We hear it everywhere: The number one priority for this community is jobs. Nearly every city council member will tell you that. However, the City has drastically reduced over the past three years its funding for economic development.
2008 $1,148,000
2009 $525,492 – 54% cut
2010 $420,000 – 20% cut
2011 $300,000 recommendation – 40% cut …. 74% cut since 2008!!!!
Clearly City staff isn’t concerned about job creation and economic development, and the City Council isn’t willing to challenge them. How can the Mayor or the City Council say that they are serious about economic development when the spending is three-quarters less than just three years ago?
As so often is the case, the rhetoric of our elected officials doesn’t fit their actions.