In this age of budget shortfalls, it seems outrageous to me that the city of Durango would spend $17,000 for one event: the retirement party for a longtime (and very appreciated) employee. Thank goodness this doesn’t happen for every retiree.
Governments so often forget where the money comes from (the taxpayers) and where it should go (public services, social services, paying debt, etc.).
Seventeen-thousand dollars is more money than some taxpayers earn in a year. There are many ways Smith could have been honored without spending that much money. Government needs to think these things through before acting so rashly.
Jim Shadell
Durango
