Where to begin...
To get an idea of the City of Lynnwood's apparent priorities, let us consider the case of Lynnwood University, because in many ways it is a perfect barometer for measuring how seriously this administration takes the city's fiscal state of affairs. Lynnwood University epitomizes utterly wasteful and profoundly irresponsible spending, given the current fiscal environment. To call Lynnwood University a non-necessity is perhaps the understatement of the decade.
For those unfamiliar with it, Lynnwood University is essentially a glorified Show-and-Tell program. The city spends precious tax dollars to fund a feel-good program whereby citizens who sign up are taken on tours of the fire department, police department, courts, water treatment facility, and so on, and sit in a "classroom" environment where they are given presentations by city staff regarding the budget process, permitting, our forms of government, budgeting, and a lot of stuff we all learned in Civics class during our grammar school years. Coffee, tea, snacks and treats, pens and paper and presentation material are all provided, naturally, at taxpayer expense.
Now, I ask: considering that the city has threatened to lay off workers including police and fire, which are conceivably the most basic of essential services, owing to lack of funds, does it seem proper to continue funding some kind of dog and pony show like Lynnwood University?
No? It doesn't?
Then consider the following, which I am quoting verbatim from the mayor's proposed budget. On p. 70, he proposes to:
"Continue Lynnwood University on a tightened budget. Develop advertising and promotion targets to encourage underrepresented communities to participate."A tightened budget? From slide #39 of the mayor's summary presentation to city council last night, the reduction to Lynnwood Univrsity will amount to $4,000.
$4,000? A $4,000 cut to a textbook case of porky, wasteful spending that we cannot afford? Amid possible reductions in fire and police? And in an environment so dire that the city is simultaneously proposing increases to an entire raft of taxes plus some new ones?
This is one example snatched out of the blue after just perusing these documents. God only knows how much more waste and shocking misprioritizations pervade it.
Bottom line, the city of Lynnwood is faced with historic budgetary woes and they are entirely due to two things that characterize city government:
- Abject incompetence in assessing the state of the economy when it would have mattered most (not too long before the collapse of the nation's economy, when major decisions were being made in the city;
- A striking and chronic inability to resist compulsively spending every dime that comes in.
If you've had it up to here, get to the upcoming meeting, this coming Saturday, and voice your discontent and demand accountability from the mayor and council alike. Show up here:
Peoples Town Hall Meeting
on
Lynnwood's 2011-12 Budget
Saturday, Nov 6th
11:00 am"“1:00 pm
Edmonds Community College
20000 - 68th Avenue West
Snoqualmie Building, Rm 113
Lynnwood
11:00 am"“1:00 pm
Edmonds Community College
20000 - 68th Avenue West
Snoqualmie Building, Rm 113
Lynnwood
4 comments:
I have lived in south Snohomish county for the last 33 years and while I hate to "bad-mouth" your city I have always considered that Lynnwood is the armpit of south county.
That means a lot considering the first 23 years I lived in Mountlake Terrace and now I live in Bothell.
I remember when they first proposed the Lynnwood convention center I couldn't believe that anyone was actually serious about it. I mean, what does Lynnwood have to offer other than easy freeway access? Has that white elephant made any money for the city yet?
And then designation of the Wickes (or is it Wickers?) building as a historic place? A building that had been altered many times from its original configuration and then moved from its original location? Or how about the base to the old water tower? I could see it IF the tower had still been attached but just the base?
How about the rebuilding of the recreation pavilion? The open-air swimming pool was a joke from the first moment the architect's pencil hit the sketch pad but now they rebuild the thing with an even more expensive removable roof?
Oh yeah, I forgot that they can finance all this by installing red-light cameras and then making anything less than a full three second stop before a free right turn a violation.
Your city government is totally out of control and I'm just glad I only come to Lynnwood rarely these days.
Thanks for the comment. Regrettably you're only the latest on a long list of people who have told me point blank that they flat-out will not come to Lynnwood for anything if they can help it. It's too obvious for words that the city's government either doesn't believe that people actively boycott this city, or they don't care, but between the speed traps and red-light extortion cameras there are a lot of folks who will simply drive a bit further and just go to Northgate or Everett instead.
Today's citizen's input meeting was interesting, I'll blog about it later after I've marshaled my thoughts. Some good ideas were shared.
Tonight's meeting should be a real hoot - Tim Eyman is going to be there!
Excuse me, but the TAX INCREASES were voted and APROVED by the City Council.... they did not take any time to come up with other proposals to the mayor's budget. They simply hung down their heads, and said lets tax the citizens even more!! At least the mayor gave some pretty decent budget cut ideas.
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