Elected city of Dunkirk officials who have voiced worries about the potential of a control board potentially overseeing operations are within their rights. But instead of looking out for its poorly managed government, shouldn’t this be about the current residents and future of the municipality?

At the moment, the operation is sinking. It is $20 million in debt.

Since the crisis came to light 13 months ago, what solutions have been put forth by the mayor or Common Council? We can think of only one — and it had horrific implications: raise the property tax rate 84%.

This week, state Sen. George Borrello and Assemblyman Andrew Molitor reiterated and put forth a bill to have the City of Dunkirk Interim Finance Authority as a corporate governmental agency and an instrument of New York state authorized to issue bonds exclusively for the purpose of financing city-related costs – including the refunding of existing bonds – and for establishing and funding reserves necessary to pay for those bonds. In addition to its financing powers, the authority will implement fiscal oversight and budgetary requirements on the city aimed at restoring financial stability and enhancing the city’s long-term fiscal management.

Legislation also provides for state assistance to support the city in efficiently resolving and paying tax certiorari claims, further alleviating the city’s financial burden.

“The city government’s failure to anticipate the loss of tax revenue from the NRG closure, combined with its inability to adjust spending accordingly, has only deepened these financial challenges. Therefore, the city has experienced substantial budget gaps and a considerable increase in local taxes,” Borrello wrote in his legislative justification. “To prevent further financial deterioration and stabilize the city’s finances, the creation of an interim finance authority is essential.”

This newspaper wrote for years after the power plant closing that a day of reckoning would be coming. But it’s tough to get previous mayors and some current council members to see the handwriting on the wall when they cannot even begin to decipher simple arithmetic.

Those longest-tenured council members continue to say they didn’t know how bad it was and it was not their fault. But not once during their three terms did these council members ever speak up publicly to voice their worries and concerns. Instead, they just kept spending taxpayer dollars without understanding devastating consequences.

A control board, as currently proposed, is one option. If the current mayor or council have another plan to righten revive this Titanic, speak now and offer it.

Silence in this case is far from golden. In fact, for city residents, it is becoming way too expensive.