The bells of change have been ringing throughout the nation since last year but the only thing the voters are hearing is a lot of noise. Lawmakers in Sacramento, for example, certainly don’t seem to be making any changes as they seem to be listening to everyone except the people they serve. While local government officials are painstakingly shuffling through department reports to validate positions and city services and maintenance for their city’s future, the state is finding ways to borrow, take, or manipulate local funding for their own budget needs. City employees are concerned about reduced budgets and want a fair shake in the end; residents want their essential services to stay intact and companies residing in our communities want to make sure of a city’s fiscal stability. Lawmakers want to appease their party and special interest groups want what they want. Does anyone recognize the common word threading through this paragraph…WANT. Everyone wants something for themselves no matter what the cost, no matter what the effects on our society. There is a natural desire to advance one’s own interests, however, this pursuit of special interests has created a web of confusion and put significant burdens on all of us.
The problem with our state budge debacle rests with all those whose selfish hands have dipped into the pot of opportunity which in turn has become like a black hole for local government sucking everything from city revenues to supplement the state’s inability to make hard choices. The problem is fixable but it’s going to take a collaborative effort by everyone to start the change back to realistic governance and out of this hole.
At our last budget session, after learning that Foster City must pay the $5.6 million in redevelopment funds to the state by May 10th, Mayor Wykoff stated that he thought our lawmakers should come to us and see what the affects of taking our revenue really costs the people. Assemblymember Jerry Hill heard this request, the Mayor and I have already met with him. I appreciate Assemblymember Hill’s efforts to listen and I call upon all other legislators to likewise reach out to their local city officials so they truly understand first-hand, the affects of the decisions being made in Sacramento on local government. After all, a strong America depends on the strength of its cities. Members of the legislature should be partners for progress not dissident voices expressing opposition without real alternatives and limiting themselves to the influences of everyone but the people they serve.
Voters will be faced with special ballot initiatives that will be the “fix all” remedies of our state crisis; confusing the ways to make things better for everyone. The League of California Cities, however, is attempting to get an initiative on the ballot in November that will stop the state from taking our local money and redirecting it for purposes other than what it was intended. I can only hope that the people of California will be able to sift through the smoke and mirrors of other initiatives and choose the one that will save local government from the revenue borrowing.
It will be a long, arduous road to get out from under this mess, but if all the lawmakers in Sacramento worked with local government officials, then the bells of change would ring like sweet music to the voters. Special interest groups, like the spoiled child, will begin to realize that the state of California can be an abundant mother and by healing her wounds together, we can replenish her vitality and realize her potentialities. As public servants, your Councilmembers and State Legislators, cannot stand as rivals for power but partners for progress. The want of the people is for public servants to be the trustees for the people that they serve and custodians of our heritage. Email your comments on this and other issues to lkoelling@fostercity.org.
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