Getting real where reality has been AWOL for years | In Our Opinion | Aug. 27
Published 10:58 am Friday, August 27, 2010
The slide into financial abyss the city is currently experiencing has essentially been 20 years in the making, dating back to the day the entire island became a city. Not that those voters should be blamed for the mess we’re in. Nor should anyone else, since the community’s focus now should be on fixing, not a affixing guilt. Especially since most of the city officials who created this stinky concoction are long gone.
Let’s see, what have we got here?
$ Multi-millions owed, whether to pay off bonds or inter-fund loans or lawsuit settlements, and very little to show for it;
$ A projected $78,499 in reserves at year end;
$ A recent credit downgrade by Moody’s, crippling the city’s ability to borrow;
$ No ability to borrow anyway because of a pending lawsuit involving ratepayers and utilities;
$ A pending performance audit by the State Auditor’s Office (see page A1) because of the city’s cost allocation practices involving its utilities;
$ Roads and utility infrastructure that have been neglected to the point of malfeasance;
$ A daily dwindling of city employees (down to 117.2 today and dropping) bouncing around in that warehouse of a City Hall so bills can be paid;
$ An island economy so flat that it’s in danger of disappearing in one of those infamous Winslow Way sinkholes;
Yeah, not so funny, but there’s more, such as: “I know, let’s remove some contaminated soil so we can fix Winslow Way.”
As the 2011-12 budget process creeps near, the people – seven elected officials and the new manager and attorney they have hired – chosen to perform clean-up duty discussed their approach during a charged half-hour Wednesday. Actually, the council did all the talking.
After Bob Scales made a sobering speech about how the council needed to give the manager clear policy so the new budget isn’t like the old ones that had more to do with regime building than reality, individual council members emitted phrases such as: “Nice talk, but…” “This is a new day…” “No sacred cows…” “Previous policies have been wishy washy…” “Let’s get real, real realistic…” “A huge disconnect…”
At this point, it appears council understands that it’s time to retrench by cutting employees to the core and financing only services required to keep this community healthy.
As a result, there will be some suffering, and more economic downturn, perhaps, because the city’s downsizing will certainly affect construction and other endeavors that led to “the times of money,” as one councilor likes to say.
There will be less pain, however, if the community, which can be remarkable at times, unites to help the city in its makeover.
