Having a business here and multiple investment properties I decided I needed to look at a firm "zero-based" budgeting process in my own house. Car insurance went from $4,200 a year to $1,700, after I called the insurance company and started questioning the rates. AT&T for my business, I cut by $80 a month by going to a cheaper plan.
One investment property, they would not give me liability without flood and wind. It was built in 1930 and is not in a flood zone and has never been impacted during a hurricane. I threatened to cancel all policies if they would not just write me liability. They caved. That meant a $4,299 savings a year.
What is the point here? In this economic downturn -- I call it a depression - I will do whatever I can to save my business and my properties. It means cut where I can.
I;'m not alone. There are a lot of citizens in our city that are in dire financial straits, some a lot worse than others who have lost their jobs, their homes, and are struggling to put food on the table.
There by the "Grace of God" it could be any of us.
This brings me to our City.
The elected officials and their highly-paid administrators need to implement "zero-based budgeting." They need to cut where ever they can. When you and I are trying to save what we have and find it necessary to look at our expenses and get rid of the excess, they had better do the same.
We can not tolerate spending for bloated salaries, benefits and pensions, which shows a lack of concern for the taxpayers. When they "kill the goose that laid the golden egg," they will be done as well.