The United States federal budget deficit stands at 1.85 Trillion dollars for FY 2009 according to the Congressional Budget Office. An article here on the TR says the state of Ohio is looking at a 3.2 Billion dollar deficit this year. As I pointed out at council last Monday, the city's income tax revenue is down by 12.5 percent over the first 5 months of this year. That's the worse decline in income tax revenue since 1983. Will our city be faced with a possible deficit beginning next year?
President Obama plans on letting the Bush tax cuts expire at the end of this year, which will result in a tax increase. The state is kicking around increased sales taxes and perhaps rolling back the states tax cuts from 2005. Will the city have to do the same thing?
My point is, at every level of government we are spending more money than we have. You cant have deficit spending forever. Eventually they will either have to cut expenses (cut your services) or raise their revenue (increase your taxes.) Either way, we're in trouble. This isn't a Democrat problem or a Republican problem, it's an American problem. It's an Ohioan problem. It may soon become a Zanesvillian problem.
We have a responsibility, a sacred trust between generations, to be good stewards of our nations assets. Those who came before us paid a price for us, and we're paying the price for our children- only we're borrowing in their name. Think of this. We are about to use stimulus money to pave Pine street. It will probably need repaved in 10 years. If you have a 6 year old today, they will be paying taxes to pay for it's repaving today when they are old enough to drive, and will then have to pay to have it repaved again. Does that sound fair? They will be paying for something they will never see the benefits of.
When did we as Americans decide to take the easy route? When did we decide not to handle our problems head on and decide to pass the buck? We are living beyond our means, mortgaging our children's future for our own personal gain.
I call on all public servants to do just that, serve the people. Return to some level of fiscal responsibility, and quit squandering our nations treasures. From city council to the United States Senate, lets bite down hard, and take our own medicine. I call on all private citizens to get involved in the governing of our nation, our state, and our municipalities.
Politicians of all kinds have been running this country into the ground long enough. It's time for us to rise to the challenge, and face these goliaths head on. Demand better. Hold elected officials accountable. Speak out. Stand up. Be willing to make sacrifices. Be willing to fight. Let's put aside our political differences and stand together as Americans. Americans don't quit, we don't back down, and we don't take the easy way out. We do not bend, we do not bow, and we don't lie down, not without a fight we don't.
It starts with me and it starts with you. Are you ready?
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