Fiscal Responsibility, Transparency, and Communication

By David S. Burns

We need to live within our means and be conservative in projecting future revenue, and prioritizing new revenues. We need to plan for the financing of citywide infrastructure repairs. The city will need to tell the community how it will address some community needs, and pay for the repairs that are needed. All of this will need to be prioritized, outlined, and clearly communicated.

The majority of our town's budget crisis was self-inflicted. In 2008, in the midst of the worst economic crisis in over 80 years, the city council approved contracts that raised public safety salaries by an additional $4 million dollars despite a projected multi-million deficit - this crated a nearly $13 million dollar deficit. Over the next 2 years, the city wrestled with a massive deficit and spending cuts that eliminated many city positions and cut vital city programs & services.

The City Council leadership admitted it had not balanced a budget for 10 years. The city had been using its reserves to balance the budget. The city faced a $12 million dollar deficit by 2010, created by escalating salary and pension commitments, unabated personnel overtime, a weak budget discipline, and overly optimistic revenue projections.

El Segundo paid a heavy price for the mishandling of its finances. Other economic forces compounded the severe economic problems El Segundo was facing.

The city sought to raise taxes, raise service fees, and other revenue tactics that were rejected by the community. The message was loud and clear: the city must learn to live within its means.

I believe our Council Members should lead by example. The budget philosophies of the past must be remembered as a lesson-learned: to be conservative in projecting future revenues; to prioritize new revenues; to limit salaries and future benefits (modest growth); and plan for the financing of citywide infrastructure repairs.

El Segundo city administrators are telling us now that the economic crisis is abating. They are telling us that for the first time in ten years we have a structured, balanced budget. We really won't know until September 30, 2012 whether our budget projections are actually correct. We are seeing higher fuel prices that may threaten economic growth; these economic pressures should remind us that we must maintain an attitude of optimism with a healthy dose of caution. Fiscal discipline is key.

It's premature to be sounding the alarm that the economic crisis is over, and it's "all clear" in El Segundo. Rather, I believe we can be cautiously optimistic, and maintain a conservative approach for the immediate future. El Segundo faces some recovery issues ahead. There needs to be a plan to restore some of the cuts and try to get back to where we were before 2008. We keep what is sustainable, assess our future needs, and then start to recover and grow some of the things our community wants.

There are many things the community wants, and not enough money to pay for it all.

There are new revenues being projected: there are negotiations with Chevron over taxes that could bring in new tax revenue agreements; NRG is coming online, new gas taxes will be generating revenue; and a future phase of the El Segundo Plaza is projected to grow even more new revenue and promote business growth. We should see how negotiations with Chevron play out to see how the tax concerns may be mutually resolved with the city.

These new revenue sources need to be assessed. The new revenue needs to be prioritized, and the city needs to create and communicate a clear plan so the community knows what is happening and how the residents will be a part of the plans. The city has some infrastructure issues and repairs that are needed.

More importantly, we need to be patient and count the money on the table. The city needs to be careful how it proposes new expenditures.

TRANSPARENCY & COMMUNICATION

The city will need to tell the community how it will address some community needs, and pay for the repairs that are needed. All of this will need to be prioritized, outlined, and clearly communicated. I think a Strategic Plan can accomplish this task. One of the first actions I will take when I am elected is to ask the city to prepare a 3-5 year Strategic Plan for the community.

I will work to ensure fiscal sustainability for our community, and ensure that our budgets are balanced. The community deserves to have "real" budget accountability, and as we move ahead, the council needs to set a plan and outline how it intends to lead El Segundo through its recovery and growth.

I want to see a 3-5 year strategic plan (a vision document) outlining what the city's strategy and plans are; what the city wants to accomplish, and provide a clear path (a map), so the community can follow along in collaboration.

I believe in transparent governing. Our City Council and city administrators need to improve on how it communicates with the residents, businesses, and education stakeholders. The recent termination of the City Manager and handling of the Chevron tax issues was more about poor communication and not handling a sensitive community concern correctly. This issue (communication) was not managed well.

El Segundo residents do not know why the City Manager was terminated. We need not speculate. We need to focus on the facts in front of us.

What I and the other residents watched over the past few months in the city council chambers was a breakdown in communication. Issues were being placed on the agenda that had not been fully and properly vetted. The community was surprised by agenda items that were being presented and discussed. The timing seemed rushed and awkward at times ("we need to do this now or else").

The handling of several important issues did not appear to be politically savvy or sensitive to the needs of those involved. The biggest impact was the actions by some of our city administrators angered the community. The council chambers were filled because residents and business owners came to express their concerns about the process by which some of the decisions were being handled, the process in how the issues were being presented; it just didn't look like the city had all of its ducks in a row. The poor communication process and implied threats directed toward a major business entity created anxiety throughout the residential and business community.

I was compelled to run, because as a resident I am disappointed at times, in some of the limited communications and responses expressed by the Council to our residents that are filled with political rhetoric and often, misleading information. I will strive to improve this situation by being frank and honest in my dealings with the El Segundo community.

I refuse to speculate or form opinions that could create bias related to future city agenda items. City residents know my past performance and stance on our schools in how worked on the Measure "M" committees and renovation of our high school. Residents should expect that I will handle the Chevron issue and any other issue placed before me with the same exact approach + I will be objective, fair, and provide due diligence in how I act in the best interests of the community.

Bottom line - everyone will get a fair shake with me. That's all I can promise.

I will address community and individual concerns with heartfelt respect and earnest resolve, and most importantly, provide straight and honest answers to the community. If you call, I will call you back.

I will fully vet the issues being brought before me.

I stand ready to serve El Segundo. I respectfully ask for one of your 3 votes on April 10th.