I believe that my colleagues have provided ample information in their council corners about the budget concerns facing Foster City and how we intend to set policy measures to meet any crisis for the future. I will instead try to address how we have come to be in this financial strain; how and why we are facing this budget challenge at all.
Foster City is a financially conservative agency with a responsible staff and City Council past and present. When you consider the perfect storm of issues world-wide, nationally and on the state level, the public is inundated with crisis after crisis with an end still far from sight. It is hard for any governmental agency to focus on its responsibilities to the residents when its energies are drained in daily combat with the forces all around trying to find ways to take city revenues.
Public employee retirement plans are out of control, economic challenges are on-going, and Sacramento continues to take city revenues such as redevelopment funds for their budget purposes, in Foster City’s case, $5.6 million as well as 8% of our property taxes. In addition, cities are looking to shared essential services, cutting services, and downsizing city staffs to make ends meet.
Those are just a few of the challenges that are facing our cities. How are additional fees and taxes going to take care of the difficult matters at hand? Responsible governing is lacking and too many powers are trying to call the shots on behalf of their own interests. We are all being played in a senseless game of temporary power grabbing by various special interest groups, with the only option being some sort of radical reform to temporarily fix that which needs only common sense thinking.
I am tired of hearing who is to blame, instead I would like to hear how and when responsible leaders will work together to fix these problems and get this State back on track. There is a serious defect in our State governing, process. The affects of irresponsible, budget practices have reached fever pitch on our cities and we must find a way to stop it. But how? In my opinion the suggested quick fix, methods of reform gloss over the real problem. We’ve already seen a few budget proposals from Sacramento, none which address the need for responsible financial practices.
Proposition 22, which is sponsored by the League of California Cities, will shut the door on Sacramento’s ability to take monies from local governments. If Prop 22 is passed by the voters in November, the powers in state government will know what quitting “cold turkey” really means. Passage of Prop 22 will force the lawmakers to the table and make them change their expensive “business as usual” habits and make the tough decisions to turn this around.
A similar initiative, Prop 1A, was passed in 2004 by the voters to stop the state from taking our funds. Unfortunately, a loophole in the initiative gives the state the right to borrow from local government in the event of an emergency with the idea of paying back what was borrowed. We seem to be in a continuous emergency and no payback in sight. Prop 22 locks the door on the state’s ability to take local funds. It will also be the first step towards reforming Sacramento and saving our cities.
Lawmakers will need to focus on important programs such as education, infrastructure, and revenue generating opportunities that will fund transportation and health programs. Changes can’t happen all at once. It will take a collective effort of the leadership to compromise on behalf of the people they serve. And those special interests I refer to will still be able to contribute as long as misguided greed does not get in the way.
As good stewards of this state we must take aggressive action to preserve our cities and compel the leadership we elect, to work together to develop a better system of conserving and planning to meet the complex requirements of the future. In my opinion passing Proposition 22 will be the first step towards getting California back on track, preserving our communities and Saving Our Services ! (SOS)
In my next council corner, I will address why there is opposition to prop 22 and who is opposing this important piece of legislation. Please email your comments to lkoelling@fostercity.org.
print 