fresno elections 2008

The City needs to be run like a business: and that means it has a balanced budget every year as required by law and it schedules an adequate reserve for use in leaner years. By the same token, the City needs to involve its citizens and stakeholders in setting budget priorities just like many successful businesses involve their management, directors and employees annually. What is missing in our budget process, with our Strong Mayor form of government, is the meaningful input and involvement of our citizenry. I propose beginning the budget process with a joint public meeting with the Mayor and the Council where all citizens and stakeholders have a voice in setting the priorities for government spending, revenues and cuts. I believe that the best solutions to our budget concerns in any given year are very possibly with our citizenry. And, I also believe that an informed and involved citizenry is one that makes for the best government. In specific answer to your question, and without such public involvement, I believe that we need to first review all fees and charges and make sure we are getting full cost recovery, then we should look at reducing costs that don’t affect city services, such as those spent on consultants and on duplicative departments such as our film, education or economic development departments. Next, we could move to cuts in services that are the least essential, then—and only then, as a last resort, should we look at raising fees/charges/taxes.