Kenney to council colleagues: get real.

Councilman Jim Kenney is usually good for some frank words, particularly when he's exasperated with someone or something. And let's face it: he's exasperated pretty often.

The folks irritating him recently are none other than his own colleagues. Kenney is having a hard time understanding those council members who are a) unwilling to accept tax hikes and b) unwilling to make spending cuts.

"I have been increasingly mystified in my inability to determine what council members are thinking," Kenney said. "For this particular councilman, who can read, who can understand what's going on across this country, it's obvious that we need to batten the hatches down and do what we need to stay afloat."

That means accepting temporary tax hikes, or cuts, or both. Lest anyone think Kenney is unwilling - in these extraordinary times - to sacrifice his own priorities, it's worth nothing that he is supporting the mayor's call to do away with cost of living increases (some call them bonuses, since they are not automatic) to city retirees. Kenney sponsored the bill two years ago that made those payments possible.

Kenney made his remarks last Thursday, followed a council meeting where Councilman Bill Green (a frequent Kenney antagonist) proposed a bill that would set aside a share of the likely coming property tax increase for dedicated funding of the city's library system.

"That bill today is one of the worse pieces of legislation I've ever seen. It's so irresponsible. This is not California. You can't do referenda on where money in the general fund goes," Kenney said.

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