ITHACA Potholes, taxes, and the police

“The trouble with endless government spending is that it eventually runs out of other people’s money.”

Dear Neighbors,

As I’ve been walking the 5th Ward and listening to neighbors, three concerns come up again and again:

Taxes, Potholes, and the Commons.

Look at these picture — taken right here in our own neighborhood:

Barton and Fall Creek Drive

Heights Court and Highland Ave.

We are being taxed to death, yet our city government can’t even keep up with basic maintenance.

This is not the fault of the hardworking DPW crews—they’re doing the best they can. The problem is at the top: poor priorities, lack of management, and wasted spending.

One consequence of trying to be all things to all people is that we end up pleasing no one—and neglecting the essentials. Residents don’t need another $50,000 or $100,000 study on the latest social issue. What they need is safe streets and sidewalks.

Take a look at this sidewalk:

Lodge Way At Wait Ave.

Lodge Way at Wait Ave.

A friend of mine recently broke her ribs after tripping on a tilted sidewalk. This isn’t just about appearances—it’s about public safety.

We need to:

• Stay on top of potholes and sidewalks.

• We cannot let the Commons, the heart of our city, become a place where people feel unsafe, which is why we must support our police as the positive community presence they are meant to be.

• Work with local organizations, churches, and agencies instead of duplicating their efforts and wasting taxpayer dollars.

We must learn to do more with less. Not because the issues our city faces aren’t important—they are—but because the quote was right: the city is running out of other people’s money to spend.

Good government starts with fairness. Every family deserves safe sidewalks to walk on, clean water to drink, and streets they can drive on without blowing a tire. These are not luxuries — they are the basics of equity. When City Hall loses focus on the essentials, it is the working families, the elderly, and our children who pay the price.

Respectfully,

Gepe Zurenda