Missing campaign signs an issue

column By Lisa Brouillette
First published October 17, 2008 in the Opelika-Auburn News.

Has an Obama-Biden campaign sign been stolen from your yard? Dozens of local signs have been snatched —including ours, which was taken along with others on our street at 4:15 Thursday afternoon by someone driving a silver SUV.

This week the Democratic and Republication campaign headquarters, and the police, received reports of multiple thefts. In some cases a single street was hit. In others, the thieves took signs from a multi-block grid of adjacent streets. The number of signs stolen and the different neighborhoods affected paints this criminal activity as not merely a prank, but a coordinated effort.

What must be acknowledged are the more serious aspects of these thefts: their overt racism (Obama signs taken, but not Segall or other signs in the same yards) and their attempt to censor free speech.

Speaking of criminal activities, recent articles in this paper noted increases in burglaries and other crimes, citing the deteriorating economy and drug abuse as underlying reasons. Equally important is our burgeoning population.

Auburn’s previous city manager, David Watkins, designed a plan to address this population growth by strengthening our police and fire departments. The number of full-time police officers was to increase, in line with other similarly sized college towns. Part-time, student firefighter positions were to be replaced with ones for full-time career firefighters.

A particularly good aspect of the plan specified that budget monies be set aside exclusively for equipment replacement. Basically, this earmarked funds to ensure consistent and protected funding for the equipment.

That equipment reserve plan, though approved by the city council in office at the time, was never implemented. The following administration set aside the idea, noting the limits such earmarking places on budgetary flexibility.

However, specific earmarks can protect vital services’ funding from being raided for other purposes. The city council can amend the budget and adjust allocations at their discretion.
Non-earmarked monies are more easily moved from one budget line to cover shortfalls in another.

Such shifting of funds is particularly likely when the economy is weak and budgets are tight, as is the case now. In light of this, perhaps the use of earmarks should be reconsidered.
We must make sure funding keeps pace with our needs for expanded fire and police protection, no matter the economic climate.

Speaking of local growth, particularly as regards infrastructure, it has slowed but not stopped. An example is the recent approval of $2 million-plus in city bonds earmarked to fund work on the Samford Avenue. Extension. As noted in my Jan. 19, 2007 column, that project benefits a number of landowners with whom Mayor Bill Ham has business partnerships. Interestingly, the project costs have substantially increased from original estimates.

Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com or visit her Web site http://placeforum.org.

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