Children’s Services Council Deserves “Yes” Vote
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Financially beleagued by rising costs for everything from bread to insurance, voters have a hard choice in November: Whether to tax themselves for schools and children’s services.
Voters have understandable reasons to turn thumbs down on the School Board’s request for $800 million in new bonds which will be repaid through property taxes. The school system has a long record mismanagement and misspending.
But the Children’s Services Council, which is also on the November ballot for reauthorization, has no such spotty record.
The council does good work.
It would be disastrous if voters turn thumbs down on the CSC. It would be a devastating setback for Broward children and families.
Some of my long-time readers won’t believe those two previous paragraphs. It’s not a mistake.
I remain a raging cynic about government, especially about special taxing districts like the CSC.
The CSC is different. It mostly spends money wisely and deserves to continue.
But doing an admirable job is not the same as convincing voters to reauthorize the CSC.
Broward homeowners are financially hard-pressed. That makes the School Board bonds and the CSC a hard sell.
The School Board says the average cost of the bonds is $50 annually for a home valued at $225,000. The CSC currently gets roughly $125-a-year for a home valued for taxation at $250,000 and it wants this tax reauthorized.
Highlighting Homeowners Plight
The Sun-Sentinel editorial board beautifully highlighted the problem, although they didn’t make the connection to the upcoming referendums. The editorial was aimed at city commissions.
The editorial board noted that rising rates for everything from insurance to groceries were crippling South Florida homeowners. Three-fourth of local cities have increased tax rates or fire fees.
“The cost of living in South Florida is getting too much for many residents to handle….Rather than ask taxpayers to dig deeper in these tough times, local governments should do more to tamp down their desire to tax and spend.”
A well-connected political consultant not working for either the School Board or CSC explained how the burden on homeowners could affect the election:
“This is a big ask from taxpayers… $50 (a year) for the schools and $150 (a year) for the Children’s (Services) Council essentially forever. Voters may just sink both…These taxes are just part of the puzzle. Homeowners have no choice on the higher costs for insurance, condo fees, city taxes and everything else. These school and children’s council taxes are the only thing they can say ‘no’ to.”
Children’s Services Worried
Folks at the CSC read words like that and shiver.
But the CSC is different from the School Board. The CSC mostly spends money wisely and deserves to continue.
I recently examined some of the Council’s internal documents and here is what I found:
* The pay scale is reasonable. Only four employees make more than $100,000-a-year.
Of those, three make a shade over $100,000, such as the chief operating officer.
CEO Cindy Arenberg Seltzer gets $154,932 annually, a reasonable salary for directing a complex, $60 million business and 67 employees.
* Constructing its own headquarters made sense.
The building in Lauderhill cost $8.6 million for the construction, furnishing and land. The agency was paying $400,000 in rent annually and it was scheduled to climb to $500,000 by this year.
The CSC built a 31,500-square foot building for the future, and it doesn’t use all the space. It earns more than $40,000 by renting offices to another social service agency.
The building also serves as a community center and training facility, where classes are given to the needy in everything from child care to preparing personal taxes.
(Many underprivileged don’t know how to prepare their taxes. The IRS uses the Council HQ to teach mostly-poor families how to fill out the forms and what deductions they are entitled to take.)
* The CSC is a tough steward of the public’s money.
I saw pages after pages of evaluations of social service programs the agency funds. Programs are repeatedly monitored and retooled to make them both more effective and more accountable.
For instance:
A voluntary health program for middle school students on sexuality – preventing pregnancy and child abuse – was reshaped after monitors found it was not engaging young teens. At the CSC’s suggestion, class material was added about clothing and body size issues. The interest of among kids 12-14-years-old increased. It could be measured on tests and the number of kids voluntarily attending.
There is no more politically plugged-in children’s agency than Family Central run by Barbara Weinstein, wife of Broward’s Chief Judge Peter Weinstein, a long-time political insider.
Weinstein’s clout didn’t stop the CSC from redlining a Family Central program. The CSC monitors demanded the program be revamped to get better results and make better use of tax money before renewing its grant.
These folks are bureaucrats. They have made some spending mistakes in the past, including some grants to politically plugged-in folks who seem to be doing nothing as according to TheDailyBrowardcom.
But by-and-large, they are good guardians of our tax money.
Vote “Yes” For CSC
The biggest reason to vote “yes” to renew the CSC and its taxing ability is that there is no one else to do the job.
Thousands of children receiving everything from speech therapy to swimming lessons will be left on their own without the CSC.
Over 1,200 children who received childcare so their parents can work will become latchkey kids without the CSC.
Special needs children are taught life skills and even helped to get after school jobs. Their families would be overwhelmed without the CSC.
Thousands of youths who commit minor crimes end up on a more positive path because of classes run by the CSC.
If the CSC is not reauthorized, dozens of good programs that improve the lives of children and families in this community will die because there is no other agency with the money or expertise to run them.
Broward would be poorer without the CSC. Voters need to vote “yes” to reauthorize it.
Now the $800 million school bonds? That’s another question.
September 12th, 2014 at 11:46 am
Buddy, this one long time member of our community thanks you for taking the time to lay out a compelling argument for reauthorizing the CSC’s ability to serve the children and families in Broward County.
September 12th, 2014 at 12:10 pm
Support for the Children’s Services Council referendum is well deserved. I have served on many boards, including the CSC, and I can personally vouch for the effectiveness of the agency and its programs. Taxpayer funding pays dividends for the CSC programs, and I urge all to vote YES.
September 12th, 2014 at 1:40 pm
Buddy, you hit the nail on the head here. Not all spending is waste as some Republicans allege. The CSC is a well run program, and the far reaching consequences of voting it down would be felt for years to come.
Thank you for this well written endorsement of The Children’s Services Council.
September 12th, 2014 at 2:50 pm
Buddy, thank you for making an excellent case for reauthorization of CSC. This is not a new tax, but one that homeowners have been paying since 2000. Over 150,000 children receive those services annually. And it isn’t just counting the numbers served, but the results. CSC is very outcome oriented, so that the agencies that serve these children must improve their lives. Some of the agencies are familiar, such as the YMCA, After School programs, Boys and Girls Clubs, Association for Retarded Children, to name but a few. Less than 5% of the money collected goes to administrating the programs. We can’t abandon our children. They are our future.
September 12th, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Broward Charities that ask for tax funds are pretty much scams or fronts for the politically connected.
Besides the four making $100K+ how many of the 64 other employees make $75K+? What’s the total cost of employee salaries?
September 12th, 2014 at 3:37 pm
If this passes, how long is the re-authorization for?
September 12th, 2014 at 4:24 pm
Nice write-up Buddy as a follow up to your July discussion.
$60,000,000 a year annual budget.
Thats a lot of money for this group.
Just wondering if you live and own property in Broward, or Palm Beach.
FROM BUDDY:
I have owned a home in Broward County since the 1980s. I have also owned investment property in Broward.
September 12th, 2014 at 4:53 pm
I agree. CSC makes Broward County stronger community, their loss would make us a weaker one.
Angelo
September 12th, 2014 at 5:04 pm
I agree completely with Buddy’s analysis with one important exception.
Buddy writes that “CEO Cindy Arenberg Seltzer gets $154,932 annually, a reasonable salary for directing a complex, $60 million business and 67 employees.”
So let’s see how much the School Board would pay for this kind of employee… not so much, as it turns out! There’s a job opening right now for the position of Principal of Lyons Creek Middle School, and the pay is in the $111K to $124K range:
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/nis/pdfs/SBased%20Adm/14-15%20School%20Year/Lyons%20Creek%20Middle.pdf
Going to the school’s website & counting the number of employees listed under “Faculty Contacts”, I come up with 119 employees, and that still doesn’t include all the custodians, cafeteria workers, etc…
http://lyonscreek.browardschools.com
So the School Board is paying at least 30% less to a CEO type who directs more than double the number of employees, in a very complex business, with probably at least double the annual budget (employees are going to be the largest expense by far for both of these businesses, and hurricane-shelter quality school buildings aren’t exactly inexpensive either!).
Seems to me that the CSC should take a close look at income inequality and do something about it, like cutting the CEO’s salary down to under $100K and giving the savings to her hard-working lowest-level employees!
September 12th, 2014 at 5:20 pm
Buddy, I want to thank you for taking me up on my offer to come to the CSC and thoroughly examine our operation. You asked probing questions, really listened to answers and did your own research. Naturally, I appreciate your conclusion as do the 150,000 children who receive CSC funded services.
September 12th, 2014 at 6:34 pm
@Kevin Cerino
Not sure if it is in perpetuity or just 12 years. Perhaps Buddy can confirm.
So do I understand serving 150,00 Clients (children, their caregivers, etc.) costs $60,000,000.00?
Than maybe the 30 year school bond for $800,000,000.00 is a bargain.
Non-profits that own property do not pay property taxes. They appear to be exempt from other taxes.
Is it true that Broward properties owned by non-profits, just like city and county owned properties are exempt from these lines items on the tax bills?
September 12th, 2014 at 7:41 pm
Wait, wait… Buddy did reporting for a story. Picked up the phone and everything.
September 12th, 2014 at 8:12 pm
CSC is another waste of money, is a shame!!!
September 12th, 2014 at 8:40 pm
Always great when the limousine liberal, Gucci loafer crowd takes a bow for themselves. Too bad the 99percenters see this for what it is more taxes in perpetuity
September 12th, 2014 at 8:49 pm
The CSC is a well run organization and deserves to be reauthorized.
September 12th, 2014 at 10:35 pm
A tax for CSc that goes to a limited segment of Broward county residents at $150 per 200k of home value forever is a better investment for the residents of Broward than the School Board bond which would impact all children in public schools for $50 per 200k for a few years?
Also, if CSC fails the county would fund many of the programs and people like seltzer wouldn’t make their big bucks anymore. If the bond goes down, school repairs will not take place, there is no county money to cover the expenses.
Sorry but the school board bond is more needed and would impact far more residents of the county
September 12th, 2014 at 10:40 pm
Thanks for taking the time to learn about CSC. Our community is better because they exist.
September 13th, 2014 at 12:02 am
The CSC is mostly a scam run by county insiders to benefit wives of Democrat politicians and other cronies. The $60 Million is used to garner patronage and keep the gravy train going for the Dems’ electorate.
The CSC has NO business teaching people how to do their taxes. That is for the IRS or some private outreeach.
The CSC does not serve many children by themselves. Rather, they use the tax money as a clearing house to pay not for profits to do most of the services. If the CSC did not exist, that $60 Million would still exist in the community and would be well spent by the individual property owners. Charities would still serve children, like they have done from day one in this country. People would donate to charities freely, but do not now because they see the government (stealing) um, taking it from them already. I would go so far as to say that charitable giving and child services would go UP if the CSC were abolished.
All this means nothing in this Democrat run county where the politicians have bought the sheeples vote with other people’s money. We live in a kleptocracy.
September 13th, 2014 at 5:22 am
No new taxes.
September 13th, 2014 at 8:41 am
The CSC is not unlike United Way. They are nothing more than a middleman (middle person to be PC?) for redistributing monies to charities that should be able to garner their own contributions if they are doing worthy work as Sam The Sham noted. And I am disappointed that Buddy would praise their decision to build their own HQ which is off the tax roles. They should be renting in the most non descript rental space available in a neighborhood in need of economic activity.
I will vote no for the CSC just as I planned to do in a similar situation when I was 18 many moons ago and refused to contribute to United Way as an automatic payroll deduction at my first job at a company that boasted 100% employee participation. That company with tens of thousands of employees threatened to fired me for not participating so I think I gave in and contributed a dollar a pay period.
That experience forever cemented my policy to not give to agencies that take a cut – however small – for distributing my hard earned money to other charities.
From a macro sense, that experience also hardened my belief about being taxed by local, state, and federal governments so they can provide services not in keeping with their original charters.
Since others brought up the bond referendum, I will just say that Runcie is going all out to indoctrinate parents given what I have seen and heard at my kids’ school from the teachers to the administrators. Shameful. If the bond was worthy, it should speak for itself and not need to pushed so hard by Runcie and his Chicago brethren.
I look forward to seeing both defeated in November.
September 13th, 2014 at 8:47 am
@5, @13, @14, @18, @19- Quoting “Real Deal”:
Recipe for killing any good idea:
1. Say it sucks even though you have facts that say otherwise. In fact don’t even read the facts, it will only waste time better spent on saying it sucks.
2. If someone shows you the facts, then say they suck.
3. If they insist that you look at the facts yourself, say they really suck. Then attack their character and family members.
4. All other unrelated hateful miserable nay saying people and agendas, please feel free to join in. We love your company.
5. Develop conspiracy theories whether based on facts or not as these always add extra spice to the conversation. And it keeps people from paying attention to facts. Facts are not our friend.
6. Feel free to ask for audit reports, but keep saying no even before you read them and no matter what they end up saying. Just keep saying no because no.
7. Never let them see that your real agenda is just to say no so other people can be as cheap and miserable as you are. That way, added misery in the world will make you feel better. Fight for your right to make others miserable.
8. No matter what facts are brought to light, keep being stubborn because stubborn people win and facts only get in their way.
9. The only children that matter are my own and even there the jury is out. Other people’s children can die for all we care because that’s good public policy.
And finally,
10. When in doubt, start at 1 and work your way down to 10 again.
September 13th, 2014 at 8:47 am
If CSC fails, most of the Boys & Girls Clubs will be forced to close in Broward. Much of their funds for programs come from CSC. the only ones who lose if CSC is voted down are our kids.
September 13th, 2014 at 9:04 am
Looks like you did a lot of homework Buddy. But what about the school board bond? It’s without a doubt that schools are in need, but we’ve already seen the mismanagement this current administration and the political shenanigans they’re capable of. overspending on one $300k project by ONE MILLION DOLLARS, hiring a Rick Scott aide to who supports tax cuts but is pushing new taxes on us, and giving astronomical raises to three administrators and promising the same to more as a few examples. Not to mention their history of handling bond money.
Until the administration can be good stewards of our tax payer dollars, the school board bond is a tax waste we can do without.
September 13th, 2014 at 9:11 am
@16 – You make really good points in paragraphs 1 & 3, but CSC’s activities won’t be funded if the referendum fails; that won’t happen for a very long time. In the meantime, Broward’s children will be the losers. Buddy is right: It would be disastrous if voters turn thumbs down on the CSC. It would be a devastating setback for Broward children and families.
@18 – The CSC doesn’t do the teaching. All the CSC is doing is temporarily providing a room to IRS representative(s), to enable the IRS to explain how the system works.
September 13th, 2014 at 11:21 am
@Cindy
There you go again.
“Buddy, I want to thank you for taking me up on my offer to come to the CSC and thoroughly examine our operation.”
its not your operation. You did NOT do this – tax payers and tax dollars did this – ALL of it.
“Naturally, I appreciate your conclusion as do the 150,000 children who receive CSC funded services.”
So are the children learning to do taxes? or does the 150,000 include the single parents who can’t do taxes and maybe can’t read English or understand the IRS tax code.
Everything at 6600 W Commercial is tax payer created and funded. Even any grants they may get. Because – news flash – grants are tax dollars re-appropriated and re-directed.
And if tenants are paying rent to CSC, does CSC pay income taxes on that revenue?
Oh, and that rent money really belongs to the taxpayers.
September 13th, 2014 at 4:38 pm
it is always a tug of war over tax dollars, whether at city, county or state level.
No the United Way will not cease to exist, and
No the Boys and Girls Clubs will no disappear.
CSC is a pass thru – like a broker, that pays their own for overseeing and delivering. What did the charities do in Broward BEFORE 2000 when this sham started with a $500,000.00 handout from the nine on the BCC dais back then?
Lets see – that would be Parrish, Rodstrom, Lieberman, Gunzburger, Eggelation, Scott, Jacobs. I am missing two names but right now can’t remember.
So that is how this CSC “non-profit” works.
Stop the chicken little scare tactics as mentioned in comments above. Unless you moved to Broward since 2000 and have no knowledge of how things were before then.
If I was to vote for best use of MORE tax dollars I would vote for school bond as a lot more are benfitting from that.
And Scott will be re-elected because of the flip-flop-flipping of Crist on tax dollars that so many remember who have been around Broward for a few years
http://online.wsj.com/articles/floridas-school-choice-showdown-1410561578?mod=WSJ_hps_sections_opinion
September 13th, 2014 at 6:24 pm
I could not vote for a 800 million bond with out knowing where the money is going. They have attempted to show us but many schools and others are disgruntled. This is a case that we the public are sold on one thing and it could change afterwards. Sorry but “no” to a 800 million dollar bond.
September 13th, 2014 at 9:57 pm
# 21
Recipe for making a political boondogle:
1. Find a “cause” that no one could be against. I know! Say its for the Chiiiillldren!
2. Find a way to extract money from people against their will for your pet project. Taxes!
2. Hire as many connected people as you can. Make sure to get this commissioner’s wife and that representative’s unemployed son and the other lobbyist’s idiot niece.
3. Make sure you give out enough patronage jobs and contracts.
4. Pay off the electorate with money stolen from those who earned it. It does not cost them anything so they will keep voting in largess that they did not earn.
5. Remind everyone its for the chiiilldren and only a heartless SOB could be against it.
6. Make sure you have lots of media attention when you give away other people’s money. Most people think it is “magic Money” that comes from the government.
7. Any charities that don’t toe your line or do what you say, get the legislature to run them out of the business. You don’t want any competition from “do-gooders”.
8. Convince the sheeple that there is no alternative but you (since you got rid of those pesky charities that used to do what you do for free.)
9. No need for family, community, religious or private charities to form strong community bonds and support. We now have Big Brother and Big Sister looking after us in a nanny state.
10. Repeat. Especially #5.
September 14th, 2014 at 8:49 am
Boys n girls clubs are publicly funded? When was this approved? Boys n girls clubs used to be simple operations sponsored by local private groups in generally rural or poor neighborhoods and the target kids were a small segment on urban/suburban areas like Broward county. Is this csc simply overpaid administers taking my tax money n distributing to groups who actually do things?
September 14th, 2014 at 10:35 am
Buddy
Thank you for your description and passionate support of the CSC. While I like the general goals and objectives of the CSC, I would like to see the specific language that will be on the ballot this November. Personally I find it extremely difficult to reauthorize any government program that taxes us in a manner that seems to make the program and taxes permanent, with no future way to shut it down without possible legislative action. Am I wrong?
I am of the opinion that all taxing programs, government services, and districts should always be subject to recall. In the case of the CSC, I believe that it should be subject to a reauthorization review and general public vote every 8 or 12 years.
September 14th, 2014 at 11:18 am
@Sam the Sham
Thank You and agreed on ALL points
Childrens Services Council in Broward started in 2000.
Time to sunset it permanently on Nov. 4.
And remember taxpayers and voters owe Rep. Joe Negron for making the law earlier this year that forces independent councils all across Florida to justify their existence to the taxpayers that are forced to fund them.
September 14th, 2014 at 11:19 am
@28 – Please feel free to demonstrate the existence of people willing to donate an additional $60 million per year for the purposes currently served by the CSC, by exhibiting a specific list of people and the dollar amounts which are irrevocably committed to these purposes by those people should the CSC reauthorization fail to pass.
OR – admit that you totally can’t do it and that your entire argument is a red herring and a futile right-wing fantasy, and then do the right thing by voting and advocating FOR the CSC reauthorization.
September 14th, 2014 at 12:32 pm
CSC is nothing more than a. non profit Ponzi scheme. Yes SOME good is done when you spend $60 million in the kids. How much goes to people who are just politically connecteds pet projects? The Dale Holnesses and DWS’s of Broward? Most. All to feed the political machine, not help the kids. But so much more is wasted in what can only be referred to as Cindy’s vanity project. One only need to look at her tajmahal on Commercial or her infomercial on cable to see that with CSC isn’t all about Cindy.
September 14th, 2014 at 1:30 pm
Let the United Way help them($). I mean I see the director is tipping th escales at making all most 200g ,give or take. Come on. Does she really jusify making this kind of loot. Residents here this and its history. How do you jusify going before the taxpayer asking for another fee, tax, that they have to pay. Go to your faith based organizations. Enough w. the taxpayer bailing you out….
September 14th, 2014 at 2:57 pm
The CSC is not a creature of the county commission. Debbie Wasserman Schultz sponsored a local bill which created the referendum for the CSC. The R’s wouldn’t pass it unless she amended it so the Republican governor could have some appointments. So after she cried about it,she amended it so it would pass the legislature. Funny thing she doesn’t seem to have an opinion about the reauthorization. Strange for someone who can’t not have an opinion about everything.
September 14th, 2014 at 3:14 pm
The size and opulence of the dais alone, which is unusually large and throne-like for the 8.6 million dollar boondoggle, is a great example of CSC’s misguided priorities.
Buddy, you got this one wrong!!!
September 14th, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Csc is a tax for life…
September 14th, 2014 at 3:37 pm
If you have a pet project, know the right people and reference kids in your grant proposal CSC will grant your wish.
Think on this — the referendum grants CSC taxing authority FOREVER!!! Without voter oversight more taxpayer money will be squandered.
No support until they undergo a full audit conducted by an independent outside professional.
September 14th, 2014 at 5:25 pm
Please review the staff directory, observe the political paybacks.
September 15th, 2014 at 7:27 am
Reading these comments is a fascinating journey through the thoughts of an interesting collection of people who must share some interest in public policy issues since they chose to read this blog.
One doesn’t know that organizations like Boys and Girls clubs rely on government grants though it’s been that way for decades. Common knowledge actually.
Another thinks that the CSC doesn’t know how to follow laws governing income for non-profits as if they some unregulated fly by night organization. Another can’t tell the difference between the school district’s fatally flawed $800 million and the CSC’s responsibly put together ask for re-authorization.
It’s particularly amusing to read the excuses suggested for not funding programs for children, especially those suggesting that private contributions will make that difference. Let’s disregard the needs of children in our community so we can stuff a few more sweaty dollars into our miserable pockets.
And especially amusing is how the majority of people opposing CSC seem to be Republicans. Who like to say they are the party of Jesus.
Try explaining to Jesus why you chose not to fund programs for handicapped children and see if he doesn’t put you on the down elevator — you no good, cheap, self-absorbed, two faced, miserable, blasphemous dickhead.
Now, please don’t get me wrong.
I’m not saying that you have to scratch the very bottom of the barrel in society to find a dirt bag low-life capable of not supporting program dollars for poor and disabled kids.
I’m saying you have to pick the barrel up and dig three feet under it to find that species of disgraceful dirt bag.
September 15th, 2014 at 7:29 am
Sorry, I forgot to add motherless.
September 15th, 2014 at 10:36 am
BUDDY PLEASE RESPOND!
Buddy who else makes over 100,000. How much are the making and what are their titles.
Second how many are making more than 60,000?
Buddy please respond as your audience wants this missing piece to your article
FROM BUDDY:
The chief programmatic officer earns $105k, the chief communications officer earns $104k and the chief operating officer earns $109k.
Nine others earn more than $70k, almost all just over 70. The top salary under $100k is two at 90k, one of which is funded by the state.
September 15th, 2014 at 1:34 pm
I am thrilled with your finding.s I have had the opportunity to work with Cindy and the CSC since i was 11. Jack Moss and Commissioner Gunzeburger were intricate advocates to the programs they fund. I look forward to voting “YES” on the CSC Referendum in November. Commissioner Angelo Castillo, you said it best my friend!
September 15th, 2014 at 2:41 pm
A agree. We are paying other people’s salaries with this money. Seriously, how much of their budget pays people’s salaries? What are the top people in CSC making? I say make the county the one in charge of it. They already have people in place doing similar things. I’m voting NO.
September 15th, 2014 at 3:18 pm
Buddy….Thank you for reminding us how important this item is. We will have it on our palm card and ask our members and their families to vote “YES”
September 15th, 2014 at 3:34 pm
Daniel Sohn says: I worked with Cindy since i was 11.
And then, according to your own self-created legend, you were appointed in charge of an $8M Federal Grant.
You then went on to become CEO, CFO, Chairman of the Board, Precinct Chairman, President, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Time Share Salesman, Stock Boy, Political Candidate, Non-Profit Chairman, Government Official …
You’re what? 23 years old?
The one thing prominently missing from that list? Gainfully employed with a real job.
September 15th, 2014 at 5:50 pm
Buddy you broke out some salaries but didn’t mention the benefits and perks and bonus and state retirment pension!
http://www.cscbroward.org/Documents/CSC-Employee-Benefits.pdf
All of the annual reports for csc are available on-line. http://www.cscbroward.org/Pages/AnnualReports.aspx
Page 22 of the 2012-13 report lists $59,584,505.00 funded from Broward County property taxes. General Administration expenditures $2,048,236.00
Up from $1,948,542.00 in 2011-12.
Non-Operating Expenditures 2012-13 is $1,716,448.00.
What is that? Travel? Conferences?
Advertising? Looks like $278,000.00 alone was spent on advertising and press by CSC in 2012-13 (page 108 of this years proposed budget review) and that is separate from the $240,000. In ‘Free’ advertising CSC got from sun-sentinel , Comcast and others.
Program Services and Support get $56,178,579.
Lot of money doled out by these self-appoited power brokers under the guise of a non-profit for the needy and children.
September 15th, 2014 at 6:13 pm
Cindy’s constant coddling of Daniel has made him the man he is today. He is just looking for his own vanity project so he can walk in her footsteps. They all need to wren themselves from the taxpayers tit.
September 15th, 2014 at 11:33 pm
Buddy …. Thank you for showing us the Fraud perpetrated on the public supporting the CSC, I will have it on my Palm Card not to support this program.
BTW Buddy Angelo’s comment was so short….. was he on the way to Happy Hour. It was 4:43 PM he was still on the clock…..LOL
September 16th, 2014 at 8:23 am
I cannot vote for this – too much waste. Vote no to increase any tax upon yourself, the government already has the authority to enact enough taxes without a referendum.
September 16th, 2014 at 5:07 pm
Cindy Seltzer and CSC was on the agenda and showed up at the Fort Lauderdale Commission conference this afternoon to make a 40 minute pitch, show and tell and Q and A for the 5. From the comments and discussion the 5 figured out that some of her programs are similar and redundant to Fort Lauderdal’s, like the day camp and summer programs. They asked her about the juvenile intervention to prevent the crimes in neighborhoods, or rehab of the juveniles to stop the repeat offenses of juveniles. She stated if they are funded she will work on these issues. / Not sure what that means but the State of Florida has made laws regarding how juvenile crime is dealth with and how the schools are required to deal with and intervene to the disappointment of many. Its a revolving door, with little penalty because the goal appears to keep the juveniles from having ANY records on all crimes committed to age 18.
CSC desperately wants to stay in business and this vote will extend their existence in perpetuity. No a 30 year burden like the $800,000,000.00 school bond, but infinite on every Broward property tax bill. And its not a fixed fee but a proportioned sum tied to the value of the property.
From discussion as some exited, it was not a successful pitch.