In the past few weeks, several people have told me that I have made the council meetings more entertaining for them.
That’s not my goal. My goal is to hold our politicians accountable for lying to us, for spending our money on fluff, and not using any logic.
Tonight was no different. We discussed the budget, which — as it stands — will rob $1 million from our capital improvements fund, $515,000 from our unencumbered fund (i.e. money that is there to protect our bond rating), and puts its faith in a possible $750,000 bailout from Stow Municipal Court.
I don’t dispute that the administration worked hard to compile it. Policy-wise, however, it should be unacceptable to every family in Stow.
We are fudging the numbers by taking money from funds that are supposed to protect our long-term interests, not rescue us for unconscionable overspending. I have no problem telling you how it is: The mayor proposed a budget deficit of upwards of $2.2 million. If we get money from the court, it’s $1.5 million. Either way, with a total budget of under $30 million, that is awful planning.
You’ll hear the mayor say that every city is going through this. First, that’s untrue (see Munroe Falls). Second, our problems are man-made. WE decided to bring the courthouse to Stow that costs us $1 million a year. WE decided to buy a golf course that costs us $400,000 a year. WE decided to buy a tour bus that cost $100,000. WE decided to upgrade the payroll ordinance so that 11 managers earn more than $80,000.
This is a man-made problem. Our politicians created it. Now, somehow, we have to dig ourselves out. And it will require VERY difficult decisions. Jim Costello mentioned some of the unpopular options, such as cutting police or closing a fire station. John Earle talked about the possibility of someday putting a tax levy on the ballot. Thanks to our mayor and the Good Ole Boy Network’s negligence, the situation is dire.
One proposal, however, is easy to swallow. We own Fox Den Golf Course. Why? Council was told that it was going to be sold to a housing developer. They bought it for $5.5 million. We will pay about $375,000 per year on the loan until year 2032. We will also pay any operating losses it sustains, which amounted to $5,000 in 2007, $95,000 in 2008, and $17,000 in 2009.
Conservatively, we can assume it will cost residents $400,000 per year until 2032, when realistically many residents will have moved or died.
Now consider that we aren’t paving our roads, our snow plow program is woefully underfunded, and our police response times are double the national average.
Considering all this, I proposed that we start to take bids on selling the course, with the deed containing a restriction that it must remain as a golf course.
Sara Drew came out vehemently against my idea. She was concerned that we won’t be able to sell it. Janet D’Antonio was worried that the market value is too low to justify a sale.
They both ignored my point. We need to see what is out there — to extend feelers by accepting bids. I’m not proposing a sale to the first bid. I’m proposing that we gather information to check if a sale is feasible.
Look, folks, we have tough decisions to make. There have been whispers of raising taxes. The mayor has already proposed a giant program to tax landlords. We heard about possibly cutting our safety forces.
Selling the golf course, meanwhile, is a win-win proposition. We don’t sacrifice any services or “quality of life” by putting the golf course in private hands, rather than having the government run it. Nothing.
You may be a member of the Good Ole Boy Network. You may think I’m just another rabble-rouser. But I challenge you to tell me ONE benefit that the average Stow resident receives for this golf course being owned by the government, rather than by a private individual. I promise to post your answer on this Web site.
You might be wondering why I’m so vocal at council meetings, despite being in office for only a couple months. It’s simple. I care about my city. I see a very bleak picture, which has been falsely colored by a mayor who wants to paint the most positive picture possible in order to keep dissenters quiet and stay out of the newspapers.
I know that Matt Riehl and Joe Hickin share my concerns. I call on my other colleagues (particularly John Pribonic, Jim Costello and Janet D’Antonio) to join this effort, rather than opposing it. We can turn this city’s finances and services around, but it will require everyone to share a realistic perspective on what must be done.
I truly appreciate those who have sent encouraging e-mails and called to express their support. Web traffic has spiked to the same level as the week before the election, which tells me that more people are paying attention. Holding politicians accountable in Stow begins now.