THUD, the Lead Balloon

“A lead balloon”, “ the elephant in the room”, “ an Albatross” , call it what you want, but the fact remains nobody wants to own it at the end of the day.

Interestingly enough is that the “lead balloon” is rapidly becoming the city staff, and not the budget, deficit, etc.. I say city staff due to the years of incompetent management by the city manager, city finance officer, deputy city manager, and H.R. director. The current crisis would be but a nominal slow down if it weren’t for the past years of continued mismanagement of taxpayer money.

Now it seems as if the council and mayor will be content to buy in and own the city managements years of incompetence. The economy down turn did not create, but exposed the under handed misuse of the voters tax money.

The city management was caught taking money from the water department to pay for capital improvements, which was obviously illegal due to the “out of court settlement” to pay it back. The ambulance fund cost the city 17 million not 5 million as previously stated. The city negotiated a contract to re-structure police officers salary and then take the savings and pay for the 3@50 PERS retirement plan, but instead of using the concessions for the contracted purpose instead used it to build the arena, and then had to go into debt to PERS to pay up. They taxed the citizens, Measure W, for extra police and fire personnel, and then now plan layoffs. The trees are dying, the roads are a mess, but there is no need to go on,..... you get the message.

The city manager and staff are in way over their heads, and continue to offer completely unrealistic overnight solutions to a problem which was years in the making. Then suggest going into debt to buy minor league sports teams.

All the while the city manager sits on 160 million dollars of Capital Improvement Project funds, for projects which will not be started for 10 to 15 years, along with the city of Stockton sitting on 1.2 billion dollars worth of net assets. In spite of this usable wealth the mayor, council, and management toy and threaten the taxpayers with claiming bankruptcy and reducing vital services. Does anyone really think any municipality can simply claim bankruptcy and then have a judge re-negotiate a contract for .50 cents on the dollar, not going to happen. An industry standard will be used and awarded.

Just as the city government toys with bankruptcy and destroying a community with short term solutions and goals, the voters now toy with RECALL. One would have to be a total goof to think this council and mayor will survive a bankruptcy and the reduction of public safety, all the while keeping the same city management team in place.

So the political career question is, “who wants to hold the “lead balloon”? Poli-Sci 101 tells us at this point a change in management is way over due, or the elected officials will own the problems created by city management.

The mayor and council have two options,...... wash their hands of city management or start planning for the recall.

Time to change the coach!


(Nothing here in is intended to aid or hinder the City of Stockton's Government process. All contents are simply opinions of the author and are not the opinions of any government office, department, entity, or business)