tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post591793056686239161..comments2023-08-20T07:06:14.115-04:00Comments on Thurber's Thoughts: More struggles with Toledo's budgetMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12677808307727487766noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-12802124641892041972007-03-18T10:47:00.000-04:002007-03-18T10:47:00.000-04:00Maggie,Of course you’re right as far as you can go...Maggie,<BR/><BR/>Of course you’re right as far as you can go. As I am not politically involved and never aspire to be so, I volunteer to take it further and say what you have left unsaid.<BR/><BR/>Hizzoner is a great cheerleader but a lousy manager and suffers from a multitude of other foibles.<BR/><BR/>Not only does he lack the requisite people skills, but he places his own personal agenda above that of the council’s, even though he agrees to their’s if only for appearance’s sake. His personal agenda and pet projects always come first.<BR/><BR/>What Toledo needs to do in order to really move forward is adopt professional management, directed by their unified leadership and willingness to focus on the big picture and on the long range solutions. The problem facing them/us is massive and it won’t go away in a year or two, it will take years to reverse; but, it can be reversed.<BR/><BR/>Yes, I’m talking about returning to the council/city manager form of government where knowledgeable, rational management works under the guidance of OUR elected council representatives instead of a head-strong, egotistical mayor with personal agendas…<BR/><BR/>Reasonable people on council can work out the logical priorities and stick to them, while loony “strong mayors” who think that they know better cannot.<BR/><BR/>The Charlatan has spent all of his goodwill with the unions, promised them the moon and has hoped beyond hope that he can finish his agenda before “the fit hits that shan.” In this case however, his time ran out first; The Charlatan miscalculated, but he did remind us why we abandoned the strong mayor form of government long ago, in favor of a more rational and stable form of government.<BR/><BR/>From what I’m hearing, yes the city employees should be paying a portion of their health benefits, like everybody else does. But their medical benefits were a trade-off in lieu of some raises and will have to be turned back by someone with the gravitas and credibility that, out strong (headed) mayor lacks. A relationship and mutual trust has to be developed by whomever is negotiating for the city and their word must mean something.<BR/><BR/>Once this trust is established, I’m confident that the doors of opportunity will open and the required discussions for change can begin.<BR/><BR/><B>Until then:</B><BR/>Hizzoner’s personal agenda must go away and his special/pet projects must be firmly rebuffed by the council so that everyone knows that a new way of doing business is dawning in Toledo, beginning with the removal of the managerial bloat that still remains.<BR/><BR/>Given the chance, the unions would willingly help council to streamline government by pointing out what works and where the bloat is. Their ranks are, in most cases, bare boned but the bureaucratic hierarchy above them is flush with targets…<BR/><BR/>Once the conditions are right, only then will the unions trust and be open to frank and productive talks. Right now the city has no credibility as long as The Charlatan is hiring retread, double-dipping spies, trying to hang everyone that they think they can.<BR/><BR/>Now, the “Ivory Tower/White Elephant” is also a source for fat cutting suggestions, especially for the budgetary fat, because those clerks and others in a position to see the pork know full well where the cutting can begin and point council to it.<BR/><BR/>Given the chance to make a difference, there are hundreds of average Joes/Janes, toiling in government who have been waiting for yeas to be heard and to contribute their ideas towards improving government and for making a difference. Given the chance, you may be surprised at what comes of it.<BR/><BR/>“We the Sheeple” want a chance to make a difference, not to just pick up government’s tab for their excesses at our expense. . .Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13176392380086227377noreply@blogger.com