Oshkosh Northwestern's Rieckman says garbage fee ("tax") stinks; so does city leadership
In this morning's Oshkosh Northwestern, executive editor Stew Rieckman wrote a wonderful piece on the garbage fee (tax). It sums up people's feelings beautifully and probably better than anyone could.
Granted, I was not in favor of removing the "tax" a few months ago when the subject came up at a city council meeting because the year was already half over and the city staff had budgeted for the year figuring in money generated by the "tax." To remove it at that juncture, I believe, would have caused too many problems, had potentially far-reaching consequences and been completely irresponsible.
In saying that though, I also believe the truly responsible thing for this council to have done to avoid the "tax" in the first place - and a sign of true leadership - would have been for them to have demanded that the budget process be tackled earlier in the year, as some like Burk Tower and Meredith Scheuermann had said they should, and they be involved in the process from the get-go. That way they wouldn't have gotten caught in the 11th hour having to fall for every line and excuse the city manager doled out to them. Finally someone has realized they have to be more involved - and starting sooner than in the fall - and the budget process has been underway since summer, but what's really happening? Is any real progress being made? Let's hope the results will be fruitful.
In the meantime, sit back and enjoy Rieckman's editorial.
Bottom line: This "tax" stinks more than the garbage it covers to haul away.
- Cheryl
[following is a response to the above piece, as it was originally posted on an earlier version of Eye on Oshkosh]
Authored by: Zoff B. on Wednesday, August 23 2006 @ 12:32 AM MDT
I'm not sure where Mr. Ricekman is from or how long he's been in Oshkosh, but his editorials of the last 6 months give me the indication that he's FINALLY satrating to see how things work in Oshkosh. We've all heard about the garbage tax and the 11th hour excuses of why it had to be passed. But why did it take till June for them to bring the issue backto set the fee? Was it to give them the exuse that "It was to late in teh year to change it?" Was this the city staff's doing?Keep giving them hell Stewy!!!, but please get off the Northwestern "Joe Palaus" bashing bandwagon.
Granted, I was not in favor of removing the "tax" a few months ago when the subject came up at a city council meeting because the year was already half over and the city staff had budgeted for the year figuring in money generated by the "tax." To remove it at that juncture, I believe, would have caused too many problems, had potentially far-reaching consequences and been completely irresponsible.
In saying that though, I also believe the truly responsible thing for this council to have done to avoid the "tax" in the first place - and a sign of true leadership - would have been for them to have demanded that the budget process be tackled earlier in the year, as some like Burk Tower and Meredith Scheuermann had said they should, and they be involved in the process from the get-go. That way they wouldn't have gotten caught in the 11th hour having to fall for every line and excuse the city manager doled out to them. Finally someone has realized they have to be more involved - and starting sooner than in the fall - and the budget process has been underway since summer, but what's really happening? Is any real progress being made? Let's hope the results will be fruitful.
In the meantime, sit back and enjoy Rieckman's editorial.
Bottom line: This "tax" stinks more than the garbage it covers to haul away.
- Cheryl
[following is a response to the above piece, as it was originally posted on an earlier version of Eye on Oshkosh]
Authored by: Zoff B. on Wednesday, August 23 2006 @ 12:32 AM MDT
I'm not sure where Mr. Ricekman is from or how long he's been in Oshkosh, but his editorials of the last 6 months give me the indication that he's FINALLY satrating to see how things work in Oshkosh. We've all heard about the garbage tax and the 11th hour excuses of why it had to be passed. But why did it take till June for them to bring the issue backto set the fee? Was it to give them the exuse that "It was to late in teh year to change it?" Was this the city staff's doing?Keep giving them hell Stewy!!!, but please get off the Northwestern "Joe Palaus" bashing bandwagon.
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 7:20 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home