PD Story on Suburban Budget cuts

[Bryan Schwegler]

Interesting article from the PD this morning...

In Lakewood, the cuts are more drastic, because, Mayor Ed FitzGerald says, the last two administrations didn't face up to the exodus of Lakewood residents and their tax dollars to Lorain and Medina counties. Budget reserves are almost gone, and Lakewood faced insolvency without drastic action.

"The nature of government is that until there's an absolute catastrophe, government doesn't act," the mayor said last week. "This is a classic case of the government not doing anything until the house was burning down."

A tax hike was off the table, FitzGerald said, because more money without cuts would be a temporary fix.

So the knife is falling on 18 full-time workers and 27 part-timers. The Department of Human Services faces heavy hits. Its Division of Health will be abolished. Senior-citizen programs - such as transportation, personal care, grocery shopping and delivery, and senior-center activities - are being slashed.

The city will privatize its Winterhurst Ice Rink and is exploring ways to privatize other services. FitzGerald's administration is negotiating wage freezes and benefits concessions from the city's unions, with more potential job cuts looming. He chopped Fire Department overtime by refusing to call in an off-duty firefighter automatically whenever someone calls in sick.

"These are things that are the kiss of death politically," the mayor lamented.

Things aren't much better in Cleveland Heights:

Cleveland Heights is eliminating some 50 jobs on top of the 47 positions it has abolished since 2002. Five police officers were laid off, with other cuts through attrition. It is raising several fees, including this eyebrow-raiser: For the first time, patrons will pay to attend the Cain Park Arts Festival…

Gone are nuisance-animal control, bulk curbside leaf pickup in spring, after-school child care at the recreation center and school crossing guards. Coming are higher fees and reduced rec center hours, and admissions charges at the Cain Park festival.

Full Story

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

I like the idea of privatizing Winterhurst.

I don't think people understand just how much use that place gets from residents and out of town teams, schools, visitors, etc.

[Lynn Farris]

I know these were tough cuts and tough decisions.

But I am really thankful that this administration is looking at alternative ways of doing things. I'm not sure I agree with everything. But the definition of insanity is doing the same thing time and time again and expecting a different result. Regardless of what they cut - someone was going to be upset.

We can't keep on the way we are going with spending more with less income coming. And we can't expect to attract more citizens if we have the highest tax rate around.

And I think he made the right decision with the Fire Dept. That was an extremely tough call. Overtime was killing us in the fire dept. and we appear to have lost control of it. But we do have mutual assistance and as far as I know we were always the ones helping not getting helped. So now it appears it may work both ways.

Now we need to truly work to grow Lakewood and help it expand.

[Annie Stahlheber]

I think that the senior assistance programs need to be addressed. If anyone on the deck has a suggestion on how the community can continue these services please speak up.

[Justine Cooper]

If those services HAVE to be cut, which they shouldn't, there HAS to be a way to give high school kids credit for picking up some of what is cut. Helping with grocery shopping, etc. can become volunteer if it has to, but has to be widespread among many. It can be done if many step forward even two hours a month. "Adopting" grandparents for the younger (and older) children who don't have any around, spending a couple hours a month visiting, sending a card on a holiday, taking to the park on mother's day. Things can be done to step up in this tragic cut for the most deserving population. They have contributed to this community for years, paid taxes for years, and they need all of us to do even one thing a month, with or without our children. Third world countries that have so much less, never leave their elderly.