Link: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100117/COLUMNIST45/1170308/-1/COLUMNIST

Newly elected Mayor Bell's path to change is reported in the local media.

Something different?

"A private company can save money by not providing services," he says. "But we can't stop providing police and fire protection. We can't stop collecting the trash or plowing the streets. So we have to look at different ideas and concepts."

Well, ya. A city is not a business, something lost on so many. A city is a community and to which the community has needs and demands and cannot sustain itself with services. Yet, we want to cut spending, and at the same time we want more police and firemen.

"Step One: Find efficiencies in the budget. Easier said than done, of course. But Mayor Bell says he plans to meet with Lucas County officials to look at ways to eliminate money-wasting duplication in the provision of local services."

Wow, where was the past administration and council on this? The County offers and provides trash removal and recycling services. But the city just spent many millions on the update to the "Cadillac" service of trash collection.

Boat sailed on that chance.

"Step Two: Ask city employee unions to reopen their contracts and agree to temporary concessions. The mayor acknowledges that union officials will fight that suggestion."

And the employee representatives will resist as the previous administrations and councils have not bargained in good faith to the citizens of the city. No, the administrations and councils by past practice have cost us millions in benefits that are going to be hard to cut or modify and recent mediation findings have brought to light the errors of the past, but never mind, we have pride.

"Step Three: Even after he achieves Steps One and Two, the mayor concedes he will "probably have to ask for some sort of temporary tax." He isn't offering specifics, but says he is looking for ideas "outside the box." The key, Mr. Bell insists, is shared sacrifice. Everyone - taxpayers, municipal employees, and city officials alike - must contribute to a solution."

Well, there it is.

Shared sacrifice. Code for, the city is drowning in red ink and there is no short term solution to a long term problem brought on by decades of business as usual.

Where were the leaders when the storm clouds gathered? Out ballyhooing the auto industry, no doubt. Where was the leadership when change was needed and not more of the same?

Shared sacrifice sounds great, but the sacrifice will be not fair or even.

How does one propose to raise taxes, fees, levies when the unemployment rate is as high as it is? Unemployed people do not pay income taxes, right?

The low wage earners, already struggling to make ends meet with now be strapped with more of a burden, because of the failure of leadership.

Those at the top of the wage scale and those that are getting generous pensions, hold good jobs, have multiple streams of income resources are not effected like the rest of us.

It is all so easy to propose to sell out city owned property, all the while that has been tried and there is a lot of property with for sale signs, city owned and privately owned, which only adds to the problem.

The city tax base has shrunck, all the while the administrations and councils were off in la-la land, the landscape of the city was changing.

The city center was emptying out, the for sale and for rent signs now litter the city center. The vacant buildings, office space at an excess, lost jobs, empty streets, all pointed a sign, that something was not quite right. But, never fear, we have pride and all those that say otherwise, are, were, and will be naysayers.

Absent in the conversation are the plans for economic development, like the vacant former Jeep location. With proximity to I-75, it would be a hot parcel for all the alleged green jobs in the area, but it sits and is an art gallery for graffitti artists.

The new administration has a perfect oppurtunity to stem the tide of red ink. The fire department has been noted to not be able to bill and collect for fire inspection fees, as well as the police department is unable or unwilling to collect on fines to the tune of millions. What are we doing about these lapses in management?

And then this gem,

"Councilman George Sarantou wants the mayor's financial investigation team to complete its work before rendering a decision.

"Then we have to make some decisions to get through this year," Mr. Sarantou said. "I'm not going to commit to any kind of raise in fees or taxes until we know where we're at. Let's let this CSI committee do its work, and then we can deal with everything."

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100115/NEWS16/1150315

Forsenic analsys on a patient on life support?

What is the purpose of the Councils Finance Committee if not to review the numbers of the city and not just pass the buck. Now, the Committee needs to take a long hard look at departmental numbers, the operating methods used, the fines, fees, court costs, etc., all expended by the city and not recouped for any number of reasons. One of the all time favorites is that a person, business owner, etc., cannot be located.

They sure as heck are some where, but they must hide real well.

"Mr. Sarantou said. "I'm not going to commit to any kind of raise in fees or taxes until we know where we're at."

And slice the blaoney a little thinner there Mr. Chairman, who supported the rewards program dangled in front of council to make the trash fee/tax go down a little easier.

If someone would step forward and admit that there is no short term solution, short of raising fees and taxes, it would be like a breath of fresh air.

But then again, there is also the filing of bankruptcy, which is being used by cities large and small across the country.

In the mean time, remember we have Pride.