The Manchester budget: backroom politics at its worst

[SoxFan]

On Tuesday night, Manchester aldermen Ted Gatsas and Mike Lopez presented their proposed budget for the 2010 fiscal year.

About an hour later, the board voted it through.

Think about this for a moment.

A $300 million budget that will have profound implications for the 115,000 residents of Manchester was passed without any time for serious examination by the public, the press, or the department heads responsible for its implementation. The most important vote we as a board make all year was taken without any chance to examine the underlying financial data, and without any opportunity to consult with the school board and school administration.

This is back-room, good old boy politics at its worst.

Put aside the fact that this budget underfunds law enforcement, public transportation, and education while refusing to make tough choices when it comes to other, more inefficient aspects of city government. From a purely procedural standpoint, Aldermen Gatsas and Lopez have chosen to throw the finger at the people they are supposed to represent. This budget is a classic case of good old boy politics run amok.

[Mopar151]

1. Wadda you expect?

ManchVegas politics are f*&^%$, just like the rest of the place. Anything bad about cities, you can find in half an hour in the Queen City.
Plenty of good people there, don't get me wrong - but an old friend was a "house dealer" at the "Zoo", and the hookers still work the park by the police station!

[BroccoliTowel]

2. local politics

is really good when it's good and really bad when it's bad

[zanana1]

3. Good to see you're still around, Soxfan!

I stopped receiving the newspaper whose name shall not be uttered, but I was reading it at my doctor's office a few days ago. It seems we're going to be losing even more paraprofessionals in the school system. I used to be one of these people, and let me tell you--they don't do it to get rich. They take tons of abuse from kids and the administration and are paid pauper's wages to top it off. Sportsfans, I know you'll think this is blashpemy, but I think that cutting sports out of the school system in Manchester would give us alot more money for actual academics. After all, isn't that what school is for or am I just old fashioned? As far as the good ole' boys club is concerned, I grew up here and wouldn't recognize Manchester without it. We only think we have a say; they're very good at giving us that impression.