Another fun and exciting City Council meeting went down last night. The initial budget was presented. The graphics were good--A "Pyramid" showing essential---would be nice and Whoopee--things to spend money on. It Graphically showed how we might spend the measure F money. So I have 2 comments here that instantly come to mind---What does the "F" in measure F stand for with regard to the Taxpayer's here in wonderful down town Novato? And 2. Whatever happened to the Pharaohs' that were intent on spending to build the Pyramids? I think you might see where this is going!
It seems that measure F brought in more money than the Council had expected and so we have $6,000,000.00 ---6- MILLION dollars that we did not expect to have---Wunnerful--Wunnerful--you say!
Well, the well meaning councilors each questioned the bean counters on a few details and then expressed what they thought the money should be spent on.
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Until it got to Ekland--and there the Astroturf ended! Up until her turn the conversation was on how we spend the money--Oh, we put half on hold (that should placate the taxpayers)--then spend 3 million---- then ask the voters to extend measure F---(remember what that stands for?) --then we will have even more to spend---Wunnerful--Wunnerful. We had support for a Bocce Court---A Playground---- and Astroturf from here to yonder... to the tune of +/- 1 Million--We had new Cop Cars--SUV's instead of those old Fords--We liked the CHP model--and we have the money!!!! Oh and let us not forget to donate a million or so to the Novato Theater--that we bought--lost our keester on and took 28 years to do it.
We were having a good old time spending --until Ekland popped the Spending Balloon with a little reality check--let's see--what exactly was in that measure F Taxpayer Soliciting Brochure?--HMMMMMMM--something about emergency funds--sustaining services--saving the city from itself--because of that nasty old recession--that WILL happen again. Oh that was the reason the voters gave us the money--OH, I seem to have forgotten that in my exuberance to spend the money!
Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Then public comment reinforced the "back to earth" reasoning that the measure F--was actually for basic---sustainability of necessary city services ----NOT pie in the sky City Council "Philanthropy"---WITH TAXPAYERS MONEY!----Speaker after speaker contended that the money must be used for it's intended purpose----not spent Willy Nilly on great new "Things" that we just know in-our hearts the citizens want!
The Citizens WANT the money banked---to offset bad events--catastrophes---earthquakes---recession (that reoccur)--it is a sustainability source/fund---that WILL END--because measure F has a life---it is a TEMPORARY SALES TAX INCREASE---NOT a perpetual "Oh, Goodie" Fund!--The voters watching this council meeting would be insane to vote to extend measure "F"---Now what was it that the "F "stood for?---O Yeah---makes sense.
