Monday, April 28, 2008

Digging a Deeper Hole

The City of Crest Hill keeps digging the hole deeper. The budget for the fiscal year ending in two days was $1.1 million dollars in the red. After a year of looking for ways to cut costs and increase revenues, the city is now considering a proposed budget that is $800,000 in the hole. While this is an improvement, it is far from good enough. According to an employee of the Treasurer's office, the city has no reserve funds left. This means that if the budget is not balanced the city will be broke. The time for action is long passed, but the Council seems reluctant to take action.

It is hard to understand why the same council that raised water and sewer rates without a plan of how to use the money, would not be willing to have a balanced city budget. The general fund budget leaves much to be desired in that sufficient explanation was not offered as to why many lines were increased by several hundred percent over what was budgeted for the past fiscal year and what was actually spent this past year. But, it is a plan which is more than can be said of the still non-existent capital plan for the water and sewer systems.

The time has come to insist that our elected officials pass a balanced budget, that all city departments and employees reduce city spending, and that the city begin sharing information so that we all know the real state of our city. As of right now we have hit the rock bottom of the hole and the Council is trying to keep digging.