The city of Auburn used to be known for its wonderful view of the Finger Lakes and its historical sites. Recent national news has identified the city for its overpopulation of crows and even more recently it has been labeled as leading New York in debt. That is quite an advertisement for the city, don't ya think? Here's some things that should have been done when any city/business faced a $3.7 million shortfall:
City government would be restructured, including department heads and employees. This has been done successfully in other cities and we must learn from their example. The man in charge of making decisions for the money would be fired/let go. Instead we continue to let him lead us down to a deeper financial “hole.”
The Auburn city manager's position and staff should have been eliminated. Let's go with a strong mayor and a good bookkeeper instead of two secretaries. Our current situation is intolerable. Fireman against police officer; county worker against city worker, fighting one another to keep their own jobs because of promises that never should have been made.
These promises meant they could pay their mortgages, feed their children, go on vacations and count on being employed, because they were told there was enough money in the budget for them. Now senior citizens are being forced out of their homes because of ridiculous taxation. They are being changed from tax paying citizens to people entering social services programs, which cost the taxpayers money.
Manufacturing jobs are leaving Auburn faster than we can track due to taxes, water and sewer rates, but the primary reason is the cost of power. New York is second only to Hawaii in the cost of electric power. Auburn must form city-owned power companies to provide cheaper electricity to allure homeowners and businesses.
Mayor Lattimore has shown a keen interest in attracting new investors/businesses to our area to create jobs and improve local commerce. Instead of stopping him, city council members should be helping him with these goals.
Instead of standing as a group, like the people thought would happen, our city council members led us down the primrose path again. They promised to seek answers by examining a restructuring of city government, landfill issues, government waste, layoffs, energy policies, and the list goes on. None of it happened.
They simply followed their usual policy of putting a Band-Aid on a mortal wound. We were so hopeful that things would turn around at city hall with the addition of new blood and new ideas. But once again we've been duped. Matt Smith was made to be the Lone Ranger when it was time to vote down the budget.
Ducayne's column appears
Tuesdays in The Citizen and
she can be reached at
sacredheart6005@hotmail.com
The Auburn city manager's position and staff should have been eliminated. Let's go with a strong mayor and a good bookkeeper instead of two secretaries. Our current situation is intolerable. Fireman against police officer; county worker against city worker, fighting one another to keep their own jobs because of promises that never should have been made.
These promises meant they could pay their mortgages, feed their children, go on vacations and count on being employed, because they were told there was enough money in the budget for them. Now senior citizens are being forced out of their homes because of ridiculous taxation. They are being changed from tax paying citizens to people entering social services programs, which cost the taxpayers money.
Manufacturing jobs are leaving Auburn faster than we can track due to taxes, water and sewer rates, but the primary reason is the cost of power. New York is second only to Hawaii in the cost of electric power. Auburn must form city-owned power companies to provide cheaper electricity to allure homeowners and businesses.
Mayor Lattimore has shown a keen interest in attracting new investors/businesses to our area to create jobs and improve local commerce. Instead of stopping him, city council members should be helping him with these goals.
Instead of standing as a group, like the people thought would happen, our city council members led us down the primrose path again. They promised to seek answers by examining a restructuring of city government, landfill issues, government waste, layoffs, energy policies, and the list goes on. None of it happened.
They simply followed their usual policy of putting a Band-Aid on a mortal wound. We were so hopeful that things would turn around at city hall with the addition of new blood and new ideas. But once again we've been duped. Matt Smith was made to be the Lone Ranger when it was time to vote down the budget.
Ducayne's column appears
Tuesdays in The Citizen and
she can be reached at
sacredheart6005@hotmail.com
The Citizens' Say
There are 1 comment(s)
Leonardo wrote on Jun 21, 2006 3:50 PM: