Girard mayor’s veto threat reflects necessary caution

The ink is barely dry on the city of Girard’s budget that, for the first time in eight years, paints a bright picture, and already a shopping spree has been proposed — by city council.

Mayor James Melfi, who guided the city out of its financial doldrums, is right in threatening to veto any legislation that would authorize the police department to buy six new cruisers.

Council has set aside $150,000 to purchase and outfit the vehicles, but the mayor contends the department needs only three. And, he is of the opinion that the model being considered by the police is too much cruiser for a small-city force.

“I am going to veto this,” Melfi told The Vindicator last week. “Now, city council may override my veto but that is OK. I am sending the message that spending here will be frugal.”

Lawmakers would be well advised to also adopt a conservative stance when it comes to spending tax dollars.

After all, there are economic storm clouds locally and nationally that could result in a collapse of the general fund budget this year.

The country is on the verge of a recession, if it isn’t in one already, and Girard will soon feel the full impact of the closing of Indalex Corp., the city’s major employer.

“We should tread very slowly,” the mayor said. “There is not a major need, despite what is being said. We just lost our major employer.”

Last year, voters of the city gave Melfi a significant vote of confidence in his re-election bid, based in large part on his record as a responsible keeper of the public purse.

Voters were well aware than when he took office in 2000, city government was in a financial free-fall that culminated in the state’s declaration of fiscal emergency.

Oversight commission

The declaration triggered the appointment of a fiscal oversight commission. It took control of the city’s finances, which meant the mayor and council had to get permission for every expenditure and also had to develop a five-year recovery plan.

This year has started off well, and it would be the height of irresponsibility to spend a large sum of money on six cruisers when, as The Vindicator reported, there isn’t an urgent need.

The city last brought a fleet of police cars in 1996. Of the 16, 14 are still in use. Four of those have under 70,000 miles (one has under 35,000); one car has more than 130,000 miles.

Against that backdrop, the plan to buy six makes no sense. The mayor believes three would satisfy the need to replace those with the highest mileage.

There is another factor to be considered: the city is eight square miles with no routine freeway patrols, which means the most costly of the three models the police department has looked at would be unnecessary.

Police prefer the Dodge, which has a larger engine than the Chevrolet or Ford. The Chevy was the least expensive.

The mayor believes a six-cylinder motor would meet the needs of the department.

Given the provincial attitudes that permeate local government, it would be advisable for the Melfi and city council to get an independent assessment of the cruiser needs of the police department.

As for council’s eagerness to spend money, we would remind lawmakers of the economic challenges the city faces with the closing of Indalex and the urgent need to do something about the Lower Girard Lake dam.