GOAL - BASED BUDGETING

By Corey Warshaw

West Covina must end the deficit spending before there are no more parks to sell. Valuable green space, parkland, and the municipal water company have already been sold. The state is proposing to take millions of dollars from us while our Council continues to spend on special interests. We must get back to basics. I remember a time our streets were clean; when street cleaners came weekly; and when the number of police officers for our population was not near the bottom for cities our size.

People understand that there is not always enough money to provide all of the amenities that are desired. However, with careful management and cost controls we can guarantee the provision of high quality city services and, as the process is perfected, channel our resources in a wiser fashion to meet the needs of the entire city. The goal-based budgeting process, with heavy reliance on the Internet and public forums to guarantee public access, will result in highlighting those city programs that are "off goal". The people are fully capable, if told the truth, of helping direct budget spending to priority areas.

This plan, backed by honest revenue and cost analysis, will provide the vehicle for restoring the city's financial health and delivering a high level of city services without deficit spending.