Govern with Transparency
Increasing public trust depends on transparency and full disclosure. Our incumbent Council launched multiple committees: Finance, Investment Policy and Technology. Beginning with the Finance Advisory Committee, we need to heed their advice and recommendations – and actively implement solutions. The Investment Committee is underutilized and has never been given the most important responsibility to review and advise on management of the $15MM of Pension debt.
Solutions to open up City government to citizens by requiring:
- Bi-Annual release of pension debt balance. Currently only made public annually with information that is 1.5 years old.
- Provide all costs. The City does not show employee costs inclusive of all pension costs and residents know it is being hidden and impacting financial trade-off decisions
- Record all open Council meetings
- Invite the public to all Committee meetings with welcomed engagement
- Develop common, clear language that helps our residents understand: debt, deficits, balanced budget and solvency
- Keep controversial items open for discussion. Issues will not be hidden on the consent agenda and open discussions welcomed
- Require that contracts be signed by Council, ratified, with cost assessed and made public
- Provide full disclosure. Residents deserve real choices without undisclosed future taxes
- Publish current pension debt semi-yearly with budget
