Pulitzer budget?

Dear Editor,

Permit me to voice my opinion on McCook's proposed $24,000,000 budget. (That s $3,000. for every man woman and child!!)

City Council's response to this nominee for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction should have been to send it back to the department heads saying: "Nice try, now go back and cut expenditures by 10 percent because we're going to pay for the water and sewer projects with general fund dollars, we're going to roll back the most recent and planned rate increases and we ain't increasing property or sales taxes. If you can't cut 10 percent, we can by start by freezing city wages at 2005-06 levels.

Only two councilmen, Aaron Kircher and Bill Longnecker, have suggested cuts.

Council Lyons wants to hire "Administrative Aides" (spell that "Secretaries") for the Fire Chief and Public Works Director.

We already have one city employee for every 100 residents; we don't need two more! At an estimated cost, including benefits, of $35,000 each ... $70,000 total ... we can't afford it. What's next? "Deputy Administrative Aides"?

No to $12,000 for TWO EMT computers to retain patient information. Folks' health conditions change from time to time. Ie., 2003 stroke, 2004 gallbladder infection, has since developed diabetes. The info could never be complete, in many cases would be outdated; who's going to purge old info? Who's going to delete info when a patient dies or moves away? In as much as these are medical records aren't they subject to Federal Privacy Laws? etc.

No to a new cop car, we just bought two last year ... cut patrols by 10 percent, which will cut wear and tear on the vehicles, and fuel costs. With an aging and declining population, crime is down ... according to Chief Brown.

Sometimes I think a requirement to be in a management position for the city you must have a Masters' Degree in Spending.

Don't be fooled into using sales tax for the water and sewer debt. Those are 20- year obligations. The sales tax runs out in two years. If we let them tie it to this debt, in two years they'll be back and say we need the tax extended another 18 years.

If they won't start cutting, in two years we can, by refusing to extend the sales tax. Under state law they can't raise our property taxes enough to offset the loss of sales tax.

If Council approves $50,000 for a sidewalk to Wal-Mart fair is fair, they should give $50,000 to McCook Main Street. Why is downtown an orphan to city funding?

Don't faint ... I actually agree with Council Lyons on one issue. We should annex every parcel we can. At the next census, it would make it appear we are growing, a statistic that is important to any business considering locating here. Most of those not in the city now earn their living from enterprises within the city. They use our parks, our ballfields, our swimming pool, our streets, etc. The benefit to the majority must be more important than the minority who speak only in self-interest.

'Nuff said,

Bill Frasier,

McCook

EDITOR'S NOTE -- Councilman Lyons actually proposed cuts, including the two administrative aide positions.