2009

Quality of Life Bond mystery

l3wis April 3, 2009 0Comments

Where’s this cool $7 million coming from?

I posted about this over a week ago, and asked the question, ‘Why is this $7 million in the Parks and Rec budget if the city council hasn’t approved the bond yet?’ I know for a fact that Staggers has asked about this at least once in an informational meeting and the finance office acted like it was something that wasn’t on the docket. Yet, when the Parks Director got this sheet (presumbly from the finance office) it had the $7 million dollar bond on there. Hmmmm.

The LOAN would, as understand, help pay for the new Jr. Football fields and upgrades to monkey crappers at the Zoo (or something like that) there has also been mention about a Greenway project thingamajiggy.

I heard the Mayor’s office, Parks and Rec and the finance department are going to ask for these bonds from the council at the end of the summer (if the economy is looking better). That’s the story anyway.

Even if the economy is turning around by then, why would we be taking out loans for WANTS? By the time this request comes into play, the city will be over $300 million in debt, and will be paying out millions each year in interest payments (tax money up in smoke). Am I against the junior football complex? Nope. I’m just against borrowing money for it. I say find money in the regular budget in 2010. We need to stop this trend of putting the city deeper in debt building parks. Water, roads, infrastructure? Fine, they are REAL investments in the future of this city, not football fields.

Let’s get our priorities straight in 2010. Vote for fiscally responsible candidates that know something about REAL progress.