Employees Growing Weary

Council Denies Voters Opportunity

In the constant refrain from council on fiscal responsibility one thing is missing. That “thing” is the morale of an underpaid and overused work force.

The city’s loyal and experienced employees have gone five years without a pay increase and have shared the increased workload resulting from  a 32% decrease in staffing.

Entering the dark days of 2010 council had to make tough decisions in order to solve the spending problem of out of balance budgets. At the same time, council refused to face the fact that the city also had a revenue problem. A problem consisting of a million dollars in lost income tax revenue, the loss of personal and real property taxes, the loss of estate taxes and big cuts in state funds.

There is a simple no fault opportunity for council to offer the voters a voice in this matter. By placing a 1.5 mill streets levy on the ballot the citizens have a voice in the issue. If the levy passes enough money will be freed up to give a small but much need pay increases to all employees. Council need not offer support or objection to the levy just put it on the ballot.

We citizens have some responsibility to the city we can’t just shrug and say city hall rules. A 1.5 mill levy would cost the $100,000 homeowner less than $4 per month and a senior citizen homeowner under $3 per month. Pass or fail the citizens will have spoken and chosen.

It’s important that the levy be placed on the fall ballot because the state's new local tax attack will go into effect the first of the year.

Call city hall at 382-5458 and/or city council:

President of Council	Scott Kirchner (R) 245 S. Mulberry.	1/1/12 -12/31/13
Council Member at Large	Mark McKay (R) 1186 Sylvan Dr.	1/1/12-12/31/13
Council Member at Large	Bob Mead (R) 1013 N. Lincoln St.	1/1/12 -12/31/13
Council Member at Large	Bryan Siebenaller (R) 62 Gallup St.	1/1/12 -12/31/13
Council Member Ward 1	Mike Wallace (R) 601 N. Walnut St.	1/1/12-12/31/13
Council Member Ward 2	Loren Stuckert (R) 187 S. Walnut St.	1/1/12 -12/31/13
Council Member Ward 3	Don Wells (R) 939 Hickory Trail Dr.	1/1/12 -12/31/13
Council Member Ward 4	Rob Jaehnig (R) 606 Oakridge Dr.	1/1/12-12/31/13

 Paul Hunter contact paulhunter45177@gmail.com