We are living in times when we are seeing things we never thought we would see. The US credit rating is at risk of losing our Triple A rating. States can no longer pay their bills without a bailout. Congress intends passing a healthcare bill that will bankrupt the country and all of our children and grandchildren in the process.

At a time like this, our city seems to be blind to the situation. With its budget doubled over the last 10 years, and the rate of increase outstrips inflation and population growth, It is going to take strong people on the council to take strong action to make our city financially responsible, a discipline that has been lost by our current mayor and council.

One of my favorite examples of excess is the lane control lighting around the Stadium. I am sure that someone, probably the contractor that pushed the project, had a cost study that showed that the lights would save money or lives. Truth is that it probably cost millions that we don’t have.

Another example is the landscaping being installed on McCormick between Monument and 9A. Again they spent millions planting trees to close together to survive. Rows of sprinklers irrigate Mill Cove, trees are planted on private property and along wooded areas, landscaping the woods; not to mention the Post office lawn. Trees planted in the median obscure homeowners view of Mill Cove and others are going to be a safety hazard because they obscure visibility. I am sure no thought was given to the cost of future maintenance either. Personally, I liked the road better with a grass median and I am sure that would have been cheaper to maintain.

You will say the project is funded by the State or the Fed or Bond money and it makes us strong to have jobs. That landscaping certainly paid for the landscaper’s prepaid college funds while thrusting our grandchildren even further in debt.

We have to change our ways. It is going to take strong stomachs and broad shoulders to make the cuts that return us to financial responsibility as a city. We have to be willing to say no; not only do we have to stop spending city money for frivolous projects, we have to refuse it from Tallahassee or Washington! To them, our city is a special interest inflating their budget and their deficit!

Stopping spending will be the beginning of financial responsibility, smaller more responsible governments and a brighter future indeed for our children and grandchildren.