Previous councils overspent
To the editor:
The depth and extent of the city’s budget problem today were enlarged by the excess spending in the recent past years. That excess spending was fueled primarily on the inflationary huge increases in taxable property values. That annual rate of increase was 48 percent for fiscal year 2006 and 52 percent for 2007. The city manager proposed and the council approved excessive budgets for general government operations during those and in prior years. Unfortunately our news media was overly quiet on government spending and the cost of its operations. When former Sheriff Shoap offered to return Lee County resource officers to our Lee County Schools and a majority of the council rejected it the media was silent. In the years 2002, 2003, and 2004 when it was urged that our Cape’s operating budget’s rate of annual increase be limited and capped by the combined rate of growth and inflation, I do not recall any media support for it.
The present mayor and council had no part in the excess spending in the past and have the problem of obtaining a good solution. At the council m meeting Monday, June 7, two members of the city council proposed that the city council consider a millage rate increase to offset the 16 percent decrease in taxable property value. While their proposed millage increase would produce the same revenue as the prior year it overlooks the fact, that the largest asset many have is the equity in their home. With that asset being 16 percent less and the economy’s other hardships that is a substantial cost to most today. Five members of the council said they did not want to increase the millage rate and would look to limiting spending. The “road ahead” appears that it will be made more travelable by the mayor and other council members.
Arnold E. Kempe
Cape Coal