Priorities Under Scrutiny: While Hillside Pool Faces the Chopping Block, City Hall Spending Raises Serious Questions

Editorial: Mayor Eddie Morán says saving Hillside Pool would take $5 million — but the city has already secured $3.96 million in earmarked grants, leaving a gap of just over $1 million. Instead of bridging it, City Hall signals the pool may close, even as tax dollars flow to solar panels with 20-to-30-year payback, ballooning overtime, and a requested taxpayer-funded mayoral vehicle. Residents deserve a line-item breakdown of the $5 million estimate: show us the numbers, or face accountability at the ballot box.

.pool-oped { font-family: 'Georgia', 'Times New Roman', serif; color: #1a1a1a; background: #ffffff; padding: 1.5rem; border-radius: 4px; max-width: 100%; } .pool-oped p { font-size: 1.1rem; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0 0 1.4rem 0; color: #1a1a1a; } .pool-oped .lede { font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 1.7; font-weight: 500; } .pool-label { display: inline-block; background: #ffffff; color: #1a1a1a; border: 2px solid #8B1538; padding: 0.4rem 0.85rem; border-radius: 3px; font-family: 'Georgia', serif; font-weight: 800; font-size: 0.85rem; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-bottom: 1rem; } .pool-section { color: #1a1a1a; padding: 1rem 0; margin: 2.5rem 0 1.5rem 0; font-family: 'Georgia', serif; font-weight: 900; font-size: 1.4rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 5px solid #DAA520; border-top: 2px solid #1a1a1a; } .pool-callout { background: rgba(139, 21, 56, 0.06); border-left: 4px solid #8B1538; padding: 1.1rem 1.4rem; margin: 1.5rem 0; } .pool-callout p { margin: 0; font-weight: 700; font-size: 1.15rem; } .pool-oped ul { margin: 0 0 1.4rem 0; padding-left: 1.4rem; } .pool-oped li { font-size: 1.1rem; line-height: 1.75; margin-bottom: 0.9rem; } Opinion • Editorial In a city facing pressing safety concerns and tight community resources, local residents are left asking a fundamental question: Where are our tax dollars actually going? At a recent community gathering at Night Out in City Park, Mayor Eddie Morán stated that saving the neighborhood’s cherished Hillside Pool would require a steep $5 million . But that figure tells only part of the story. The city has already secured $3.96 million in grant funding specifically earmarked for this project. That leaves a remaining gap of just over $1 million—a manageable sum for a city budget of Reading’s size. Yet, instead of finding a creative path to bridge the gap and keep a vital summer haven open for families and kids, the administration continues to signal that the pool may be on the chopping block. If City Hall insists that $5 million is required to keep the water running at Hillside, the public deserves a full, line-item breakdown. Transparency isn't optional when essential community assets are at stake. Every dollar must be accounted for before a neighborhood pool is closed to the public. A Pattern of Questionable Spending The hesitation to fund Hillside Pool becomes even harder to justify when paired with the administration's track record on fiscal management. Across multiple departments, tax dollars continue to flow into questionable expenditures: Idle Solar Panels: Millions of taxpayer dollars were tied up for years in solar panels that sat unused in storage. Now, as they are finally being installed in a parking lot, financial projections show that any actual energy savings won't materialize for 20 to 30 years . Escalating Overtime Costs: City payroll records continue to reflect ballooning overtime expenses, pointing to ongoing operational inefficiencies rather than sustainable management. Executive Perks: At a time when residents are told the city cannot afford to preserve neighborhood recreational facilities, the Mayor has requested a taxpayer-funded official vehicle. Safety, City Priorities, and the Need for Change Fiscal choices do not happen in a vacuum. Reading continues to grapple with serious public safety challenges and out-of-control crime that impacts neighborhoods every single day. At the same time, the administration has maintained a firm stance in support of sanctuary city policies, directing municipal resources toward non-essential political stances while foundational public safety and youth infrastructure take a back seat. A community pool is more than just a place to swim—it is a safe harbor for youth during hot summer months, a center for neighborhood cohesion, and a critical deterrent against street violence. Closing down recreational options for kids while spending millions on decades-long solar returns and administrative perks sends a troubling message about where City Hall's true priorities lie. For a city fighting to protect its neighborhoods, support its families, and manage hard-earned tax dollars responsibly, it is clear that the time for new leadership has arrived. Demand for Accountability Members of the City Council and neighborhood advocates are already stepping up to rally community support, gather official petition signatures, and demand answers. The message from residents is simple: Show us the numbers, or face accountability at the ballot box. City Hall must provide a full, itemized financial accounting of the $5 million Hillside Pool estimate, re-evaluate wasteful overhead, and prove to Reading taxpayers that their hard-earned dollars are being spent where they matter most—or step aside for leaders who will. This editorial reflects the editorial position of The Mifflin Report.