On the 2008 Presidential Ballot, and before the hundreds of millions of dollars in loans that Baltimore City is requesting, we get to vote on the creation of a new 437-member department to handle the stuff that the Department of Public Works used to do. Here is The Baltimore Sun’s well-reasoned and clearly articulated guidance on this issue:
This is Mayor Sheila Dixon‘s way of putting a greater focus on managing the city’s 400 municipal buildings and its public vehicles and also improving energy use.
While we don’t believe city government needs to grow, officials say the 437-member department won’t cost taxpayers more money and should producing savings through energy efficiencies. That’s reason enough to approve it.
While I don’t believe that a taxpayer-funded department could possibly be created that won’t cost taxpayers more money, people who have a personal stake in creating the department tell me that, in fact, the city government can make a new department efficient enough to offset the inefficiencies of their other departments using a concept both inexplicable and appealing to my liberal sensibilities. That’s reason enough to say “what the hell” and blame Ehrlich if it doesn’t pan out.
…so what, exactly is the point of the Department of General Services?
Hey I didn’t write this. Where’s the infographic or long-winded analogy?
At any rate between this and some of the loans that the city wants approved I’ll be voting “no” on quite a few things this time around.
Christ I can’t believe I’ve been living in the city long enough to talk about ‘this time around.’
ps i voted no
What trickery is this? I only voted yes because you told me to.
Damn you Ehrlich!!!
I voted yes for sluts, b/c there should be more in MD.