Balancing The budget

I think at last nights meeting some very important questions were raised by some council members concerning the balancing of our budget. Mainly the topic of the raising numbers when it comes to our police and fire departments.

 

The cost to run these departments is increasing, but we are not adding any new members nor are we being better protected. Why is that?? I can tell you why….we are being strangled by the union contacts and the yearly raises these departments are given.

 

Now don’t get me wrong I am all for police and fire, think they do a great job and wish we had more of them, but the cost is really hurting the city. And we still have drug dealing and hookers downtown. What gives??

The first responsibilty of any government is to protect its' citizens. However, in times where the expenses far out-weigh the income, cuts need to be made. I believe in looking at the long-term stability of the city. Unions as well as management must look at the whole picture, not just now, but in the future. I think if unions give a little now, their long-term "health" will be protected. I also think that the voters will be more likely to vote for another Public Safety levy, seeing that the unions, indeed, are working for the stable economic position of the city. The city administration needs to show fiscal restraint as well. Be very careful funding questionable ventures. Don't allow the ED department to throw good money after bad by investing city funds into "private" developments. Also, drawing from reserves to "balance" the budget is never good. Sometimes when you things cannot get worse, they do. Have the reserves to overcome those times. JMO

Hermes  has a point about the pitfalls of unionization.  What we do in my business,  and many employees have to work this way, is be flexible -- to solve a problem or complete a project you may need to collaborate with other employees, tackle a problem differently, work an hour after your "shift" was supposed to end.  It seems fire/police do not do this sufficiently.  The police slog through their shift hoping they don't get a call on the radio, they head home at the first chance regardless of whether their issues or projects are solved, etc.   In other words, unlike other businesses there is no accountability for the end result or end product.  Obviously, police is a different kind of "service" and they are needed service of course, however, the union mentality creates a divide between effort and result.  Admittedly, part of this dynamic is a certain need for uniformity in procedures, but you get my point.

While the police and fire have got raises over last few years,nonunion employees have not had any. Also cuts have already taken place on the nonunion side. It's time the unions do their part to help the city .