HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 04-06 Worried Mayor DISPATCH Wand . ... ,
By Rouben Chanco •
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Worried mayor ,
Everyone knows mayors have taxes five months before it gets
their share of worries. the tax dollar.
And one doesn't have to be "It's a potential way of get-
head man of New York City to ting into trouble,' Bruton said
have wrinkled brows. during an interview.
Take Robert Bruton,mayor of He pointed out that the city's
Maplewood, a community with operating policies are realistic
about 25,000 residents. and not extravagant.
residents. , "But our financial policies are
HE HAS his worries about his not consistent hwith our
to boppeeratre-
-
city, small as Maplewood may viewedicies adey have
tie in comparison with New Another of Bruton's concerns
York or even St.Paul. surfaced at a council meeting
For instance, Bruton is foor- last month during a discussion
ried about following in the foot-
steps of the St.Paul school dis- of a seemingly innocent topic—
trict.He doesn't want his city to a backhoe-loader that the city
get into the same financial trou- decided to acquire.The machine
ble with its policy of borrowing is used primarily in ditch clean-
in anticipation of taxes. rn"The city seems to be acquir-
BRUTON says that by the end ing a lot of capital equipment.
of 1976,Maplewood will be op= It's going to cost us money in
erating in anticipation of 1977 maintenance;'Bruton comment-
ed.
"NEXT YEAR I can't see it
coming out of revenge sharing.,I
hope we're getting the right
stuff this year,because next year
it will be tougher."
Councilman Donald Wiegert
said the city was acquiring a lot
of equipment now because it
' held back last year.
In addition to the backhoe-
;, loader,Bruton said the city also
has replaced a number of police
vehicles,staff cars and trucks.
a Bruton is concerned, he ex-
t plained, because he feels that
next year revenue sharing.
,,m,t ', rishould be used for extraordinary
-'" '` '' things,not for normal operating
. expenses.
There are a lot of things we
Bruton See East Wind, Page 3
East Wind
Continued from Page 1
reed to do but we can't afford to'
do them all,"Bruton said.
THE CITY'S capital equip-
ment naturally brought up the
need for a municipal garage.
Councilman Burt Murdock
said at a council meeting he
would push for a referendum in
June for a municipal garage.
Murdock mentioned vandalism
of equipment as one reason for
the need of a garage.
Bruton agrees the city needs a
municipal garage.
"That's an asset," he said. "If
we put up a municipal garage,
it's not a piece of operating
equipment, like the backhoe,
that has to be replaced."
However, he pointed out that
generally people won't vote for
anything that will increase their
taxes. He said Maplewood resi-
dents might do it for the par-
amedic program, which they can
see as a personal service that
could directly benefit them.
But a municipal garage?
"It all depends on how effec
five a job we do of convincing,
residents of the need. It would'•
not be easy," Bruton said.
Add that to a mayor's list of
worries.