Responsibility with Our Money

Carbondale residents are concerned about how our city money is being spent. As private individuals we pay close attention to how we use our own money. The city should steward its resources in the same way. I have learned a great deal about planning from Carbondale resident Linz Brown. Linz expresses well that city resources should be spent based on identified priorities and needs rather than on slogans. Lee Fronabarger, who I met through his work for his neighborhood in Carbondale, has helped me see government spending as an investment. In Lee's work for a public outdoor pool he is always focused on comparing the dividends that will result from different priorities in spending.

My goals are to use our city resources as wisely as any of us would use our own household resources. At home we don't spend without understanding our budget. In our family budgets we have long term and short term goals, and we often make short term sacrifices to attain a long term goal. Often we have to say no to something that is just beyond our means. The city’s money, your money, should be spent as carefully as we spend limited resources in our own families’ budgets.

Action:

1. Increase council and citizen participation in the budget process through monthly presentations at council meetings from city departments. These presentations will allow us to better understand how our money is being used and what future needs may be.
2. Increase citizen participation in the process of identifying needs for capital improvements in the city. Actively seek input from neighborhood associations and other organizations within the city.
3. Use the internet to make more information available about specific properties, specific landlords and specific tenants. Use the city's website to provide information about both successful inspections and code violations.
4. Reexamine spending on a city-wide repaving program to determine whether all roads need the proposed improvements. Make road improvements on a pay as you go basis whenever possible.
5. Identify and take advantage of opportunities to reduce energy consumption by the city, including use of more efficient city vehicles where possible.

Please click on any topic above for more information and specific actions I plan to take. You may also download A Working Plan for Carbondale in PDF format.