The words of the Song go, "You can't always get what you want, but if you try real hard, you just might find, You can get what you need."
Of course there is a problem sometimes, telling wants from needs.
There are public needs and as citizens it is our responsibility to satisfy them.
But there seems to be a problem with this.
Each year we send more money than the year before to our Public Servants to acheive this and each year they spend more than we sent them and ask for more.
There does not seem to be an end to this bottomless process.
On March the 6th there will be yet another request to add more and more to what we have so far provided.
Yet another Local Option Sales Tax Extension will be on the ballot.
We are told this is "needed". If true one might ask why it was so necessary to have the extra expense of a Special Election, instead of placing it on the June Ballot?
That, folks is a symptom of people whose only reaction to public wants is to spend more and more money and then ask for yet more.
Another example is their insistance that we must under go the astronomical expense of Removable Floodwalls, because we are told that permanent ones would be Ugly.
That friends is not true. But we are dealing with folks who can only spend money.
No problem is unique and surely other communities have had this same issue.
One which has used some creative thought is Pacucah, Kentucky,
They live on the Ohio river and have a permanent floodwall, but instead of something ugly they have made it an example of Art and Beauty,.
PADUCAH Wall to Wall
Paducah's History on Floodwall Murals
by Dafford Muralists
Their floodwall has historical murals of the community, They sell Posters, Signed & Numbered Prints, T-shirts and Postcards.
People make a living giving Tours of the Floodwall. It has become a Landmark and Tourist attraction.
But in Cedar Rapids the only answer has been to spend millions of dollars and, raise our Taxes.
Before we vote to give the City more of our hard earned income, We need to see that they can spend what we have already given wisely
Eveyone know we "need" Flood Control but do we really need the millions and millions of extra expense and higher taxation that they want?
Ask yourself that in the same manner that you might in these difficult times looks at your own needs and wants to create a budget for your household
Updated: Sunday, 19 February 2012 1:45 AM CST
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