I was born and raised in Saginaw and apart for a few brief years
have owned & operated a business in this city for nearly 24-years.
I choose to live and work here because it is centrally located within the
state, offers an incredibly dynamic universe of cultural & recreational
opportunities, and is for the most part friendly, charming, and affordable
in the sense that you don't have to spend $2,000 per month for a
one-bedroom apartment as you do in the 'big' cities.
Because of my profession and the role within this community I have chosen
to pursue, perhaps the most disturbing & troublesome news that has crossed
my plate over the past two decades is the proliferation of far too many
'horror stories' regarding City Government and the mismanagement of
resources and money.
Some of these tales I have investigated and published over the years. Many
I have not because I must weigh and balance the interest of breaking a
significant news story against the human & financial cost that would be
exacted upon the taxpayers of this city should such revelations become
public.
Frankly, after two decades I get nauseated when I look at all the positive
projects and strong potential Saginaw has to offer, only to see many of
them stalled, halted, or unable to achieve fruition simply because for two
decades far too much corruption and ineptitude at City Hall has gone
unchecked.
I'm not saying that in all cases these financial losses have been
intentional. Some have been dictated by the compromise of 'political
correctness' that sacrifices competence in the name of 'fashion', and have
resulted in foolish and costly blunders.
One example that comes to mind is when several years ago the City solicited
bids from Dunn & Bradstreet for new computer software - an accounts payable
package. Beyond the $100,000 cost of the software, there were additional
expenses of a consultant from Canada to train employees and trips to Texas
and Chicago made by a city purchasing agent and a member of the finance
department for training on the use of the software.
After incurring all these expenses, the decision was made that the software
was too sophisticated for the City's needs and it would be better suited to
Federal governmental accounting & methods.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to ask: 1) Why was the insuitability of
the package not determined prior to the expenditure and; 2) Why was no
refund requested from D&B when the package was determined to be unsuitable?
NEED FOR CHANGE
The problem with City Government is that it is not accountable to
the taxpayers or voters that grant it the power to exist. It is an issue
of control
The City of Saginaw is not a bad place to live, but our present City
Charter is a blueprint for failure. Written in 1936, the Saginaw City
Charter is out of date and out of touch.
The law provides for the periodic general revision of City Charters, which
is why a move is underway to follow that procedure to lay out a new future
for Saginaw.
According to Greg Schmid of Saginaw United Taxpayers, this initial stage of
the Charter Revision process will not dictate what changes will be made in
Saginaw's government. Instead, it sets up the functional equivalent of
Constitutional Convention for Saginaw where delegates of the people can
publicly debate a new framework for Saginaw's future, then submit a
carefully crafted new City Charter to voters.
"The City is too big to have at-large council elections," notes Schmid. "It
is impossible for candidates to effectively campaign to over 60,000 people."
"We need single-member districts of less than 10,000 people which each
elect a city council person. These districts (wards) would be set in simple
straight lines across the river according to the constitutional one-person
one-vote principles set down by the U.S. Supreme Court to guarantee
proportionate representation," he adds.
"The so-called 'Ward System' would unite Saginaw so we can concentrate on
'Bridges - not Rivers', and make sure that candidates will have an
incentive to go door-to-door to meet the voters."
A CENSORED LETTER
Regardless of what you think of Greg's father Allan Schmid, he is one of
the few people active in city politics I know of who takes the time to do
his homework.
It came to my attention that apparently Allan wrote a Letter to the Editor
on the city budget cuts, which was severely censured when it ran in The
Saginaw News.
Because of the fact that Schmid spent untold hours going through the budget
to find what he considers painless cuts, coupled with the fact that it is
the role of the media to inform the public on topics such as this, as
opposed to judging what they should and should not read, I am taking the
liberty to publish Schmid's analysis & letter intact.
You may not agree with some of his cuts, as I certainly have my own
reservations on a few of them, but at least he has taken the time to make
an intelligent dissection of a very complex topic.
WEIGHING THE FINANCIAL FUTURE OF SAGINAW
By Allan Schmid
Editorials in The Saginaw News and City Council members have said many
times over the last six months that the Saginaw City Budget cannot be cut
without reducing essential City services.
I have suggested many times that I disagreed with those assessments, and
that better management of City resources would have and still can provide
adequate levels of City services and still have surpluses.
I believe the best answer to Saginaw's problems can be addressed by a
complete revision of the city Charter providing a change to the district
system of electing council as opposed to the current at-large system.
I also believe a modification of the City manager's provisions in the City
Charter should be implemented so the administration of the City is
responsive to the voters of Saginaw.
This can be accomplished by a modified elected mayor who would be elected
frequently AND term limited and required to appoint a professional
administrator, with qualifications similar to our new City Manager, with
City Council approval.
I also believe that new Charter should:
1. Create 7 districts for Council that each run from the West line
of the City to the East line of the city in straight lines to eliminate the
Saginaw River from City politics.
2. Take the City out of the cemetery business.
3. Create a Public Safety Department that consolidates the police
and fire departments.
4. Encourage privatization by creating a Director of Privatization.
5. Require Mayor and Council approval of all City department heads.
6. Provide 2 year terms for Council and Mayor with term limits of 3
terms.
7. Pay Council members and Mayor an adequate salary to allow and
expect them to personally know the City' s requirements instead of relying
on bureaucratic synopsis.
In considering these changes I have gone over the 2002-2003 City budget to
look for specific savings that would not seriously impact essential City
services. The resulting numbers surprised even me.
The total budget reduction that follows amounts to an approximate total
savings of $7,658,000.00. After adding some new positions, the net annual
savings would be $7,158,000.00, which would reduce the general fund budget
from $38,039,586.00 to approximately $30,381,596.00.
These are the specific budget reductions:
City Attorney - 101-1734 - Reduce $326,000.00 (eliminate 4 employees)
City Manager - 101-1710 - Reduce $300,000.00 (eliminate 3 employees)
Employee Services - 101-1725 - Reduce $394,675.00 (eliminate department)
Elections - 101-1725 - Reduce $79,000.00 (reduce City precincts to 21 from
current 41)
Fiscal Services Administration - 101-1740 - Reduce $341,587.00 (eliminate
department)
Purchasing - 101-1742 - Reduce $51,000.00 (eliminate 1 employee)
Assessor - 101-1944 - Reduce $67,000.00 (eliminate 1 employee)
Cemeteries Operations - 101-1747 - Reduce $624,568.00 (eliminate and sell
cemeteries)
Planning & Econ. Development - 101-3863 - Reduce $618,967.00 (eliminate
department)
Public Works Administration - 101-4610 - Reduce $251,360.00 (eliminate
department)
Public Improvements - 101-4611 - Reduce $290,000.00 (eliminate ‡ of
department; put balance in Water & Sewer Dept.)
Street Lighting - 101-4620 - Reduce $260,000.00 (eliminate ‡ of department)
Summer Food Program - 101-6010 - Reduce $150,017.00 (eliminate department)
DNR Special Asses - 101-6030 - Reduce $150,000.00 (State mandated service
that Headlee Amendment prohibits)
Japanese Cultural Center - 101-7534 - Reduce $28,000.00 (cap expenditure at
$100,000.00)
Property Management - 101-7543 - Reduce $29,515.00 (give all property to
neighboring property owners; then enforce nuisance ordinances)
Park Grounds Maintenance - 101-7570 - Reduce $50,000.00 (eliminate 2
part-time positions)
Abatement of Nuisances - 101-7571 - Reduce $144,304.00 (eliminate; let
police enforce ordinance)
Information Systems Charges - 101-8545 - Reduce $500,000.00 (reduce ‡ and
spread charges to 21 other users who are undercharged)
Geographical Information Services - 101-8547 - Reduce $54,555.00 (eliminate
1 employee of Fund #650-1738)
Operating Transfers - 101-9660 - Reduce $408,000.00 (Reduce allocations to
these funds by: Capital Improvement $100K; Wave Pool $68,800.00; Andersen
Center $35K; Motor Pool $80K; Ins. Fund
$125K Police Department: Administration - 101-3010 - Reduce $331,961.00
Patrol - 101-3010 - Same budget, but eliminate 2 lieutenants, 5 sergeants,
1 deputy chief, AND ADD 14 additional police officers
Police Administrative Services - 101-3012 - Reduce $107,000.00 (eliminate 1
lieutenant)
Police Investigation - 101-3013 - Reduce $191,000.00 (eliminate 1
lieutenant and 1 dep. chief)
Police Records - 101-3750 - Reduce $95,000.00 (eliminate 1 sergeant)
Fire Department:
Fire Administration - 101-3750 - Reduce $536,435.00 (eliminate all positions)
Fire Suppression - 101-3751 - Reduce $1,464,000.00 (eliminate 7 fire
lieutenants, eliminate 6 fire captains, eliminate 2 fire battalion chiefs)
Eliminate all non-fire related emergency medical runs. This would add
another $1 million or more in savings.
Fire Apparatus Operation and Maintenance - 101-3754 - Reduce $270,297.00
(this item has been eliminated)
The above Police and Fire budgets presuppose a combination of Fire and
Police and thus, add a Director of Public Safety, plus a fire professional
and a police professional to head those departments, plus 3 administrative
assistants at a projected cost of $500,000.00 a year.
These reductions apply only to the General Fund Budget. The remaining City
Budget, which consists of approximately 68% of the total City spending of
$120 million has many areas that need careful study.
It consists of approximately $80 million in City spending over and above
the General Fund Budget.
Saginaw can be renewed. It will require hard work and a new Charter.
If you agree, call me at 799 4641 for a better Saginaw.
By the way, if any City employees want to vote against these changes, they
should consider moving back into the City so they are qualified to vote and
complain.
Very truly yours,
ALLAN C. SCHMID,
Chairman Revived Saginaw United Taxpayers
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