Goldman says City Hall and City Council being fiscally irresponsible

Press release - Goldman for Mayor - March 11, 2008 - Contact: 804-833-6313


Goldman calls on Mayor, Council to make immediate spending cuts

"Since money is tight, as they concede, then why aren't the Mayor and City Council developing new plans for immediate spending cuts right now, as opposed to arguing about how large a tax increase, and how large an increase in record bureaucratic spending, they want to impose on Richmonders in the new budget staring July 1 of this year?"

(Richmond) - Calling on the Mayor and City Council to "stop arguing about how much they want to raise taxes and start acting to cut wasteful spending", Paul Goldman, candidate for Mayor, called on the city's elected leaders "take immediate action to cut spending since there potentially millions to save, by their own admission, during the last 3 1/2 months of this budget year."

Statement by Paul Goldman:

" Right now, City Council and the Mayor are arguing over how high to raise taxes on the public, how high to raise the salaries, perks and retirement benefits of their top aides, and how high to raise bureaucratic spending in next year's budget which starts on July 1, 2008.

But what is really needed by the people right now, as the economic crunch on Richmonders grows worse, is for the Mayor and City Council to stop bickering about how high they want to tax and spend, and start working together to make immediate reductions in the political lard of wasteful bureaucratic spending that is part of the current budget, as they have been forced to now concede given state reports, audits by the city officials, investigations by newspaper reporters and the findings of fiscally responsible citizens.

If the Mayor and City Council were serious about finally making an effort to reduce the record high wasteful administrative spending in the current city budget they passed last year, they could work together to save millions of dollars during the remainder of March, through April, May, and June. This period encompasses over a quarter of the current budget.

Since money is tight, as they concede, then why aren't the Mayor and City Council developing new plans for immediate spending cuts right now, as opposed to arguing about how large a tax increase, and how large an increase in record bureaucratic spending, they want to impose on Richmonders in the new budget staring July 1 of this year?"

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