December 1, 2023
"A city cannot do 'good works' if it is financially challenged and if property taxes make housing unaffordable for homeowners and renters alike. Sadly, we are already there."
Writes Paul Soglin, the former mayor, in "Soglin: Madison faces ‘unprecedented fiscal crisis’/The former three-time mayor blames the mess on five years of bad decisions" (Isthmus).
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59 comments:
Yes. Bad policies with all the wrong incentives. Good job crappy Mayor!
People who say they are fiscally conservative & socially liberal fail to grasp that Conservativism IS compassionate.
She took $6.1 million of “Reoffering Premium” — additional funds cities receive from lenders on capital budget loans — to fund the operating budget. Since then the city has applied $32 million of borrowed money to the operating budget
If there are muni bonds with favorable rates involved this is likely illegal.
The new guy speaks sense. He’ll be gone by Groundhog Day…
More than 5 years, one might say. There is a lot of bureaucratic bloat in the Mayor's Office (and elsewhere). How many Deputy Mayors are needed?
The solution will if course be successfully lobbying Congress for an earmark…
Got to pay for the pensions and benefits of the Government workers. Look at NYC. When taxpayers have to pay for them, but don't get them anymore themselves, it is time to stop the insanity. We can't afford to support them anymore.
As many of these smaller Class 3 and Class 4 communities continue to stagnate, the wave of disincorporations and dissolutions in 2050 will become a tsunami by 2100, and many of these communities won't get bailed out. Everyone I talk to in municipal and corporate law sees what's coming on the horizon as these small city's and their financials get ever more squeezed into coffin corner (aviation term).
Although the first best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago and the second best time is now (Chinese proverb), the second best time may have come and gone for so many of these communities. Sad.
Unfortunately there is an elitism in a portion of our community, led by mostly white, college-educated progressives, who profess to support efforts to end racial inequities, build a just community, and provide affordable housing.
Read the whole article, but the reason for the upcoming Madison financial is identified in the first paragraph. College educated progressives can't control the cost of college for young people. What would make anyone think they can operate a municipal budget? Same with Milwaukee.
Sussex, WI in Waukesha County. Property taxes are 1%. Surplus budget. Well run village. They even get saline down on the roads before the snow comes.
Question is how does Madison force the rest of the state to bail them out? I'm sure that's coming.
How the fuck does a city that has a Big Ten University, and the seat of State Gov't create a budget crisis? A lot like Wash DC.
Nothing that a surge of migrants would not solve, I’m sure.
Yeah, bad decisions will do that.
Maybe instead of doing "good works", they should focus on maintaining infrastructure and protecting it with proper policing, fire, and emergency services. Then they can reduce the tax burden and allow the free markets to do good work. You know, "small government" stuff.
Alternatively, a city council can spend tax dollars on what they think others will consider "good work" until the run of money, raise taxes until they run out of taxpayers, and eventually default on financial promises, which will be a problem for the new city council.
Gloat.
The best time in city politics. Was when the head of the zoning commission got up and told the Mayor that the city could annex the property in question but the could not rezone it because it was already a zoned as a wetland. The look of frustration and anger on their faces was priceless.
"The former three-time mayor blames the mess on five years of bad decisions"
I repeat: if they had just given money directly to poor people and said "fix your problems" it would've been better spent.
Progressivism is false advertisement. In failing to understand and deal with the lessons learned over the centuries about government finance, progressives are a problem, not a solution. They should step aside and let the adults take charge.
This bodes well for the 2024 elections. Even in true blue Madison, Soggy could not escape by blaming Trump.
We need some TOUGH LOVE!
You see signs that say, "Don't feed the wildlife". Why? Cause it encourages them to come and get 'free stuff'. You are making the mistake of giving people 'free money' or 'free food' just encouraging them to not work for it.
So you need signs that say, "NO WORK, NO EAT". And give make work for the homeless. Clear highway trash, help build infrastructure, fixing graffiti, cleaning streets, even highway flagmen (not all homeless are crazy, some are just lazy.) I am sure there are ways they can work for their meals and lodging such as pre-fab houses they can stay in (for a low rent) as they work.
Now I am not saying to refuse to help the TRULY NEEDY. The crippled, blind, deaf, those that have a very hard time fitting into society. Yes there is compassion for those. Places like the Salvation Army where there are RULES (no drugs, go to church, try to find a job, etc..) I've toured the Salvation Army.. nice little apartments. They serve food there to. But they require some effort on those that go there.
Seems like long time ago this guy, Captain John Smith, said the same thing at Jamestown a three hundred years ago or so... so did St. Paul, two thousand years ago, wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat. "
So.. NO WORK, NO EAT. Stand up on your own da*n feet and get a job.
“He who does not work shall not eat.” - 2 Thessalonians 3:10
Cieslewicz: 'Everything will be fine, as soon as the citizens fork over more money to cover for our overspending.'
Was probably the plan all along.
Never send a city to do a church's job.
Eventually you run out of other people's money.
Gosh, can’t they just print some money!
How is the mayor and city council not in jail for what was essentially financial fraud? Violating state laws on use of funds? How does the financial comptroller still have a job?
I guess the answer is obvious if you look at the name of the mayor - hyphens have privilege.
" if they had just given money directly to poor people and said "fix your problems" it would've been better spent."
Well it certainly cuts out (some of) the mid-level grifters.
I lived through the results of one of the payments for broken treaties to a local tribe in my youth. Early 1970s. $5,000 for full members of the tribe IIRC. Decent money by the standards of the time. But, like he Covid money the recipients treated it like an ongoing money stream.
The tribal guys ALL walked off the job. My crew of laborers went from 9 to 2 with no notice given. There was a huge spike in the cost of a used car. DUIs rose by an amazing amount. Based on the number of guys with gold necklaces, pawn shops sold a lot of jewelry.
A couple of weeks later the original crews came back looking for their jobs. Only there were not nearly as many jobs open by then. I took the two best workers back to my crew.
"Fix your problems"? Not hardly.
Good plan, Crack.
Happy memory of Paul Soglin: the night Nixon resigned there was a crowd dancing in State Street. At State and Gilman Soglin got up on the bed of a pickup truck to make a speech. The crowd were not interested in whatever he had to say. "You're next!", I cried.
Madison has blown its wad.
(sad trombone)
Create a crisis. Use it to further socialism. Repeat as needed. Cloward/Piven forever.
blames on three years of bad decisions..
How is this, the fault of Gov Walker and the republicans?
i mean.. It's BAD => fault of republicans... Right?
Paul said...
"I am sure there are ways they can work for their meals and lodging,..."
America wastes too much potential demanding people be something other than human beings. The older I get, and the more I hear this sort of talk - while understanding the incredible challenges this nation, especially, throws at it's citizens - the more I appreciate France, and how they turn the whole thing upside-down. None of this condescension, and sneering "tough love" talk, but respecting the people and caring for their needs. They eat because people must live, not because they have to earn it to satisfy some asshole's sense of purpose. I hated being there, full of ideas and bustling with energy to do things, but my GOD do I hate being here, listening to Americans despise each other, but always admiring Elon Musk or Donald Trump, no matter what they do, knowing most Americans never got those kinds of advantages, so are priced out of fucking breathing.
The biggest generation in history is never going to take responsibility for "turn on, tune in, and drop out" so why can't they, at least, shut up now?
We've heard enough.
"How is the mayor and city council not in jail for what was essentially financial fraud?"
The Wisconsin AG is a democrat.
I would like to know if what they've done is illegal. But we won't learn that from our progressive press.
@tcrosse: Soglin was a good mayor, IMO. Exhibit A is this kind of shit didn't happen.
JAORE said...
"Good plan, Crack."
The one thing I'm sure of is, they all walked off the job, with no notice, because they hated your ass. But, other than that, all I've got to say is, anecdotal evidence is shit: people don't count success stories they don't see, in part, because they don't go looking for any, and, in part, because they don't know everybody. How about people who move away? Keep track of them? Or is everything based upon your condescending ass speculating about jewelry purchases?
This country is a hateful place, filled with arrogant hypocrites, screwing the fucking pooch until it screams to die.
Placing the cart before the horse is dysfunctional.
"end racial inequities, build a just community, and provide affordable housing" says every Leftist ever.
If only they knew how to do it. There are no solutions, only tradeoffs.
What are the things any city can do to reduce the cost of housing? Start with a review of the bureaucratic hoops developers must jump through to get permission to build. How much land is available to develop? If the available land is low, then the cost will be high in the face of demand. What is the permitting process, how long does it take, and how much does it cost? What restrictions beyond the standard building codes impact the type of homes that can be built? Do they have minimum house sizes, mandated lot sizes, restrictions on multi-family homes, or other rules that drive up the cost of housing? How highs are the utility hook-up fees? In short, look at the government rules and procedures that have an impact on the cost of building new housing and see what can be done to reduce those costs. That's what local government should be doing.
The Crack Emcee said...
"The biggest generation in history is never going to take responsibility for "turn on, tune in, and drop out" so why can't they, at least, shut up now?
We've heard enough."
So that's your plan Crack? Ignore it? Tell others to shut up? Nice try but the problem is not going away and the country is going bankrupt trying to support deadbeats and, excuse the term, crackheads.
Telling others to shut up cause they don't wanna fact the facts is well... how we got in this mess in the first place.
"The mess is the result of a series of financial decisions made over the past five year"
That's just the weed talking.
Blogger Larry J said...
What are the things any city can do to reduce the cost of housing?
Madison is blessed with a never ending influx of ca$h from taxes collected and UW Student debt. It's like printing money.
I'd imagine it drives up the cost of rent and housing.
Why don't the Madison bleeding heart liberals who own rental properties...just lower the rent?? Or the libs who sell their houses take a little less profit on the equity?
Madison is all about altruism and good deeds...right?
Time for rent control in Madison. That would be awesome.
That's a pretty bold statement of reality. I thought the EDU crowd only supports fantasy policy.
The Crack Emcee:
I repeat: if they had just given money directly to poor people and said "fix your problems" it would've been better spent.
Or, similarly, just not taken it from people to begin with.
Original Mike: It did happen. I was there. Were you?
"The biggest generation in history is never going to take responsibility for "turn on, tune in, and drop out" so why can't they, at least, shut up now?"
A fate worse than death.
Max out the municipal credit card and soon the city council can't find the money to pay for those sugar plum progressive dreams. You can call it running out of other people's money.
But a bigger problem down the road is who or what will pay for all of those unfunded or underfunded municipal and state pensions. Ol Crack is howling about hateful people and all that. But when Sam the ex city sanitation worker doesn't get that monthly check in the mail, what's going to happen to Sam?
And when you throw the usual Cost of Living Adjustment in, the problem gets worse. My late father was a civil engineer. He spent 30 years working for various federal agencies, and retired as a GS 13 in 1963 at the age of 55. His annual salary in the spring of 1963 was $13K. When he died, 41 years later, his annual pension was $39K. Now it's true that inflation made up for much of the difference. But private workers don't have COLA's in their pensions if indeed, they even have a pension.
A lot of municipalities and states are going to be underwater soon--and it ain't climate change that will make that happen.
Interesting that Ann posts this without any comment of her own. Is it because this struck too close to home, literally? I'm sure she is sad or embarrassed because she probably agreed with many of the policies that brought financial ruin. I give her credit for posting it at all.
Paul said...
"So that's your plan Crack? Ignore it?"
Sigh. I said absolutely nothing like "ignore it." Ever consider trying something else?
"Tell others to shut up?"
I told Boomers to shut up. That would be new all by itself. The unseen could come out, like the animals when everybody got locked down during COVID.
"Nice try but the problem is not going away and the country is going bankrupt trying to support deadbeats and, excuse the term, crackheads."
Telling "deadbeats" to learn to code is bullshit, and America made those crackheads (sorry but blacks ain't got those kinds of connections) so it's that irresponsible combination of denial and blame that's cynically poisoned society, for those raised to believe America was otherwise. You know Kennedy was mixed up with the Mafia, murdered Marilyn Monroe, and Bill Clinton is a three time rapist. You know Harvey Milk's election was stolen and he was killed because he was mixed up in a cult - NOT because he was gay. You KNOW this, but you still try to pretend this place is something that it's not. THAT'S what creates crackheads, as surely as "Reefer Madness" convinced people pot was harmless. Lies, cynicism, the knowledge nothing's right or fair and even Juanita Broderick - a woman who worked for an old folks home - can and will be crushed, by what you will die happy maintaining as the status quo.
"Telling others to shut up cause they don't wanna fact the facts is well... how we got in this mess in the first place."
Bullshit. Blacks didn't march for this. And making blacks march at all is what created this. America wastes and consumes lives with it's bullshit. How much of YOUR life has been consumed by fighting for your rights? How far have you had to go to feel safe - when you had no money? In your own country? And still didn't find it? Man, y'all need to stop, because you just don't know.
Crack: "The one thing I'm sure of is, they all walked off the job, with no notice, because they hated your ass."
LOL, OK Frenchie
Which, of course explains why each and every one of them were back asking me to put them back to work, specifically on MY crew, after they blew the cash...
This is so funny to me.
Soglin has, for a long time, struck me as way out of line. He criticizes whoever is in office, regardless of whether they are right or wrong. He supported Gloria Reyes for mayor, and the two of them together had the most inconsistent messages about transit, about supporting downtown business, etc. On the one hand, they said that Mayor Satya was doing it wrong. On the other hand, when you would ask Gloria Reyes what she would do instead, it was "We need more study on BRT." Uhh, bullshit, BRT and downtown development have been studied to death (under Soglin's mayorship I will note!) and the BRT and downtown development were just implementing what was recommended under Soglin's studies!
Anyway, so I'm thinking this while I read through Soglin's letter, and then I click on the link to Dave Cieslewicz's column and bam, Dave said exactly what I was thinking, but Soglin was just reacting to Dave's column! Hahaha. I agree with Dave C--Soglin is probably right about the PIO position, but wrong about the long term. And it's certainly not the mayor's fault if the council is the one approving and asking for more money!
"Original Mike: It did happen. I was there. Were you?"
@tcrosse: WTF? I never said it didn't happen. What I said was I think Soglin was a good mayor, and one reason why is because he was a good steward of city finances. Again, IMO. How you got from that to me calling you a liar is a mystery.
As Margaret Thatcher once said, “The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money”
JAORE said...
Crack: "The one thing I'm sure of is, they all walked off the job, with no notice, because they hated your ass."
I have never - never - seen our heard of anyone - anyone - quitting, with no notice, because they appreciated management, and the great opportunity presented to them. Never. If they came back to you, it WAS because they had to, not because of you: No one treats people they like that way.
Jersey Fled said...
As Margaret Thatcher once said, “The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money”
I thought the problem was thinking giving money to a white girl with a bang of brown rice was supposed to help me.
BTW, as it happens, I was on State Street the night Nixon resigned. But for me to claim some guy in the crowd didn't say something is ridiculous. Good thing I didn't do that.
"I have never - never - seen our heard of anyone - anyone - quitting, with no notice, because they appreciated management, and the great opportunity presented to them. Never. If they came back to you, it WAS because they had to, not because of you: No one treats people they like that way."
LOL, Crack, you are one sure-of-yourself guy.
Well if you haven't seen or heard it, then by gosh and golly it must not have happened that way.
But here in the real world I'm tied to an animal shelter by way of volunteer work. They have people with paying jobs there just not come in with no notice all the time. Some schedule interviews and never show. Some accept the job and never show.
Millennials seem particularly prone to this practice.
But since I DID see it, I'll tell you the facts. Believe it or don't, I don't care if you believe it. Frankly you are not worth lying to anyway. The crew was grateful as hell for the job. Best pay in the area. Reasonable commute - most jobs were far away. But when Uncle Sam dangled 5 grand in front of them they bolted. Wasn't just my crew it happened at jobs all over the area. And when they returned to get the job back they actually brought a couple of buddies with them to see if I could add them to my crew.
The point was they didn't solve problems when handed out cash. They spent it on short term pleasures. When the money ran out the realty returned.
You said poor people would figure out how to use it best. It is to laugh.
"You said poor people would figure out how to use it best. It is to laugh."
One of the traits of poor people (some, anyway) is that they never seem to figure it out. Well, aside from concluding that their troubles are the fault of someone other than themselves.
“We've heard enough.”
Indeed.
I got out. You should too.
I quit a job once because all the delivery guys decided to drop acid one night, creating several issues, and then the boss snorted all the cheese money again, staged a fake break-in (threw the rock from inside the store window to the sidewalk), turned off the alarm code, and emptied the register -- except for considerately leaving the usual opening cash of a 20, a few 10s, four fives, ten ones, and change.
The cops couldn't stop laughing.
Of course, in municipal governments, this sort of behavior is just called "Tuesday."
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