What I find most curious about Mayor Greg Ballard’s goofy COIT gimmick isn’t that it’s a blatant attempt to cover up for all his failed campaign promises.

I’m shocked by the fact that the proposal itself is financially irresponsible.

Ballard, in essence, said today that we have two choices: We could either let the money sit in a reserve fund and ask legislators, who reconvene tomorrow, for permission to use the money to cover other costs, or we could give it back in $12 increments with absolutely no forethought to the existing and coming economic downturn.

To wit: “I made $50 today when I was only expecting to make $35. I could save the extra $15 for a rainy day, or I could get myself all liquored up and run around town naked!”

I hate to force the mental image on you, but Ballard has chosen the latter option.

Now, his allies might say that it would be hard to convince the General Assembly to let him spend the money, but wait, I thought he was the genius that convinced them last year to absorb the long-term public safety pension costs. Surely his legislative prowess isn’t a one-hit wonder.

Unfortunately, Ballard is being led around nose-first by people who think gimmicks and tricks are the way to stay in power. (See also: McCain presidential campaign, failure of)

These are the same people who wouldn’t be leading him around if he’d stuck to his guns on his campaign promises not to hire lobbyists and political cronies to run his administration.

Like I said last week, I’ll gladly let Ballard keep my $12 if it means we can have a city that actually runs. I’m not asking for a 10-year plan. I’d love to see some vision, but Ballard has proven he doesn’t have the know-how to pull that off.

I just want to make sure that our police officers have the cars and uniforms they need; that our streets and sidewalks get fixed in a timely fashion; that our parks don’t shut down; that we don’t sell off vital assets and services; that our trash gets picked up without fee increases; that snow is removed; that we’re not letting big law firms manipulate our future; and that we live in a place that’s moving forward, not treading water or regressing.

All that’s worth $12 to me — and I’m guessing to a lot of other taxpayers, too.

Take your shifty gimmicks. Take your fiscal irresponsibility. Take your first year of no accomplishments.

Give. Me. Real. Leadership.