In a 2016 survey city employees estimated they spent a third to half their work time navigating the politicized silos in City Hall that make up the current commission form of our government. If these insiders couldn’t always determine who would work with them, or what issues and problems were the purview of what department, is it any wonder that the average citizen of Saratoga Springs with a simple question or issue is often helplessly shunted from office-to-office in fruitless attempts to get someone to own the issues that are at the root of their concerns?
Add to this the ineffectiveness, waste, and self-dealing that are hallmarks of the commission form of government, and you’d be hard pressed to deny that we’re overspending for representation that’s underproviding. From lifetime health insurance perks, to hiring family members, to not pooling common purchasing needs if they originate in separate departments, to awarding dubious contracts to the politically connected, the inadequacies inherent in our current form of government are legion.
Enter regular city residents, elected to serve and be accessible to the needs of their neighbors, to work with a strong mayor, and to hire and supervise a professional city manager. This person’s charge is to tighten our belt, take advantage of efficiencies, and negotiate all contracts and spending with only the good of the whole citizenry in mind. Envision that, and you’ve got a snapshot of what our government could look like under a new charter.
Don’t be cowed by the other side that arrogantly calls neighborhood representatives “uninformed newbies” incapable of making solid governance decisions. Take citizen control of your city back and vote YES for charter reform.
- Tony Krackeler, Saratoga Springs
