LETTER: Growing list of expensive city projects shows poor planning

To Ozaukee Press:

  I was very surprised to open a recent issue of Ozaukee Press and read about how the city needs to build a new garage for its public works trucks and other equipment. This is just another example of the poor management of our city and its finances.

Our city is being run by people who fail to plan ahead. The first example is the water treatment plant. Second, the city refused to listen to its citizens about acquiring the closed clinic on the west side for a senior center. Was it because we couldn’t afford it? Well, now we seem to be able to afford a $35 million public safety building. 

  Now, I’m not disputing that these projects are needed. I think we all can agree that they are. What I am saying is that these are examples of poor planning by our elected representatives and department heads. 

  Normal people have to plan for big purchases. We can’t just go out and buy a car or a house without planning how to pay for it and make some sort of down payment. But the city seems to just think that we the taxpayers can just dig deeper into our pockets and retirement funds to pay for all of this. Well, my pocket has a hole in it. I think it’s time we push for some reform.

Peter Federspiel

Port Washington