right on several fronts. I'm not the funnest guy in the world, not someone you'd want to have a beer with ... most good journalists I know are similar misanthropes. That's why we see the world differently. PS: I also went through an adult toy phase in life ... it's is not what it is trumped up to be. It only made me a public caricature of obscene disregard for the rest of the world - kinda like how Bar Harbor is turning its back on the teachers, cops, waiters, nurses who make our lives better.
Do people turning their back on nurses pledge $100,000 to the hospital?
Do people turning their back on waiters eat every single meal out at local restaurants? Ask Kevin how many thousand unredeemed rewards points I've racked up at West Street. No, seriously, ask him, and then tell me I've turned my back on waiters.
Do people turning their back on teachers sponsor sections at the Library?
Some of your critiques are comically ironic. I hate to have to mention it but I'm over getting slandered so screw it--I gave away 100k+ to local non-profits last year and you're sitting at your keyboard telling me I have "obscene disregard for the rest of the world." How many youth baseball fields did you irrigate last year? How many youth basketball programs did you sponsor? How much construction did you fund at area colleges? And, though I realize you hate the Chamber of Commerce, let's not forget who pays for the fireworks, the parade, seaside cinema, etc. Who do you think is paying for that stuff?
Yes, I'm just a complete menace to the community. No regard whatsoever. Those goshdarned sports cars on which I pay a small fortune in excise tax just to puttz down the street are just so harmful to the community. Oh the horror.
LoL.
Well, Steve, if nobody else is going to commend you for substantial charitble gifts to the community, I will. Chipping in $100,000+ demonstrates leadership.
Please note, in another Comments section rant, Coston admitted that as the owner of Bed & Breakfasts, he knows his current Cottage Street project is not actually a Bed & Breakfast, although it meets the town's definition. And accuses people who oppose the project of 'being Marxists who don't want to see a local boy making a few dollars.'
Just saying.
As one sort of Bar Harbor business person, Coston's stance is in character. As it is for a right wing political candidate trying to pass himself off as an independent. . But his intemperance should be of concern to voters.
I guess you didn't notice, but I also "admitted" that in this comment section rant.
My intemperence? LMAO. I've been getting lambasted by you nutty Marxists (yes, you're right about that part, that is precisely your problem) for a solid six years and I've never said much of anything in response until recently. About the time people are printing fake newspapers about you and handing them out at the 4th of July parade I think it's fair to start presenting a factual self defense, and maybe even to be a little annoyed when all you're asking is to simply be left alone.
"You ain't done nothing if you ain't been called a red." Faith Petric
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Tk9QxvZHo
Well now, I sure hope you feel better having gotten all that off your chest. Look at it this way: at least the guy from Connecticut lets you say your piece and does not delete or even edit you. Rather generous of him, considering it is his blog and all.
I'm not from Connecticut. I'm from Taiwan, which is about as far "away" as possible. I will never fully assimilate here. Most of my readers appreciate that I possess a set of lens which allows me to have a clear view of my milieu and not be blinded by local prejudices. It should be obvious to anyone with a high school education that this island is going to hell - quickly. Some of us are battling every day against the forces which take the natural gifts we inherited for granted. It won't be there for long if things continue.
Local prejudices? What about your personal ideological prejudices? "Business = bad" is not a lens. It's a half-baked, binary perspective molded counter-factually in order to fit the square peg of the actual situation into the round hole of the caricature of reality you create to fit your ideological view of the broader world.
How in the heck am I taking the natural gifts we inherited for granted? The head of landscaping for my company is from the Land & Garden preserve and is fully committed to organic gardening. We don't use harmful chemicals and we specifically choose our plants to support pollinators. But see, you never asked me, so you wouldn't know that.
Let's me say my piece? He's been dumping on me weekly for several years and has never once reached out to me for comment. So generous, yes!
Weekly? C'mon dude ... I've written your name maybe six times the last 3 years.. if you want to stay out of the limelight, don't be the only council member to vote to allow cruise ships during the pandemic, don't be a hotel owner who was investigated for violating town ordinance on renting only to essential personnel during the pandemic, don't be a rare incumbent who gets crushed for re-election, don't run for state rep and get slaughtered by Lynne Williams, don't go building B&Bs against the legal opinion of the town counsel. This was all self-inflicted, pal!
Thank you for contributing to my blog. I'm sure my readers appreciate it.
Using "profit margin" as a measure is a gross misuse of the financial premise of property taxes which are imposed by local governments to generate revenue for funding services and infrastructure. They are not considered a profit or revenue source for individuals or organizations, or companies. The revenue generated from property taxes is used to support various public expenditures, such as schools, roads, public safety, and other essential services. Applying accounting principles such as "cost of goods" is a non-sequitar. Water services in Bar Harbor probably has the best "profit margin" because the infrastructure was amortized decades ago and the product - water from Eagle Lake - is free. But to apply that principle is idiotic. Conners Emerson is a huge unprofitable enterprise. So why don't we just eliminate it.
You're the one who wrote, "the general fund does not discriminate against the source of the money." I'm the one who pointed out that, actually, property tax revenue and water revenue are fundamentally different in nature. I think you just borrowed my own argument, tried to flip it against me, and called me an idiot. LoL.
HaHa. Overheard in Bar Harbor: I'd be happy to rename Connors Emerson 'Ocean Properties' if they'd take over the project.
Thanks for confirming JAX pays as much as you do...
I have never, not one time, criticized JAX. So what's your point? I think both my company and JAX make significant contributions to the local economy.
You are not very skilled at critical thinking. You've now replied twice and relevently addressed precisely zero of my actual points.
Well! What a way to start my Saturday! I’m seething!!!