To the Editor,
Why can we not elect public servants who have basic common sense and integrity?. Some of our city commissioners apparently do not understand the common sense rule that one does not spend what one does not have — incredulous!
So, if we look at the fundamental mission of government — I’m guessing that would be to protect and provide fundamental services so its citizens can, in all likelihood, live in relative peace and tranquility and possibly raise a family without fear of anything beyond normal day-to-day events occurring. Fundamental services being police, fire/rescue, sanitation, water, etc.
There are, I would believe, fairly defined historical numbers concerning the cost to provide these basic government functions. These defined historical numbers should of course, I would think, be used to determine a governmental budget from year to year. Any cost beyond the basic functions of government should be ignored unless they are now required to complete the basic government mission to “protect and provide fundamental services in order for citizens to live a peaceful and tranquil life” or mandated by “the people” through a ballot referendum.
The basic premise of any governmental budget should be to pay first for the required functions of the specific level of government. Each level of government’s first responsibility is to be able to complete the basic mission of government for its citizens and until it can fiscally meet those obligations it has no business overextending its citizen’s tax base/revenues. If a government finds it has taken in more than is required and it does not foresee any future need, i.e. capital improvements, for the extra revenue then set it, the extra revenue, aside for nice to have items/services, or to possibly help out nongovernmental organizations, and or a rainy (pandemic) day. Therefore, government is not promising something on future potential revenue but on previous additional collected revenues. Thereby not overextending their citizens/community because of unforeseen circumstances that might deplete expected future revenue that promises have been made on. Therefore, at lease the problem of deficit spending is resolved and some common sense is restored to our annual budget issues.
Next, how ridiculous is it to say “because a past elected body made a mistake and committed our citizens to the mistake it would be wrong for the new set of elected officials to overturn that mistake — sorry citizens, suck it up. We said we would track your money better we never said we would fix anything stupid the previous dudes did, well we did say that but we’ll forget about that for now, but no matter how big the mistake, even if they made the mistake with the best of intentions, we are going to let it stand — again, you’ll just have to suck it up.
Come on Some of those same council members are still on the board, let them help fix their past mistake. It is funny though how some of those members used to be against spending stupid money but are now for spending stupid money, Incredulous lack of integrity. Where is our integrity when it comes to a government “Of the People, By the People and For the People?” Apparently this problem doesn’t exist just in Raleigh or Washington?
Bottom line to our city commissioners: Stop spending money we don’t have, regardless of who made the promise or who it is for. If someone comes asking for our money just tell them they will have to wait the appropriate number of years to see if there are any extra funds that could be used to help pay for their dream, unless of course they can get it on the ballot to see if the citizens will authorize a rise in their taxes beyond the basic fundamentals of their government.
Listen, I know you all are good people but when a mistake has been made have the guts to admit it and the courage to fix it without flip-flopping to the beat of the current band or who ever is whispering in your ear.
James Wagner,
Mount Airy
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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