Faust: Comparing the city of Dover to the past

How does the city of Dover go into an approximately $7 million deficit/shortage in a year’s time? Such shortages of revenue cannot occur overnight.”

William G. Faust Jr. is a resident of Dover.

All the issues and concerns unfolding in the city of Dover remind me of my childhood. The comparison is not good for the city of Dover.

Scenario No. 1

Who remembers the old Wendy’s commercial, in which the little old lady kept asking, “Where’s the beef?”

Now, in 2026, the question to ask the mayor and council is “Where’s the revenue?” Interesting/concerning points to think about:

• How does the city of Dover go into an approximately $7 million deficit/shortage in a year’s time? Such shortages of revenue cannot occur overnight.
• I can remember asking about revenue issues when Councilman David Anderson was the council president. He assured me and the citizens who were at a past council meeting that the city was in good shape and was not in any type of deficit.
• Unfortunately, the situation of Dover’s financial issues is not a funny commercial, and there is nothing to laugh or smile at.

Scenario No. 2

Who remembers the original game show, “Let’s Make a Deal”? The contestants had chances to win cash, trips, cars and other luxury items. Of course, there was the chance that they could get zonks.

Well, the citizens of Dover do not know what to expect from the future budget negotiations. There will be zonks behind all the curtains and boxes. Unfortunately, no special prizes are going to be given out. This is what to expect:

• Behind Curtain No. 1 — a tax hike of a certain percentage.
• The box on the floor — increases in fees or increases in utilities of a certain percentage.
• The grand prize of the day could be another major increase in our electricity rates, with the promise that it will only go up a few dollars each month. However, the reality is that most citizens saw a major increase in their electricity rate. Some of my neighbors and small-business/mom-and-pop stores informed me that their electrical increases were $200-$300.

The host of the Dover game show is Council President Fred Neil. We can count on our host to tell the citizens the following:

• It is the cost of doing business.
• We have cheaper electrical rates than other surrounding cities.
• Due to a reduction in state and federal funding, we needed to increase to balance the budget.
• Forty percent of businesses are in nonprofit status in Dover. Hint, Council President Neil: This is not new information, and this percentage did not pop up or occur overnight.

Disclaimer

My comments are not directed at Mrs. Sharon Duca or the Finance Department. I believe they are doing an outstanding job! Our current financial issues and revenue shortfall falls directly on the mayor’s and council’s shoulders. This will be the third year in a row that some type of increase will be passed on to the citizens. Our most vulnerable citizens cannot afford another increase of any kind.

The city needs a new playbook or financial plan to bring in the desperately needed revenue that is required to keep the city solvent, so it can deliver the required services the citizens need and deserve.

I bet we will see another double-digit increase in this upcoming budget. My Magic 8 Ball, the tealeaves and my magic mirror are showing an increase of 20%-30%.

This is submitted by a concerned citizen.

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.