It’s Time to Get Involved

Dear Editor,
  Many of us have read that the City is planning to have
community meetings with various groups regarding the budget
deficits. Their position is that we the residents should choose
whether to increase our taxes or reduce the level of services. That
concerns me.
Dear Editor, 

Many of us have read that the City is planning to have community meetings with various groups regarding the budget deficits. Their position is that we the residents should choose whether to increase our taxes or reduce the level of services. That concerns me.

A number of months ago, I got a dreaded survey call from an outside company regarding the city. Apparently, the city paid this company to gauge public opinion on the same issue.

Since the questions were veiled, I finally asked the woman what was the essence of the survey, and her response was that the city was evaluating how best to approach the public in order to increase taxes. I find it offensive that the city would use covert methods to convince the residents to raise taxes. At least the purpose of the upcoming meetings is somewhat clear.

My problem with this plan, is that our city has wasted millions of dollars, and now they want us to bail them out. I personally, am unwilling to contribute to the gross negligence shown by the cities spending habits.

Case in point:

No. 1 -in 2004 the city paid over $80K to a consultant, to formulate a plan to convince residents that an Auto mall should be built on Dunne Ave and Walnut Grove. I’m ok with hiring consultants, but these folks were only given 1 parcel to evaluate. This issue became an election issue in 2004 and has been temporarily shelved.

No. 2 – they spent over $80K on a private investigator to investigate whether a city attorney was sleeping with the city manager. Subsequently, this cost the city over 400K in settlements and legal fees and there has been NO proof that an affair occurred.

No. 3 – the Aquatics center is running over $400K per year in the red, and soon we’ll have an indoor sports facility draining the finances as well. Plus, another black eye is that as soon as the pools were done, reports surfaced that they weren’t built properly.

No. 4 – our cultural center is adding another $300K+ to the budget deficit.

No. 5 – Our city gave The Ford Store tax concessions, which could amount to $2M over the next few years.

No. 6 – The city has given the builders and developers $11.5M in concessions for the upcoming shopping center at 101 and Cochrane Rd.

Somebody help me here, we give millions in tax concessions to builders and dealers, we waste another million or so in law suits, settlements, and unproductive venues and now we want the burden to be borne by the citizens. Worse yet, the city is trying to intimidate the tax payers by threatening reduced services if we don’t pony up the money. Sounds an awful lot like extortion to me.

Here would be my plan:

1. Any time consultants are hired, they should evaluate all available parcels for the intended use. .

2. Worry more about city business than who is sleeping with whom.

3. The aquatics center and any other fee-based establishments must be managed in a manner that at least breaks even. No sane business person would continue to operate anything that lost $400K per year.

4. NO MORE tax concessions to millionaire developers and business’s. Everybody should pay their fair share.

5. No new taxes, until, the city proves to the residents that they are spending the current money wisely.

6. Full disclosure, the city should never try to hoodwink the residents

Lee Schmidt, Morgan Hill