Governments Here To Help: It Needed

https://www.americancityandcounty.c...nts-to-improve-natural-disaster-preparedness/


Good afternoon all,

HN: Author of article is from a techie firm.

A major problem I've found is that many local governments ... that is, below the state level ... are just too small to have the funds for modern IT equipment and a maintenance program.

Article mentions "FirstNet". Many governments cannot afford it.

Ref the southern state mapping tides / flooding potential, I get my info from NWS. They already do this. It's a short article and don't want to challenge the author on this. IT might be a different aspect of what NWS monitors and reports on.

"spend to defend" presumes a decent tax base.

An elected disaster board ?! ?! Paul !! Post-disaster confusion is not a major problem. The problem is $$$.

 

IMHO Might wanna change the tittle into "US Gov't", because what you were stating is pertinent to the condition there.

Anyway, how come those gov't don't have the money for their IT infrastructure? How does lower tier gov't get their funding in the first place?

IT infrastructure & manpower may not be cheap but its surely affordable down to District level (not sure what you called it there) pertinent proper budget management practice is in place.

 

Funding or lack of it is not a money issue, but a priority issue. When the need becomes severe enough, the money is always found. When the leaders say they don't have the money, it means they have not prioritized it high enough.

 

Good morning Varuna,

My title referenced the article's title. Yet, you're correct; it's subject to various interpretations.

The political subdivisions of the US - the states, the cities, the counties and much more (2 states and the municipal government of Washington, D.C. fund the metro area's light rail passenger service), raise money by taxes, user fees and many other methods such as receiving Federal government grants. State port authorities have a separate racket going on.

You've asked a LARGE question that's both complicated and complex.

Here's a basic example. A small city wants to "computerize" it's fire department. They do the basics. A new IT system becomes available and, overall, it saves funds over the new systems' useful life. Tax increases are the political death of municipal politicians. If, for example, a major building gets destroyed in a hurricane and more funds are needed to repair it, the city will typically move around budgeted money to handle the immediate need. *** The tax base is just too small for this to occur without problems developing.

I'm leaving much out of the above example. It's a BIG field. I'll close with mentioning that besides public financing, the term "proper budget management practices" involves both public financing and the criminal code. Many politicians get into trouble with the budgets.

 

Good morning TMT Tactical,

In practical terms, you're right.

For example, Virginia has a balanced budget requirement. The budget is balanced. It is NOT balanced from Virginia taxes; not enough state taxes to cover the shortfalls. The Virginia leadership routinely goes to the Virginia Congressional delegation for "guidance". Federal "stimulus funds" balance the Virginia budget.

 

If all the politicians had their salaries confiscated if they did not find the money for a given project, I bet they would find the money. How to Balanced the budget --- simple quit spending money you do not have. AGAIN, it is priorities, not lack of funds.

 

I am of the opinion that if a government says "it is here to help" one should assume the message is really that "it is here to help itself"

 

I'm an IT professional, and I'm telling you that this is total bullshit. The problem isn't the lack of funds. They waste money on crap on a daily basis. The problem, is that they don't want to pay an IT professional a fair wage. Why would we go work for the city making 15 bucks an hour when we can go to any company and make double that, or more? You get what you pay for... cheap labor, gets you cheap results. The people they hire, is a reflection of the competence they have. And everyone wonders why cities and states are going bankrupt.... dummies in positions of power, that couldn't balance their checkbook, much less a city, county, or state budget.

 

Good afternoon American Patriot,

I'm totally empathetic in re your theme.

However, ...... even with the public sector's waste of funds there still is a LARGE budget shortfall. The basic reason - among other lesser basic ones - is that a state's political subdivisions such as the cities and counties cannot run self-liquidating budgets. Tax increases are, in practical terms, forbidden.

The states have some different circumstances but are nearly in the same situation as their cities and counties.

Just like up in the Swamp (near here) there is the non-discretionary mandates. If eg 1,000 new people move to City A and max out use of public health care, this health care must be provided for and funded. If, eg, City A wants to purchase a new communications system for their EMTs, there will not be a new communications system for their EMTs.

Actually, some of those in positions of public sector power are quite knowledgeable in economics and finance. They make fortunes from their public service positions.

Now, if you want real horror stories, research why municipal bonds for the same/similiar purpose cost more than corporate bonds. Lenin is still laughing.