$400 911 Calls for California Town of Tracy

As cities across the country are finding themselves on the verge of bankruptcy, city councils are looking towards the people of their cities to save them. Even though for many years, we have paid tax after tax to keep them operating, they are sticking it to us yet again. The prosperous, last twenty years has created irresponsibility across the board. Cities has spent and taken bonuses, improved the city workers standings and just had a good ole time. Now, when the party is coming to an end and the recession has set in, they don't have any resources to use to clean up the mess.

Tracy, California is one of those cities. Check out the data below:

According to: www.teachincal.org/Heartland/Districts
This is just a few years ago in the school district prospectus for the city of Tracy.

***There will be tremendous growth in the near future. A planned development will bring at
least 11,000 homes to the school district. This will generate at least 6,000 additional K-8
students. Banta will continue to maintain a 21st century education for its existing site
while effectively planning for the future.

According to:www.city-data.com

Urban population: 62,919
Rural population: 6,867

Estimated median house/condo value in 2008: $366,983
: $366,983 :

Median resident age: 32.0 years : Average household size:
: 3.2 people
Averages for the 2004 tax year for zip code 95376, filed in 2005:

Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) in 2004: $49,229 (Individual Income Tax Returns)
: $49,229
Salary/wage: $47,551 (reported on 89.7% of returns)
Here: $47,551

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/zips/95376.html#ixzz0fuMlW2mt

After reading the stats above, the average cost of a home is $336,983 and the average income is $49,229. They have an 8.750 city and county tax rate. Cost of living in Tracy in one of the highest in California. What is going on in Tracy? How in the world did it get to this point? Houses cost 6 times more than the average income. Now they have a loss of 44.63% in housing values. So the real values in real economy thinking is about $170,000. Which would be around 1990 prices.

It is obvious that just like many others, Tracy has enjoyed the last 20 year boom. They have spent money on anything from flowers in the parks to nice paychecks and bonuses, for city employees. They have over and over again used the tax money that should have been put back in the cases of excess, to expand, beautify and put their little city on the map. Their growth for the last 10 years has been at 82%. People have flocked to Tracy. Now, they are going to charge the residents of Tracy, $400 if they call 911.

Yes, America, the service that you pay taxes for and expect the minders of the money in your town, to use wisely is gone. City after city is struggling to pay the necessary services in their cities. City councils are meeting all the time, mayors are in a panic and police and fire are stretched to the max. Where does the fault lie America?

I live in Colorado Springs. Just like Tracy, California, Colorado Springs is a growing city. They have grown by leaps and bounds over the years. Now, they are struggling to pay the bills. Housing costs are outrageous here. Property taxes are high and every year of every election, they are trying to sneak in something to cover their butts.

Tracy, California has run out of options. They have lived it up and now the citizens will suffer. Who can afford to pay $400 for a 911 call? Do they want it when they come out? What happens if you can't pay that? Will they sue you or garnish your wages? Will they turn it into a criminal act if you don't pay it?

OK, you are visiting your 70 year old, grandmother in Tracy, California. She grabs her chest and you are sure she is having a heart attack. You pick up the phone to call 911. Your grandmother says, "I don't have $400 to pay them". You know you don't have that much either. Are you suppose to just not call and maybe lose your grandmother? This could really get to be crazy in Tracy.

It is hard to know where these desperate city council members heads are. They just seem to get more ridiculous as they go along. They are grasping at air straws.

I think as the city belts get tighter because of the years of abuse they have practiced, citizens all around the U.S. are going to see life get harder. They took years of mismanagement to get to this point and it will take years to turn it around. Tracy and Colorado Springs and many, many other cities are guilty of this.

They, like the rest of us have been fat and sassy for too many years. We thought we were never coming down from this wonderful life of spend and finance everything. Paying the Piper is hard. I think Tracy, California should rethink it's 911 charge. The citizens of Tracy weren't spending the tax money, why do they have to pay for that bad management now?

This new trend of trying to maintain your city's self respect at the cost of the unknowing citizen is scary. These people are pushing their bad judgments off on the people who had nothing to do with it. I have a feeling, Tracy will pay more than they realize. I think with the jobs situations and now this cost, people will find other places to live. That will result in lost property taxes for those greedy towns that can't find any other solutions now.

America is changing, one city at a time. They are regrouping and rethinking their past behaviors. Those that take responsibility and don't push it off on their citizens will win in the end. They will find more support for their cause, if they don't cram it down the throats of the innocent. Tracy will not find any support with this latest joke of a charge. People will die and they will be held responsible.

Wake up Tracy, California. The people managing there should be fired. They should be run out on a rail for putting you in that position. As should many other city officials across the country. We have totally sat back and have allowed them to rob us blind. Now, they are trying to do it even more. What a joke.

Do you know what your city is doing? Get online and check it out. You may be in for a royal screwing and not even know it.