Input and Output
“If your input doesn’t exceed your output, the upkeep will be your downfall.” Be careful not to construe this phrase as meaning, “Tax more to continue lavish spending.” Centerville consistently ranks in the top taxed cities in Minnesota since 2004. Dean Luxenburg’s letter to the editor in The Citizen’s March 3 issue has it right. Costs must be trimmed.
Is the city’s “output” of colored concrete, 43 street lamps within two blocks, six city parks in a two-mile-wide city (additional parks forecasted), added bike trails, development of a “downtown,” and 10 employees justification enough for consistent tax increases?
These things—most of them implemented since 2004—are nice, but are they needed?
Government’s role is to uphold, protect and secure individual sovereignty and the right of private property, not to serve the collective good over the individual by giving us nice things. Consider this: Centerville’s debt in 2004 was over $5 million and, by the end of 2010, an arduous $11 million. This is a reckless extension of debt in only six years. Cuts in spending must occur. If not, the “upkeep” will be Centerville’s downfall.
LyNae Marshall
Centerville
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3 comments:
Good letter LaNae. You took the words right out of the mouths of many residents here in centerville.
Thank You
You are so right. We have to find a way to convince the mayor and council to cut spending; starting now. They set policy.
They should start by cutting staff and/or reducing hours. City Hall could function just fine with less fulltime employees. City Hall could be open 4 days per week; with a commensurate savings. Some functions could be outsourced.
Other ideas? Dean L
Many have tried for over 3 years now to "convince" the mayor (previous) and council about their spending, but to no avail. There have been several special public hearings, some expressing their concerns at council meetings, letters, calls, etc. Even when council has made cuts (albeit nothing of real significance that we can tell), they continue to spend in other areas. A freeze in spending does NOT equal spending cuts. Your ideas are good and have been discussed before among some residents.
Another idea that has been brought up several times - why do we pay for the city attorney to be present at the entire council meetings? Previously not done in Centerville. At most of the council meetings the city attorney would NOT be present. And if the attorney was present, the council would get that order of business out of the way first and promptly dismiss the attorney to obviously save on cost. The same goes for the "city" (Bonestroo) engineer.
Why can't the administrator do the finances? Why do we need a finance director in this small town? (or vice-versa...finance director as administrator). It's doable and is being done in many small towns.
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