More Push Back to Ashland City Councilor’s Defense for Spending MORE

Bad hand already dealt

Rich Rosenthal says, “Don’t deal future generations a bad hand.” Sorry, but it’s way too late. The bad hand has already been dealt — by Rosenthal and the mayor.

During their tenure:

• The city budget has increased nearly 100%.
• Taxes, surcharges and fees on city utilities have soared. Ashlanders now pay $1,200 a year before using a drop of water or a single watt of electricity.
• Property taxes have increased to the absolute maximum allowed by state law.

The real problem: This government never prioritizes services, but spends whatever it likes on every project it fancies. Our City Council thinks we’re made of money, just waiting for them to spend.

Now the big spenders have proposed a $10.6 million bond for the May ballot, most of which is for a new City Hall. Their hyperbole around “glaring safety and liability risks” is based on the seismic vulnerability of the building, which can admittedly be retrofitted at much lower cost.

Rosenthal says citizen “cynicism undermine[s] confidence in the quality of our local government.” I say our city government rightly deserves every bit of cynicism it engenders. Send a message to the big spenders: Vote no on their latest tax.

Dennis Kendig, Ashland

LTE from Ashland Tidings