In the Race
Now, here, you see, it takes all the blogging I can do to keep in the same place.
If I want to get somewhere else, I must blog twice as fast as that!
You see, I'm in
the Red Queen's Race...
A Message From Common Council President Taylor Re: The City Budget
By Janet Evans
Monday, Nov 3 2008, 07:00 AM
I want to speak to you today about the City Budget that the Common Council will be adopting this evening. Before I get into some proposed changes I want to talk about the budget process. First, the Mayor proposes a budget after deliberating with each department head. He then sends his budget to the Finance Committee. Each committee member is assigned a department to meet with and go over their individual budget. The Finance Committee then meets and each member presents their assigned departments budgets. Finally, the Finance Committee makes a recommendation to the Common Council.
That brings us to tonight’s meeting at 6:30 when the Common Council will hold a public hearing on the budget. As many of you know, I recently campaigned on controlling city spending. I believe the Mayor and the Finance Committee has done just that without drastically cutting essential city services. I would NOT vote for this budget if I didn’t feel that your hard earned tax dollars were being spent wisely. Real sacrifices have been made. Already three employees have been laid off and we have left open another three positions. These were three dedicated employees who gave their very best to the city and its residents. Their service to the city should be commended.
This budget has not been finalized yet. There are two aldermen, Steve Olson and Lyle Sohns, who are attempting to adversely affect the budget. Alderman Sohns is trying to eliminate $240,000 out of the budget in an attempt to save $.09 for every $1,000 of your homes assessed value. This would save me a total of $20.70. But, what would it cost me in city services you may ask? He proposes to eliminate two employees from the Department of Public Works (DPW). These are the same employees who plowed your streets this winter and worked to keep your roads in good driving condition. He wants to eliminate a part-time employee out of the City Clerks office. Has anybody been to City Hall in the past few weeks trying to vote? The Clerks office handles all of the city’s official records, complaint handling, legal notification to the public, the issuance of licenses and permits, preparation of agendas and official minutes, and administration of elections. The Clerks office is the face of the city and this proposal will hurt its effectiveness.
Here is what Steve Olson wants to do to our city services. He proposes to eliminate a plumbing inspector and an electrical inspector in an attempt to save money. Here are the facts: We will have to pay unemployment for 39 weeks to each employee. Because the other inspectors are not certified to do plumbing and electrical inspections we would have to immediately contract out most of those services. I do not see much savings there. Also, these two inspectors handle citizen complaints. Now, those complaints would have to be picked up by the other inspectors, which would drag out the compliance process. I don’t know about you but this process takes long enough as it is.
There are a few items that both are in agreement. They are focusing on a 1972 road grader in which parts for this vehicle are unavailable. In the winter this vehicle is used as a part of the DPW snow operations. In the summer it is used to grade shoulders and establish and grade roadways. The DPW is being so budget conscious that they are going to be purchasing a used road grader.
There is also the issue of public safety. I asked that $15,000 be put into the Capital Improvement Fund in order to have a study done on a tornado warning siren system. Both aldermen have said that this is not necessary and Alderman Sohns said that he would not vote for the budget with it left in the budget. We are one of the few communities in the area that does not have this system. I cannot believe our Fire Chief would support something that wasn’t a benefit to the safety of our citizens. I cannot believe that all of those other communities are wrong. If we would have has this system in June they would have gone off three times in a six-day period. I have taken your phone calls and read your emails and that is why this item is in the budget.
Finally, my friends, I want to talk about principle. In 2007 both aldermen voted for a 5.7% tax levy increase. Why was 5.7% okay last year but all of a sudden 3% isn’t? Where were they last year when residents were asking for relief? Where were they in 2005 or 2006? I guess principle now prevails. I want to point out that in 2007 Alderman Olson voted against the budget at the Finance Committee but then voted for it when it came to the Common Council. He said that he wanted to be a team player. I guess principle didn’t matter then.
I want to thank you for your time and interest in this very important subject. As always feel free to call me with any concerns that you may have no matter where you live in the city. I am listening.
Steve F Taylor
Common Council President
P.S. Please don’t forget to vote.
