Page 4, paragraph 3 in "How to Keep Taxes High by Scaring the Voters for Dummies". Otherwise know as the Liberal Bible.
Notice how they never threaten to layoff any non essential personel? Like maybe someone in the parks department. Or eliminate that grant to Planned Parenthood, or the planned city park for dogs, or any of the other pet projects of the local bluebloods?
The list of stuff that is untouchable is virtually endless, the first things that must go are always police, fire & ambulance. Hillsborough County Florida used this technique quite successfully to get a sales tax increase to fund goodies for the Tampa Bay Bucs.
Allow me to make a humble suggestion: any time similar bluff and bluster comes from the mayor's office or the town council, a full-page ad should be taken out in the local newspaper with a list of non-essential stuff that should be cut waaaaay before cops and firemen. Collecting for the ad should not be difficult...
As much growth as we in Hillsborough have had over the past 10 years (with little to no signs of a slow down), it is incredible to hear the County Commision poor-mouthing about the tax cuts. Heck, the growth along US 301 between Riverview and Sun City alone must have added several million dollars per year.
They are worse than drug addicts.