Fire department next on the chopping block

The Mesa Fire Department and their transitional response vehicles (TRVs) are the latest to feel the pinch of the slowing economy and Mesa's worsening budget situation. The department is to cut a million out of their budget immediately, which will more than likely include personnel cuts. That seriously means that there will be fewer fire fighters attempting to sustain a city that is still growing.

This is part of the reason that it seems like now, more than ever is the time to support the bonds. The folks over at VBO are saying that they are (surprise) against the bond issues. Their argument is based on the past history of the city council and their perception of Mesa having a history of overspending.

Quite frankly, I think the news today goes directly against their argument. Mesa does not have enough money to cover basic services. They are trying to live within their means with a budget driven purely by sales taxes, which take a tremendous hit when the economy is sagging. The new council saw the economic hardships coming and even cut the bond down so it would be as minimal as possible.

I was looking at the Yeson1and2.com site the other day, and what we are talking about here is probably less than about two dozen projects. Even in these hard times, we need to invest in infrastructure.