Mr. Gordon, Is it really the peoples fault?

(Note: Mr. Keith Gordon is the Deputy Majority Leader in Meriden and represents Area 4, precincts 13, 15, 16 &17.)

Mr. Gordon, I take exception to your comments in the Record-Journal article April 18th ($177.2M city budget hearing is a quiet one) as to the lack of participation by the Meriden constituents. There are a number of reasons as to the lack of participation:

1. One main reason is that people are not very comfortable in a public speaking environment. Not everyone can get up in front of a group and express themselves.

2. In today’s environment (or rat race) everybody is on the go. Kids need to be taken to their activities like baseball, basketball, dancing lessons, etc. I myself am going to school to get my bachelors degree and with classes on Tuesday and Thursday’s from 5:30 to 10PM and homework on top of that, time is a constraint.

3. Apathy is another problem. People feel why bother when their complaints go unanswered. Complaints about raising taxes don’t seem to bother our city manager. Comments like our residents wouldn’t mind a few mills raised for the services provided I don’t believe are a correct assumption. I mind! I live in a house association and do not receive 100% of the city's services yet I pay 100% in taxes. (Another issue, another time.)

4. The bottom line is fiscal responsibility. Officials were elected to represent the people in their best interest. This means if the money is not there, we look to cut spending, not raise taxes. I balance my budget by cutting back when my expenses rise; I don’t have the option to ask my employer for more money.

If we cannot hold the budget so we don’t increase taxes, then we have the wrong leaders in place. People should be going to these meetings as emergencies rise and immediate actions are needed. We depend on our elected officials to manage the rest.

If this can’t be done, then we need to re-look at who we have running the city.