Diane Melendez
06-10-2007, 02:14 PM
While the Mayor and Finance Chairman Kevin Hyde make worried financial predictions about what the city is facing because of State proposed tax legislation, it does manage to divert attention from last summers budget promises that have so far gone undelivered. Last year the Duval County Health Department was shorted $750,000.00, but they were promised they would have first dibs on any savings the city came up with by the mid year budget review. SAVINGS???? Now, how surprised would you all be to learn, "No Money Honey"!!!! Now Robert Harmon the Health Department Director is put in the position to fight for what was promised. Hyde proposed that they get $250,000.00 in funds that would have been spent on "a wireless Internet project". But then they were told to raise their fees to get another $250,000.00. That still leaves them short $250,000.00. Harmon left a recent meeting at the city without any resolution.
We should all be seriously concerned to realize that basic community safety and health issues are being compromised in this city by the way they are funded and in this case, underfunded. Where does public safety figure into all of this?
We need to remain conscious of the fact that this administration is still chasing promised funds from last years budget which is a good part of the reason we are facing even more serious problems when looking at the new budget.
We should all be seriously concerned to realize that basic community safety and health issues are being compromised in this city by the way they are funded and in this case, underfunded. Where does public safety figure into all of this?
We need to remain conscious of the fact that this administration is still chasing promised funds from last years budget which is a good part of the reason we are facing even more serious problems when looking at the new budget.