Post in Mayor Coleman - Please explain

May 09 19:09 UTC

At the pre-Fillmore exhibition last night I picked up this (attached) data from
the very informative Parks & Rec 2007 Annual Report.  I was somewhat taken
aback at how big some slices of the City pie are and how small others are.
Does this mean that some things cost so much more than others, or that we value
some things more and so spend more on them?  Or is that one in the same, i.e.
do we spend more on the things that we value more?  That is, do the size of the
slices simply reflect our value system and the state of our society?  Could the
Police slice be half as big if $34million were spent on creating 1,000
non-drug-dealing jobs at $34,000 each?

To put things into mathematical perspective:
$5000 is 0.00291% of the total budget
$5000 is 0.00735% of the Police budget
$5000 is 0.0112% of the Fire & Safety Services budget
$5000 is 0.307% of the Public Works budget

Combined, the Police (39.6%) and Fire (26.1%) budgets account for 65.7% of the
total.
Combined, Parks & Rec (14.1%) and Public Works (0.9%) account for 15.0% of the
total.

Sometimes I get the impression paranoid people won't be happy until the Police
slice is 50%.

My experiences with Public Works have been very good:

gravel alley improvements with one, funny phone call
RSVP street project communications have been clear and concise
consultation at Cullen Park concerning utilities
friendly and useful responses from Director Beese
agreement to meet with 3M to discuss LED lighting/energy savings
incredibly quick resurfacing and restriping of W 7th St
help sorting out "True Blue Tube" semi-tractor truck requirements
installation of "This Alley Under Observation" sign
replanting of Shepard Road trees
excellent snowplowing and street-sweeping
...

Of all the things to nit-pick, a 4.5% raise should be the least of our
concerns.  Is this meant to detract attention from the $6000 "accidentally
stolen" by those cops or what?

A Hine
District Nine