Why I Don't Believe Politicians

The City of Omaha, Nebraska, has been saying for about 15 years that it is on the verge of financial ruin. I have listened to (civilian) friends who worked for the city complain that after the union negotiated a 3-year contract with the city (which included miniscule 'cost of living' raises that came nowhere near the actual cost of living, and paying ever more and more in insurance premiums), they might get that tiny increase in pay the first year, but not the following two years. The city was too broke! The workers complained so much that the City Council took the unprecedented step of freezing their own pay! "You see?" they were saying. "The situation is so bad, we are forgoing a raise ourselves to help keep the city afloat!"

The following year, they told the civilians once again the city could not honor the contract by giving them their miniscule pay raises. One of those civilians went to the weekly city council meeting to protest, and suggested if things were all that bad, then the council should also forego their raises. "Oh, no!" was the response. "You can't expect the City Council to not get a raise two years in a row!"

Apparently, what was good for the goose was NOT good enough for the gander, for that was exactly what they were expecting from the civilian employees, and had already expected of them several times.

In the meantime, the city hired experts and department heads from outside the city and paid them exorbitant salaries, because "We have to pay (them) the amount they could get in the public sector!" After renovating the Rosenblatt Stadium, home of the Omaha Royals, the city decided to abandon it and has built a NEW stadium in the heart of downtown, eliminating a large parking lot for the Quest Center. The Rosenblatt – still in good shape after having all that work done to it – will be torn down and made into a parking lot, while the Royals have moved south and adopted a new name. So much for having a team in Omaha.

And now they tell me one of the newest libraries in Omaha is closed for renovations. Once again I wonder, "Where did that money come from?" I know better than to ask the politicians.