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December 23, 2007
CHICO'S "STRUCTUAL DEFICIT" -- Thinking "outside the box" and "reinventing" the City's organization
The City Council has asked for suggestions, from the public, concerning methods of reducing the “STRUCTUAL DEFICIT”, estimated to be somewhere between 56 and 120 million dollars, over the next 10 years.
Here is one suggestion, of many, that I will include in my future BLOGS.
Rescind the million of dollars, for consulting services, that have been allocated for expanded police and fire facilities. Although these millions may come from Redevelopment Funds, millions may be required for additional personnel and equipment, funded from the General Fund, which has the mounting financial “STRUCTUAL DEFICIT”.
Before expending any substantial capital funds, the City Council should look at savings that may be accomplished by thinking “outside of the box” or reinventing the present City organization. Many private corporations have had to do this kind of thinking, in order to survive.
The City will not solve its ““STRUCTUAL DEFICIT” until it reinvented its organization.
Stay tuned for many more suggestions.
Posted by Fred at December 23, 2007 08:43 PM
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Comments
thanks Mr. Davis, I'm so glad you are at your blog again.
"thinking outside the box" used to mean, thinking different, new ideas, fresh ideas. In other words, not the way your mom and dad did things. Well, I think we've had enough of that - it's time to return to old fashioned values of thrift and hard work. The last five years have been a crazy orgy of spending, as if nobody down there has any sense of tomorrow.
The biggest problem - they do all this behind closed doors, and we the people don't hear about it until the doo-doo has already hit the fan. I asked to attend the closed session bargaining, and was told this would put the city at a disadvantage with the union. But of course, I am expected to pony up for whatever decision they make.
You're right about re-structuring. What would it be like to have an elected city manager? I'm just wondering. Some people think that would "politicize" the position, I think it would bring the city manager out of the shadows (like the great and powerful Oz!) and make him/her answerable to the public. Same with police and fire chiefs.
You know more about that stuff than I do - you were trustworthy behind closed doors. Do you think there's anybody out there today who can be trusted unsupervised in such a position? How can we make city staff in general more answerable to the public?
Merry Christmas, I'm off to cut die yule log.
Posted by: juanita at December 24, 2007 09:44 AM
Unions were created to protect workers rights, but the unions for city workers have gained such power over their Boss (The People)that they now hold our public safety for ransom. For The People to gain solvency, they must give something before the Union will negotiate to give up something. That's the current situation. Period.
It is time for The People to give the City Union Representatives Bankruptcy proceedings, and disestablish their corporation of Chico City Government. We already have the blueprint to reinvent City Government (The United States Constitution).
Ann
Posted by: Ann Ashley at December 24, 2007 10:13 AM