DUH Moines

Employees of the city of Des Moines have every right to be angry and taxpayers even more so.

Des Moines budget woes prompt new call for wage cuts

The city pleads poverty and claims a $5 million gap in the 2011 budget.

Showing "leadership", City Manager Rick Clark was willing to accept a pay freeze on his $198,000 salary and he will put off scheduled pay increases for department directors until Oct. 1 and ask each of them to take a one-week, unpaid furlough during the 2010 budget year.

Des Moines was able to find $84,000 to waste on a glitzy mailing to every home.

They paid $90,000 to a consultant in an effort to mooch more money out of the federal government.

The city hired a transportation consultant who recommended a downtown streetcar route that would cost about $100 million to build, I couldn't find a fee disclosure for the consultant.

Des Moines is also pursuing an All-America City Award (which it won in 1949, 1976 and 1981) at an unknown cost that requires a delegation go to Tampa next month.

Wasting money, operating deficits all the while crying poverty, that is All-American and the scientific community is united in that fact.

PS: In fairness Des Moines attemted to defer the Tampa trip costs by raffling theme baskets.