Incumbents Unaware of Budget Deficit
— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 5 October 2010 — 2 comments below »
I don’t know what is more egregious: both incumbents — Mayor Kris Valstad and Joe Eddy McDonald — not knowing about a real budget deficit of $2m that they approved (see article snippet below video), or Valstad not acknowledging that all City staff members have accepted substantial pay cuts, not just police.
Tom Lochner reported in July (emphasis added):
Hercules’ 2010-11 fiscal year budget represents a sharp change from a year ago when many employees had received raises of 10 percent or more.
This fiscal year, there will be a 3.7 percent reduction in compensation for all city staff members, no cost-of-living adjustments, no merit increases, and elimination of three paid holidays, City Manager Nelson Oliva said in an executive summary. City officials also are seeking a reduction in work force through early retirements, although they did not specify a number.
The 2010-11 fiscal year will be “one of the most challenging … that we have faced in the city for a while, ” City Manager Nelson Oliva told the City Council on June 22.
The cuts are designed to save the city between $1.22 million and $1.52 million this fiscal year, but that still leaves a deficit of $2 million. The remaining difference will be made up by borrowing $750,000 from a vehicle replacement fund and dipping into the city’s reserve fund for about $1.25 million.
Shocking. These clowns are completely clueless. Delgado looks like the obvious choice. Valstad was completely out of line interrupting de Vera to display his ignorance for all to see. Vote, people.
@ Anonymous — I edited the video for time. Valstad’s response came after de Vera’s. Valstad did not interrupt her, although the entirety of what he said was entirely ignorant.