Bagnato: Resident applauds letter writer on Sun City West budget
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My hat’s off to recent letter writer Tom Slade (“RCSCW officials still have some trimming to do,” Sun City West Independent, June 24, 2020), who courageously spoke up about the wasteful spending, the unnecessary dues increases and the continued, unquestioned, rubber stamping of annual operating budget requests from Sun City West administration officials.
This has been going on for years, while boards, both prior and present, seem oblivious to the problem, preferring instead to hide as a “policy-making” board and not getting down to the real work we expect from them. It is debatable whether the board truly acts act in the best interests of residents when it comes to watching the checkbook. Instead, we get crickets when it comes to profligate spending. Former general manager Mike Whiting was a virtuoso at circumventing financial controls. We do not need to go through this again with Bill Schwind, do we?
Now add to that the virtual destruction of our golf business, already operating from a deficit position, being made worse by restrictions that have all but taken away the very reason we play golf in the first place — for socializing and recreation. Expect the losses to at least double the yearly deficit by the end of the fiscal year — do I hear $2 million anyone? — and continue to have an impact on next year’s results as well.
But wait, there’s more. For the first time that I have ever seen in my nearly eight years of ownership, we now have player assistants — a very costly and arguably unnecessary expense at any time — patrolling the courses in the off season. Pray tell, to watch us so we maintain our “social distancing?” Gimme a break. The golf call center, a fixture running and necessary in the winter visitor season to handle the sometimes crushing volume of calls, is now back in operation, for reasons known only to those who think such an expense is somehow now necessary even in summer.
Worse, pro shop starters who easily can handle the call volume mostly stand around and do absolutely nothing. I have nothing against employees and I understand my opinion isn’t necessarily popular. You think we’re a bunch of stupid old people and don’t notice how you spend our money?
Here’s what I think — management is now padding the payroll as fast as they can in order to qualify for the fed loan forgiveness and not have to pay it back. Geez, you’d think that $80 and change per cardholder would be credited back to us, the ones who pay the bills.
