Recently, the county executive purchased a tractor and maintains that he “got a screaming deal,” which will benefit the taxpayers, and the tractor will pay for itself. West County farmland mowed with new $79,800 tractor. What’s behind the purchase?
Let’s examine that. If you remember–and you can read the article in the link–the county executive wanted to turn the farmland that is being mowed by said tractor into an industrial park with no input from the taxpayers in the area. When Fairview and Girard township residents protested the move, the project was cancelled, and the county executive cancelled the lease with the farmer who had farmed the land previously. The land has been sitting fallow for the past three years. So, this land which had been earning $37,000 at its peak per year, is no longer earning any money for the county. The farmer estimates $90,000 in lost income for taxpayers, and if the peak rate was paid for all three years, the amount would be $111,000. So, he’s paying out $79,800 + gas + maintenance + labor, when he could be bringing an income of between $90,000 to $111,000. Does this sound like a “screaming deal?”
Speaking of screaming deals, let’s compare it to the screaming deal that Gannon got in the library. Since Gannon pays $22,956 per year for 25 years with an option to 45 years for the lease in the Blasco Library, that means that it would be 3.48 years for the lease to earn the money to pay for this tractor–totally not related, but it gives some perspective to the county executive’s spending and leasing tactics. The library system’s copiers–which earn $25,000 per year, would take 3.192 years to pay for the tractor.
In an email to the chair of the finance committee, the county executive points to language in the administrative code requiring lease terms to be “fair and reasonable” and “most favorable to the County of Erie.” Did he actually read that email prior to hitting “Send?” The self-awareness here is a bit lacking.
This is why we are fighting the lease with Gannon. This is yet another example of how the county executive is not looking out for YOUR money. Please help our cause by contributing with the button below.
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
~Mark Twain
Keep Our Library Public! 