Fred Warchol: Atwater works some budgetary magic

Atwater City Hall has found a new and innovative way to balance its budget which may just help it gain membership in the International Brotherhood of Magicians. This year, as in the past, city leaders have failed to balance the budget without resorting to loans. And, as usual, a lot of money is needed – $2,966,199 to be exact.

This is a staggering sum to come up with, especially for little Atwater. A payday loan is out of the question.

This is where the skill of a good magician comes in; one adept in using smoke and mirrors.

Last Monday, the city council, with Councilman Brian Raymond dissenting, approved a series of loans amounting to $8 million.

With the deftness of Houdini himself, the Wastwater Enterprise Fund loand $1,495,314 to the Water Fund. Then the Sanitation Fund borrowed $4.2 million from the Wastewater Fund.

Finally the General Fund, magically, became balanced with a $3 million dollar loan from the Sewer Fund.

For their next trick, Atwater officials will try to pay back all these loans, about the same time world peace is achieved.

This story was originally published June 10, 2015 at 12:28 PM with the headline "Fred Warchol: Atwater works some budgetary magic."