We are being forewarned. The Journal Star reports that the upcoming City budget will be VERY tight. Really? Ya think? I can't recall a time when local, state, or national government reported, "Yup. Thanks to generous tax payers we have plenty of revenue. No problems here." What about the $2 million surplus last year brought to us by the special census and The Shoppes at Grand Prairie? We can absolutely bank on politicians suggesting that any surplus be spent on non-essentials instead of banking unexpected revenue for the ever rising health care and pension costs of City employees.
Peoria City Council will receive a preliminary 2006 budget in early October. This budget will be the first real test of our newly elected "essential services first" City Council. Those who voted the last regime out will be watching this new crew very closely and we expect any extra to go to repealing the $6 per month garbage fee that is now being applied to our water bills, replacing sidewalks, opening Fire Station 11 to full capacity, etc. You know, the decisions made by the last administration that disgusted you so much when you campaigned for your current job... Or so you said.
If this new administration votes to spend more for parks, basketball hoops, or neighborhood association newsletters, they will need to be reminded of promises made and the very reason Ardis, Manning, Van Auken, were elected to their new posts and Spears and Nichting were re-elected.
I recall a Letter to the Editor that Bob Manning wrote to the Journal Star after the "progressives" voted to take vital fire fighting equipment out of service due to budget restraints. The Journal Star editorialists chastised him for threatening the then Council with serious regret for such a move. Manning wrote back, "It isn't a threat, it's a promise."
It sure would be refreshing to see a Council keep its promises.
If your mind is too open, your brain will fall out. Warning: Names, identities, descriptions, and pictures have been changed and/or used to protect the innocent as well as the guilty. PollyPeoria should not be used or quoted as a source for your senior college thesis.
Tuesday, August 9
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3 comments:
Sorry to screw up your thread, Polly, but I just tried emailing you at your email listed at your blog site. It was returned. Therefore, I've cut/paste the contents of that email here.
Just wanted to communicate outside the confines of a specific thread, especially since the subject is dated. As a kid, I always had a well developed vocabulary. My parents placed a premium on reading and using adult language. Long around high school, I became embarrassed about my vocabulary (if not my spelling) and intentionally "dumbed down" my speech to fit it better. After going off to college, I regretted the atrophy of my vocabulary because I found a whole institution where using the correct "big word" was viewed as a virtue, not a cause for derision. Thats why I thought your comment was so funny, that only a lobbyist type (or lawyer I guess in reference to your LSAT comment) would use the word "vitriol". It is a good word, and it was not used improperly. Perhaps I should be complimented that you assumed I would use it. But I detected a hint of snideness in your post that harkened me back to the kids who tried to mock me as "Mr. Big words". Don't get me wrong here, I'm a grown up and not suffering from any emotional scars or exorcising any demons. I generally enjoy your posts. I simply ask that you consider your thoughts in posting the reference to vitriol. Based on your past posts, I know you have the insight to determine your motivations. Just food for thought.
Matt Jones
Lobbyist, lawyer, Mr. Vocabulary...
Ah Matt,
You can tangle my thread anytime! I apologize for the whole vitriol episode. I shouldn't fault anyone's desire to use big words, as I tend to favor them myself. As it turned out, I was futher educated on the word vitriol. I was only aware of one definition, the one I learned in college chemistry. I thought vitriol only referred to the caustic/toxic substance that remained after burning certain metals. Now that I know it can be applied to toxic speech as well, look for vitriol to be used frequently in future postings.
See? Polly is happy to be put in her place/educated by fine folks in the legal and lobbying community, such as yourself.
Best wishes,
Polly
P.S. Thanks for letting me know about my e-mail problem. I will ATTEMPT to access my template thru $%*@! blogspot and correct the address. No promises on that one...
been out of town, catching up on your mental missives, very entertaining/enlightening indeed. Keep up the good work.
MJ
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