It's too complicated for a legislative session.

Somebody at a meeting described it as termites in the basement, eating at you quietly. You don't realize the impact. That's where we are now. We all agree we have to safeguard our lives and property against the next terrorist attack. . . . This is an initial red flag that we may have gone overboard in some areas.

It is a lot of money, but law enforcement with their experience and expertise is used to making informed decisions based on their experience.

To use taxpayers' money to send -- whether it's in the community or outside the community -- to organizations without getting a clear and direct taxpayer benefit, a public benefit, is wrong.

Allowing city commissioners to spend money in that way is improper.

Doing so gives the rest of the taxpayers confidence that the system has integrity and accountability built in. In an ideal world everyone pays their taxes, pays the right amount and pays on time. But we don't live in an ideal world.