LSAC Now Wants to "STRAIGHT TALK"?
Lac Ste. Anne Ratepayers Association has been seeking Open and Transparent discussions and Information regarding LSAC Finances since our formation in 2016. We have been told if we 'WANT IT" we must "FOIP IT". So FOIP it we did and we are still waiting for it.Now LSAC has decided to Publish a "Paid for Article" in the LSA Bulletin in which they called "Straight Talk About County Finances".
They refered to "Misleading Information" that has been spread about LSAC Fiscal Government and "Misunderstandings" about the County's Financial position.
In the LSA Bulletin Paid for Article (Paid For By The Ratepayers) LSAC States:
"To address these misunderstandings, the following comparison chart has been prepared. This chart provides various financial information about Lac Ste. Anne County (per the County’s audited financial statements) compared against the same numbers from its municipal neighbours."
Well folks, the only source of information the Ratepayers have regarding "County Finances" is what the "LSAC RELEASES" to the public. Unfortunately they continue to "Limit" and "Obfuscate" the Information that the Ratepayers have been requesting.
Yes people, "OBFUSCATE"!
- to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy.
- to make obscure or unclear: to obfuscate a problem with extraneous information.
- to darken.
How you ask?
Well let's look at the "Chart" prepared by LSAC to "Address" these "Misunderstandings".
Some of the data from this chart comes from a reputable source being Alberta Municipal Affairs who collect and make public "Audited Financial Statements" which compare the same numbers from municipalities throughout Alberta.
This data is available to the public at the following Link:
"Alberta Municipal Affairs "Municipal Financial & Statistical Data"At this link you can find many Financial Spreadsheets. The one which relates to the LSAC Chart shows the "2015 Long Term Debt". It is that Spreadsheet and the LSAC Comparison Chart that tells a story.
The full Chart can Viewed here: 2015 AMA LTD and when you view it you need to scroll in both directions.
It is a very large spreadsheet and the only column we need to compare is the "LONG TERM DEPT" and the "Municipalities" that LSAC used in their comparison, so here it is. We have provided it to you in a nutshell!
You see folks, the Long Term Debt Amounts in the "LSAC Comparison Chart" all correspond exactly with what the Alberta Municipal Affairs has in their records. The only Long Term Debt amount which is INCORRECT is Lac Ste. Anne County's.
They seem to be off a little. To be exact they are $2,487,177.00 SHORT of what Alberta Municipal Affairs has in their records which is $4,843,323.00 NOT $2,356,146.00 as stated in the LSAC Chart!
How could this be you may ask.
The County told us in their Publication "Straight Talk About County Finances":
"The provision of accurate information is always the County’s goal, as this is the best way to combat rumour, conspiracy theories and mistrust. Quoting a lump sum or standalone figure devoid of any context provides a misleading snapshot of the County’s financial situation."
Well folks, as with all the other information regarding LSAC, the only source of information available is what "LSAC Publishes" and what they PROVIDE!
This is why it is imperative that LSAC is "OPEN and TRANSPARENT" with the Ratepayers.
So what Happened?? Is this just another mistake? Could it be as stated in their "Publication" another "Rumor" or more "Conspiracy Theories"?
Well for it to be a "Rumor" it would have to come from another source rather than LSAC, so that can't be it.
"A Conspiracy Theory" possibly? Why would LSAC create such a meaningless dialogue after all as the LSAC Publication said it "must be based on factual information".
Ah, it must be a another way of "Calculating LONG TERM DEBT" !
No that can't be it either. If we look at the "Factual Information", which is in this case is, "As Per" the County’s "Audited Financial Statements".
So now you can clearly see that in the Published Post on the LSAC Web Site and also Published in the LSA Bulletin, the article they called "Straight Talk About County Finances" and their "Comparison Chart" again provides a "misleading snapshot of the County’s financial situation".
So what Happened?? Is this just another mistake? Could it be as stated in their "Publication" another "Rumor" or more "Conspiracy Theories"?
Well for it to be a "Rumor" it would have to come from another source rather than LSAC, so that can't be it.
"A Conspiracy Theory" possibly? Why would LSAC create such a meaningless dialogue after all as the LSAC Publication said it "must be based on factual information".
Ah, it must be a another way of "Calculating LONG TERM DEBT" !
No that can't be it either. If we look at the "Factual Information", which is in this case is, "As Per" the County’s "Audited Financial Statements".
We can Clearly see that the Long Term Debt in the "2015 LSAC Financial Statement" was $4,843,323 NOT $2,356,146 as stated in the LSAC Comparison Chart!
In the "2016 LSAC Financial Statement" the Long Term Debt was $3,751,107 NOT $1,370,470 as stated in the LSAC Comparison Chart!
So now you can clearly see that in the Published Post on the LSAC Web Site and also Published in the LSA Bulletin, the article they called "Straight Talk About County Finances" and their "Comparison Chart" again provides a "misleading snapshot of the County’s financial situation".
Exactly opposite of what LSAC was trying to provide!
Lac Ste. Anne County does not have the "Right" to conveniently "Omit, Change or Distort" Long Term Debt when they choose and seem fit.
The Long Term Debt Values that LSAC used in their Comparison Chart is Contrary to the LSAC Long Term Debt Values that can be found on the "Alberta Municipal Affairs Wed Site" and in the "Audited LSAC 2016 and 2015 Financial Statements".
If LSAC really wanted the Ratepayers to know "How much each Ratepayer owe's because of the LSAC DEBT" they should show us a "CHART" with "ALL the DEBT" not just some of it.
If LSAC truly believes as they said "The provision of accurate information is always the County’s goal" it is imperative that LSAC provides the Ratepayers with not just the "Long Term Debt" but "All" the Debt Incurred to Date including Short Term Loans.
Only then can we have an "Accurate" amount of "DEBT PER RESIDENT" as they attempted to "Provide" in their Comparison Chart!
We now know from experience that if it is too "Difficult" to borrow money on a "Long Term" basis we can just "Short Term" borrow it without a Borrowing Bylaw or be "Stopped by a Petition"!
That Folks is why LSARA has requested the Information from LSAC regarding the Status of the Administration Building and all of the "Borrowing that LSAC" has made to date. Short Term, Long Term and Whatever Other Term they may have Borrowed on.
We do want to know what our "DEBT PER RESIDENT " really is! Is that a Bad Thing to Know? We don't think so.
The Following was Posted by LSAC on the LSAC Web Site and in the LSA Bulletin
"In recent months, misleading information has been spread about Lac Ste. Anne County’s fiscal governance. Despite the fact that the County’s finances are all public and transparent, some basic misunderstandings persist about the County’s financial position."
The Following was Posted by LSAC on the LSAC Web Site and in the LSA Bulletin
Straight Talk About County Finances
"In recent months, misleading information has been spread about Lac Ste. Anne County’s fiscal governance. Despite the fact that the County’s finances are all public and transparent, some basic misunderstandings persist about the County’s financial position."
"To address these misunderstandings, the following comparison chart has been prepared. This chart provides various financial information about Lac Ste. Anne County (per the County’s audited financial statements) compared against the same numbers from its municipal neighbours."
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"The provision of accurate information is always the County’s goal, as this is the best way to combat rumour, conspiracy theories and mistrust. Quoting a lump sum or standalone figure devoid of any context provides a misleading snapshot of the County’s financial situation."
"Discussions about County finances are encouraged, but honest discussions must consider the entire picture rather than just one element. Most importantly, any meaningful dialogue must be based on factual information."
CALL ANY OR ALL COUNCILLORS TO DEMAND THE ANSWERS AND MAKE SURE THEY KNOW HOW YOU FEEL - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
- Phone: (780) 937-5360
- Phone: (780) 967-3073
- Phone: (780) 786-4290
- Phone: (780) 785-2095
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Really transparent as the county neglects to mention that, along with the so called reduction in the mill rate in 2016, they implemented an over 200.00 per property "dump fee", which used to be covered under the yearly property tax.
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