Local government officials should make financial decisions based on the welfare of the city 10 - 50 years out

 The truth about government is that a government-developed program rarely dies. Indeed the natural evolution of a government program is to grow and be funded more voraciously each passing year as people become dependent on a particular program. An apt saying is, “Everyone wants to cut old Charlie’s program, but no one wants to be old Charlie.”

By failing to realize this wisdom, too many times municipal officeholders do not look out for the medium-to-long term welfare of the city. Pension plans, income transfer programs, and the like should only be approved with an ironclad financing mechanism in place and an eye toward those who will be paying taxes one to two generations down the road.

Our city’s forefathers in the 1960s and 1970s did a superb job of laying the foundation of a thriving downtown and giving our city the chance to become an amateur sports Mecca. Those decisions were designed not only to bring prominence to our city but also to provide a broader tax base for our citizens. 

As Mayor, Greg Ballard and his team are working with City-County Council members and State lawmakers to ensure that future obligations are funded and/or that any new programs have a specific ending date.