Column: Astoundingly high debt growing

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Commentary by Bill Shaffer

As official non-mayors of Carmel, we are outraged rightly at the federal debt.

At $20.7 trillion and counting, the debt imposes a tremendous burden on future generations.

The federal debt-to-revenue ratio is 6.16. Astoundingly high.

Never to be outdone, Carmel City Hall savants have incurred $864 million and counting. Carmelaks enjoy a debt-to-revenue ration of 6.9 – a healthy 12 percent higher than Uncle Sam’s. What is higher than “astoundingly high”? Astoundingly-er?

Add in overlapping debt from the county, the schools and the library, and our $1.06 billion debt racks up an 8.4 debt-to-revenue ratio – 36 percent greater than the U.S. obligation. Astoundingly-est high.

Wonder what the debt-rating outfits think of that. If they downgrade us again, will we abide by the adage: “There is no education in the second kick of a mule?”

City Hall points out that Fort Wayne has more debt – about $988 million, or 15 percent greater than Carmelistas’. Fort Wayne’s debt divided by its population is $3,897.65.

Ours is $9,076.99. Who is fooling whom?”

Uncle George used to say, “You don’t call a drunk who steals from his kids’ piggy banks to buy booze a ‘financier.’

On a lighter note, Carmelons, we need a contest to fill in a gaping image gap in our fine city’s reputation.

None of the roundabouts have a name.

So, here’s your challenge this week: Come up with a naming scheme for the roundabouts. You know, like Chicago’s color scheme for the elevated/subway train system – Red Line, Green Line, etc.

Colors. Numbers. Greek alphabet. Roman numerals. Birds. Flowers.

Flowers? Sure. Rose Roundabout. Tulip Roundabout.

Think about it and enter your choice to me at [email protected].


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