Budget Grows Tight.

The City budget for the fiscal year 2003, which begins July 1, 2002, will allow few extras according to projections of revenue by the City Administrator, Tom Short. Short says the City is not in a crisis, but will need to be careful with spending.

According calculations supplied by the Administrator, the City will generate approximately $6.4 million for general revenues next year. That is just above the projected $6.25 million cost of personnel, supplies and services, and travel and training.

The Council has established a reserve fund equal to 25% of the operating revenue as a cushion. The amounts to approximately $1.55 million.

An additional $595,000 that is earmarked for Civil War Road improvements and partial funding of an interchange at Fairview and Highway 71. These funds, as well as the $1.5 million reserve could be tapped by the Council.

If the Council chooses not to deplete the reserves, approximately $200,000 must be removed from requests for funds for the year. Capitol improvements will be the most likely targets.

NASCAR to the Max

It was a case of youth and enthusiasm outwitting age and experience at Sunday’s NAPA Auto Parts 500 from Fontana, CA. 26-year-old Rookie of the Year Candidate Jimmie Johnson claimed his first NASCAR Winston Cup win in only his 13th start in the series. He was chased to the stripe by another young gun, 23-year-old Kurt Busch. Both gambled on pit strategy when a caution period caused by a serious accident involving Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Kevin Harvick occurred with only 21 of the 250 laps scheduled remaining. Johnson opted to only take fuel while numerous other front-runners elected to take right side tires in addition to fuel. Johnson’s gamble put him in second place on the restart but he quickly shot past leader Bill Elliott and held off the hard charging Busch. The youngsters were able to keep several senior members of the NASCAR Circuit at bay over the closing laps. Ricky Rudd, Elliott, Mark Martin, Dale Jarrett, Sterling Marlin and Rusty Wallace, all in their mid 40’s, finished in positions 3 through 8 and demonstrated that they are all still forces to be reckoned with.

Following his accident and mandatory trip to the infield care center, Earnhardt, Jr. left the track on crutches with an injured right ankle which is to be re-examined upon returning to his home in North Carolina.

The first night race of the season takes place this Saturday at the Richmond (VA) International Speedway. The track is a ¾ mile, slightly banked oval. The track layout affords the drivers multiple lanes of racing. However, the shortest distance is still around the inside. Look for numerous caution periods as the bump and run tactics of short track racing return to the series. Tony Stewart won this race last spring with Ricky Rudd taking the win at the fall race. Defending series champion Jeff Gordon has gone 18 races without carding a win and is looking to get back to his winning ways. All three will be contenders among the 43 drivers who will start the race.

‘Course the City of Carthage is in a lot better shape that a good portion of the communities out there. The City carries a comparatively small debt load.

We pay about ninety grand a year in payments for the police station. That will go away in a couple-three years. We have a lease purchase on the parks buildin’ for a couple hundred grand, and a hunderd and some thousand in fire truck payments. Reserves more than cover the debt load.

The City also owns a considerable amount of land. And, unlike the rest of us, doesn’t have ta pay any taxes.

The only rub is any improvements that would make things even better. We may be in a restin’ period for major improvements for a while. A lot’s been built in the last ten years, maybe we’re due a rest.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack
TALK CARS

by Tom & Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

Being a musical kind of guy, I often pass the time at long lights by drumming on the steering wheel of my Mercedes C-230 with a pair of drumsticks I keep in the driver’s door pocket. Incredibly, my 10-year-old daughter is NOT mortified by this behavior. However, she is convinced that my drumming will cause the airbag to deploy, injuring me. She’s also afraid that once I get hit in the face with the airbag, I’ll instinctively slam on the gas, and send us careening into an intersection, which will put her in danger. Is her concern justified?-Michael

P.S. I omstly drum on the center part of the wheel where that star and circle thing is embossed.

P.S.S. Do you know where I could get a bracket to mount a cymbal on the steering column?

TOM: The answer to both of your questions is no, Michael. Your daughter’s concern is not justified, and no, we don’t know who makes a cymbal stand for a C230 (but the J.C. Whitney catalog is a good bet.)

RAY: The airbag sensors, along with the contacts, are located in the front bumper, so there’s no way you can trigger them by banging on the steering wheel (even with an enthusiastic rendition of "Wipe Out").

TOM: In fact, many airbag equipped cars have now put the horn button back in the center of the steering wheel (where it belongs, I might add), which would be impossible to do if pressure on the steering wheel could set off the airbag. So feel free to keep on drumming, Michael.

RAY: But I have a question for you. How can a musician like you afford a Mercedes?