NO MORE BREAD AND CIRCUSES

The Grand Rapids Press was miffed this weekend about the City of Grand Rapids axing its special events fund that pays for “ethnic” festivals and parades to celebrate our diversity.  I think the cuts are just as well.  I’m pretty sure the Santa Claus parade isn’t all that multicultural, Oktoberfest on Calder Mall is just about as ersatz an ethnicity as you can get here in town, and, of course, everyone knows we are all Irish when the Hibernians march on St. Patrick’s Day.  Lots of fun, but I don’t see how any of this merits support from the city government or the taxpayers other than occasionally making available a public street or plaza or park for the festivities.

Instead of burnishing its p.c. credentials with tears over these special events cuts, the Press might have worked on reporting all the news about another cut.  Last Thursday was the final night for the adult softball leagues sponsored by the City parks department.  The City has slashed $2.3 million from the parks department budget.  In turn that department has shut down the softball program that has been going strong since 1962.  The odd thing about this is, as reported here earlier, that the teams in this program all pay a fee to cover the cost of using city facilities.

If the softball program is self-funding, why end it?  That question deserves an answer.  I think you’ll find the reason is the same one public school districts have for canceling the buses when voters are resistant to a hike in the millage:  Petty bureaucratic vindictiveness.