Fiscal Responsibility

By Kenneth Allen Fitzgerald

Working within a balanced budget and evaluating the effectivness of every tax dollar spent.

With no control over the apportionment of the above major revenue sources and the dwindling resources of Licenses & Premits, Oil Per Barrel taxes and Oil Well tax revenue funds, it is extremely important that we not only work within a balanced budget, but that we evaluate the effectiveness of our city departments and every dollar being spent.

The deficit spending measures, presented to Finance this year, by the City Council, after the budget had been finalized, was not warrented. The items causing the deficit had not been asked for on the original budget and the deficit they created, according to the finance department, required a transfer of all available funds from the City Council Contengency Fund. An additional amount from the final 3 million dollar Orange County Bankruptcy settlement payment had to also be used to cover what the Council Contingency Fund did not cover. Originally, it had been agreed that the final 3 million dollar payment would be added to the Idle Funds Investment Program and only the interest would be used to fund needed projects.

City Council must show leadership by setting and following strict guidelines for the disposition of public funds.

As a taxpayers, we cannot afford to be the answer to problems created by the improper management of our tax dollars. We are not an endless source of funds and deserve to have the kind of leadership that understands this and works to ensure the best management and use of public funds.