This could get ugly . . . Uglier.
The Mayor took TKC's advice (and that of much smarter people) and rejected a property tax increase along with cuts to the cops . . . Sadly, he didn't come up with any suggestions of his own.
Just as TKC had warned on Wednesday . . . Cauthen's revised budget still has a property tax increase along with somewhat smaller cuts to the cops.
And massive City Hall Layoffs thrown in for good measure.
In essence, nothing has changed . . . Which is typical of life in general in Kansas City.
On the bright side, Cauthen seems a lot more accessible than Mayor Funky in answering questions from the media about the budget mess . . . Notice that Mayor Funky still hides out at the library and is uncomfortable when people don't defer to him like a professor.
Now it's time for the council to spar over the budget . . . Which should also be entertaining.
And I guess the underlying principle in all of this is that nobody is happy about any cuts and the budget keeps getting passed around like a hot potato with everyone avoiding responsibility for unpleasant reductions . . . WHICH IS WHY MORE THAN A FEW TKC TIPSTERS WONDER ABOUT WORK TO RAISE REVENUE RATHER THAN THE SCARED, REACTIONARY TALK THAT USUALLY COMES FROM POLITICOS!!!! There's a way to do it without tax increases and it starts with making a lot of big corporate interests in Kansas City pay their fare share along with tightening up KC fee and licensing collections (and of course reducing TIF which has become the most tired KC cliche of people who think they know everything about KC) . . . These are just ideas but a great many neighborhood people throw these suggestions out constantly and are continually ignored.
ALSO . . . I just wonder how long KC can keep financing Liberty Memorial, 18th and Vine, Union Station and The Zoo which fail to bring in revenue windfalls but are financed for the benefit of our JoCo neighbors and other all-to-infrequent visitors.
Long story short (too late) there is very little compromise and even less leadership on Kansas City's budget and I expect this will continue until we finally reach a "Kansas City Compromise" wherein nobody is happy.
Links:
Blog Tax
ReplyDeletebillboard tax. impact fees for development.
ReplyDeleteThe Alfred E. Newman approach to running the city: What, me worry?
ReplyDeleteWhat will the Council, Cauthen and Flunkhouser do when the economy gets worse and the budget deficit goes higher than the projected $85 million. These people seem pre-disposed not to cut back on things.
ReplyDeleteAnd as to Flunkhouser, we had all hoped that he knew how to re-shape the budget and downsize the government in a way that essential city services would be preserved but he has not made a single positive recommendation up to this point and as he has in every other category of leadership, shown himself to be clueless, a man with no answers and JUST PLAIN STUPID.
The City has found a new way to control expenditures, especially in the Police Department. Murders require lengthy investigations. So, just declare a few every year as "Death By Natural Cause". Disregard the three or four bullet holes in the deceased persons head, and save public dollars. That way, you can pay Chuck Eddy over $140,000 a year.
ReplyDeletebet if we sent that negro packin...we'd save a whole bunch of $$$$!
ReplyDeleteWe can cut Chuck Eddy's job and save $140,000.
ReplyDeleteThe mayor can fire Crispen Rae and save $100,000. Crispen just likes checking up on who ever is meating at Coffee Girls. Seems he thinks the conspiracies to recall the mayor are being hatched there. The boy looks so out of place in those new suites.
Holy shit. There are some good ideas here.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of Cauthern and Eddy and you will save a lot of money as they earn too much and they spend city money like crazy.
ReplyDelete*You* suggested to Funk what to do? Try again TKC, you can't admit the mayor knows what he's doing.
ReplyDeletei dont remember our good city manager taking a pay cut to help out the budget. wonder why
ReplyDelete