REALITY CHECK

Well it looks like our Mayor and City Council will have to face the facts. Many of us regular citizens have been trying to tell them for a long time that New Albany is "broke" and now it has hit home.



Daniel Suddeath has an article in the Tribune titled "More money or big problems ahead for New Albany?" Since there does not appear to be any money falling out of the sky it looks like big problems to me.



We all know that the city had to use the rainy day fund to balance the 2008 budget. I hope there is something left for another rainy day because it looks like there is a tsunami headed our way in 2009. There is even talk about "downsizing" the city staff. Please Mr. Mayor and Council find another way. There have been enough jobs lost in Southern Indiana. Maybe if all of the employees agree to work with the same salary for 2009 as the earned in 2008 we could save these people's jobs.



Another issue discussed in the article was raising property tax and sewer rates. YIKES!!! I don't know the answer here except again I hope they find another way. Personally, I have not had a salary increase since 2007 and my husband is on a fixed income. We are stretched to the max now. There are undoubtedly others like us and some in worse shape.



All we can hope for now is for the Mayor and Council to use wisdom and practicality when planning the 2009 budget. My prayers are with them.