In your dreams…
It is no secret that Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta is one of our favorite Republican leaders in the state. While others pay lip service to the basic tenets of the Party’s platform that includes fiscal restraint, Guinta is actually putting such notions into practice, noting, "We’re not here to fleece the taxpayers."
When I was down in Florida over the Christmas holiday, I read an article in one of the local papers reporting on the economic situation of the Sunshine State. When reading of the various spending cuts, fee hikes, and other plans to shore up that state’s budget, I noted that REPUBLICAN governor Charlie "Crispy" Crist sounded pretty much the same notes as our do-nuthin’ Governor Lynch. Both promise to protect state worker jobs and salaries, and both admit they’re waiting for the bailout dough to start arriving from Washington, DC. Profiles in leadership— NOT.
Meanwhile, Mayor Guinta provides a stark contrast, as reported in today’s NH Sunday News (Union Leader) "City Hall" column by Scott Brooks:
Things got heated in the aldermanic chambers last Tuesday night when the conversation turned to the much-discussed Obama stimulus package.
Guinta insisted he had no intention of asking the federal government for a handout, at least until federal or state officials ask the city to come forward with some requests. Lopez said he wants the board to put together a list of projects it would like to launch, in case the money really does become available.
"Everybody’s talking about it, and I want to be ready," Lopez said. "I don’t want the city of Manchester to lose out."
Guinta confessed he had had two conversations with U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter in which, he said, "she asked what earmarks I was interested in." But he maintained he wasn’t ready to put anything in writing, saying, "I don’t think it’s appropriate to send a message to people that we’re anticipating money. There’s no legislation; there’s just discussion about it."
Several aldermen said they didn’t see any harm in putting together a wish list.
"Other people are selling their cities," Alderman Mark Roy said. "If we don’t get out in front of this, when something does officially come, we’re going to be behind the eight ball."
Which is of course, why nothing ever gets fixed, spending-wise, in this country. "We HAVE to take money– otherswise, someone else will, and we’ll get none…" This is the same mindset that dictates budgets be fully spent, "otherwise, we’ll get less next year…" We must break the cycle of excessive spending and waste of tax dollars. In order to do this, we need some new and different leaders– ones that are TRUTHFUL with the people. Mayor Guinta does his citizens a huge favor by being honest and not raising their hopes on bailout pie in the sky…