What We Need To Work On

By James R. Janz

Restoring traditional values; Community agreement on the level of municipal services and reliable funding therefor.

We need to work on our town's long-term finances. Angry accusations led to the defeat of Atherton's special parcel tax which had been relied on since 1984 to help finance town services. Now it is gone, and the Town is struggling to come out of a financial crisis. By reducing services, the police force and other personnel, and increasing or creating new fees for permits and services, the operating budget has been temporarily balanced. However, to avoid further reductions as early as next year, we must agree on revenue sources for the future. Additionally, funds are needed for repairs and improvements to the Town's aging roads and drainage system, funding now essentially eliminated from the budget.

We need to work on achieving a community agreement on what level of services we want, from police services to simple street repair, to more costly road and drainage infrastructure projects that many agree have been neglected for too long. Better municipal services, better drainage, and better streets all cost money. A realistic assessment of our community desires must be weighed against what we are realistically willing to spend.

I have the background, qualifications, and most importantly, the commitment to work on these and other issues with the residents of Atherton. We need qualified, reasonable, and responsible leadership on the City Council. My pledge to you is that I will do my best to provide such leadership to Atherton and all its residents.