Sorry, folks. Last night was just another one where I was just plain sick of it. What is the point in blogging and writing when nothing changes?
Asheville City Council is going to hold a public hearing on annexations tonight. The agenda is short on items if long on time. One would not want ugly, controversial content on the agenda while wooing and placating people showing up to express their anger over their involuntary annexation.
But then, the city has put a budget presentation on the agenda. In it, the city manager expressed an interest in “growing our organization.” Meanwhile, taxpayers are eating Ramen and driving less. The budget report includes an attachment highlighting progress in council’s “strategic initiatives.”
To make the city more affordable, the city continues to support a Housing Trust Fund. Mountain Housing Opportunities receives so much from the revolving loan, it is almost as if it has its own community chest. The city will also continue to provide housing and professional fees for its chronic homeless.
To be fiscally responsible, the city boasts it has accepted more than $8 million from the federal deficit via the ARRA, and it will continue to try to get more. In addition, the city will drop its fund balance to 14.5% of expenditures. Although the state allows it to drop to 8%, the city until now had a policy to keep it at a minimum of 15%.
To be green and sustainable, the city is accepting additional grants from the federal government. It is also furthering its program of providing loans at better rates than financial institutions can offer to persons wanting to green-up their homes with retrofits.
To grow jobs and develop the community, the city contributed $100,000 to start a satellite pharmacy school at UNCA. It accepted more federal funds for a small business incubator. Through its Minority Business Program, it “provides outreach and assistance in helping historically underserved businesses achieve certification through the Statewide Uniform Certification Program.”
To be safe, the city is setting up a substation just a few blocks away from police headquarters. Also keeping the city safe are the City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy internship program and 21st Century Community Learning Center sites for academic enrichment.
In another staff report, describing the moving of utility lines to accommodate a bike path, the city attorney or his spell checker freudianly stated:
This action complies with the City’s Strategic Operating Plan in that it facilitates the implementation of a multi-million [sic. but not sic.] transportation plan and indirectly supports the River Front redevelopment efforts.
In yet another report, the city boasted getting federal funds through reworks of federal formulations that will allow it to keep the empty buses rolling at night. It is another example of how the federal government makes local governments dependent on its gifts. Local governments have to comply with guidelines to be worthy, or find ways to grow government in strange directions to continue to be worthy. Dial-a-Ride service is not considered as green as running empty buses because buses raise awareness.
