Comments on: City to consider leaving EFR http://sammamishreview.com/2009/10/14/city-to-consider-leaving-efr The Sammamish Review Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:59:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: John Galvin http://sammamishreview.com/2009/10/14/city-to-consider-leaving-efr/comment-page-1#comment-4640 John Galvin Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:08:35 +0000 http://sammamishreview.com/?p=8110#comment-4640 I will reserve judgment about the appropriateness of the actual EFR cost increases. One can debate the amount of increase but that EFR costs will increase is inevitable and understandable. One constantly hears talk about a pending crossover when City revenues equal City expenditures. In principle, the city can't allow itself to reach this crossover point because cities are required to have a balanced budget. Once the crossover point approaches, the city must cut services. If one examines the City's finances, one observes that the city has postponed initiated many projects for as long as possible. Staff numbers are static. Department managers wear several hats so that employee numbers can be kept down. Staff do multiple task as well. In order to avoid staff dismissals staff have taken pay cuts. Most recently, the city announced that no major infrastructure projects would be started until the city economy improves. Everyone is happy with EFR service, so budget pressure is the motivation behind considerations to establish Sammamish's own Fire Department. Sammamish can't afford to pay for these services so something has to give. What I don't understand is why the City Council is doing nothing to address the City's systemic financial problems. The City's economy is built on sand. The City's economic foundation needs to be strengthened but not a single city council member has made this issue a priority. City Council members keep saying the City's economy is strong. There are no problems. We are doing a great job managing costs. Okay, so we cut EFR services. This is good financial management, right? Police services have been reduced, why not EFR services as well. Everyone must sacrifice during difficulty times. I will reserve judgment about the appropriateness of the actual EFR cost increases. One can debate the amount of increase but that EFR costs will increase is inevitable and understandable.

One constantly hears talk about a pending crossover when City revenues equal City expenditures. In principle, the city can’t allow itself to reach this crossover point because cities are required to have a balanced budget. Once the crossover point approaches, the city must cut services.

If one examines the City’s finances, one observes that the city has postponed initiated many projects for as long as possible. Staff numbers are static. Department managers wear several hats so that employee numbers can be kept down. Staff do multiple task as well. In order to avoid staff dismissals staff have taken pay cuts. Most recently, the city announced that no major infrastructure projects would be started until the city economy improves.

Everyone is happy with EFR service, so budget pressure is the motivation behind considerations to establish Sammamish’s own Fire Department. Sammamish can’t afford to pay for these services so something has to give.

What I don’t understand is why the City Council is doing nothing to address the City’s systemic financial problems. The City’s economy is built on sand. The City’s economic foundation needs to be strengthened but not a single city council member has made this issue a priority. City Council members keep saying the City’s economy is strong. There are no problems. We are doing a great job managing costs. Okay, so we cut EFR services. This is good financial management, right? Police services have been reduced, why not EFR services as well. Everyone must sacrifice during difficulty times.

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