The Budget

Council relies on the City Manager to inform them on how the City is operating. I get frustrated when I watch meetings where it’s clear that departments aren’t operating efficiently. I have been a government employee my whole life and have witnessed firsthand how wasteful Cities can be with their budget. I spent the last year watching Council go through the budget deficit and have been constantly educating myself on how the City spends its money. I question why the City has so many Directors and Managers who get paid over $200,000 per year yet it takes over 6 months to get a building permit, or over a year for Council meeting minutes to get posted. My goal is to improve how departments function, which will in turn save money and allow us to fund projects that the community needs. 

The biggest cost in every department's budget is employee compensation & benefits. Click here to see the City's full employee benefits guide. I would like to see salary freezes for all office employees who make over $200,000 a year until this structural deficit is truly resolved. I also do not support the City Manager making over $300,000 a year and would not vote for any pay increases for this position. Reducing salaries brings a cost savings in two areas - the salary cost itself as well as the City's pension contributions for that employee. 

The City Council needs to reduce their Travel & Subsistence budget. It's very frustrating to watch Councilmembers enjoy boxed lunches during Study Sessions while they consider cutting staff. I think Council Members should take turns paying for Study Session lunches with their own money. We should only be sending the Mayor and/or Deputy Mayor to events until the budget is more balanced. The next budget cycle isn't for another two years but I will spend my first years on the council becoming extremely familiar with where every dollar is going.