At Tuesday night's (6/03) City Commission meeting, the Commissioners will decide if the city should sponsor the Harvard Glee Club concert on June 15, 2008 by contributing up to $500.00 for the use of the Mansfield Center.
This 60 voice men's choir will work with the local music departments and visit as many homes of local glee club members as possible to talk about the new scholarship opportunities at Harvard. I guess Harvard is now making attendance by low to average income students more possible. I have thoughts about this, but this post is about the city "donating" money to a non-profit, public service organization.
Mr. Doyon now requires that staff reports give the fiscal impact of whatever it is the city is touting. In this case, it will affect the 2007/2008 City Commission's budget by up to $500.00.
It's not the amount of money I have an issue with, but the principle of it. I can understand the city wanting to help out and sponsor a group. It's great PR. But, by the same token, it's taxpayer's money being donated. When we pay our taxes, we're assuming, or at least I am, that the funds are going toward city services, not to be used to help out organizations, no matter how great they are or think they are.
At the end of the day, I want to decide to whom or to what organization I will contribute to.
This 60 voice men's choir will work with the local music departments and visit as many homes of local glee club members as possible to talk about the new scholarship opportunities at Harvard. I guess Harvard is now making attendance by low to average income students more possible. I have thoughts about this, but this post is about the city "donating" money to a non-profit, public service organization.
Mr. Doyon now requires that staff reports give the fiscal impact of whatever it is the city is touting. In this case, it will affect the 2007/2008 City Commission's budget by up to $500.00.
It's not the amount of money I have an issue with, but the principle of it. I can understand the city wanting to help out and sponsor a group. It's great PR. But, by the same token, it's taxpayer's money being donated. When we pay our taxes, we're assuming, or at least I am, that the funds are going toward city services, not to be used to help out organizations, no matter how great they are or think they are.
At the end of the day, I want to decide to whom or to what organization I will contribute to.
17 comments:
What a bunch of hooey! This is an "in-kind" donation, not cash out of your pocket. Get a grip!
You need to get a grip and pay attention to what you are reading.
If it were in-kind, it would NOT have any monetary impact on the City Commission budget. This does, to the tune of $500.00.
Just where do you think the city's money comes from?
That's right. Out of my pocket and maybe yours.
It's one thing to provide relief to a LOCAL non-profit, yet another to an out of state entity, no matter how prestigious..that's why we value JUDGEMENT to know the difference......
Take it out of ECP's surplus. They're saving us lots of money, right?
What a bunch of hooey, Get a grip!
So here's the logic: the city shouldn't pay because it's "our money." Therefore, all the businesses in town shouldn't give to charity or worthwhile causes to improve the quality of our life because it's "our money" since we shopped at their stores. No wonder people think Great Falls is backwards in its thinking.
With an expected budgetary shortfall of $1.8 million I'd say the leaders of this town better be taught what it means to live within their means. $500 may not seem like a lot, but when they can't paying the bills, it's waste that all adds up.
They all behave like trust-fund babies. They run through the money and then,Bronson for example, whines that "Daddy" (state) isn't supplying more for their fun-and-games. Failing that, they come to us. Gimme, Gimme, Gimme.
The council has shown amazing short-sightedness, devotion to self-serving projects, and had a few years of party, party, party.
The people complain about it, but not much else. Time for tough love. Let the officials do as they please. If they drive the city into bankruptcy perhaps that will be the incentive for the people to do, not talk.
Great Falls needs to stop trying to keep up with the Joneses--Missoula, Billings--and pay the bills first. The city's track record of wasted funds and failed projects reads like a bad credit report and "the people" keep enabling this mess.dd
It's not so much that $500 is a lot of money but it is our money. At what time did anyone ask us or even try to get any kind of feedback from the public that this was an idea the public approves of? I think a lot of people would approve.
If the public approves thats great, if the public does not approve then it's still great. The public process is what makes it great.
When they quite squandering of our taxes on SME, there will be funds available for these other worthy endeavors.
Basic city services come first and these commissioners have always got that screwed up with their major loser pet project in SME.
You cannot give when there is nothing left in your wallet!
Get ypour house in order commissioners and remember there will be NO NEW TAXES until that PRIORITY is accomplished!
Anon at 9:45
The problem with your analogy is that when I pay a business owner a dollar, it becomes his, to spend as he will. I have no further expectation from that dollar.
When I give the City a dollar, there is an expectation that I will receive benefit from it when the City spends that dollar.
I do appreciate, however, that you have no problem looking like a fool while insulting someone elses intelligence. Carry on.
Firefly,
No need to get personal but that is that way of the world these days.
We when pay taxes we should expect fiscal responsibility from our administration and elected officials. That means spending money wisely and in a manner that benefits the citizens. That doesn't always mean it will benefit YOU or ME. I have no desire to go hear the Harvard Group.
I think our commissioners and administration should have the authority to spend $500 without public input. SME--ah, a different matter...
Sorry anon, but your first comment, if you are the same anon, did not interpret GF Girls post anything like what she wrote. That was not her logic. And then you had to go and slip in the "backwards" comment.
I am a citizen. I personally know of several potholes that would cost less than 500 bucks to fix. Fixing them would benefit me, and everyother citizen who drives over them every day.
I think the City can pay to fix them without public input, and they should be fixed before giving money to the Harvard Group, or anyone else.
Then call them (your potholes) in to Public Works instead of whining about it.
So now we have an obligation to call and request the City do it's job, but we cannot question what they spend money on? Nice.
Firefly,
My email did not criticize the messenger but the message.
Perhaps my analogy was not the best and your email raised a good point. So here is another--you invest money in your retirement account--say Coke. The company spends millions in supporting community events around the USA that don't benefit you. How is this different than expecting your tax dollars to benefit you? Should Coke fix potholes in GF (not my post FYI)?
My "backwards" comment was not a personal attack on GF girl and I hope that she did not take it in that manner.
If you think that Great Falls has a reputation for "positive thinking" then just ask the business community how others view us. We cannot attract good paying jobs in a variety of sectors for a variety of reasons but primarily (my view) because of the "quality of life" issues.
Projects that attract people to move and invest in a community are wide and diverse: Soccer parks, ice facilities, river trails, baseball facilities, music, art museums, and list goes on and on.
It is so easy to sit back and tell everyone what is wrong. It is more positive to be part of the solution than part of the problem. Bitching gets us nowhere and I hope that you are a problem solver and not just a blogger who likes to comment on "what "they" should do.
OK. There are 10 posts authored by anonymous on this thread. Could ya throw a Pedro or a .007 in there to help me out?
But once again, the Coke analogy doesn't work for me. There is a difference because they are a business. They exist to make a profit. That is why I invested in them. They make a profit, my retirement goes up. What they chose to do with their money has little interest for me.
The City has an agreement with the citizens. We pay taxes, they use that money for the public good. Basic services come first.
And I simply do not believe Great Falls is such a bad place to be. I like it here.
Anon. @ 9:12pm:
No, I did not take offense at your "backwards" comment.
If asking the city to stick to only city business classifies me as "backward", so be it. I won't be changing my mind any time soon.
All you have to do is take a look at the major problems currently facing the city and ask yourself, "how did we get into this mess?"
Yup. Getting involved in non city activites such as building a coal plant and starting an electrical company. Just because the dollar amount of this sponsorship is puny compared to these, doesn't make it OK. The principle applies across the board.
It's time this city starts acting like a city and not a private enterprise.
Thanks very much FireFly for getting it. I appreciate your support!
GF Girl and Firefly,
Pedro here. New to blogging and if I like it, I will adopt Firefly's suggestion. I enjoy this site!
I think we agree more than disagree. Public accountability is important and how the city spends our tax dollars is very important. It is a question of priorities and fiscal responsibility. The city has to take some risks but must explain why they have spent our money on cetain projects. If the money they propose to be spent is large, then they should seek public input. But they should have some latitude--we cannot run a government by requiring public input on every dime and nickel. But they do need to to explain every "dime and nickel" spent if asked.
Firefly, the city is a business too. Just a different form. Members of my family and friends lost everything when Montana Power/Touch America --a $3 billion company--went broke. You should be concerned about what companies "due with their money" once you decide to invest in it. The MPC decisons destroyed--literall-- more lives than GFalls could do in 100 years of governance.
I like GF too. My husband and I have lived here for many years. But it is disturbing to hear that others do not share our views. The city has some responsibility for economic development and that means finding partners in the private sector to promote our city and spending some of our tax dollars. Public input is needed in many areas and SME is the best example.
Will get a name--LOL--if I continue to blog!! And I promise my comments will be shorter. Just curious--FF--why do you like living in GF and how can we continue to attract people who want to move here?
Our form of
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