05/03/2026
To the City Council and concerned citizens:
Let’s be honest—you knew for years that taxpayer revenue was not covering city spending. Instead of fixing the problem, you covered it up by draining the rainy day fund to balance the budget. That fund was meant for emergencies, not to prop up reckless spending. Now it’s nearly gone—exactly where this approach was always going to lead.
This wasn’t bad luck. It was bad management.
You spent money you didn’t have and relied on reserves to hide the shortfall. That’s the financial equivalent of writing checks you knew would bounce and covering them with borrowed money. Now the bill has come due.
And instead of taking responsibility, you point to rising costs. Where was that concern when you took on a second school project before the first was paid off? Where is it now as you push for an additional senior center?
At the same time, you approved unnecessary spending—expensive electric vehicles, expanded departments, and perks that didn’t exist before. Positions that once required personal vehicles now come with city-funded cars. Offices that functioned with one employee now have three. This isn’t responsible governance—it’s excess.
You were warned. You chose to ignore it.
Now you talk about “shared sacrifice.” If that phrase means anything, it starts with you. Before cutting a single city job or asking residents to pay more, you should be prepared to give back your own $4,000 pay raises.
Anything less isn’t shared sacrifice—it’s passing the consequences of your decisions onto everyone else.