I had thought about posting this after the live blog from the budget but realized that after almost 6200 words it would likely go unnoticed. Then again, after I say what I say here perhaps it should be going unnoticed!
The understatement of the week is going to be that this budget situation is a complicated problem that is not going to be solved with an easy “cut ‘em all” solution that is being advocated by certain pockets of people in our community. I really believe the people standing up and saying to “cut all the non-essential services” is really not looking at the entire picture of the community (or they really don’t care about anyone but themselves but I doubt someone like that would take the time to make their opinion heard in a public way.)
EVERY department is going to have to take a cut. ALL of them. As much as we might want to not cut in places like the police and fire departments (and I certainly don’t WANT to cut any of that) it’s not realistic to say that’s the only departments in the city that should not take cuts when the rest of the city is cutting jobs and services as well. I wouldn’t say that we shouldn’t talk about less of a cut than some other departments but it’s not realistic to trim everywhere but just a few places.
All the non-profits and other organizations that are receiving city funds would be seriously crippled or even destroyed with a total loss of city funds. As much as some people want to pretend these groups can make up the shortfall with private funds the fact is that’s not really going to happen. I don’t want to be cynical but part of me believes that the people crying the loudest to cut the funding from non-profit groups wouldn’t give one thin dime to help any of them make up the shortfall. With that knowledge, I can’t say in good conscience we need to trim all the funding.
So…with that end of the spectrum out of the way…the people advocating no cuts in the non-profits or no cuts to the Park Board have to realize that those cuts MUST happen as well. As much as it sounds good and scary to say these cuts will eliminate all the programs for low income families and elderly and at-risk kids the bottom line is that all those programs do not have to be the first ones cut. Sure, the temptation to cut the programs that don’t rake in the dollars like programs for at-risk kids is great, quick and easy. However, other programs could be trimmed up to help save some of those programs. The City Council can’t solve that…that onus is on the Park Board…but there are smart people on that board who can find a way to do it.
OK…all that said…here’s my take on things:
1. Everyone takes some kind of cut. No department gets a pass no matter how hard it may be to make cuts in the departments.
2. The City Council needs to explain clearly why the cuts are being made for each cut being made. The only way that can be done is to take the steps recommended by Councilman Dan Chiles. Go through line by line. Spell everything out in detail to the public.
3. Have someone outside of the city staff structure go through the budget and make detailed recommendations. I’m not saying the city staff isn’t doing a good job…this isn’t a commentary on that. However, more information is always good and an outside opinion can do nothing but provide unique perspective.
4. Allow compassion to actually factor into this situation. For example, the Park Board BEFORE the budget process goes through should spell out to the citizens the programs they’re funding, what would be cut and why those programs were cut over other ones. Let the public take a look and go back to both the Park Board and City Council and say that some money should be moved around to save particular programs. Put a focus on low income families and at-risk youth and elderly. We have to make cuts. We don’t have to focus on the cuts that cause the most harm to those groups.
5. FIND SOLUTIONS. We hear a lot of people saying “cut this” or “don’t cut that.” That’s all well and good but it doesn’t solve anything. If you want to cut things then you need to back it up with why you want it cut, the community impact and present alternatives. Likewise if you don’t want things cut. Let’s get focused on solutions rather than problems.
6. Listen to all sides and don’t shut out someone just because they might be presenting an unpopular solution. I’m not saying we have to DO all the suggestions but we cannot at this point afford to ignore anyone.
7. Make everything public. Make the list of suggested cuts from all departments public and easily accessible. Have the groups affected by the cuts make their budgets available to the public. Put it out in the open. The people of the Ozarks are a good group of people with a solid work ethic for the most part and a good dose of common sense. They’re not going to cut funding to a program for poor children to have a park program if they can trim 5% from a dozen other programs to save it. Make the information available and be amazed at the solutions.
I’ll admit I’m kind of tired and I’m still processing some things. There’s a chance I’ll amend this post later on once I’ve been able to sleep a bit. Still, I really think we need to focus on solutions to the problems and we need to get past the initial state of “cut this” or “don’t cut this.” Let’s get all the information…and our public groups like the Park Board (as an example)…need to provide it as quickly as possible.
As a lower income resident of Springfield, I know the Park Board and its programs are vital to my family. My children don’t get as many gifts at Christmas as others but they get a Discovery Center membership so we have somewhere to go that they love to go. If Park programs are cut, it will directly hurt my family. I’m still advocating cuts because everyone needs to make them but to say it comes only at the expense of the low income families is absurd. Solutions are out there. We need to find them without screaming to cut them all. An Ozark resident is not rigid rules without compassion. That’s not the kind of people who live here.
