A capital’s ills
With regard to “Interior Ministry to allocate NIS 700m. for Jerusalem” (February 27), while no doubt every shekel allocated to the city of Jerusalem during its seemingly never-ending cycle of budgetary crises might help delay the next municipal workers’ strike or serious harmful action delivered upon its captive residents, one cannot help but be cynical about Interior Minister Arye Deri’s vow to devise a viable, long-term strategy.
Mayor Nir Barkat’s placing of his national political interests over the city’s welfare, combined with the self-interests of council members, serious city-wide infrastructure deterioration, inadequate tax revenues, a lack of municipal worker accountability, union demands and a failure to regularly re-evaluate programs all stand in the way of Deri’s goal for government grants to “help the municipality to provide residents with the highest quality of services, while continuing to strengthen and develop the city .... ”
At this point, the plan appears to be to rob Pinchas to pay Faivel by taking from various government agencies and non-government offices to place in the city’s coffers.
One cannot help but wonder whether members of the Knesset, cabinet ministers or local officials, let alone municipal department heads, ever leave their offices other than during election season or crises. They should drive through neighborhood by neighborhood other than their own to see the impact of poor municipal services and inadequate school facilities except in favored areas or educational institutions. They need to knock on doors and talk to residents one on one. They need to hear for themselves how suggestions are often laughed at and requests for assistance to local council offices within certain neighborhoods are simply passed up the chain and, with the exception of emergency situations, usually not responded to or even followed up.
Yes, there needs to be a strategic plan that addresses the underlying reasons for the crises, but it would be foolish to believe it’s about funding alone. It’s about the need for accountability and putting the welfare of all above the self-interest of just a few.