Friends: What's happening in Philadelphia, in terms of the budget, is soon going to play itself out on a national level. So some considered thinking, as opposed to different people's perfectly legitimate gut reactions about what should and shouldn't be trimmed, slashed, or eliminated, might be useful individually and collectively. I'm not sure where I stand on libraries or other specific services right now -- I'm an avid reader, but I tend to buy rather than borrow books (fortunately, they're cheap at the Second Mile Bookstore across the street from my office). And, in the past 10 or so years, I've certainly seen my research and professional reading shift from books to the Internet, so I see some of the traditional importance of libraries diminishing. Also, in the particular case of libraries and their impact on opportunities for school-age children, I wonder whether there might be some cost-effective compromise alternatives such as moving book collections into mini-libraries in the schools themselves rather than maintaining them separately. Be that as it may, the larger issue is to prioritize where cuts -- the fact of which is hardly an issue given the current global economic situation -- should be made. We can all say that city council members, the mayor, commissioners, and so forth should take pay reductions or reduce their staffs. But that's a cheap shot. And, while some people work for the city because out of a feeling of social responsibility, and others because it's a cushy job, the fact is that to attract competent people the pay must be competitive with other ways to make a living. So, what should take hits of various amounts? Schools? Libraries? Trash collection? Snow plowing? The police? The district attorney? The fire fighters? L&I? The various welfare service agencies? The human relations commission? The historical commission? The city planning commission? Common Pleas Court? The Septa contribution? City Council? The Water Department? PGW? ... etc ... There are good arguments to maintain any of these (even ones I personally can live without). How would you prioritize them? Something to think about before getting passionate about one -- say libraries -- and not thinking about the broader implications. And, something to think about before the new president takes office and starts getting the same flack being sent to Mayor Nutter for doing what he has to do and making hard choices (that we elected him to make) that are calculated to displease at least somebody -- and possibly everybody.
Al Krigman Left of Ivan Grozny **************Get the Moviefone Toolbar. Showtimes, theaters, movie news & more!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212774565x1200812037/aol?redir=htt p://toolbar.aol.com/moviefone/download.html?ncid=emlcntusdown00000001)
