Today's Chiefs are Victims of Success

One budget hearing a few years ago took a turn at getting rather tight between infrastructure improvements and police improvements. At a break, council asked if I really needed what I was asking for. My only statement to them was, "Could you stand answering to the public for bullet holes or for pot holes?" They did not say anything and I walked off. That night, I got my entire budget.

This year, in open council, they asked how I viewed my budget. I replied, "It's like feeding an Irish family; everybody will get something; but nobody will get full" (meaning it was adequate but no fat). Some years are lean and some are good. Maybe the next column will be on stretching the budget.