Page 2: Council is no priceline negotiator

All this talk about a debt limit … too bad we didn’t institute one around here during Brad Koehn’s tenure as Finance Director.

Had a laugh over Councilman John Eastman’s being out of town for the ice rink vote. There’s a reason he keeps getting re-elected.

If the negotiations with the School District are any indication, expect the worst regarding an airport litigation settlement.

Nice job by Superintendent Boccia using the old “focus everything on the classroom” line. Trot the students out first, especially in the late afternoon. Small kids can cast long shadows.

You know, I really shouldn’t single out Koehn. I’d be a hypocrite. It’s hard to maintain a debt limit, especially when one’s wife has a weakness for adopting dogs.

Okay, single funniest news headline I’ve read this year, forwarded to me from the Ventura County Star website: “Ojai City Manager calls for fiscal restraint.”

What’s better is the story itself. A sampling:

“Clark said he wants to keep staffing levels low for at least five years to build up the city’s reserve funds.”

“He said his two main goals are rebuilding reserves and repairing roads, which he plans to do by holding a strict line on other spending. ‘It is a plan that is straightforward but difficult to attain,’ said Clark. ‘It looks like it might be easy, but it’s hard. There are a lot of needs. There will be calls for more employees, but I’m going to say no to all.’”

Observers praised Clark’s “communication and transparency.”

For the complete bullshit, visit www.vcstar.com/news/2011/jun/23/ojai-city-manager-calls-for-fiscal-restraint/