Comments on: Mayoral candidates joust over fire department cuts http://blogs.thestateonline.net/metrodesk/2009/11/04/mayoral-candidates-joust-over-fire-department-cuts/ Blogging local government in and around South Carolina’s capital city Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:29:03 -0500 hourly 1 By: RUKIDDIN http://blogs.thestateonline.net/metrodesk/2009/11/04/mayoral-candidates-joust-over-fire-department-cuts/comment-page-1/#comment-349 RUKIDDIN Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:56:23 +0000 http://blogs.thestateonline.net/metrodesk/?p=1701#comment-349 You get what you pay for. City Council should stop trying to spend money on re-election fluff programs and start focusing on quality service to the citizenry. Poor police and fire service means higher insurance rates. One $8mil parking garage would have covered the budget shortfall for the fire and police depts for 3 years... Finlay's plan is doublespeak that boils down to "we'll talk about it", which is what they have been doing for years (and see where that got us). You get what you pay for. City Council should stop trying to spend money on re-election fluff programs and start focusing on quality service to the citizenry.

Poor police and fire service means higher insurance rates.

One $8mil parking garage would have covered the budget shortfall for the fire and police depts for 3 years…

Finlay’s plan is doublespeak that boils down to “we’ll talk about it”, which is what they have been doing for years (and see where that got us).

]]> By: Sparkle Clark http://blogs.thestateonline.net/metrodesk/2009/11/04/mayoral-candidates-joust-over-fire-department-cuts/comment-page-1/#comment-348 Sparkle Clark Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:26:14 +0000 http://blogs.thestateonline.net/metrodesk/?p=1701#comment-348 I attended the City Council meeting on Oct. 21 in which the firefighter funding was discussed. The State reported the story the next morning. At that meeting, Councilwoman Gergel asked city staffers to make it a priority to see how quickly the two fire engines could get back into service. My plan is simple. Fund the firefighters. Look for budget cuts elsewhere instead of, a week later, allocating $150,000 to an outside group to see how to make city government more efficient. I bet the study comes back stating that funding your fire and police departments are top priorities. I believe there are alot more $150,000 bad choices hidden within the budget. I attended the City Council meeting on Oct. 21 in which the firefighter funding was discussed. The State reported the story the next morning. At that meeting, Councilwoman Gergel asked city staffers to make it a priority to see how quickly the two fire engines could get back into service.
My plan is simple. Fund the firefighters. Look for budget cuts elsewhere
instead of, a week later, allocating $150,000 to an outside group to see how to make city government more efficient. I bet the study comes back stating that funding your fire and police departments are top priorities.
I believe there are alot more $150,000 bad choices hidden within the budget.

]]> By: Benjamin calls on Columbia officials to restore firefighter funding http://blogs.thestateonline.net/metrodesk/2009/11/04/mayoral-candidates-joust-over-fire-department-cuts/comment-page-1/#comment-345 Benjamin calls on Columbia officials to restore firefighter funding Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:17:45 +0000 http://blogs.thestateonline.net/metrodesk/?p=1701#comment-345 [...] Adam Beam (The State) Posted in Around SC, Top Story [...] [...] Adam Beam (The State) Posted in Around SC, Top Story [...]

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