Now that the charter change people have flooded the city with their propaganda, let’s talk real dollars. They have stated they are going to save taxpayers tons of money. This is the same untruth they used in the previous three attempts to destroy a governmental system that has created our great city.
In their misnamed Common Sense flyer, they list costs associated with a city manager system, but they “forgot” to reveal:
• Assistant city manager, $135,000
• Internal audit contract, $75,000
• Two support staff, $140,000
• Search firm and costs to find a city manager, $35,000
• Managers to replace 4 Deputies, $476,000
Plus there will be transition costs for two committees for attorneys, staff, and support of at least $100,000.
They claim they are going to save money by firing the day-to-day operating managers of city departments; claiming that a city manager can do the work of 4 Commissioners and 5 Deputies…roughly 18,000 hours yearly. Can’t be done.
They also forgot to tell you that only 13 of the 62 cities in NY state have a city manager, and four of them were recently fired. (Watertown, Ogdensburg, Batavia, and Long Beach)
Remember what your mother told you about promises from strangers: Beware.
- Joe Dalton, Saratoga Springs
