At the Richmond City Council meeting today innumerable speakers for many agencies addressed the city council about the various budget cuts that have been slated for the upcoming city budget.

In a few words:  no one wants to lose money.

In quite a few more words: The economic crisis is real. Everyone is feeling the pinch to some degree or another. Representatives for the schools, police, fire department, Legal Aid, non-profit groups, and various others have made their feelings clear: Please don’t cut our budgets.

However, let there be no doubt in your mind, budgets are going to be cut. As President Obama stated, “The impact of this recession is real, and it is everywhere.”

The Richmond Public Library has already made it clear that hours of operation at the main library branch will be reduced. Discussion within the school system has pointed to a freeze on salaries and perhaps a reduction of employee calendar days, which will probably not be noticed by students. The police department representatives have made it clear that salary compression (when the salary scale gets crushed so that those with lots of experience are making almost the same as those with no experience) is a factor which drives away potential employees. This is already evident in the salary scale for Richmond school employees. Many organizations claimed they would not be able to provide the services needed if budgets are cut.

President Obama also had the following to offer:

“. . . while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken; though we are living through difficult and uncertain times . . .We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.

The weight of this crisis will not determine the destiny of this nation.  The answers to our problems don’t lie beyond our reach . . . Those qualities that have made America the greatest force of progress and prosperity in human history we still possess in ample measure.  What is required now is for this country to pull together, confront boldly the challenges we face, and take responsibility for our future once more.

These words from President Obama and his comments on serving America bring back to my ears the words that have driven me since childhood, even though they were spoken before I was born by a president I will never know:

“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shank from this responsibility – I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

I serve my country as a public employee, and I am willing to sacrifice a portion of my salary for the betterment of all. I am not wealthy, nor privileged, but I believe in America. So I say unto thee my fellow Americans: What will you do for your country?