Budgets, Oscars and Visitors

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

Good Monday Morning!

I hope you had a good weekend. I will try to post some pictures from our two rounds of Birthday fun. The boys had a great time running around with their Cousins. When those five boys get together, you better watch out…it’s a pack of wild dogs. My Mom and Dad hit a home run with the Birthday gifts. Not over the top (which we appreciated) but they got the boys things they will really use. We hope they will also cut down on fights over toys.

Budgets

The City of Des Moines takes up the discussion over its Budget deficit again today.
Again, The Firefighters Union Went on our air to say the cuts would result in “A reduction of services…Anytime you take away an apparatus out of service, there will be a reduction is service”.

Talking about the City’s plan to train all Firefighters in First Aide so that even a Firetruck showing up could provide some medical attention to a potential victim…he went on to say, “we liken it to a Carpenter showing up without his tools…no ability to transport those patients.”

Finally the Union Rep says, “it’s extremely frightening not only a reduction in services to Citizens it also put our lives in bigger danger”

I written about this before and got a lot of feedback from Firefighters and families of Firefighters.
I reiterate what I said before: First and foremost, Firefighters and Paramedics earn every penny they make and more. They put their lives on the line every day to make sure we stay safe. I respect them, I appreciate them and I want them to work in a safe environment.

I also want my City leaders to make the best decisions they can given the financial circumstances they find themselves in.

If that means one ambulance crew has to be eliminated then I have to trust that its the best decision the City can make under bad circumstances. I understand that the Union is doing its job…protecting Union jobs. I still am disappointed the Union can’t just say something like, “We are disappointed the City is choosing to eliminate a public safety position when there are other, non-critical services that could be cut. We continue to do the best job we can every day with the resources we are given”. At some point, the City of Des Moines is going to find out that they’ve cut to much because a lack of resources will put someone’s life in danger.
It is disappointing the Union uses vague and inflammatory language to describe the cut.

It is a truism that any cut of an ambulance unit would result in a cut in services. The question is, would that have a significant effect on safety of Citizens in Des Moines? No one can answer that question.
If the Union is arguing I am not going to be able to get to the Hospital because of this cut…I want to hear that. If they are arguing that I will not get ANY medical care in an emergency. I’d like to hear the say that…instead of a vague implication that someone, somewhere MIGHT be in danger.

Budget Cuts
Over in Eastern Iowa they’re thinking of closing the Lab School at UNI. I think this one is a short term gain, long term loss. Ask someone at the Iowa State Journalism Department if selling off WOI was a good idea. It used to serve as a real world test for students and was a unique selling point to recruit out of state students. I would think the Lab School would be the same thing. It’s a real world environment for the Teachers in training at UNI.

Polling
Another Iowa Poll confirms a large Majority of Iowans DO NOT support a Constitutional Amendment banning same sex marriage in Iowa. It’s further confirmation that this is an issue that a very loud minority cares about.
It’s also interesting that NONE of the “whatif’s” suggested by opponents of same sex marriage have actually come to pass. A moral apocalypse is not occurring because gay couples can marry. In fact, I would guess this issue doesn’t effect your life in the slightest…

Oscars
A couple of thoughts. I thought Billy Crystal was a little flat. He is a funny guy and still one of the best Hosts the Oscars ever had. That said I thought some of the bits were just not that funny.
-I thought most of the women did a good job picking something to wear. Classic is always good…that’s why it never goes out of style.
-Does anyone think Sacha Baron Cohen is funny at all? This guy is a 1st Class Idiot. If his movie were the last on Earth and I needed a bucket of Popcorn to survive…I still wouldn’t go see it.

Visitors
Welcome to all of the people in for the Girl’s State Basketball Tournament. We’re glad to see you back!

Loser
It was hard to watch Missouri lose a 19 point second half lead to Kansas Saturday. It was even harder because I think I made the Mom at the Princess Party were were invited to a little mad when I suggested we turn the game on. It’s my fault Steph!