This Just In ...

The larger, almost forgotten issue in the Franklin warning siren debate

Posted by Kevin Fischer on June 28, 2010

It’s there.

Big as life.

However, most folks don’t realize it because they’re barely looking beyond their noses.

The tornado warning siren discussion in our fair humble city is more about just sirens. Much more. And it demonstrates how out of touch our city is becoming with common sense policymaking.

Again, the issue is more than just sirens. But the “We just gotta have sirens, no matter what” crowd is fixated only on……..the sirens. Just listen to their arguments.

1) I can’t believe Franklin doesn’t have sirens when every other community in Milwaukee County has sirens.

Oh, I just love that one. The old, “Johnny jumped in the river, Mom, so why can’t I?”  whine.

People living in communities outside Franklin are actually scolding and lecturing us because we don’t have sirens. Some folks in Franklin are all hot and bothered because their cousin in Pewaukee called and said, “Good God almighty, I can’t believe you folks don’t have sirens. What’s the matter with you? Y’all wanna die or somethin?”

Sometimes engaging in a policy decision because someone else did it isn’t the best reasoning. I hear low –income housing is all the rage in New Berlin.

2) I was waiting for a siren to go off so I would know what to do.

Another personal favorite. Apparently those thick black clouds and winds over 50 mph weren’t a good enough signal that, gee, Aunt Harriet, something’s not quite right here.

3) Those bad storms are exactly the reason why we need the sirens.

That gem comes from my friend, Franklin mayor Tom Taylor whom I respect a great deal. But Holy Bomb Shelter, your honor! A tornado warning siren, if it works and actually goes off, doesn’t stop a tornado, prevent a tornado, tell you where the tornado is, tell you how strong the tornado is, or tell you when it will hit. It offers no hard, concrete information whatsoever.

4) Tornado warning sirens increase your safety.

Think about it. They really don’t. You just think they do. If they provide any sense of security or confidence, it’s a false sense.

I challenge Franklin residents to think beyond the sirens and consider the much larger issue at stake here.

During greener times, when money is flowing into the city of Franklin treasury, it might be a whole lot easier to not just say,  should we have sirens, but what kind and how many.

News Bulletin, folks. The city of Franklin doesn’t have the money. We are broke. We are in deficit.

Not only are tornado warning sirens highly questionable as to their need and effectiveness, they’re an expense the city can’t afford.

This is like the guy who was told by his boss he lost his job and goes home to his wife and suggests over dinner that they buy a new car.

The siren process in Franklin has been extremely flawed. The decision was made early to go with one siren supplier, foregoing a bidding process. Siren manufacturers that read my blog contacted me and City hall suggesting they be allowed to at least make their own sales pitch, a reasonable request.

That still doesn’t take away from the fact that the city can’t afford the sirens.

Tunnel vision has descended upon the 53132 zip code area. My apologies for waiting until paragraph number 408 to bury the lead. The larger, forgotten by, unfortunately, most Franklinites and especially those who run our city is that city leaders are gradually going down a path generated by their insatiable appetitive to spend hard-earned taxpayer dollars, deficit be damned.

 It’s very disturbing. We expect fiscal irresponsibility from the entire Franklin School Board that could care less about the taxpayers. City Hall, with well-intentioned individuals, seemed to have some semblance of reason.

However, the landscape at City Hall has changed. Gone are previous aldermen Alan Hammelman, Pete Kosovich, and Lyle Sohns. All three understood the meaning of budgeting responsibly. In their places are Kristen Wilhelm, Steve Taylor, and Doug Schmidt. None are taxpayer-friendly. Just check their voting records.

On the siren issue, it was a mad dash to the finish line to spend money, again, the city doesn’t have.  Five aldermen and, I’m sorry to say, Mayor Taylor, can’t wait to add more spending to the city’s deficit ledger.

Don’t be made to feel guilty, those of you that join me in opposing siren expenditures. You don’t want people to die. Here’s one for City Hall to ponder. You, like everyone, want public safety. You also want fiscal responsibility. City Hall officials are hoping you're not paying attention to the bigger picture.

If the siren spending goes through, and it appears the way the deck chairs are assembled on the Titanic, it will, it only gives the spenders at City Hall more ammunition to keep spending and spending and spending and spending. That means higher and higher and higher taxes. That means a higher and higher and higher and higher property tax bill come December.

I have to laugh. Oh, Kevin.  A recent commenter on my blog suggested this is a moot point, that we’re getting the sirens….so let’s just move on, enjoy the summer, and smile.

Poppycock.

I’m glad Franklin didn’t exhibit the same attitude when it decided to challenge a Democrat-controlled state Legislature that wanted to kill our city’s anti-sex offender ordinances.  Well, mercy me, the Democrats control everything. Why bother. It’s a moot point. Let’s just avoid confrontation and make the best of things.

What a bunch of baloney. We fought, thank God, and we won. It was NOT a moot point.

The city right now is in the midst of planning next year’s tax increase under the guise of a city budget. Getting steamed after you get your property tax Christmas card from the city circa December 15 isn’t good enough. Speak up now. Tell your alderman, respectfully, to stop spending. Stopping spending will control taxes. Stay silent, and you’ll get your annual ulcer right around Christmas.

Franklin City Hall officials, with the exception of one alderman, can’t wait to vote yes on just about every spending proposal planted on their desks. It needs to stop.

I conclude with a couple of great quotes from readers to FranklinNOW on this issue giving me some, albeit very little, consolation that some of my neighbors get it:

“And if you can afford property taxes in Franklin, you can afford a $30 weather radio AND the fresh batteries to run it (just change the batteries when you change the batteries in you smoke detectors)."


“Who would pay for these sirens? As a tax payer with ready to burst taxes in Franklin, I don't think I could afford anymore tax payers footing the bill for anything else.”

Hello!

Franklin City Hall?

Are you listening?

Again, the problem is Franklin City Hall is being swallowed up by the taxpayers’ worst enemies….the big spenders:



Sorry, Mayor Taylor. Please prove me wrong.





Alderman Tim Solomon.

Love ya, too, Alderman. Please prove me wrong.






Alderman Kristen Wilhelm. Nice lady. Bad alderman. Lost cause.




Alderman Steve Taylor. I am a conservative.....NOT.




Alderman Doug Schmidt.

Are you kidding me? Before he knew where the men's room was at City Hall, he was voting to raise taxes. Close, I mean close sources tell me: Nice guy, but a tax and spend liberal. Bad news for Franklin.




Alderman Ken Skowronski.

Ken, you're a great guy. But the worst kept secret in Franklin is, " Mayor, how should I vote?"

Please, Ken. Keep taxpayers #1 in your mind.

And then there's......




Alderman Steve Olson.

Only vote against the sirens.

Only alderman to vote for responsible budgeting last year.

Folks, it's a fact.

Hello, Franklin City Hall!

Recession!

Unemployment!

And you keep spending?

And we, like one of my kumba ya commenters are supposed to just sit back silently and take it?

If you think your Franklin taxes are just fine, spew some insult at me and my blog and move on. If you think your taxes are too high, then do something about it.

Contact City Hall and politely, respectfully tell them to stop spending NOW!