Review editorial
December 3, 2008
By Contributed
Budget prepares for tough times
The city of Sammamish 2009 budget is remarkable — in a good way. City officials have put together a prudent spending plan that takes into account the current recession and looks to future years.
For months now, the city has been spreading the bad news: A tax hike is coming.
Contrary to what your wallet may tell you, this is not a bad thing. Sammamish has, since its inception, gotten by without some taxes that exist in virtually every other municipality in the state.
Sammamish citizens have been getting a good deal for a long time. The government has run efficiently and has made use of other available revenue streams.
As those other steams start to run dry, the city is cutting back to match revenues, cutting three positions – about four percent of the city’s workforce. They have taken grant money and used it to spread funds to other parts of the budget. They’re doing everything they’re supposed to do when times get tough.
But the time is fast coming when even those cuts will not be enough. Within a few years, expenses will exceed revenues. The city council is doing what it can to stall the implementation of new taxes, but we believe City Manager Ben Yazici when he tells us it will happen. He has been giving the council and residents plenty of warning.
Yazici and the council are starting to engage citizens and the business community about what sort of new tax — or tax hike — they will find most palatable.
We applaud the communications effort. The city is admirable in seeking input well in advance instead of raising alarm bells at the last minute. They are giving anyone who wants to engage in the process a chance to do it. They are not raising taxes now —because they don’t yet need to — but taxpayers are forewarned.
Many more mature municipalities were caught off guard as the economy soured over the past year. Sammamish has shown foresight that should allow the city to avoid some of the most damaging effects of difficult times.
Let’s hope it is enough.
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The city has to do only three things. I realize this is highly innovative and pretty much unheard of for government, which exists to bloat ever larger on the backs of the productive citizens.
But here goes:
1) Cut spending.
2) Cut spending.
3) Cut spending.
And I don’t mean a few employees. I mean massive cuts.
Thank you.