Budget Priorities for the City of Mill Valley
I see the need for significant ongoing and costly infrastructure improvements so that our aging roads, bridges, pipes, culverts and flood control
facilities are up to the task and are in safe working order. Not really exciting, but let’s face it, this is the bedrock of local city responsibility. Your
elected leaders have to make sure the “house and property” are in good working order.
From what I have seen of the budget, Mill Valley is generally in good shape. With a strong property tax base, with healthy annual growth, we can
continue to fund key programs and services, from public safety and vegetation management to recreation, library and youth and senior services.
Yet, there are challenges ahead as I have noted. These capital expenditures will not be easy to finance, nor will they be the subject of great fanfare
and celebration.
I eagerly await the results of the second part of the Stetson study that was recently jointly funded by the city and the County of Marin’s Flood
Zone Three Advisory Board. This study will result in a watershed map of the entire Mill Valley watershed. We need the flood protection
recommendations from this kind of comprehensive and cooperative work by the city and the County of Marin. Bravo! I look forward to more of
this kind of city-county joint venture that benefits the entire watershed that does not stop at our city’s boundary.
A full service city like Mill Valley must provide excellent services for the entire range of its programs, from police and fire to senior services, parks
and recreation, public works, roads and sewer and sanitation. I recently heard a former Mayor Bob Burton describe what I consider to be a
compelling human metric for excellence in city services: He said that every city employee should be “the eyes of our city.” When we see things that
should be better, we are moved and motivated to follow up. Imagine the ripple effect in our city with a public service goal of such elegant design.
We need a Council that will help guide our community toward more sustainable ways of living with better land use, transportation and energy
policies to help us live within our budget and to reduce our local contribution to CO2 production and our unsustainable environmental footprint. We
can do this and do it well.
I see the need for significant ongoing and costly infrastructure improvements so that our aging roads, bridges, pipes, culverts and flood control
facilities are up to the task and are in safe working order. Not really exciting, but let’s face it, this is the bedrock of local city responsibility. Your
elected leaders have to make sure the “house and property” are in good working order.
From what I have seen of the budget, Mill Valley is generally in good shape. With a strong property tax base, with healthy annual growth, we can
continue to fund key programs and services, from public safety and vegetation management to recreation, library and youth and senior services.
Yet, there are challenges ahead as I have noted. These capital expenditures will not be easy to finance, nor will they be the subject of great fanfare
and celebration.
I eagerly await the results of the second part of the Stetson study that was recently jointly funded by the city and the County of Marin’s Flood
Zone Three Advisory Board. This study will result in a watershed map of the entire Mill Valley watershed. We need the flood protection
recommendations from this kind of comprehensive and cooperative work by the city and the County of Marin. Bravo! I look forward to more of
this kind of city-county joint venture that benefits the entire watershed that does not stop at our city’s boundary.
A full service city like Mill Valley must provide excellent services for the entire range of its programs, from police and fire to senior services, parks
and recreation, public works, roads and sewer and sanitation. I recently heard a former Mayor Bob Burton describe what I consider to be a
compelling human metric for excellence in city services: He said that every city employee should be “the eyes of our city.” When we see things that
should be better, we are moved and motivated to follow up. Imagine the ripple effect in our city with a public service goal of such elegant design.
We need a Council that will help guide our community toward more sustainable ways of living with better land use, transportation and energy
policies to help us live within our budget and to reduce our local contribution to CO2 production and our unsustainable environmental footprint. We
can do this and do it well.