No more excuses: Balance the budget

Here in East China for decades we have neglected the duty to balance our budget. I have been on the board for 5 of them and none have ever been balanced-I've voted no on each one as well for that exact reason.

I have sounded the alarm for years and have been simply ignored. At this point the state does have an eye on us because our level of fund balance is an an all time low when it comes to %. We are about to dip below 10%.

The  majority of the board has focused on cutting everyone at the bottom while giving pay raises to those at the top or modestly cutting (recently.)

I have sounded the alarm and at this point it is almost too late. If the board does not start cutting in coming years; and if the state does not increase funding (which they may-I'd depend on that, before the board) then we could get into a deficit situation.

My prediction is that the state will modestly increase funding and that may save the board, but there are still costs that will be increasing from retirement to health care. The board will privatize everything that they can and not cut anything else.

We need leadership and not the continued kicking of the can down the road. I know it's not a popular discussion, but it will be even less popular when the Governor has to come in and take care of what we were elected to do. No more excuses, BALANCE our budget!

Allen Reichle