Watching Waukegan pols squirm since Mayor Robert Sabonjian discovered the city is $6.5 million in the hole reminds The Hound of something Will Rogers once said: "I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts." Unless you're a Waukegan taxpayer, this is funny.
The rate Sabonjian's going, when he finishes his four-year term, the city may be in the red by about $150 million. That is if you want to blame the freshman mayor for the fiscal fix the city is in, but he just came into office. Then again, there's plenty of blame to go around.
LIke who else knew tax revenues were sliding? Where was the City Council watchdogs, especially 6th Ward Ald. Larry TenPas, known as somewhat of a municipal financial whiz? Asleep?
Or, was it planned that way to keep a low financial profile before the spring election? And, how would former Mayor Richard Hyde address this startling turn of events?
Even Sabonjian, appearing at a function featuring mayors from other communities right after his victorious election, said he would be "instituting a system for 'strong fiscal management' by addressing debt, keeping costs down and calling in unions to review contracts." Perhaps by then he had gotten a glimpse at the books.
Or maybe, he, too, knew of the financial straights before the April election. Considering the city has seen tax revenues drop seven straight months. That would be even well before the February primary.
Regardless, it appears the elected city folks have pared that $6.5 million deficit down to a mere $3 million and 1st Ward Ald. Sam Cunningham is calling for a tax increase to avoid layoffs of police and fire. The Hound has a feeling taxpayers can think of some pols who need to be laid off.
