Even after the budget "agreement" last Friday, hundreds of people came out to Calder Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids last night, wallets in hand, ready to pay for the services we so desperately need.
Are you seeing this, Lansing?
WOOD has the video here, the story is from WZZM.
Grand Rapids - Residents, city employees and city officials rallied at Calder Plaza Tuesday sending a message to state lawmakers.Trouble in Lansing is costing communities across Michigan. "We work as hard as we can with what we've got to maintain the level of services. We're not going to be able to do it anymore if we don't keep the people we've got now," said Phil Pakiela of the Grand Rapids Employees Independent Union.
Heartwell talks of revenue sharing cuts- not sure if that was from the original budget or is part of this new agreement- the Detroit News claimed no cuts to cities, which makes me think it comes from the original.
Doesn't matter. If we don't get some big concessions from city employees, we lose cops and firefighters.
"Revenue sharing cuts will total $9-million for this fiscal year,” according to Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell. The commission must not only balance the budget but the needs of residents along with employees.This year's operating budget is $297-million. Balancing the budget relies on two tactics. Dipping into savings from the general fund and negotiating 6.4% in cuts from union workers. If they don't Mayor Heartwell eluded to a drastic outcome.
"On January 1st we'll have to cut 59 positions in city government. Sixteen of those are fire fighters. Twenty one are police officers, another 14 or 15 come from our independent union employees. It will be disastrous, it will be a bloodbath if we have to do that."
Which legislator wants to be responsible for that? Hmmm? Step right up, people.
The campaign ads are writing themselves right here, right now. "Representative X voted to cut police and firefighters from our community". Doesn't sound very good, does it. Can you see that running over and over on the TV, fliers in the mailbox? Would you like me to dig out some from last year?
And God help you if some tragedy does occur; you can guarantee that it will be used against you because you did not come up with the money to save some cop's job.
So, if you can't be persuaded to do the right thing and protect your constituents from this happening to your city, perhaps you can be persuaded to save your own hide in the next election.
Whatever it takes.