Tuesday, April 28, 2009

A Thought on the Toledo Deficit

Throughout the process of trying to balance the budget, the Administration has continued to demand increased revenue with little or no conviction, to cut costs. Numerous times, the Mayor has gone back to Council demanding increased taxes and fees to supplement the budget. He has threatened to layoff police officers and after issuing pink slips, gone back to Council demanding more revenue. We are now 4 full months into a year in which it was well recognized there was a budget deficit. We are now at crunch time and to save the 150 police from being laid off, the Mayor again has gone to Council demanding more revenue.

We sit poised, waiting for their decision at the meeting this evening. What will they do, allow the layoffs? Increase the refuse fee? Cut the reciprocity?

Is there a grand scheme in all this? Well, here is a theory worth considering.

1. Whether Carty runs again or not, he intends to be a force in the political scene of Toledo.
2. He has always had the support of the fire and police unions. To stay politically powerful, he needs their continued support.
3. The only way to balance the budget is to increase revenue or cut spending. To cut spending effectively, he must negotiate down the contracts with the police and fire and do away with the extremely generous packages which he gave them previously.
4. If he cuts their benefits, he would lose their support.

How can he maintain the police and fire support and still balance the budget?
1. Give the pretense of negotiating contracts
2. Give the pretense of cutting costs
3. Delay the process to the last possible moment to increase the fear
4. Plan to layoff a ridiculous number of police to scare the electorate
5. Plan to layoff a ridiculous number of police to force Council to increase revenue to ensure this does not happen

Would the Mayor do this? Sadly, I believe he has.

2 comments:

Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny) said...

The lust for power is all consuming, no?

Karen SHANAHAN said...

Yes.. and sad