The Tyranny of Incrementalism or Nibbled to Death by Ducks

Buffalo we need big changes on big thing to drive results. Instead what we get is small changes on big things (incrementalism) or small changes on small things (a waste of time). Get Real Buffalo is not aligned with any political party we believe that none of the local or national political parties including the Tea Party have the courage and conviction to really challenge the status quo and drive the necessary change to fix our system. 

However, in Wisconsin we saw for the first time a big step change with the challenge to Public Service Unions. The issue is not whether you are democrat or republican, pro-union or anti union it is about balancing the books and paying people a reasonable and fair wage for their work. When health care costs spiral out of control and wages increase faster than inflation public service workers need to face the facts.  We commend Wisconsin for dealing with its fiscal issues today vs. waiting till tomorrow and for making the tough choices. This type of Big Change on Big things shocks the system it wakes the community up to the major issues and motivates people to act. As you can see from the protests in Wisconsin it is also painful and it makes people uncomfortable but in the end these are the moments where courage and conviction will bend the arc of history towards an economic system that rewards fiscal responsibility and encourages and inspires innovation and growth. 

For the naysayers who believe Buffalo is making changes for the future…Here are some Get Real Buffalo facts that show how we have been living under the tyranny of incrementalism:

• Buffalo has as many public workers in 2006 as it did in 1950, despite the fact that the city has lost half its population. (The Economist – Jan, 06 2011
• In the year 2000 employee pensions cost NY State tax payers $100 million in 2011 they will cost tax payers $1.5 billion
• NY State employees pay only 3 percent of their salaries to their pensions half of what most state employees pay elsewhere
• The salaries and benefits of state employees add up to $18.5 billion or a fifth of NY’s operating budget.

So…what we need is Big Changes on Big Things. Let’s pick three big things drive them to completion measure the impact and then pick another three and then another three and another three.  Let us hear from you on what your top Big Changes on Big things should be?