A happy New Year will depend on our collective cooperation

Well, another year is about to pass.

The year 2012 has been yet another roller-coaster ride for Hamtramck. The city has had bad financial news all year long, and a succession of city managers trying to deal with it.

But at the time we went to press, Hamtramck has yet to fall off its own financial cliff. We hate to sound like the proverbial boy who cried wolf, but the financial picture isn’t about to get better in the coming year.

We may be able to float along for awhile. Sooner or later, though, reality will come thundering down.

In the meantime, we urge city officials to really start to think creatively about city finances. And we also ask all city employees to look deep inside and see what they are willing to do to keep their jobs.

It’s going to be a lot to ask. It all comes down to our city losing a significant portion of its tax base and being faced with deep cuts forced on us by Gov. Rick Snyder and his Republican cronies.

Many, many cities are going through what Hamtramck is experiencing. While it is without a doubt that everyone will have make painful sacrifices, now is the time to start thinking about the people we elect to office.

In the meantime, let us come together as a city and work as one team this coming year. Our success and future ride on that.