Government Cut-Backs

I have heard the reports on the news on how the reduced employment has caused the local governments to look over their budgets and are determining what they need to cut back on in order to survive the "economic crisis" or our "New Economy" as it has been dubbed.

Oregon is stating that unless they get some of the stimulus money, they will shut down the schools in order to make the budget. The very next day, I was delivering to down town Portland across from one of the Police station and could not help but notice fourteen (yes, I paused and counted) brand new police motorcycles parked neatly in a row. After delivering the package, I made a side-trip to walk near the bikes, in the hopes that I could catch a glimpse at how many miles they had. It was a mostly unsatisfying move, since none of the displays gave me the information I was searching for. I did get the attention of an officer, however, who asked me what I was doing.

My answer of: "Checking the mileage." Got a strange look from the officer, who was kind enough to tell me to go about my business. All the bikes were new, that much I am sure of. No dirt, perfect paint jobs, perfectly shiney metals, and no sign of wear and tear on any of them.

As a tax-payer, I would be outraged that there are at least fourteen brand new police bikes while my children's education is being snuffed off due to "lack of funds."

This is exactly why we need to elect people who do not intend to make a career out of being in office, some who will listen to the priorities of spending. People who know what it is like to run on a budget, and someone who cares about the money that is being spent as if it was their own hard-earned cash.

To prove that nothing has changed in the time since I started looking into this issue: Lake Oswego, a city in Oregon, is currently in a battle over a 48 Million Dollar public transportation system. There is a group that is stating they don't want the expensive system, to go with something cheaper and take the money saved to keep their schools open. The last I had heard, the elected officials had decided they "Knew better" and are going ahead with closing a couple schools and keeping what has been dubbed the "Bently" Lake Oswego Trolly.