Jerry Allen hosted a town hall budget meeting last night at Aiken Elementary — I caught the tail end of the meeting — the public question, comment, and concern portion. The subject of recreation center hours dominated the session, specifically because of the needed services neighbors say recreation centers provide to both the young and the elderly.
District 10 Councilman Jerry Allen noted that City Code Enforcement is a “sacred cow”, meaning that budget cuts will not touch the Code department. This makes since, because code enforcement directly relates to safety and crime prevention, especially when it comes to problematic multi-tenant apartments in Lake Highlands.
But some of the attendees argued that our children, and programs that directly support their quality of life should be “sacred cows” too. More than one voiced a willingness to pay more taxes if it meant keeping the recreation center hours intact. “I am willing to pay higher taxes because I can’t volunteer enough and I can’t give enough myself to help all the senior citizens, children and all the others who need help,” says Lake Highlands resident Susybelle Gosslee. Others seated near her seconded the sentiment. The budget vote is scheduled for September 23.
