Should Only Homeowners Be Able to Run for Town Council?

Recently someone came to me with an objection expressed by a friend that I was not a good choice for Town Council, because I rent my housing rather than owning a home. The objection was based on the idea that people who don't pay property taxes should not decide what to do with property taxes paid to the Town.

However, in my view, the Town is not well-served by having a Council that is limited to individuals who pay property taxes. Here are some facts that support my position.

While property taxes are one source of income for the Town of Castle Rock, it's important to note that property tax income will be less than one percent of the total funding estimated for the Town in 2012. By contrast, sales tax revenue is 28.5 percent of the Town's estimated 2012 revenues. 

Further, if the standard of "who pays" is applied to Town Council candidates, then very few people would qualify to serve on the Council. For example:

·  Impact fees produce seven times as much revenue for the Town as property taxes. However, impact fees are paid by developers, not residential property owners. 

·  The Town takes in about three times as much revenue from motor vehicle taxes as from property taxes. Motor vehicle taxes are paid by individuals who buy a car in Castle Rock.

·  The Town brings in about twice as much revenue from franchise taxes as from property taxes. However, only utility companies, such as the cable companies, pay franchise taxes.

If the objection raised above is taken to its conclusion, who could run for Council? Only developers who own a home, who own a utility company, and who bought a car in Castle Rock in the past year? I hope that sounds as absurd to you as it does to me.

Preparing to Serve

As any good project manager knows, success often depends on moving forward with multiple activities simultaneously. In this campaign, I'm working not only to gain your vote, but also to ensure that if I have the honor of being elected to Town Council I am ready to serve effectively from Day One.

I'm preparing to serve in multiple ways. Most importantly, I'm talking to members of District 2 about what you like and what you want to see improved. I appreciate very much the kindness and courtesy with which you have received me, and I've enjoyed hearing about the issues that you have shared with me. I've also been working to develop relationships with other individuals who have experience with Castle Rock policy and administration, especially with reference to economic development issues. I have attended almost all the Town Council meetings held since October 2011, and have learned about the key issues currently facing the Town as well as who the key players are. I've had an opportunity to meet and talk to key members of the Town staff, as well as meeting each of the members of the Town Council. Finally, I'm availing myself of the wide variety of resources available on the Town website at www.crgov.com. I especially have been rewarded by my investment in reviewing the Town's 2012 budget, and in reviewing the four proposals to provide a long-term renewable water source. Water is a key issue facing the Town Council in 2012, and I plan to be ready to discuss the various water proposals in a detailed manner when the 2012-2014 Council is seated in April. I would appreciate any thoughts you may have on what the Town should look for in selecting a long-term renewable water supplier.

The Ballot is Finalized

It's official! I'm on the ballot for Town Council District 2. I'll be running against two others, including the incumbent councilman.

The ballot drawing was held at Town Hall yesterday afternoon. By virtue of the drawing, I will be listed first on the ballot.

Effectiveness, Accountability, and Responsiveness

The three political values that I particularly want to discuss in this race are effectiveness, accountability, and responsiveness.

Effectiveness: Effective government is what we as taxpayers demand and deserve. Effectiveness takes various forms, but in essence means ensuring that the government provides maximum value for our tax dollars. Effectiveness also means that citizens get what they need quickly and accurately. Effectiveness can be greatly enhanced through a strong system of performance measurement.

Effectiveness also entails efficiency, since inefficiency is a key enemy of value. Inefficiency costs time and money. For example, when a business applies for a license or permit, failing to move the application through the process in a timely way means that the business cannot act as quickly as it would like. It also means that the business and the government are paying more salary during the process than is necessary. This hurts both the business and taxpayers.

I have worked the last eleven years as a performance auditor at the state and local levels. As a performance auditor I assess the effectiveness and efficiency of public programs, which is exactly what the Town Council is expected to do. Consequently, I'm well-positioned to identify areas where Town government can improve its program effectiveness and its efficiency.

Accountability: Our Founders developed a system of government meant to ensure that all participants are accountable to someone else. The staff of the Town of Castle Rock is accountable to the Town Manager, who is accountable to the Town Council. All are accountable to Town citizens, who are responsible for determining what the Town should do. As a Town Councilman I would take my accountability to District 2 residents and businesses very seriously.

Accountability and effectiveness overlap in the creation of a strong system of performance measurement. Performance measurement is more than just a counting exercise; it requires a thoughtful assessment of the mission, goals, and performance metrics of an organization to ensure that all are strategically aligned. For performance measurement to be successful requires that management give thought to the kind of behavior that the measurement system encourages. For example, having a performance measure that rewards speedy data processing without addressing quality will certainly create results with an unacceptable level of inaccuracy. 

Responsiveness: Elected officials demonstrate their accountability to citizens through their responsiveness. Responsiveness includes both timeliness and helpfulness. If I respond to all inquiries in a few minutes, but don't understand the constituent's problem or how I can help, I'm not being very responsive. Conversely, if I respond to constituents with full information months after the initial inquiry was made, I am not being very responsive. As your Town Councilman, I would work for YOU. My goal is to respond to inquiries within 24 hours, and to be clear about what information I can share. If I need more time to follow up, I'll let you know that, as well as when I plan to come back to you with subsequent follow up.