Promises kept by government officials are noteworthy, and deserving of praise. The City of Monroe is commended for keeping its word to property owners along 16th Avenue.
Residents along 16th Avenue were understandably upset earlier this year when they found out they would be assessed anywhere from just more than $1,000 to just less than $3,000 by the city for street reconstruction work. Under a city policy that requires residents to share the city's costs when grant money isn't available, 23 property owners were going to get socked with a significant bill just before Christmas.
Public outcry led aldermen to give an OK on the street work, while promising 16th Avenue residents they would find a way to make sure residents weren't assessed. At the time, last May, we were skeptical of the city's promise.
But the city's administration and council members made good when they removed a $100,000 revenue line item for special assessments from the 2009 budget. They were able to do so, inadvertently, by eliminating $100,000 in expenditures for new sidewalk installation next year.
It might have been easy for the council to renege on its promise, given the extremely tight financial situation the City of Monroe finds itself in for 2009. Aldermen could have said, sorry, but the city's money problems simply don't allow for $100,000 to be forgiven.
But city government did the right thing, and stuck to its commitment. That's commendable.
Now, the council must devise a long-term plan that ensures that private property owners won't be charged for work on public streets based on where they live or on the availability of grants.
Residents along 16th Avenue were understandably upset earlier this year when they found out they would be assessed anywhere from just more than $1,000 to just less than $3,000 by the city for street reconstruction work. Under a city policy that requires residents to share the city's costs when grant money isn't available, 23 property owners were going to get socked with a significant bill just before Christmas.
Public outcry led aldermen to give an OK on the street work, while promising 16th Avenue residents they would find a way to make sure residents weren't assessed. At the time, last May, we were skeptical of the city's promise.
But the city's administration and council members made good when they removed a $100,000 revenue line item for special assessments from the 2009 budget. They were able to do so, inadvertently, by eliminating $100,000 in expenditures for new sidewalk installation next year.
It might have been easy for the council to renege on its promise, given the extremely tight financial situation the City of Monroe finds itself in for 2009. Aldermen could have said, sorry, but the city's money problems simply don't allow for $100,000 to be forgiven.
But city government did the right thing, and stuck to its commitment. That's commendable.
Now, the council must devise a long-term plan that ensures that private property owners won't be charged for work on public streets based on where they live or on the availability of grants.
