Posted on 11/15/2010 9:13:48 AM PST by MichCapCon
In the City of Jackson, the discussion at city hall involves cutting police and fire by as many as 35 positions while the city runs two public pools that are swimming in red ink.
Jackson is among many cities in the state that operates recreational opportunities - at a loss - while other core services are put on the chopping block.
According to the city's budget, Jackson lost about $132,000 in 2008-09 by operating its two pools. The city also lost another $7,500 on its golf center. Jackson owns one 18-hole golf course, but its expenses are grouped in with the maintenance of the 530-acre Ella Sharp Park, said Brandon Ransom, the city's parks, recreation and grounds director.
Ransom said the city was trying to balance cultural and quality of life opportunities with core services like police and fire.
"If all you have is police and firemen riding around ... without cultural opportunities that add to the quality of life, then you have a void in the community," Ransom said...
(Excerpt) Read more at michigancapitolconfidential.com ...
City uses the BLACKMAIL of cutting cops...
“If we don’t raise taxes, all the city pools will close”
people with any common sense would say “Fine, close them”
we need to answer them about cops the same way...”FINE fire them... fire the mayor too that will also save money!”
Well gee I’d love to not spend my paycheck on things like food and heat and buy a 50” flat panel HDTV instead. /s
That’s not all public pools swim in.....
I figured it would be yellow ink.
These so called “public servants” who hold public office hate those they are supposed to be serving. There is no other explanation for this nonsense.
Wow, this governing stuff is hard.
Can't do that if your brother in law has a big fat contract to supply pool chemicals to the city pools at five times the open market rate or you cousin has the maintenance contract on the buildings. Let them cut the cops. Around here I see traffic fund raisers at least twice a week and every time I see them I think of all of the unsolved real crimes that are going ignored while these shakedown artists in blue ply their trade.
I know, I know...I slipped into 'Common Sense Land'.
It’s not like they don’t have any lakes around Jackson, MI. Cut the cops, because there’s never any danger from people escaping for Jackson Prison.
Are the Jackson police responsible for guarding the Jackson prison?
Are you sure that this isn't satire? This quote could very well have been lifted from "Atlas Shrugged".
somebody's stuck on stupid.
You can't make this stuff up.
Makes a lot of sense.
In Dallas they cut on the police but keep the subsidies to the water park.
Makes perfect sense, we all know that’s the purpose of government, provide abortions on demand and pay for water parks.
You’ll note how this works, folks...
They cut cops and fire to create a climate of fear, but NOT the pools and waterparks that will get soccer mama out in to the streets protesting.
Most people won’t get how bad off we really are until the streetlights go out, and we may very well be approaching that, in some places.
I don’t know, probably federal prison correction officers are charged with maintaining order in the facility. But if the baddies bust out, it’d be up to the Jackson PoPo to contain them till the cavalry arrives.
You must live in the GA-400 corridor like I do.
This weekend - blue lights all up and down 400! Almost as many as at the end of month “revenue enhancement” session.
On 85, 285, and Ptree industrial. Usually only use 400 ITP, but there was one with a radar gun on an overpass just north of the toll boths week before last.
In our area there is a “Mega church” that has as part of it’s outreach program a huge and modern gym. It just opened up a huge swimming pool as well and charges a nominal fee. They expected to run it at a loss for awhile, but chalk it up to “community service and outreach”.
After only two months they are making enough money to break even on it (maintenence, etc.). I think the expensive initial cost of it is not taken into account as it was built with donations.
But - lots of opportunities for citizens, businesses, or churches to fill in for a lot of these types of things. Although I can’t imagine the hoops the church had to go through with building permits, health requirements, etc. to build their own large pool.
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