Babysitting Priority

Kissimmee City Commissioner Carlos Irizarry is being quoted in the Gazette today saying "We don’t have to be certified. We don’t need a babysitter that comes in every day or every month just to check. We don’t need to spend additional dollars to have something that we can do without." This comment was given in reference to an environmental certification for the new fire station that is to be built, and the debate on whether the certification is worth the $16,500 price tag or not. This comment takes on even more meaning if you look at it in relationship to several other City Commission decisions.

First we will start with the comment, "We don’t need to spend additional dollars to have something that we can do without." Lets look at a few budget items that we could probably do without - All America City Part 1 and 2, Birthday Celebrations, Round-About Fountains, Cow-less Logo redesigns, $33,000 for personnel at the H.O.M.E. project, money paid to a consultant to address employee pay and benefits that did not include all of the departments of the city, and... well you get the point. Our question is how can you spend tax dollars on all of these things, and then not take a serious look at actually doing something smart with tax money?

As far as the next the comment, "We don’t need a babysitter..." We believe that this comment really begs for a solid debate. We know the commission feels all grown up, and thinks it doesn't need supervision, but trust us, you do. If you are all real good though, we might take you McDonald's Playland to celebrate how hard you are trying. And besides, the county commission boys enjoy the extra babysitting money.

Another great quote in the same article came from our grand Mayor - "I’m just not comfortable with all the repercussions long-term..." Repercussions on building a green building??? We did a quick google search and we could not find any negative impacts because of building "green" structures. We can see repercussions if you were putting in a landfill or a nuclear power plant, but building a green building?? We think you are stretching it on this one.