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Vacuum of leadership There are many pressing issues for our city and a vacuum of leadership necessary to transcend the gap to a solution. We have a citizens initiative sitting in the ad hoc committee of the City Council since Dec. 15, 2005. Our citizens deserve an up-or-down council vote on the initiative, which will allow our residents the opportunity to vote on zone changes from commercial to residential or mixed use. Such an important initiative deserves better than to gather dust in a council committee. There are pressing issues of infrastructure renewal, including our slopes and streets that are neglected. Some slopes are practically barren without much groundcover, and our streets have potholes. Some slopes are overgrown, and residents have complained. Residents have said the trimming is inadequate on some streets, including the corners near La Paz, where a driver cannot see around the corner in order to exit safely. The council recently voted to spend $20,000 to ask residents certain questions through a survey to find out what our residents think. Most of the answers could probably be obtained in front of the local grocery store. There must be some benefit to having an official answer. Obviously, a debit to the budget doesn’t need an explanation! Our city has large unfunded liabilities with our pension and health plans for the city employees. The council voted on the pension plan to defer the unfunded liability for 15 years and make a small contribution this year. As each year passes, the debt is only stretched out for another year. The only way the city can reduce the debt is either to make a large payment or hope for some investment return to reduce the liability. The health plan is still unfunded and not capped so that the city’s liabilities are only increasing. The city has approximately $34 million to $36 million in encumbered reserves with $6 million to $8 million in unfunded pension and health-plan liabilities. The balance sheet needs work, and all residents should ask the question of when these issues will be resolved, not how much money can be spent on a futuristic project. James Edward Woodin |
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