Link: http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090209/NEWS16/902090333

"Councilman D. Michael Collins, a critic of the mayor and his spending, faulted Mr. Finkbeiner for letting the city's deficit get out of control.

"No one in the first and second quarters could have predicted the shape we would be in, but we knew in the fourth quarter where we were and we continued to spend," Mr. Collins said"

Councilman Collins, as one of the more involved memebers of council,
nobody could have seen the condition the city was/is in, in early 2008?
Really?

Heck, most people who walk or drive around, with an eye open and a mind
open, saw it and see it to this day.

Downtown streets littered with closed businesses. Empty store fronts
abound in the city center. Just as they do in the neighborhoods.

"Nobody" didn't notice the boarded up and vacant homes and businesses
that liter the neighborhoods?

What about the Southwycke area? Not exactly a vibrant business
community, what with businesses closing all through last year.

I mean honest to goodness, when a business closes, there go the payroll
tax dollars, and associated fees, paid to the city, county and state.

The employees stop paying income tax to the city, etc.

To say, nobody could have seen this coming, is simply absurb. It was and
is as plain as the hand on the end of one's arm.

The real question, now is, what will the administration, this one and
the possibly new one, do to correct the condition of the city.

And further, someone did see and tell us about the decline.

Namely, the administration Budget Chief and Budget Committee Head, Sarantou;

Mr. Sarantou said the largest contributor last year for the “negative outlook” rating from Moody’s was a decrease in automobile manufacturing jobs and income tax revenue growth.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080612/NEWS16/893671344

"The final amount collected was $169.68 million, city Finance Director John Sherburne said Thursday before beginning a lengthy presentation for city council on the Finkbeiner administration proposed 2008 general fund operating budget."

Sure 2008, but comeone, by the later quarters we entered the recession, officially.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080322/NEWS16/803220386

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080311/NEWS16/803110390&SearchID=73344732647053

Toledo City Council members last night spoke about the challenges of funding services for a city with shrinking population and a narrowing tax base during a town hall meeting on the budget that featured an update on revitalization efforts for Southwyck Shopping Center.

So, whoever this nobody person is, he or she would be well advised that he or she could be a problem solver and not part of the problem.

The problem is crystal clear, that is, assuming one is not being paid well, either in retirement and council salary, or works full time and gets council salary.

Some of us, have lost good paying jobs and struggle to make ends meet each and every day and seem to a great deal more observant of the city than the leadership.