In the March 22, 2007 edition of the Arvada Press, everyone from Arvada Mayor Fellman to US Representative Perlmutter bemoaned the loss of 25% of the Community Block Development Grant ("Proposed budget cut could hurt Arvadans in need" by Michael Rivoto) While it is tragic that, as Mayor Fellman said, "any cut on the national level could devastate local organizations," it is more tragic that the Mayor and City Council have not already taken steps to either support these organizations hurt by the cut or independently provide these services to the community.

The City of Arvada can - and should - provide anti-poverty programs and affordable housing to the people of Arvada: the true tragedy lies not in the Bush administration's funding cuts, but in the City's Council inability to find money to cover the $15,000 deficit...and the City's reliance upon private non-profits to provide the basic services that citizens require. $15,000 is a drop in the bucket to a city that wastes millions of dollars every year through inefficiency and irresponsible subsidization.

Arvada's General Fund Will Be Bankrupt by 2010

The General Fund, used to provide funding for everything from public safety to the City's human resources, is running out of money. The City has a Fund Balance goal of about $5 million, but currently has more than $17 million budgeted as the ending balance in 2008. Rather than either refund the taxpayers the excess taxes collected, or invest the money into reducing long-term City costs, the City of Arvada continues to spend irresponsibly until, sometime about 2010, when the City will achieve its goal of only $5 million in the General Fund. Then, to sustain the irresponsible spending, taxes will have to be raised.

Unless the City cuts back on unessential services or raises taxes, there will be a funding crisis that will make the current struggle to compensate a $15,000 loss in Federal Funding appear to be easy.

Without beleaguering the golf courses (which, besides allowing the City to finance their $800,000 worth of debt at 2%, also will require $190,228 in General Fund money in 2008), the privatization of which would not only liberate the city to reallocate about $200,000 each year - some of which could pay for human services - there are many solutions to Arvada's future financial crisis...without raising taxes.

The most important thing to do right now, besides cutting unessential programs (such as the golf courses), is...

· Improve the local economy by stimulating private ownership of small businesses. Backing the citizens of Arvada as they apply for small (under $10,000), first-time low-interest loans for start-up businesses (businesses under 2 years of age) is the surest investment in Arvada's future.

o Self employment is the best way to achieve financial independence, and financial independence is required for a vital democracy that is immune to the corrupting influences of large corporations looking for subsidies.

· Eliminate the subsidization of large corporations. The City has no business subsidizing the start-up costs, the land, the taxes or other costs of any business.

o The City subsidizes large companies, such as Target, by reducing their taxes and by actually paying some of their start-up costs.

o This not only places the small, local competition at a disadvantage, but robs the City of taxes.

· Raise the minimum wage in Arvada. The City has no business subsidizing the labor of private corporations and companies that do not pay their employees enough to live upon.

oNot raising the minimum wage costs taxpayers more. Employers who do not pay their employees enough to live upon pass the living costs of the employee and the employee's family onto the City, County and State. A person who cannot afford to eat requires food stamps and other welfare. When employees are paid a living wage, it eliminates the need for Arvada to provide any human services!

o While some may argue that raising the minimum wage hurts the consumer, not raising the minimum wage hurts every taxpayer. Raising the minimum wage will not raise total costs for the consumer because the consumer is already paying the high price of a too-low minimum wage: the consumer pays for the employee one way or another, either through increased crime, decreased property values, increased costs of healthcare and higher taxes...or else through slightly more expensive goods! When employees are paid a living wage, it eliminates the need for Arvada to provide any human services!

o Raising the minimum wage reduces the burden placed upon the City. The employees must eat one way or another, they must live indoors one way or another. The money they require should come from their employers in exchange for labor, not from the State or County as welfare. When employees are paid a living wage, it eliminates the need for Arvada to provide any human services!

o Raising the minimum wage improves Arvada's economy: while large companies that expect the City, County and State to subsidize their labor may avoid Arvada, natural market evolution, with the help of the Arvada Urban Renewal Authority, can ensure that the void is filled by Arvada-owned small businesses...which can easily provide the same (or better!) goods and services at competitive prices.

$15,000 Is A Lot Of Money...$65,250,092 is Even More!

Vicky Reier was reported in the Arvada Press saying that funding for human services comes from two sources: $60,000 comes from the City's General Fund, and $60,000 comes from Federal community block grants. This $120,000 sounds like a lot of money, and it is. However, the loss of $15,000 (25% of the Federal community block grant) is affordable. The entire $120,000 amounts to less than 0.18% of the entire 2007 General Fund expenditures ($65,250,092)...and is much less than the City spends even on all the Golf Hospitality Services alone ($190,228)!

The City Council can - and should - fund human services fully. Why should the wealthy play golf while the poor struggle to eat under a roof? It is in the interest of every Arvadan that no Arvadan is without food, work, education or the other basic needs that enable them to contribute to society as a member of our democratic Republic. It is in the City's vital interests that all citizens be paid not only enough to live upon, but enough to raise their children upon. A child whose parents cannot afford to raise them is a child whose birthright of a democratic Republic is in jeopardy.

It is in the City's vital interests that citizens are able to afford the time to participate in their governance. A citizen who cannot afford to participate in government is a citizen who has been stripped of their right of self governance.

Vote for Choate!

The City must act now to avoid a crisis by 2010. The decisions that must be made are not difficult to make, but they do require the courage to do what is right and the foresight to avoid catastrophe...two elements that are dearly missed in today's City Council. Vote Mary Choate for City Council At Large, and you will have a better City government.