A MSB Assembly Special Meeting meeting took place on August 30, 2016 (the Tuesday just before the Labor Day weekend.) This meeting was mysterious. The entire meeting was conducted in Executive Session. The minutes note that the closed door session was necessary to discuss, “The ONGOING review of the Operation…
Posts published in “MSB Budget & Finances”
Here are the records showing what the MSB paid to outside law firms for legal work during FY2016, FY2017, FY2018. Click below to see all of the records. 429 426.900 law Here are a few highlights: Perkins Coie gets a lot of business from the MSB. Note: Sean Parnell seems…
The Mat-Su Borough leaders love to dine on the taxpayers’ dimes. Despite making very good salaries (and receiving fabulous retirement and health benefits), the Manager, Clerk, Attorney, and Directors, all of whom have MSB credit cards, often dine out at local restaurants on workdays. It is understandable that these folks,…
The MSB is still spending a lot of money on food and travel. Not as much as before I started doing these public records requests, but still too much. MSB Credit Cards Nov 2017 – Feb 2018 Scan_20180330_111000 (1) Here are some highlights from the above statements: The MSB Manager…
The Municipality of Anchorage has an Internal Auditor. The MOA’s website explains: The primary focus of Internal Audit is to assist the Mayor and the Municipal Assembly in ensuring that proper accountability is maintained over public funds and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Municipal government within the constraints…
“Certificates of Participation”. These are loans that the public does NOT get to vote on. Unlike bonds, only the Assembly has to approve COPs. These are a fairly new financial instruments. The MSB owes $20 million for these type of loans. And the MSB is considering borrowing more money via…
This chart is part of the MSB Manager’s 2018 budget presentation. Properties that are used for educational, religious, or charitable purposes are not assessed any property taxes at all. (Interestingly, private air strips are also exempt from any property taxes if the owner allows public use.) The Mat-Su Borough offers…
The MSB set up a “Sales Tax Task Force” in the fall of 2017. This task force was suggested by Assembly member Matthew Beck and approved at a MSB Assembly meeting a few months earlier. However, the MSB did NOT let the public know any details about the task force. …
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough budgets hundreds of thousands of dollars under vague categories with names such as “Legal,” “Professional Charges,” “Other Contractual,” and “Assembly Reserve.” Exactly how all of this money is spent by the MSB is not publicized. The amounts approved for these mysterious budget items has increased by leaps…
The MSB Assembly members have a longstanding tradition of eating dinner together with the taxpayers footing the bill. There is often a “Special Meeting” at 4 p.m. prior to the regular Assembly meeting at 6 p.m. The MSB leaders have dinner in between these meetings, often purchased from the Colony…