Important FY 2012 Budget Documents -- How the City Spent Oil Revenues

In response to our questions during the budget hearing on oil revenues, City Manager responded to part of the question -- we asked for an accounting of the past 10 years  -- he only answered for 2006 to 2011.


If you click on this link you can read the answer in Attachment B of the memo.

Please note that with a few small exceptions, the oil revenues have been used just as Councilmembers Gabelich, Neal and I are proposing: to smooth out the deficit -- fund important city services.

That's why our "Public Safety and Quality of Life Protection Plan" is the responsible plan.
 We continue to use the additional revenue to smooth out the deficit and fund important police, fire and recreational services instead of spending on a "wish list" of projects. Click here to read the wish list being circulated at City Hall for spending oil revenues.

Here's why the Gabelich, Neal, Schipske "Public Safety and Quality of Life Protection Plan" is the MOST RESPONSIBLE -- we are proposing an incremental approach to using the revenue -- not spend it on one time projects.

It would be like if you and I received a raise -- would it be wiser to use it to go out and buy a new, bigger and better wide screen television or to use the monthly increase to pay for on going expenses?

If the oil revenue and other revenues for the city lessen next year, then we can adjust our spending immediately and make cuts as we go along. If we spend that revenue on one time projects -- it is spent and we cannot recover it. Now that would be irresponsible.

Come to the City Council chambers this Tuesday at 3 pm and tell the City Council in person what you think about the budget and whether or not you think the City should spend all at once now or do so on a month by month basis as being suggested by Councilmembers Gabelich, Neal and Schipske.