We certainly sympathize with Jerome Friedeck of Crestwood.

Over the years, Mr. Friedeck has become somewhat of a fixture at Crestwood Board of Aldermen meetings, asking city officials to fund stormwater repairs near his home at the corner of Fournier and Fieldcrest drives.

Mr. Friedeck raised those same concerns last week, noting voters in 2000 had approved a half-cent sales tax for park and stormwater improvements.

In promoting the passage of the sales tax, city officials proposed using 75 percent of the revenue for parks, park operations and recreation and 25 percent for stormwater projects. While some minor stormwater improvements were performed from 2001 through 2004, no stormwater projects have been completed since 2004.

That’s when officials decided to use revenue from the park and stormwater fund for expenditures that traditionally had been borne by the general fund.

And now faced with the prospect of spending all cash reserves in that fund by the end of 2009, aldermen must decide whether to cut expenses, redirect expenses or refinance Aquatic Center debt slated to be retired in 2012.

That was the last straw for Mr. Friedeck, who said last week, “… That fund originally was for paying off the Aquatic Center, capital improvements for the parks and stormwater. Salaries, wages, fringe benefits and historic sites were never intended to be in there. That’s what happened …”

He’s right. We certainly don’t blame City Administrator Jim Eckrich, who correctly noted in a memo about the fund, “At the time of passage, the percentages of 75 percent park improvements and 25 percent stormwater improvements were discussed, but to my knowledge never formally passed.”

But even if it had been in writing, it most likely wouldn’t have mattered.

Just consider the resolution adopted by aldermen pledging revenue from Proposition S — approved by voters in April 2006 — would be used solely to retire the city’s debt. But now officials are considering retiring that debt yet still planning to collect the tax until it sunsets — which is allowed under the proposition’s ballot language.

About that resolution, Ward 4 Alderman Steve Nieder put it best: “So the resolution isn’t worth a crap …”

It’s no secret that Crestwood is in need of additional revenue. That situation has only been exacerbated by the April 1 closing of Macy’s. But given city officials’ history of breaking trust with voters, we believe gaining voter approval of a tax-rate increase will be a nearly impossible task.