As I See It - the 2010 budget

I commend City Staff for their hard work in preparing the 2010 budget proposal. Compiling a budget is time consuming and involves long tedious hours of calculating and adjusting figures. Even though staff did an excellent job in trimming expenditures so that no tax increases were necessary, I still could not support the proposed budget.

Our community has been facing tough economic times for many years now. I am well aware of our population decline; many who have left cite high taxes as one of the reasons. I have also compared Wellington's taxes with neighboring communities, and while we do not have the highest taxes of the Cities around us, we are certainly near the top of the group.

But now we are facing even tougher times. The economic climate nationwide is poor. Cities, Counties, States, our Federal Government, and private industry alike are facing financial difficulties and making drastic cutbacks.

In light of those difficulties, we have chosen not to budget for a wage increase for our City employees next year. I understand that, and I can whole-heartedly support that. But it is my opinion that if times are tough for our employees, times had better be tough all over. There were some planned expenditures included in the 2010 budget that, in my opinion, were not indicative of tough times. And while some municipalities are not only freezing wages but in fact, exercising layoffs, I would not be able to face those employees who serve us, tell them there was no money for raises, while at the same time watching the development of projects that I did not feel were a priority at this time.

As an example, funds are budgeted in 2010 to resurface the 9th Street tennis courts. While the tennis courts are an important part of this community and are showing signs of age, I do not feel that tennis courts rank among services such as public safety, water, electricity, sewer, and our employees. I felt the tennis court project could have been postponed until the economic times turned around. I am not against recreation; I have been a strong proponent in trying to get a skate-board park in town. We have budgeted some funds to start the project, but because of our economic times, I have not pressed the issue forward. A skate-board park would be a great addition for the recreation of our children, but this is simply not the time to start the development.

So in short, I realize times are tough and I agree that we cannot afford to fund raises for our employees. But in my prioritization of necessary City services, I do not rank tennis courts in that group either.