Mayor's Proposed Budget Means Big Losses for the Eastside

Mayor Coleman has unveiled his weakly veiled budget proposal today. One could say it has been slashed with a hatchet. I am still wondering if we are playing a game of political posturing. Are citizens being set up like pawns to try to create a checkmate for the Governor? Is Coleman threatening these things while casting the blame on the governor in an attempt to raise public ire toward the Governor and deflect it from himself? (He is currently running for re-election after all) Later Coleman could swoop in, reduce the terrible cuts, and come out like a hero. He won't be a hero in my book - a back stabber never could be.

The proposal calls for gross cuts to police, fire, public works, libraries, and rec centers. The East Side is already suffering with the services at their current levels. The cuts will be devastating! Let's just take the rec centers for an example: During the last round of cuts the East Side lost 2 of it's 12 rec centers. The new proposed cuts would remove 3 more rec centers leaving only 7 of the original 12! And this plan comes from a guy who has appeared countless times at community events all over the East Side only to boast about his passion for youth and his commitment to providing off-school hours programming for them. Instead, fewer rec centers means more youth out on the streets, joining gangs, and doing crimes. How will our reduced police force deal with that!?! Mayor Coleman the buck stops with you and any City Council members who vote to pass your back-stabbing budget!