[(City Council’s sleepy old guard) argue that the council’s role is to set broad policies, then defer to City Manager A.C. Gonzalez in devising a spending plan that conforms to those policies.] The problem with this approach is that the City Manager ISN’T devising a spending plan that conforms to Council’s policies, he’s budget reflects his own priorities. [The newer members’ approach, grounded in a view that the city manager’s office has run amok with the budget, appears unlikely to prevail — at least this year.] That is unfortunate, because the city manager’s office DOES appear to have “run amok.” [“I have a responsibility of putting the budget together,” (City Manager Gonzalez) said. “It’s their role to see about challenging it, offering up other suggestions and making, ultimately, a decision about what they feel comfortable in approving.”] Sounds great. Let’s see, isn’t that what CM Scott Griggs did— proposing a $3+ million tweak in a $1.2 billion budget? In other words, a change equal to 1/4 of 1% of the total general fund budget? Gonzalez responded with what can best be characterized as a hysterical mini temper tantrum— reported that Griggs change would practically bring about the downfall of Dallas. [“I hear council members all the time talk about how we are policymakers,” (CM Lee) Kleinman fumed at one budget workshop. “But when you come to the city with a budget that’s baked [predetermined], then ask us … to pass a tax rate, we’re not policymakers. We are policy takers.”] Exactly. [More broadly, the group has argued that Gonzalez built the budget in a way that makes it difficult to challenge large swaths of it. They say there’s a fight for every quality-of-life dollar, while the city’s bureaucracy continues to swell without much second thought. (CM Scott) Griggs has derisively dubbed this the “Marilla two-step,” a reference to City Hall’s address, 1500 Marilla St. “Why do we need to see such growth in the back office?” he said.] Great question… [(Gonzalez) stressed that the budget has been developed over months, with several opportunities for input from council members. He released a point-by-point memo of “significant negative reactions” that would result from Griggs’ proposed cuts.] Yeah, I read Gonzalez’ response. I share Jim Schutze’ reaction, it was either silly or borderline-insurbordinate. [When the council votes on budget amendments in the next couple of weeks, it seems likely that the prevailing view — let the manager manage — will prevail once again. The future, with many of Gonzalez’s fiercest defenders rolling off council, is less certain.] One can only hope that many of the relatively passive, term-limited outgoing council members are replaced with new reps who take the responsibility of looking out for their constituents’ interests more seriously.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 16:19:54 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015