Saturday
Jul182009
« Bannister warns of effects of budget cuts »
Saturday, July 18, 2009 at 1:35AM
In a letter posted on the Gwinnett County homepage (thanks to Buzz reader ceej for posting this link in a comment to an earlier post), Commission Chairman Charles Bannister outlines some of the budget cuts the board will be considering next week. Bannister highlights cuts to public safety funding and the associated reductions in force levels. Gwinnett County Fire Chief Steve Rolader, referencing the cuts for the fire department, worries about the impact on protection for the public:
Now, I must be fair and note that I am not clear that the commission would be cutting force levels as opposed to simply not growing them per the previous plan. (This is a common tactic in Washington where Congress will refer to a reduction in planned growth as a "cut.") However, by holding staffing levels constant while the county's population continues to grow, the number of firefighters per capita will fall. This logic alone lends credence to Rolader's concerns.
Aren't you glad that we have that nice, new minor league baseball stadium? If your house burns down because the fire department is unable to respond quickly enough, at least you can console yourself while taking in a Government-funded Gwinnett Braves game at Gwinnett Taxpayers' Stadium. Yes, I keep bringing up the stadium. The people of Gwinnett should not be allowed to forget about the abysmal stewardship of our tax dollars represented by that facility. The stadium looked like a bad deal when it was proposed. GIven our current fiscal situation, the stadium deal looks like perhaps the biggest example of governmental mismanagement in the history of Gwinnett County.
Remember this during primary season next summer, folks!
"With a reduction in force, it could impact our response times," he said. "It concerns us."
Now, I must be fair and note that I am not clear that the commission would be cutting force levels as opposed to simply not growing them per the previous plan. (This is a common tactic in Washington where Congress will refer to a reduction in planned growth as a "cut.") However, by holding staffing levels constant while the county's population continues to grow, the number of firefighters per capita will fall. This logic alone lends credence to Rolader's concerns.
Aren't you glad that we have that nice, new minor league baseball stadium? If your house burns down because the fire department is unable to respond quickly enough, at least you can console yourself while taking in a Government-funded Gwinnett Braves game at Gwinnett Taxpayers' Stadium. Yes, I keep bringing up the stadium. The people of Gwinnett should not be allowed to forget about the abysmal stewardship of our tax dollars represented by that facility. The stadium looked like a bad deal when it was proposed. GIven our current fiscal situation, the stadium deal looks like perhaps the biggest example of governmental mismanagement in the history of Gwinnett County.
Remember this during primary season next summer, folks!
Reader Comments (1)
Commissioner Bannister's letter is surprising for a politician especially one who has been in politics so long. Perhaps a "we are in this together" attitude would resonate better.
As a taypayer, I am also feeling the economic pressure. Since I am a fiscal conservative,if my income goes down I reduce my expenses. Naturally, I expect my government to do the same. Passing on the burden of reduced income solely to property tax payers is not prudent. If the county feels that tax increases are the only way to balance the budget (and many intelligent, successful individuals disagree)then the commission needs a plan to spread the tax burden. Perhaps they should consider a sales tax increase. At a minimum, Commissioner Bannister needs to replace his tone with one that encourages cooperation. He sounds bitter.