Issues
County Budget Gone Awry
I am concerned about two main issues:
1. How are County tax and bond dollars being spent?
2. How are budget decisions made?
How are County tax and bond dollars being spent?
I would set priorities differently. I believe that the first responsibility of a County Supervisor is to fund fully the services essential to the health and safety of residents - safe roads, law enforcement and the justice system, solid waste management, and waste-water treatment. When I moved to the Tucson Mountains in 2001, we complained of the sewer smell from Roger Road treatment plant. That smell is still with us today because bond money has not been directed to the necessary upgrades. Where was that bond money spent? Are there other things in Pima County that smell bad?
The accounts for tax and bond monies are poorly organized, overly detailed and convoluted, making confident analysis difficult. But I am concerned that not enough is being spent on these essentials, and too much is spent on neighborhood amenities which are normally in the domain of private enterprise.
How are budget decisions made?
This year Pima County adopted a budget of 1.4 BILLION dollars. The process is obscure and casual from the taxpayers’ viewpoint. As a candidate I attended the only two meetings where the budget was presented and reviewed by the Board of Supervisors. I observed the following:
- Some supervisors had a budget notebook which they read during the County Administrator’s presentation; others never referred to their notes.
- Department Administrators made no formal presentations justifying their budget requests; this was done by Administrator Huckleberry. Surely the complexity of this budget requires more than one person making budget presentations?
- Supervisors Carroll and Day had several questions for Department Directors but the latter were not present, nor was anyone from their Departments. Thus the Supervisors voted to pass this 1.4 billion dollar budget without proper data.
- Although a number of residents spoke to various budget items, no organized citizen group gave feedback on the proposed budget. A Citizens’ Budget Advisory Committee was formed some years ago but it has never met for lack of a quorum.
- Given such a complex budget, I expected all Supervisors to ask some questions, if only for clarification. Yet Supervisors asked few questions of Administrator Huckleberry or of the Department Directors present.
- Specific programs appeared to be evaluated on an ad hoc basis, without reference to a general plan or large vision for the County. Later, one Supervisor stated that County government had no strategic plan for guiding budget decisions.
As just one example of how decisions are made and funds diverted, see the Board of Supervisors agenda of April 1, 2008 and the queries raised by the District 4 supervisor's assistant as to why Administrator Huckelberry was gutting several major bond-funded projects by re-allocating those funds elsewhere.
What would I do differently?
- Work with other Supervisors and the County Administrator to request that budget information be communicated clearly and with an appropriate level of detail. I would ask that it be available in hard copy and on-line. The budgeting process is a chance to review how well the tax revenues are being applied to needs and goals. It is our annual opportunity to ensure the most effective use of resources.
- Ask Department heads to make formal presentations justifying their budget requests.
- Require Department Heads to be present during the review of their proposed budgets.
- Appoint motivated citizens to the Citizens’ Budget Oversight Committee and urge other Supervisors to do the same, so that body can function.
- Give ample notice to the community when budget meetings will be held.
- Request study sessions for further discussion and problem-solving.
- Work with other Supervisors to develop a Strategic Plan so that all decisions (budget, land use, economic development) could be made within the framework of a common vision and plan for our county.
Donna Branch-Gilby
August 21, 2008
