Pomona fiscal Budget Woe’s
David, I wanted to share my opinion. So heres my rant.

The Pomona City government is facing another budget shortfall of $4.5M. Last year they outsourced a few city services like a few park maintenance positions, outsourcing street sweeping, building and safety and the like. The City departments were all asked to reduce their budgets by 10%, and most did.

Pomonas finance department under estimated future (2009 2010) revenues resulting in this years budget shortfall again! I presume they were expecting that the property values would take off and double. Nonetheless we are only way through the year and face another financial crisis.

Ideas that are currently floated within the City are to, close the Public Library, eliminate park maintenance, another round of layoffs that will further impede service, and reduce the Police department services, while delivering salary increases to the cops still on the payroll. In other words, Education, children services, and public safety take a back seat, because somehow the fiscally responsible thing to do is hand the control of the City to our gangs, and invite the uneducated hoards of surrounding gang members a promise of safe refuge.

Its time the City take bold steps that would build up the Pomona families and children.

Outsource the Police Department To LA County The Pomona Police Department is an expensive under performing City service. Aside from all the liability law suites that they create, they under serve the community. The City can obtain a larger Police presence, that are better trained, have state of the art technical equipment, and the backup of the entire LA County Sheriffs Department. Better service and capabilities at of the $50 million dollar price tag that they now consume.

Outsource the Public Library This is a service we may lose completely if something isnt done and savings arent obtained. We over pay the city Director and employees while cutting services to the public. A large portion of the public depends on the Library for education computer and internet services. Having the Library outsourced would decrease the general budget and still provide service to those that depend on the Library.

These two departments will no doubt rise to arms in an effort to remain at the Pomona money trough where they have grown use to gorging their huge appetites from.

However the citizens of Pomona must to rise up and insist that the Mayor, the City Council, and City bureaucrats do not create a disaster in our city, but take bold measures to insure we keep, and improve our vital City services to create a long term strategy that provides a financial surplus. Outsourcing these enormous and expensive services will do that.

[Overpaid librarians? Sounds like an oxymoron to me. -- DA]