Budget Management Has Reduced Service Levels

By Benjamin Joseph Cantu

Mis-management of the municipal budget for years has created the Manteca's municipal fiscal deficit

After decades of repeated exposure to the cyclical pattern of development, the economy, and government revenue, whether at the state level or here in Manteca, one would think that a new approach to budgeting and managing the fiscal revenue streams and expenditures would have been implemented. We have been in this same exact upside-down budget dilemma many times before, this is not a new anomaly to local government or to Manteca. A new approach to budget management is needed, wherein the budget weathers cyclical economic patterns, does not rely heavily on development activity, and that requires new development to pay for long-term fiscal impacts to the existing community.

As Mayor, I propose a new approach to budgeting in Manteca, one where the revenue stream is less reactive to the cyclical pattern of the development market; that allows development flexibility in addressing long-term community impacts; the creation of capital improvement and community improvement programs that address the needs of the existing community; creation of a moderate fiscally manageable community services level commensurate with addressing the ongoing needs of the community; maintaining a moderate level of public service employees in response to meeting the needs of the community, and utilizing contract employees and consultants during economic booms; one that does not have to be supplemented by creative development taxes (like "bonus bucks") in order to balance; one that responds in a reasonable time frame to the infrastructure needs of the existing neighborhoods and business community.

I think it is time for a change.