“Let me clarify, the city is in poor financial shape, but we still have plenty of money for playgrounds and clubhouses.”
During the SF City Council informational meeting yesterday they were reviewing the levy bond sale (discussion occurs at the beginning of meeting). Supposedly the way they are written the city will get a huge discount (45% rebate?) through Federal Stimulus money if they consider the city in ‘General Distress’. While I am all for the discount (which I think should be 100% considering the levies are owned by the Feds not the city) I am a little concerned about the designation. You saw a complete Flip-Flop of the council in the discussion of the designation. Councilor Staggers questioned if the city was ‘distressed’ and if we wanted that designation. But councilor Costello claimed that our high unemployment rate and tax receipts down that we are trully distressed. I guess when we are building football fields and golf clubhouses our city isn’t ‘distressed’, huh Pat? But when we are getting discounts from the Feds we are distressed. You can’t have it both ways Pat. You are really starting to talk out of both sides of your mouth.
I personally think we are distressed, but I just find it hypocritical that our Mayor and his adminstration bragged all last year that SF was immune to the recession, and now that we are behind the eight ball and getting handouts from the Feds, all of a sudden we are distressed.
Give me a freaking break.