City budget scare tactics unfair to read
There has recently been one or more false reports circulated throughout the community and in The Courier-Herald that stated the city was in the “red” (deficit) and that I and city staff have been deliberately lying to the people about the city’s financial status.
All funds have a positive balance. Even the general fund, which operates all of the general government, had a positive balance of $4,602,172.18 on Dec. 31.
A recent letter to the editor in The Courier-Herald claimed the city administrator’s memo stated that we are in the red. As pointed out, this is simply not the case.
Perhaps opponents of the current form of government are trying to misrepresent the facts to create disharmony. For example, in order to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), council and Design Commission recommendations, the new IJC (interim justice center) will likely cost more to construct than the initial budget estimate (plus or minus $5 million). However, the projected budget is below what has been appropriated to construct the building.
If these misrepresentations and scare tactics are intended to incite citizens to vote to change our form of government, then shame on those folks who spread these types of falsehoods.
For more information, please visit the city Web site and see this for yourself at www.ci.bonney-lake.wa.us.
Mayor Neil Johnson
Bonney Lake
City manager was voted out, wasn’t he?
The city manager of Bonney Lake, his title is city administrator, his pay scale puts him over $100,000 a year to do the mayor’s job. I thought we voted not to have a city manager a few years back. The vote was about 70 percent not to have a manager form of government. The mayor gave us a manager against our vote. The city is broken big time.
Administrator and manager mean the same thing. Our city administrator on Oct. 22, 2008, sent a memo to many people in the city. He failed to send it to Councilman (Dan) Decker. Subject of the memo is: Interim Justice Center Traffic Info. The administrator states in the memo, “Since the project is approximately $2 million over budget already, I would prefer not to have to fund a TIA (traffic impact analysis) as well.” The law requires a TIA.
The interim Justice Center is in the red $2 million. The council before Decker was elected voted $10 million to build this Justice Center. Now it is in the red $2 million and all the property is not yet bought. Remember when Decker tried to get information about the city budget? The city wants to keep the budget a secret. Just how over budget is the city? How many millions of dollars will this nightmare cost us in taxes?
The charter form of government will save us from our spend-thrift government. In this time when the world economy is falling apart our city has no extra money? Just like every other city we are on the edge. The city is broke and broken. You should call Mayor Neil Johnson about his over spending, 253-862-8602. No matter how he misleads you the city owes millions.
Here is another reason why the city needs a charter form of government. Mayor Johnson is never at City Hall. His city manager will be happy to take your call. You remember the manager we voted not to have. Again the mayor has failed you.
Stephanie Martin
Bonney Lake
