Below is an e-mail exchange between myself and Councilman Dan Chiles regarding a quote in the News-Leader attributed to him about wanting to collect a tax that was on the books but not being collected (which the rest of the Council decided not to pursue.) I know several bloggers and radio show callers took issue with Councilman Chiles’ position.
First, my e-mail to him:
I tried calling you earlier today not even thinking you would still be at work. I was curious about the comments attributed to you in the Springfield News-Leader regarding you being in favor of the property tax increase. It surprised me because I really hadn’t taken you for someone would be in favor of raising taxes without an up and down vote before Council and a chance for the public to weigh in before the tax is levied.
First, was what the News-Leader printed accurate? “The property tax would generate enough to help restore some proposed police and fire personnel cuts and reduce cuts to nonprofit groups the city supports.”
Second, given that apparently without the tax levy there is still $758,000 available above what is needed for the police/fire pension plan, do you now still think the levy should be issued or would it be wise to just use that buffer to off-set costs to non-profits? I’m right with you that a 50% cut is potentially fatal to some of these groups but is it really reasonable to say they shouldn’t have to bear some of the burden the city’s facing right now?
And his response to me (printed here with permission) titled “A Small Ball World” which I thought was pretty clever:
I worry about any future tax increase for any purpose. The recession is just gathering steam and we will see higher prices for all fossil fuels and food and most everything else. Look at the food riots all over the globe. These will get worse.
Unemployment is going to rise and the value of the dollar will continue to decline, which is an assault on the savings of everyone in the middle class. Few people actually save money these days… it’s fallen out of fashion, but for those who have, I hate to see their cushion degraded in this fashion. The poor don’t have money and the rich can hedge theirs, but the middle class will get hurt badly.
So, I said we better take what the voters gave us fifty years ago and apply it to the needs at hand. Others felt we could bypass that money and go for the bigger pot later, but later could be worse.
Anyway, the management found money here and there and so we could actually fund the non-profits with what we have if we can live with the cuts to the Parks program including swimming pools for kids this summer.
In the past few months, we have gotten a lot of really good, small scale suggestions for improving our city performance. None of these are home-runs…they are all singles, but the future will be a small-ball world in my opinion. We don’t have time to pursue these this year, apparently, so next year with new management, we’ll have to roll up our sleeves and give ourselves plenty of time to get it right.
I whole-heartedly agree with the last part of his statement…next year we’ll have plenty of time to get things right. Let’s hope the process is open to the public and full of chances for the public to contribute their ideas not only for what not to cut but what to do to save the money you don’t want to see cut.
I really want to get Councilman Chiles as the next victim…er…interviewee for a LifeOfJason interview. All the Council members will get their shot at it but I think now is especially a good time for Councilman Chiles especially on the heels of the enlightening interview with Councilwoman Rushefsky.
