Councilor Donna Jordan wrote an opinion piece for the LO review last week seriously questioning the councils legal authority and ability to provide additional funds for LOSD.
She also now openly acknowledges that the city can no longer afford its staff level and resources after 2013 as per forecasts from the City's financial director.
Her statements include:
The city doesn’t have that amount of money. Our financial forecasts show expenditures exceeding revenues for existing services by 2013. As we begin the 2011-12 budget meetings, the city will be looking to reduce costs and eliminate services. Some councilors are proclaiming that we can find savings in our current budget. Given our revenue projections, I believe that it is disingenuous to suggest, if found, this is money that can go to the schools.
I question whether I have the right, as a city councilor, to turn millions of city dollars over to the school district, regardless of the source of the revenue. I was elected to serve all the citizens of the city and provide municipal services – police, fire, water, street maintenance, etc. The council will support the schools at some level, but it may be counter-productive to tie the hands of those who govern the schools with speculative ideas about city financial help. If the council authorized an income tax, for example, I believe it would be referred to the voters or litigated. Where will that leave the school board in its planning process?
Councilor Jordan claimed she heard the message from the recent elections. Then backed away from a pledge toward being more fiscally conservative when she took the oath of office. Is their an actual change occurring now? We will see with her actual votes on the council...
please notify all members and contacts.
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