Let's pretend we aren't friends. Forget knowing that my husband is a firefighter. Let's get real for a second.
Let's say you live in a big city like Phoenix. Let's make believe it is 2010 and the economy is still bad. Oh wait it is 2010 and the economy IS still pretty bad. If the city said they were having trouble making the budget work without serious job cuts, how would you feel about losing a significant amount of firefighters and police? How would you feel about a 2% tax raise on groceries to try save some jobs?
I am asking because obviously my husband is a new firefighter and would be the first to go and I am wondering what our chances are for his job to be saved? I am not asking for sympathy as I know many many people have been laid off already so we have been lucky so far. I am just wondering what the people of the city really think and if we have a fighting chance.
Would you be concerned if you had less of a police and fire force in your city?
Would you be upset if a tax increase was put into place to try meet the budget needs and save Fire and Police?
What solutions as citizens would you like to see happening as far as the budget crisis goes?
Thanks for pondering with me. I know how I would feel, but my vote is biased.
Ick! We keep getting budget cuts in our town too. It is so complicated.
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand I am mad at my fellow residents who keep thinking that we should get the same services for less money.
On the other hand, I am mad at the government who seem to always threaten cuts in places that really hurt (like police and fire fighters) rather than other less important services.
Given the demographics of our community, about 90% of the taxes are payed by less than 50% of the households. That can make one kind of grouchy when money goes towards services for the non tax base part of town. Sigh.
Mango Momma
Growl.
ReplyDeleteMom says the same thing is happening in Sandy Eggo. Firefighters and police, losing their jobs. Not a very good way to keep our city safe if you ask me.
And yet, the city seems to have budget for constantly landscaping the same areas over and over again. Whussup with dat?!?
wags, wiggles & slobbers
Murphydog
I feel that in times like this we need more emergency support personnel. In desperate times people do things they normally wouldn’t do.
ReplyDeleteOh yes..we sure do feel the pain in California!
ReplyDeleteMom said we are going to stand on the corner with a tin cup. She thinks she is so funny.
Benny & Lily
Mango Momma said it so well. Fire and police protection are so vital to our safety. No one likes to pay more money for anything but for us, we would like to feel safe. We hope things will be OK for you.
ReplyDeleteWoos, Phantom and Thunder
Given the massive amount of snow falling in PA right now, I've heard the dreaded words 'due to budget cuts getting the streets open is taking much longer'
ReplyDeleteWell, just apply that same khoncept to 'due to budget cuts getting to save 'x' took longer'
Once again, too many pay too little while too many others pay too much -
Paws khrossed fur some sense to finally khome out of the stoopid ekhonomy -
Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra (and Her Mom too)
I think cutting emergency responders is a pretty stupid place to start, myself.
ReplyDeleteI think firefighters and police people are very important people to have working especially in a big city. I would be willing to pay a bit more to save these jobs just as I would to save teachers and educators because these are all vital parts of the community. :) I lost my dream teaching job last year due to being a new teacher and the budget cuts so it stinks. This year has been good to me though but it sounds like more teacher cuts may happen. :( Good luck with your situation.
ReplyDeleteAmber
Hey Kasha, I agree with you about the world being a bit backwards. :) As for my teaching job, I did a long-term sub for 5 months in 4th grade this year but that finished up 2 weeks ago which is why I have had more blogging time lately. Now I am just regualr subbing but have another long-term in March until the end of the year. I could have had a contracted teaching job but actually opted for the long-term sub as the contract position was a middle school alternative pregram. Despite it being an alternative program and the difficulty that could bring, middle schoolers kind of terrify me. :) I just knew it wasn't where I should be. So, things are good for now but hopefully I will have my own classroom again in the future. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteAmber
City budgets go to cover frivolous things, then the managers have a hard time finding the money for fire fighters and policemen. That is just plain nonsense. People like that need to be voted out of office. The prime mission of the government is to protect the people and provide services they can't otherwise provide themselves. Look at what else your tax dollars have gone to - then ask "are those things more important than the Fire and Police Departments?"
ReplyDeleteVote accordlingly.
My two cookies' worth.
Tail wags,
Storms
Oh dear... Police and fire fighters are important jobs.. How can they cut those..
ReplyDelete~ Bae