What is the long-term plan to address this issue, considering the City is planning an operating referendum in 2028/29? In theory, there will be two school referendums in 2024/25, a city hall/library referendum in 2025/26, and then the operating referendum in 2028/29. These referendums will heavily burden the property tax base. Additionally, introducing "vehicle fees" will further strain residents, making this strategy unsustainable in the long term. Participatory budgeting should be front and center to help the city grapple with the budget shortfalls.
Some ideas to consider:
1. **Enforce Competitive Bidding**:
- Eliminate waivers on request for proposals (RFPs) for all city purchases over $10,000 to ensure transparency and cost-effectiveness.
2. **Review Executive Compensation**:
- Conduct a comprehensive examination of City Executive and Director level salaries to ensure they are aligned with public sector norms and performance outcomes.
3. **Eliminate Non-Essential Incentives**:
- Discontinue the provision of city vehicles for personal use by City and Deputy City Administrators, unless absolutely necessary for their roles.
4. **Expand Participatory Budgeting**:
- Increase the use of participatory budgeting processes, allowing residents to have a direct say in determining city funding priorities.
5. **Adjust Property Taxes Responsibly**:
- Maintain property taxes in line with inflation to ensure stable revenue without overburdening taxpayers.
6. **Limit Tax Increment Financing (TIF)**:
- Minimize the use of TIFs to prevent diverting future tax revenues from the general fund.
7. **Innovative TIF Management**:
- Explore debt instruments to "buy out" TIFs, similar to initiatives in Chicago, to bring developments onto general tax rolls sooner.
8. **Reduce Debt Reliance**:
- Implement strategies to reduce reliance on debt for budget balancing, avoiding "kicking the can" down the road.
9. **Implement Hiring Freeze with Exceptions**:
- Pause all city hiring unless approved by the Common Council, with exemptions for essential services like Police, Fire, and Public Works.
10. **End Unnecessary Litigation**:
- Terminate meaningless or frivolous litigation stemming from 2020 to save on legal costs.
11. **Explore Fair Revenue Increases**:
- Investigate potential revenue increases that comply with state statutes, ensuring they are equitable and not overly burdensome on residents.
12. **Optimize In-House Capabilities**:
-Evaluate Current Third-Party Contracts: Conduct a thorough review of all existing third-party service contracts to identify opportunities for cost savings or elimination.
13. **Collaborate with School District for Joint Procurements**:
-Establish a Joint Procurement Committee: Form a committee comprising representatives from both the city and the school district to oversee and coordinate joint procurement initiatives.
-Identify Common Needs: Conduct an analysis to identify goods and services that both the city and the school district frequently purchase, such as office supplies, maintenance services, and technology equipment.
-Leverage Bulk Purchasing Power: Combine purchasing volumes to negotiate better prices and terms with suppliers, leveraging economies of scale for cost savings.
14. **Partner with School District to Fund the Crossing Guard Contract**
What is the long-term plan to address this issue, considering the City is planning an operating referendum in 2028/29? In theory, there will be two school referendums in 2024/25, a city hall/library referendum in 2025/26, and then the operating referendum in 2028/29. These referendums will heavily burden the property tax base. Additionally, introducing "vehicle fees" will further strain residents, making this strategy unsustainable in the long term. Participatory budgeting should be front and center to help the city grapple with the budget shortfalls.
Some ideas to consider:
1. **Enforce Competitive Bidding**:
- Eliminate waivers on request for proposals (RFPs) for all city purchases over $10,000 to ensure transparency and cost-effectiveness.
2. **Review Executive Compensation**:
- Conduct a comprehensive examination of City Executive and Director level salaries to ensure they are aligned with public sector norms and performance outcomes.
3. **Eliminate Non-Essential Incentives**:
- Discontinue the provision of city vehicles for personal use by City and Deputy City Administrators, unless absolutely necessary for their roles.
4. **Expand Participatory Budgeting**:
- Increase the use of participatory budgeting processes, allowing residents to have a direct say in determining city funding priorities.
5. **Adjust Property Taxes Responsibly**:
- Maintain property taxes in line with inflation to ensure stable revenue without overburdening taxpayers.
6. **Limit Tax Increment Financing (TIF)**:
- Minimize the use of TIFs to prevent diverting future tax revenues from the general fund.
7. **Innovative TIF Management**:
- Explore debt instruments to "buy out" TIFs, similar to initiatives in Chicago, to bring developments onto general tax rolls sooner.
8. **Reduce Debt Reliance**:
- Implement strategies to reduce reliance on debt for budget balancing, avoiding "kicking the can" down the road.
9. **Implement Hiring Freeze with Exceptions**:
- Pause all city hiring unless approved by the Common Council, with exemptions for essential services like Police, Fire, and Public Works.
10. **End Unnecessary Litigation**:
- Terminate meaningless or frivolous litigation stemming from 2020 to save on legal costs.
11. **Explore Fair Revenue Increases**:
- Investigate potential revenue increases that comply with state statutes, ensuring they are equitable and not overly burdensome on residents.
12. **Optimize In-House Capabilities**:
-Evaluate Current Third-Party Contracts: Conduct a thorough review of all existing third-party service contracts to identify opportunities for cost savings or elimination.
13. **Collaborate with School District for Joint Procurements**:
-Establish a Joint Procurement Committee: Form a committee comprising representatives from both the city and the school district to oversee and coordinate joint procurement initiatives.
-Identify Common Needs: Conduct an analysis to identify goods and services that both the city and the school district frequently purchase, such as office supplies, maintenance services, and technology equipment.
-Leverage Bulk Purchasing Power: Combine purchasing volumes to negotiate better prices and terms with suppliers, leveraging economies of scale for cost savings.
14. **Partner with School District to Fund the Crossing Guard Contract**