City Financials
We don’t have clarity right now, and that’s a problem.
The city budget is confusing and inaccessible, even to those with financial expertise. I don’t think we’re broke, but I can’t show you that because the way the budget is presented is too confusing. I’ve even watched all the budgetary workshop meetings but still don’t fully understand it.
To fix this, we need clear objectives for budgeting:
Move to a Service Level Budget: Break down costs by service, like adding a firefighter, running a park, or maintaining police staffing. This makes it easier for citizens to understand how their tax dollars are spent. For example, how much does Oakland Terrace Park cost to run? I think this is what people want from the conversations I’ve had.
Make the Budget Transparent and Digestible: Transparency isn’t just dumping raw data—it’s providing simple, clear visuals. For example, a poster showing how each dollar is allocated (e.g., 4 cents for parks, 10 cents for police) and videos or reports for those who want more detail. Pensacola does this exceptionally well, winning awards for how it presents its budget to citizens.
Benchmark Spending Against Other Cities: Compare our spending to similar cities on a per capita or per acre basis. By studying cities that spend less, we can identify innovative practices to do more with less. It’s not about reinventing the wheel—it’s about asking, learning, and applying.
Although government at every level doesn’t always prioritize efficiency, solutions are often available. We must be humble enough to ask other cities for help and adopt their best practices. A clear, understandable budget would show us where we stand and help us make better decisions for our community. We don’t have that clarity right now, and that’s a problem.