Click to see discussions of:
- Fiscal Responsibility & Accountablity
- Economic & Social Vitality
- Representative Government
- Transparent Government & Improved Communications
- Preserving the Quality of our Neighborhoods & our Lives
- Sustainability
Fiscal Responsibility & Government
City Council (as well as all other levels of government) should be careful stewards of the taxpayers' money.
Fiscal responsibility & accountability require monthly & annual financial reports publilshed by the deadlines imposed by the City Charter. For several years prior to 2007, as a member of the 2007 Citizens' Budget Advisory Committee noted, the City had a problem with "delayed" & "bad" audits. In 2008, the audit of 2007 showed very few problems, all of which have now been addressed. The 2009, 2010 and 2011 audits showed "no substantive problems."
In its Report to City Council, July 10, 2007 (click to see), the Citizens' Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC), wrote:
We perceive a level of distrust in the community regarding recent Council decisions pertaining to taxation and finance.
To engage citizens in honest & open discussion of the City's revenue needs, I have worked to improve fiscal accountability & regain citizens' trust.
Specifically, I have helped ensure that
- the monthly financial reports & the annual financial report are published by the required deadlines, & made available to the public in print at City Center & the library, as well as published online;
- budget planning & accounting are more readily comprehensible for the Council (and citizens)
- general ledger accounts are used consistently & correctly across all departments;
- accounts accurately reflect the nature of expenditures. For example, the City Council City Council outreach breakfasts are now listed as a separate line item, rather than included in the "Travel & Training" budget;
- the budget focuses on "needs" as opposed to "wants."
I continue to advocate for the Council to establish short- and long-term strategic goals & to establish priorities that help focus on "needs" as opposed to "wants."
I have advocated for expenditures to match revenues. At the first of the 3 budget meetings in September 2010, I moved that the City bring the expenditures in line with the projected revenue for the 2011 budget (the motion passed 6-1). Although the Council cut more than $2 million (more than 4%) from the 2010 budget, there was still a gap of about $250,000. Council therefore voted to have quarterly budget discussions in 2011 to determine whether furlough days were warranted. (So far, revenues are exceeding expenditures.)
At the Council meeting on June 7, 2011, I asked the City Manager to submit a 2012 budget showing expenditures matching revenues (the other Council members supported this request).
I will continue to encourage citizens to communicate with me, & will listen to what they have to say -- by phone (303-795-9552), by e-mail (peggy915@msn.com), or wherever our paths cross --
- during unscheduled public appearances & public hearings at Council meetings;
- during the Get Wild on Littleton block party, Western Welcome Week activities, National Night Out block parties, the Candlelight Walk, & other City events;
- at the grocery store;
- on the street (while I am walking or jogging).
Transparent Government & Improved Communications
I support
- full disclosure in a timely way, giving citizens time to contact members of City Council, Commissions & Boards before informal decisions are made;
- televising City Council regular sessions, special sessions & study sessions;
- televising Planning Commission regular & study sessions;
- televising meetings of the Licensing Authority (formerly the Liquor Authority);
- using streaming video to broadcast the above meetings on the City website.
At the Council meeting on July 7, 2009, I requested that most of the non-confidential items in Council's weekly packets be posted online (some are too big to post; I volunteered to email the weekly "City Council Meeting Follow-up Items" spreadsheet to anyone who would like to receive it).
I will continue to advocate for holding the City Council's annual Workshop where it can be televised.
Seeing & hearing discussion of the issues—including the budget process—& the preliminary decisions gives citizens time to contact members of the Council before the Council takes formal actions.
Televising all City Council meetings serves several critical roles—for example, it
- allows those who, for various reasons, are unable to attend meetings the opportunity to view them live, or at a more convenient time on the Internet via video-streaming, or when they are rebroadcast on Channel 8;
- allows citizens to hear the rationales for their representatives' decisions; &
- helps citizens understand the complexity of issues & the process of representative government.
Continuing to improve communications is key to addressing all of the challenges the City faces.
Preserving the Quality of our Neighborhoods & our Lives
I will continue to work to
- help Littleton thrive, but not at the expense of our citizens & great neighborhoods;
- balance our economic needs with the fundamental reasons why we all choose to live here;
- ensure that the Comprehensive Plan embraces the views of the majority of the citizens;
- mitigate any unanticipated negative impacts of developments that have already been completed.
We must find acceptable ways to mitigate negative impacts of development & renewal on the character & quality of life in the immediate & surrounding neighborhoods.
Littleton currently has a ratio of 37 acres of open space per 1,000 people. Because the current City Council brought the open-space fees more in line with the retail price of land, we will be more able to maintain that ratio.
Sustainability in policy-making provides for current needs without damaging the ability of future generations to provide for themselves. In Littleton, economic sustainability can be best achieved by promoting small retail and local businesses.
Sustainability is not a mandate but a value-based system. For Littleton it would mean, among many things, promoting businesses that give back to the community and play a social role in society, and discouraging outside companies that look only to reap profits.
Environmental sustainability involves initiatives related to building codes, energy efficiency, transportation, recycling, & water.
To promote environmental sustainability, in 2008 the City Council eliminated the permit fee for retrofitting existing structures with solar & photovoltaic systems, & eliminated the sales & use tax for such systems. (Note: I wanted to give a rebate rather than eliminate the sales & use tax.)