Yeah, not so fast.
I mean, I’m just as tickled as the next person out here that after years of scrimping, there’s money in the bank at city hall. It’s been a long stretch of closing libraries, filing hit-and-runs online, and driving to Parker — freaking Parker for gawdsake — to sit in a real events center. So it was wonderful to hear that things have been picking up here in Aurora, and there was what looked to be a little financial windfall.
Well that perky economic news has turned into a whopping gale-fall of 32 million clams. That’s right, the city predicts it will collect around $32 million more than what it expected.
Coincidentally, about the time it looked like the municipal cash-wind was picking up, police reminded everyone that they just must, must, must have a new police and firefighter training center. The price tag on that? $37 million. Yeah, me, too. What-the-hell kind of training center costs almost $40 million? The fancy new city hall on Alameda? You know, the one with giant stone atrium, the 780-car parking garage, the football-field sized front lawn and 300,000 square feet of the only class-A office space in the entire city? That cost $70 million.
Now I’m not saying that cops and firefighters don’t need something other than the hand-me-down classrooms up at Fitzsimons. But why does it cost $15 million to build a new firing range? Even I could become a decent shot at a place like that.
This is the equivalent of coming home to announce that you finally got that big bonus the boss has been promising for the past few years, dreaming of new skis, maybe a trip to someplace beachy — only to find out the furnace crapped out and the dog, who hates you, has to have hip dysplasia surgery that will cost more than your car.
Not that I’m being cynical here, and I’m freely admitting that I think cynicism is hot, but all of the sudden the city has whittled down this super-cop center down to $23 million.
Looks to me like this is done deal. That despite the warning by some old-timers on city council warning that if we build this Disneyland for do-gooders, we will all be dead and gone before the city ever builds anything big again.
They’re right. And I hope every one of Aurora’s 11 voting council members understands that taxpayers and whiners like me are going to be burning mad if Aurora finally gets a little money and it all goes to this. Especially since the city is expecting big budget shortfalls after this year and maybe even from then on.
Mayor Steve Hogan, who has seen many of these budget rodeos before, saw it all coming. Last week, suddenly, he suggested that there are lots of things Aurora residents want and need. The city wants rec centers, just like the ones that everyone else in the metro area has. Residents want an event center so that the biggest venue in the city won’t be Gateway High School anymore. And everyone on city council knows that if we don’t build more and better parking at the light-rail stations coming down the track right now, they will become parking nightmares right after they open that will cost a gazillion dollars to fix later on. So Hogan suggested that the city start what spendy liberals might call a capital project plan, but what I say is an empty promise. Hogan is essentially saying, drop the money on the police training center and spend a little on plans for stuff voters here really want. It’s like forking over your bonus for that new roof you need on the house and setting aside enough for a fitting for skis and boots you can no longer afford.
Sorry, but that’s just not good enough. If the city wants a capital project plan that’s going to work, we all have to suffer and celebrate together. Set the windfall aside, please. Then create a capital improvement plan that includes the public safety training center, an events center, parking and whatever else city lawmakers and a committee decide is doable, subtract the little nest-egg and ask voters for the rest. That way, you’ve got police out stumping for the tax increase. You’ve got firefighters demanding it. You’ve got the rec-center crowd knocking on doors. You’ve got the arts crowd twisting arms. You have everyone pushing at the same time. And voters? They listen to cops and firefighters. If cops and firefighters get the center now, Aurora loses the loudest, strongest voices for raising taxes it will have for years and years to come.
Make it so that everyone wins with this plan, or everyone loses. And if the plan fails? I really need some new skis.
Reach editor Dave Perry at 303-750-7555 or dperry@aurorasentinel.com.
Why does the city have to spend a windfall? Every bureaucrat assumes that extra money that was pulled out of the taxpayer must be spent. Why? Either save it or return it to John Q taxpayer. If returned to the tax payer through lower future taxes, that money gets spent in many more places locally rather than one large firm who builds an extravagant building that serves but a few.
I agree. Why can’t it be reserved to be used to meet the forecasted budget shortfalls Aurora will be facing in a year or two? Why over spend now and then close libraries and swimming pools again later because of budget short falls? What our city council needs is a little common sense. Let’s send them back to school to learn the art of budgeting and how to responsible spend city money.
Wow, you have it right Dave.
I apologize for thinking you fell off the left wing cliff.
Dave,
When you say “the police” reminded everyone they must have a new training facility, I can only think it’s something Chief Oates wants. Nobody is allowed to implement a thing unless he tells them they can or can’t do it first. Or else….
I think council will indeed spend the money because they think of this Chief as the second coming of Christ.
Once built, I hope council names it after Dan Oates. Much like Arapahoe gave the honor to Patrick Sullivan at the detention center.
Just make sure the name is easy to remove or cover up later council!
Dave, you got this one right. A windfall for one year but with no solution to Aurora’s “structural deficiency”, but who needs to look down the road to lost revenue from tap fee reductions and big payments for Prairie Waters.
Put on your Saturday night outfit and boogie down for tomorrow is someone else’s problem. But wait problem solved, just spend that big Tabour reserve, tap the water reverse and count all the magical money Aurora will get from Gaylord.
Council woman Renie Peterson has floored more than a few with the comment she made 3 days ago.
Renie is talking like a conservative all of a sudden. What happened Renie, did you switch parties?