Benkers Clover Basin mistruth proven

If you've seen Longmont City Councilmember Karen Benker's website and flier, or have heard her speak at forums, you've probably read or heard this repeated mistruth of hers that she "ended the unfair Clover Basin Fire tax".   You even see some of her miscreant followers screech this in the Times-Call comment section, probably at the same time covering their ears and yelling "la la la" as the actual truth is told to them.

Well, I guess I just have one question:  If this tax was ended and it was a done deal, like so many have falsely portrayed, why is it on this Tuesday's Longmont City Council agenda for the council to finally vote on it?

Uh oh, an inconvenient truth for Ms. Benker.  Has she been lying on her brochures, website, and public speaking engagements?  In a word, yes. 

But lets dig deeper into the agenda, specifically this PDF from the city's website that speaks directly to this Clover Basin issue.  There are some interesting quotes that you need to be aware of.  Here's one, and this is by their City Attorney Eugene Mei:  "At the July 21, 2009 study session, Council provided direction to staff to terminate the District’s annual payment obligation at the end of this year, and to dissolve the District."  I know this can be complicated to understand (if you can't read), but this was the vote to draft a Resolution to end the District, not an actual vote to end the District, that takes a Resolution.

Actually, it will take two Resolutions, and here they are (again, yet to be voted on):
1. R-2009-92, A Resolution of the Longmont City Council To Terminate the Intergovernmental Agreement with the Clover Basin Fire Protection District and Eliminate the District’s Future Annual Payment Obligations
2. R-2009-93, A Resolution of the Longmont City Council Consenting to the Dissolution of the Clover Basin Fire Protection District

But there's more, Mr. Mei continues:  "Accordingly, the City has negotiated with the District the attached termination agreement that will terminate the IGA on December 31, 2009—and with it all future annual payment obligations—provided that the District makes this year’s final payment in full."  Uh oh, there's a condition.  How could there be any conditions if it was a done deal?

And then there's this interesting tidbit (brace yourself Clover Basin non-done deal deniers):  "The proceedings to dissolve the District will be conducted in state district court according to statutory procedures as set forth in C.R.S. Title 32, and will continue well into 2010."

So how can the following statement on Ms. Benker's website be true?  "In July 2009, a third council vote was taken with a vote of 7 to 0—finally eliminating this unfair tax and directing staff to sunset the agreement between the city and the special district."  Easy answer, it's not true.  It's Ms. Benker assuming you don't know better when a lifetime politician is pulling the wool over your eyes.

Oh, it gets better.  If Ms. Benker had her way at that July 2009 meeting, every voter in the City of Longmont would have voted on this issue which would have put the shaft to all of those Clover Basin residents Ms. Benker falsely claims to be the savior of.  You can read more of that part of the story at this link.

Basically, Karen Benker is playing the voters of Longmont as fools, especially those in Clover Basin.  If this is the kind of leadership you consider effective, you might need your head examined.