07-13-09 Common Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING JULY 13, 2009 money. She stated that the Council has the facts to make this decision. She noted that when a business experiences hard times, they lay people off, trim expenditures and cut costs wherever they can. The City has done that and has been doing that and will continue to do it with Council support. She stated that families cut expenses by not eating out, and not buying things they don’t need, she stated that she has done that too. Ms. Pfeifer stated that some families get additional jobs, also as an alternative. She stated that she knows several moms that would love to be stay at home moms, but have chosen to work outside home and make those kinds of sacrifices. She stated that the City has made sacrifices and cut fat, but clearly the City is down to the bone, and you cannot cut bone. She stated that she has talked to many citizens both in the city and in the county and it was the consensus that the residents want the same amount of services or more, but they don’t want to pay any additional cost for it. She stated that she remembered how gut wrenching it was when she was on Council and had to make the tough decisions on whether to keep or cut a certain program. She remembered when the residents on the west side complained that they did not have a pool or water outlet and they brainstormed together to get the Kennedy Water Park opened. She stated that some say it’s a silly little water park, but there are families there everyday during the summer enjoying that facility. She stated that it would be gut wrenching and heart breaking to close that facility that they fought so hard to get. She stated that she remembers all the years of neglect at LaSalle Park and now there is a walking path around it. The director at LaSalle Park Gail Brody has established a wonderful working relationship with the South Bend Police Department. She urged the Council to form a committee to study, learn and look at various positions in the City before any cuts are made. She stated that when resident need help the first people they call are the police and fire and they expect them to show up immediately to help them. She stated that because the City had money in its rainy day fund, when the ice storm came last winter, it was that money that made the clean up of that disaster possible. She asked the Council to bite the bullet, step up and do the right thing and pass the increase to the LOIT taxes so the residents of South Bend can continue to have a wonderful city. rd Ms. Barbara Wade, 1122 S. 23 Street, South Bend, Indiana, stated that she is a resident of River Park and has lived in the community for over 30 years. She stated that she admits that she has never gotten involved in politics or government and would like to tell Mr. Niezgodski that she has many reasons, but no excuses. She stated that the reason she is here tonight is that some convictions have surfaced with this tax issue. She stated that when her mother was going to vote for an increase in a school tax that were being proposed, her mother stated that she realizes that she no longer has any children in school, but there are other children coming up in the school system and those children are the future. Ms. Wade also commented on a discussion she had with her mother-in-law regarding the local option income tax. She stated that her mother-in-law wanted no part of any kind of tax increase, however, that the city needed to do something about the property taxes because they are a mess. She stated that as they continued to talk it was realized that an educational process could happen here. They talked about the City having a choice and she stated that what is so ironic about coming and speaking here tonight for the very first time is that opting to be in favor of an action which puts the city $2 million dollars in the hole instead of $6 million dollars in the hole, there is something ironic about that, someone said earlier it’s the lesser of two evils. She stated that at a River Park Neighborhood Association Meeting residents were complaining of trash in alleys and that it was taking a long period of time before Code Enforcement came out and sighted the property owner and cleaned up the debris. After discussion it was realized that city services were not going increasing and that it was the association’s responsibility to education their residents on keeping up on code issues. She stated that she understands that the Council has a difficult decision tonight and encouraged them to vote for the tax increase. She stated that she wants to be a part of a community that she considers to be a “we” community rather than a “me” community. Mr. Joe Nycum, 53157 Cedar Lake, Granger, Indiana, stated that he lives in St. Joseph County and works in South Bend. He stated that he is proud to tell people where he is from and that South Bend puts us on the map. He stated that there are many great and wonderful things that this city provides for its citizens, not only to the city, but St. Joseph 21