What do you expect?

In the midst of the chaos between Mayor Finkbeiner and the Marines that has garnered unwanted and embarrassing attention, a co-worker asked me, “What do you expect? It’s Carty!” He in no way was defending the Mayor’s disgraceful actions and unapologetic stance, but he was simply stating we knew what he was like when we put him in office in 2005, should we expect anything different?

And if we do expect the Mayor to act mayoral and respectful, why? He has done nothing to show he is a “normal” mayor.

This struck me, because this approach can be taken to the 3/4% income tax. Why vote No? Because the Mayor and the City Council have done nothing to prove to us their collective fiscal responsibility. If we just keep giving them the money, they are going to spend. It’s almost like a bad drug habit. All addicts say they need their fixes, but in reality, that is the last thing they really need. The addicts need a wake up call.

Not to compare our elected officials to crack-heads, but they need a wake up call. They will continue to need our tax dollars until somebody says, “WAKE UP!” and get over it. It’s time for government to shrink, and it won’t be easy, but get ready, because Toledo is sick of your lackadaisical attitude towards fiscal responsibility.

Yesterday, Toledo Councilmen Joe McNamara and Frank Szollosi pleaded with Toledoans to not vote against the 3/4% income tax as a vote against the Mayor. The Mayor also plugged voting in favor of the tax in his State of the City address. These men need your money. But in reality, government needs to shrink, mirroring the population.

What these men need is a commitment to fiscal responsibility. When was the last time these men expressed a commitment to spending OUR tax dollars wisely? Have they ever?

Time for Council and the Mayor to start fiscal responsibility rehab.