Letter to the Editor - the devil is in the details of Kirkland’s budget

Dear Editor:

For 22 years, the council has always proclaimed their budgets were very conservative.  Thanks to this budget session, we now know that wasn’t true.  It was all a lie.  There was money to be spent and lots of it, far exceeding what was necessary to run the city.  Now at a time when the budget should reflect what’s happening with the economy and our budgets, staff (using council “guidance”) has proposed a budget that still exceeds what it takes to run the city.

To balance the budget, the city needs to fill a $19 million dollar budget hole.  At the direction of council, staff proposes $7 million will come from new tax revenues, $3 million will come from CIP, one-time spending reductions, and from reserves, a move that will endanger our ability to cover emergencies.  About $9 million will come from reduced services to citizens and neighborhoods.  Shifting accounting methods is also proposed.

Last night’s budget business was all about who gets less and who pays more.  Each Councilmember wanted money for their special interest.  Using public funds collected from everyone should be spent benefiting everyone, not just a few.  Some in the audience were there to protect their own interest.  Out of the 48,000 Kirkland citizens, about 6 were there.  Everyone else worked for the city.  Preventing unnecessary fee and tax increases that reduce our ability to take care of ourselves is my special interest. 

There are still $1.25 million budget cuts that can be made without reducing services to the citizens.  The Communications Program Manager’s function could be accomplished just like before she was hired and the functions of the Economic Development Manager could and should be done by the Chamber of Commerce.  Service requests by staff to promote their departments should be eliminated when they do not serve citizens

Last night’s study session on next year’s budget comes closer to being conservative, almost frugal, but not quite.  Council still wants to spend more than what’s needed.  Money is being shifted and new “sustainable” budget terms are being bantered about trying to find a way to garner public acceptance.  The city manager wants a more “stabilized” budget.  If he gets it, it will mean higher fees and taxes and more of them.  While trying to attain the city’s sustainable budget, the council is ignoring our need to maintain our own sustainable budgets.

 Robert L. Style

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