My Note To Neighbors: What Does This Budget Mean For Neighbors?

On Tuesday, when it starting looking to me as if Metro Council member Diane Neighbors was gaining momentum on her now passed alternative to the Mayor's budget proposal, I sent her an e-mail query.

Enclave readers might be interested in the highlights of my e-mail. I want to know specifically how services to Nashville's neighborhoods would be affected. I want Ms. Neighbors to specify:

• How the nearly $720,000 in proposed (now passed) tax cuts to Parks and Recreation are going to affect services at the neighborhood level. Salemtown Neighbors meets at Morgan Park Community Center a few evenings during the school year. What I want to know is whether the cuts will cause our community centers to shorten their operation hours, and whether Salemtown Neighbors will be left without a gathering place in the neighborhood. I have got to believe that shortening community centers' already short hours cannot be a good thing, not just for groups that meet there, but for our children and seniors who benefit from free community center programming.
  
• How the proposed (now passed) $1.3 million in cuts in the Public Works budget would affect services provided to neighborhoods. Public Works has been responsive to our calls when we've had illegal dumping in our neighborhood and as we are completing a project to erect Neighborhood Watch signs. What I want to know is whether there will be any public service available now to help us clean up the riffraff.

I know Ms. Neighbors is probably a busy Council member right now, but I await her response on these questions. I'll keep you updated.