×

Get out of the 1980s

Perhaps we need some local Donald Trumpism in 2017 to cut costs and downsize government to meet the stagnant population which has been:

1970: City, 11,427; County, 37,721. 1980: City, 9,617 ; County, 38,921. 1990: City, 9,230; County, 37,182. 2000: City, 9,149; County, 37,914. 2010: City, 9,772 ; County, 39,238.

The county is purchasing the previously taxed Piper Blue Building to move offices near the city-owned airport. This decision will commensurately lure visitors and staff out of the downtown which will reduce retail and service revenue as it pulls rental income from the private, taxpaying, sector. However, I suspect there were important issues to consider (which were shared with the public) and it seems that our county is in good hands. So we need to rely on their judgment.

But I don’t share that level of confidence with most city council members. The city council, after a whopping 16-percent tax increase, levied same to create a 7 percent excess fund balance (which I’m sure they’ll spend) and is undecided to furlough City Manager Richard Marcinkevage. If you know Rich, you can’t help but like him and his recent recognition is well deserved. However, there’s zero logic to paying two city managers with a stagnant population.

Mr. Marcinkevage indicated he would transition Manager No. 2, but would not remain long term. He since determined that his services may be needed for the PennDOT building move and to assure the new $33 million sewage treatment plant is finally going to operate as designed. This is how government gets fat.

Staff doesn’t dictate to management, boys and girls. If this was your own $75,000 salary expense for Manager No.1, you’d throw your mother under a bus to eliminate the cost. Pay Mr. Marcinkevage a consulting fee if his services are needed on Second Avenue or Hanna Street, but do not keep someone on payroll, which should be a variable expense tied to revenue and growth.

With the astounding designation of being the third poorest city in Pennsylvania measured by median household income, Lock Haven employs a full-time engineer and I believe a full-time draftsman. If the city occasionally needs a draftsman, it can buy one for $20 an hour. We now have less private construction with new restrictive codes and mandated engineer approvals. Am I the only person who comprehends that it now costs 15 times more for a permit than it did two years ago?

City expenses have far exceeded the consumer price index, with costs going up and up as population flat-lines. If your elected officials don’t furlough Mr. Marcinkevage after 40 years of service with a big pension, oust them! These political patterns got Trump elected despite his non-traditional, but businesslike behavior. Taxpayers are sick of 44 billion airplanes. They know when elected officials make dumb decisions.

Meanwhile, City Council members benefited with a 300 percent pay hike from $1,200 a year to $3,600, while the mayor had to survive with a 266 percent hike from $1,800 to $4,800. When was the last time your Social Security or wage rate went up 300 percent?

The Don might do something like this:

1. Retire the manager, save $75,000.

2. Layoff the draftsman , save $17,800.

3. Terminate a part-timer, save $11,238.

4. Terminate a full-time meter enforcement officer, save $22,512.

5. Save meter operating losses, save $38,000.

6. Reduce airport manager’s salary by 20 percent, save $14,000.

7. Save payroll taxes and benefits, $37,120.

I estimate this all will save a total of $215,670.

When one has power to simply raise revenue from captive taxpayers, they don’t care how much is spent because there’s always water in the well. Worse, our city does little proactively. It gives virtually no emphasis to economic growth. The city planner isn’t too busy to devote 50 percent of the time to development. And, I’d rather pay some consultant a fat fee to slash waste so the police and fire departments don’t need to grovel around for a new hose.

The city may sue the contractor who messed up the treatment plant, which is what it should do. Next it should sue Comcast to learn if they will drop the price of cable service to an amount less than folks’ mortgage payment. That’s why lawyers were invented. Form a committee to investigate this complex matter and seek a competitor. In the business world we call this a Diagnostic Analysis and Review Committee. Give others five years’ free access instead of always telling us, “We have no control. We get 5 percent and that’s it.”

The county jail, with its staff and visitors, was moved to McElhattan, despite a far more practical structure proposed by architect Charles Grieb. We shuttle prisoners back and forth 14 miles and bus students to our new high school, and your taxes have more than doubled since those stupid decisions. Officials said the old high school complex couldn’t be economically restored or rebuilt. Of course, this site is now home to the beautiful new LHU East Campus.

In keeping with what I believe is a history of hiding bad news, the city never announced that on Nov. 28, 2016, a courtesy letter was sent from my office with a draft Writ of Mandamus containing eight-plus counts where the city is, or could be, violating its own laws or failing to take action to protect citizens. These issues deal with:

1. Allegedly failing to properly secure parking tickets to vehicles in accordance with prior court orders.

2. Allegedly failing to notify parking violators of citations before the fine is increased in accordance with prior court orders.

3. Clearly and consistently allegedly failing to identify streets after repeated requests.

4. Allegedly failing to enforce weed ordinances.

5. Allegedly failing to enforce abandoned vehicle ordinances.

6. Allegedly failing to enforce health and safety codes and ordinances at the Falling Hotel.

7. Preparing unreconciled financial reports not able to be deciphered by the public.

8. Allegedly failing to enforce permissible sound levels and vehicular noise limits on its CBD raceway, where four people have been struck by cars.

While I do not want the city to incur legal fees, the administration and council’s lack of change and unprogressive attitude are so repulsive that I decided it was better to have a judge determine whether it breaks its own laws. “Vice Mayor” Steve Stevenson wants to hide anything from the public that might be considered negative.

After 50 years, our new mayor finally got approval for outside cafes, but council levied a fee!

Come to Florida, children, and learn how to give free parking, authorize cafes to flow into the street, deal with slow and congested two-way traffic (so people stop and spend), light the downtown with neon and beautiful murals, eliminate nuisance fees like the one you just levied for cafes, and stop chasing business out of town. Then collect more money with business taxes, increased occupancy, upper-floor development and higher real estate values instead of taxing seniors on Fairview Street to pay for your stupidity. When the private sector makes more money, government makes more money.

I once commissioned Beech Creek artist Steven Kress to paint a large mural of city founder Jerry Church in Willards Alley behind the Simon Building.

The alley was named after Jerry’s brother.

Next, I restored the Bull Durham sign on the side of the same building. After erecting the “Historic Lock Haven” letters on the corner of Grove and East Main, there was opposition every single step of the way. Now 30 years later, small-town U.S.A. embraces this type of art. We’re truly 30 years “behind the times.”

Everyone is moving out! Let’s move City Hall to Mill Hall where they raised taxes 77 percent. They’ll get along fine together.

By the way, thanks, Santa Stevenson, for promoting your Christmas parking rate hike because you think our city is equal to Williamsport and State College. Send some more business to Hogan Boulevard. Maybe higher parking rates will help to pay for the second meter enforcement officer recently hired, or offset the cost of booting shoppers’ vehicles even with accounting mistakes or disappearing paper tickets. My audit indicates the city actually loses money on meters and the single benefit is more money for more quarters for more staff. I wouldn’t trust most in this bunch to run a lemonade stand.

Finally, some of what I suggest above only represents models. I have not determined whether these changes are practical, but only purport there is a staring need to downsize, focus on cost controls and get out of the 1980s.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $3.69/week.

Subscribe Today