Dubois mayor

[lavender]

3 hours ago, L8RG8R said:

Contact Jen Jackson, she's big on transparency.

 And pray that you survive the encounter.

[Polo]

On 11/3/2025 at 8:57 AM, L8RG8R said:

Contact Jen Jackson, she's big on transparency.

I agree.  I think she would get you the answers you need.

[Constitutionalist]

8 hours ago, Polo said:

I agree.  I think she would get you the answers you need.

Yeah I’ll pass. She’s a joke like the rest of em 

[Ignatius]

Anyone here able to make heads or tails of the tax increase headed our way in the new city?  4 mils?  2 mils?  What are the projects needed that dictate the increase?  

I hope the incoming council reopens the budget process and administers fiscal restraint and management.  Just a mil?  Just $400,000.00?  Further, to the DuBois politicians, Herm hasn't been manager, for how many years?  Time to look in the mirror.

[Keyser Soze]

43 minutes ago, Ignatius said:

Anyone here able to make heads or tails of the tax increase headed our way in the new city?  4 mils?  2 mils?  What are the projects needed that dictate the increase?  

I hope the incoming council reopens the budget process and administers fiscal restraint and management.  Just a mil?  Just $400,000.00?  Further, to the DuBois politicians, Herm hasn't been manager, for how many years?  Time to look in the mirror.

You do realize Herm caused this mess!!!! Using water money to balance the budget. Increasing the pension to 90% payout for  non uniform employees. Money paid by council for his defense.  Illegally granted healthcare for council members  that cost easily a million dollars in premiums and paid deductibles. 

[Keyser Soze]

1 hour ago, Ignatius said:

Anyone here able to make heads or tails of the tax increase headed our way in the new city?  4 mils?  2 mils?  What are the projects needed that dictate the increase?  

I hope the incoming council reopens the budget process and administers fiscal restraint and management.  Just a mil?  Just $400,000.00?  Further, to the DuBois politicians, Herm hasn't been manager, for how many years?  Time to look in the mirror.

https://gantnews.com/2025/11/12/tax-rate-discussed-at-joint-board-meeting/

[Ignatius]

My point, Keyser, is there is a time limit to how long you lay blame on to another.  

[Keyser Soze]

49 minutes ago, Ignatius said:

My point, Keyser, is there is a time limit to how long you lay blame on to another.  

Starting 1/5/2026 is the no blame on the past day! 

Would you be in favor of selling the water system for 200 million? This would result in a large tax decrease plus no tax increases for the next 30 years.

People in Treasure Lake and outlying areas with no city water/sewage would be in favor I bet.

[DS58]

Correct me if I’m wrong but TL has its own Water and Sewer operations company.  Aqua Inc./American Water.  I’m not sure selling an asset of DuBois would help our situation.  

[Keyser Soze]

2 hours ago, DS58 said:

Correct me if I’m wrong but TL has its own Water and Sewer operations company.  Aqua Inc./American Water.  I’m not sure selling an asset of DuBois would help our situation.  

Your tax rate would be cut in half or more for at least the next 30 years. The DuBois water users would pay AQUA for their water. The money returned from the sale of the system would go to all taxpayers. 

[Petee]

Well gee, since I don't use city water and since Treasure Lake people say their water sucks, should I only think of myself and say yes, or should I consider the best interests of everyone else in the "city".  I would imagine that takes a serious questionnaire, possibly in the newspaper that people fill out and sign, and an internet questionnaire, well-advertised with plenty of time for people to research the situation and respond plus advise anyone they know who has no access to either a newspaper or the internet, and find out what the public thinks. Gee, what a concept!  Ask the people and make them identify themselves.

[Constitutionalist]

Just wait until they run lines and make all those people on well and septic tap in.. or… they meter your well. it’s coming 

[DS58]

On 11/13/2025 at 5:08 PM, Keyser Soze said:

Your tax rate would be cut in half or more for at least the next 30 years. The DuBois water users would pay AQUA for their water. The money returned from the sale of the system would go to all taxpayers. 

I’ve been involved with many “sale of assets”. Usually the money is pissed away in a few years and when it’s all gone you have nothing left to sell.  I can see “ DuBois “ buying all kinds of things and then crying  by poor when things go south.  I’ll be long dead by then but “seller beware”.  

[Constitutionalist]

I really cannot fathom why they are trying to come up with all this stuff to spend money on right now. Like for example this new monument.. there should be a spending freeze for many reasons right now.. but no let’s just find more things to spend on.. sure they say grants pay for it.. does the average person know that grants don’t cover everything? Lots of grants are matching grants. So the city still has to spend money. Of all the times.. now is not the time to start spending more. Not until this city has answers, is done with the court crap, and we see how things shape up. 
 

the manager was quoted as saying something along the lines of 2026 will be tough with tax raises but you will save in the long run.. 

false.. once a tax increase is made.. do you really think they will do anything to lower it? Or will they enjoy having the money still coming in to pay for more ridiculous projects no one wants? 

[Basset3]

On 11/15/2025 at 1:22 PM, Constitutionalist said:

I really cannot fathom why they are trying to come up with all this stuff to spend money on right now. Like for example this new monument.. there should be a spending freeze for many reasons right now.. but no let’s just find more things to spend on.. sure they say grants pay for it.. does the average person know that grants don’t cover everything? Lots of grants are matching grants. So the city still has to spend money. Of all the times.. now is not the time to start spending more. Not until this city has answers, is done with the court crap, and we see how things shape up. 
 

the manager was quoted as saying something along the lines of 2026 will be tough with tax raises but you will save in the long run.. 

false.. once a tax increase is made.. do you really think they will do anything to lower it? Or will they enjoy having the money still coming in to pay for more ridiculous projects no one wants? 

Just remember...we're still paying for the flood walls from the 1936 Johnstown Flood.  Gov't just baked it - hid it - into another tax bill, and here we are today...

[Constitutionalist]

1 hour ago, Basset3 said:

Just remember...we're still paying for the flood walls from the 1936 Johnstown Flood.  Gov't just baked it - hid it - into another tax bill, and here we are today...

And that’s a perfect example of what I’m trying to say. I may not word my thoughts the best.. but that’s it.. why on earth would and should we be taxed for the flood.. can’t tell me that hasn’t been paid off yet.. but everyone got comfy with the income and after time people get used to the rates and it just stays that way for the rest of time. 

[Petee]

Hubby said our property taxes were about $1300 last year, so at a 61% increase, how much will they be this year?  How are the other taxes mentioned figured into it.  I love their incomplete explanations.  Hey, I think that's how this nonsense started didn't it?

[Keyser Soze]

39 minutes ago, Petee said:

Hubby said our property taxes were about $1300 last year, so at a 61% increase, how much will they be this year?  How are the other taxes mentioned figured into it.  I love their incomplete explanations.  Hey, I think that's how this nonsense started didn't it?

DuBois-Sandy Township Co-Manager Ben Kafferlin said the impact on overall tax bills will be smaller once county and school taxes are included — about 4 percent more for city residents and 8 percent more for township residents.

 

If your total tax bill was $1,300 then next year total will be $1,404.  A $104 increase. My total was $2,226 with a total increase to $2,404

 

Also many will see saving in their federal taxes from Trump's Big Beautiful Tax bill

https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/federal/tax-calculator-obbba/

[happyday]

I'm not thrilled with the increase. I doubt anyone is. That said, two things can be true:

1. Keyser Soze is right. The increase isn't as severe as it seems.

2. They explained it horribly. Plain English is what people need. How is this going to affect their monthly budget? Their pocketbook?

Also...

If your budget isn't looking great, you have to gain more money or you have to cut back. It doesn't matter if this is your personal finances or the city or the federal government. We should be looking out for wasteful spending - is a monument necessary? - but we also have to keep in mind that the previous dysfunctional councils have gotten us in this predicament. I'm not even talking about the most recent one or the Herm situation. This is years of cans being kicked down the road and lo and behold, we are at a dead end now. Something has to be done. 

[Constitutionalist]

1 minute ago, happyday said:

I'm not thrilled with the increase. I doubt anyone is. That said, two things can be true:

1. Keyser Soze is right. The increase isn't as severe as it seems.

2. They explained it horribly. Plain English is what people need. How is this going to affect their monthly budget? Their pocketbook?

Also...

If your budget isn't looking great, you have to gain more money or you have to cut back. It doesn't matter if this is your personal finances or the city or the federal government. We should be looking out for wasteful spending - is a monument necessary? - but we also have to keep in mind that the previous dysfunctional councils have gotten us in this predicament. I'm not even talking about the most recent one or the Herm situation. This is years of cans being kicked down the road and lo and behold, we are at a dead end now. Something has to be done. 

Not just a monument, a monument they are using other funds to help pay for.. rob Peter to pay Paul has to stop. No more projects until everything is ironed out and fixed. They will push more people away from this area. 

[happyday]

2 minutes ago, Constitutionalist said:

Not just a monument, a monument they are using other funds to help pay for.. rob Peter to pay Paul has to stop. No more projects until everything is ironed out and fixed. They will push more people away from this area. 

I don't disagree with you.

Full disclosure: I was pro-consolidation, partially due to a situation that affected my personal life. I was involved in a vehicle accident by Burger King. A city of DuBois police officer happend to be there. He checked to make sure we were okay, but he was not allowed to do the police report because we were in Sandy Township.

RIDICULOUS. That was a waste of taxpayer funds.

Most of the younger generation does not know where the Sandy/DuBois lines are. I know that there are those in the city that like to thing of it as more "city" and those in Sandy wanted to preserve their "rural" way of life. News Flash: this whole area is rural. We are not a large metropolis. Most of the animosity toward the consolidation is decades old rivalries that still simmer. It is petty and has held our area back.

[Illiterate]

I think all this hand-wringing is moot.  In another 20 yrs or so, DuBois/Sandy is going to be a ghost town.  Why would anyone want to stay here or move here?  Locally, we lost Paris, DuBois Logistics, and PSU DuBois.  Really don't see anything rushing in to replace them.  Nor does there seem to be any efforts to do so.  The largest employer, PH DuBois, isnt exactly thriving at this point, so who knows what will happen in the future.  The generally decreasing school enrollment isn't a great sign either.  The area might be a cheap place to retire, but everyone demands services.  Without a decent employment base, that money has to come from somewhere, so those old retired folks better open up their wallets cause there isn't anyone else to pay the bills.  Industry and youth dont generally come to areas with aging populations.

When, I came here about 30yrs ago, the area was thriving and expanding.  The mall was expanding, businesses were being added, the hospital was growing, PSU DuBois was expanding, people where moving in, etc.  The town I came from, I had the 'honor' of watching collapse.  The population of the area is now less than 40% of what it was.  I see pretty much the same here.  Most people I know about my age have most of there kids relocate out of the area. Failed leadership across the board.  Everyone protecting their own little irrelavent fiefdom.

[Illiterate]

23 hours ago, happyday said:

I don't disagree with you.

Full disclosure: I was pro-consolidation, partially due to a situation that affected my personal life. I was involved in a vehicle accident by Burger King. A city of DuBois police officer happend to be there. He checked to make sure we were okay, but he was not allowed to do the police report because we were in Sandy Township.

RIDICULOUS. That was a waste of taxpayer funds.

Most of the younger generation does not know where the Sandy/DuBois lines are. I know that there are those in the city that like to thing of it as more "city" and those in Sandy wanted to preserve their "rural" way of life. News Flash: this whole area is rural. We are not a large metropolis. Most of the animosity toward the consolidation is decades old rivalries that still simmer. It is petty and has held our area back.

100% agree.   Heck, there are those who will argue over what color of black will be used on the police cars of a consolidated force.  I can hear it now. 'Those city slickers want that super high gloss black while we prefer the more dignified semi-gloss.'

[BillyC]

2 hours ago, Illiterate said:

those old retired folks better open up their wallets cause there isn't anyone else to pay the bills

Have been a life long resident. Born in 1955. Some of us old retired folks don't have a lot to give anymore. Damn shame what has happened and what this area could of been like. It was a really great town to grow up in. Understand what your are saying. Need to have something for people to want to live and stay here.

[Trillyn]

 Locally, we lost Paris, DuBois Logistics, and PSU DuBois.  Really don't see anything rushing in to replace them.  
 

Paris is now Novo, so transferred ownership. If you’re talking about the older building closer to Martins, it’s now a storage and back up facility for the building in the meadow.