Bill Knobloch has spoken correctly (“City is not heeding dire economic forecasts,” Dec. 10) and reality is necessary if the city is to reamain functional.

It cannot be business as what used to be usual, and I am troubled to admit this. The rippling effects of the economy is reaching all corners and must be acknowledged.

I have just returned from speaking engagements and university lectures in what up to now has been a booming mainland China.

There as well many jobs are being lost, and they still have a growth rate of 7.9 percent down from about 11 percent…while our national rate is negative.

One would hope we could be rational about budgets and do our best to set aside funds as well as possible for that rainy day Mr. Knobloch logically talks about.

Joe Honick

Bainbridge Island