Uncontested races dominate run for Saco City Council
Candidates for city council are running unopposed in five of Saco's seven wards.
Ward 1
Cynthia Chadwick-Granger and David Precourt challenge incumbent Margaret Mills.
Cynthia Chadwick-Granger
Age: 49
Address: 3 Sean Place
Phone number: 450-1023
Occupation: Mortgage loan officer for Bank of America
Family: Married to James; son Ryan and stepson Michael
Education: Studied business at Hesser in Manchester, N.H.; University of Southern Maine
Previous political experience: Saco Planning Board, four years; past member board of directors for the chamber of commerce; past president of Mortgage Brokers of Maine; PTO president at Saco Middle School; involved with Saco Spirit committees; Big Sister with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America.
Why are you running for office? I decided to run while I was on the planning board because I want to be active and involved in city government decisions. I’m an advocate for the people who don’t have a voice. I’m not afraid to speak up and that’s what we need.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Stabilize taxes. 2. Attract small businesses to expand economic growth. 3. Create more jobs in Saco by bringing new businesses to the city. I want to maintain Saco’s uniqueness and support downtown Main Street businesses. I encourage people to shop and live local to support local business and the people in this community. I also support trail systems and conservation, which are important for families and our future.
Margaret “Peg” E. Mills, incumbent
Age: 53
Address: 168 Simpson Road
Phone number: 283-1025
Occupation: Retired librarian
Family: Married with college-age daughter
Education: Bachelor’s degree from University of Maine; Master’s degree in library science from Simmons College
Previous political experience: Current Saco City Councilor completing two-year term
Whyare you running for office? I want to continue to serve the people withcareful and measured decisions. Saco is my home where I can learn theneeds and interests of townspeople by visiting local businesses,volunteering with the food pantry, Dyer Library and Saco CommunityGarden and listening to my neighbors. Because we are a small city, manyproblems can actually be evaluated and addressed, satisfying outcomesin this busy and complex world of today.
What are the top threeissues facing Saco and how will you address them? Finances, finances,finances. These are difficult times for us all and the city budget hasbeen trimmed already. Starting this winter I suspect we will need totrim the budget even more because our various sources will continue todecrease in the next couple of years. Saco is a beautiful communitywith many services and progressive accomplishments.
We need tomaintain as much of what makes Saco a great place to live and work withour limited resources as we can. We cannot spend what we don’t have. Atthe same time we would be penny wise and pound foolish to let thesegood city resources deteriorate during the recession.
The citycouncil needs to make creative, careful and difficult choices inselecting what we can support. Because I have worked on two citybudgets already I have experience with some of the nuances andcomplexities of Saco finances. I am especially encouraging voters tosupport the road bond and vote against both TABOR II and the excise taxchange. All three of these November decisions will have a bearing onsaving taxpayer money in the end.
David A. Precourt
Age: 50
Address: 21 Berry Road
Phone number: 282-1135
Occupation: Self-employed, landscaping and excavation
Family: Joanne Nadeau Precourt, wife of 26 years; twin 21-year-old sons Joshua, senior at Endicott College, and Nicholas, senior at the University of Maine
Education: Biddeford High School graduate, courses at University of Southern Maine
Previous political experience: No previous political experience, but always took interest from the sidelines.
Why are you running for office? Because I believe I can bring a positive, constructive knowledge to this position, and would really like the opportunity to represent the people of Ward 1 and the city of Saco.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Filling the business park with good-paying jobs so the young adults don’t feel the need to move out of state. At the same time, this could help reduce the tax burden to the residents of Saco. 2. Property tax relief: A. Making sure school consolidation works. B. Work with neighboring communities to lower service costs. C. Work on bringing new businesses to the area. 3. Help stimulate our economy with responsible growth. A. Lowering permitting fees. B. Tax credit for the first-time homebuyers at the city level.
Ward 2
Leslie E. Smith Jr., unopposed incumbent
Age: 62
Address: 325 Flag Pond Road
Phone number: 282-5385
Occupation: Drivers license exam supervisor for Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Family: Married to high school sweetheart Gail; daughters April and Amy; son Duane; grandchildren Gunner, MacKenzie, Kael and Cody.
Education: Wells High School; teaching certificate from University of Maryland; numerous technical courses during 23-year career in the Air Force.
Previous political experience: First elected to Saco City Council in 1989.
Why are you running for office? I like to be involved. Government should not be a spectator sport.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Control taxes. Expand the tax base or reduce spending. 2. Maintain city roads and other infrastructure. Use grant money when available or do the job right the first time. Sometimes the low bid is not the best bid. 3. Making Saco a city that people want to live in, work in and visit. We need to keep our city neat, clean, safe and affordable. We need to provide education and city services that make Saco attractive without taxing people out of their homes. Saco needs to be business friendly to expand the tax base. That does not, however, mean a wide open city. We need to protect and preserve what makes Saco unique. That is done by matching the business with the neighborhood.
Ward 3
Marie Doucette, unopposed candidate
Address: 75 Clark St.
Phone number: 284-7032
Occupation: Retired
Family: I have two daughters and a son. My daughter, Sharon, lives in Florida and my daughter, Susan, and son, Steven, are Saco residents. All are graduates of Thornton Academy.
Education: Bachelor’s degree from Westbrook College
Previous political experience: I have been a member of the Saco GOP Committee for several years and secretary of the committee for four years. I represented the Saco GOP Committee at the state GOP conventions in 2004, 2006 and 2008. I have served as a ward clerk and warden for Ward 3 for the last few elections.
Why are you running for office? I’m running for office because I feel that everyone should become involved with their government at some level, whether it’s running for the school board, city council, mayor or state and national government. If politics isn’t your forte you can become involved in local organizations such as food banks, soup kitchens and other civic programs (i.e., Saco Spirit). What better way to help your community, state or country.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? Property taxes top the list and it is important to closely monitor the budget and spending to ensure that property taxes remain stable. Economic development is another important issue. We should work closely with the Biddeford-Saco Area Economic Development Corp. board and the Saco Planning Board to bring businesses and small industry to our community. Affordable housing for seniors and low-income residents is sorely needed in Saco. We need to look at other communities who have been successful in expanding their affordable housing units and apply their ideas to our community.
Ward 4
Jeff Christenbury challenges incumbent Sandra Bastille
Jeff Christenbury
Age: 24
Address: 166 Ferry Road
Phone number: 590-3943
Occupation: Television producer/host at WPXT-TV in Portland
Family: Mother Marianne, father Timothy, brother Samuel, 21
Education: Thornton Academy Class of 2003; Boston University Class of 2007 with a bachelor’s in broadcast journalism, minor in history.
Previous political experience: Never run for public office; member of the Republican Project.
Why are you running for office? I’ve lived in Saco nearly my entire life and feel I can do a lot of good for the city. The city could benefit from a young voice on the council and I want to make citizens more aware of how their tax dollars are being spent at the city level. I know many of the families in Ward 4 and will do my best to represent their particular interests and concerns as well. Saco is a fantastic city and I want to help it keep growing and prospering.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Taxes. The city needs to keep property taxes and other taxes under control. Many citizens fail to understand how much money is spent on various programs and departments in the city and I will keep a running blog/open line of communication with the citizens in my ward to ensure people know what’s going on with their money. 2. School budget. With the reorganization of the local schools, it’s extremely important the school board is transparent in the massive budget they now must undertake. I will fight to ensure the citizens of Saco are given a fair shake and are not saddled with paying the bills/salary increases of other towns in the Regional School Unit while keeping the quality of our education programs in Saco high. The 2009-10 school budget mess was unacceptable. 3. Long-term debt. The city of Saco has more than $20 million in outstanding debt and continues to ask for bonds from taxpayers. Reducing our overall debt is not difficult and it’s up to the city council to plan far enough in advance to address issues such as paving and street repair without having to borrow large amounts of money. Just because we’re retiring debt in the next few years doesn’t mean it’s OK to undertake more. I think there are other ways to plan for and fund needed capital improvements and repairs that don’t involve our taxes going to interest on large bonds and debts.
Sandra L. Bastille
Age: 47
Address: 18 Eastern Ave.
Phone number: 602-9313
Occupation: Customer service representative for the Maine Turnpike Authority
Family: Married for 29 years to James Bastille, a wooden boat builder; one daughter, Michelle, was recently married. I have one grandson, Avery James. My father, mother and siblings all live in the area and we were all raised here in Saco.
Education: University of Southern Maine, 1991
Previous political experience: Woman’s Republican Leadership Committee, Saco Shoreline Commission, Saco shoreline ad hoc commission; Save Our Shores of Camp Ellis; Saco Coastal Waters liaison.
Why are you running for office? As a homeowner, partnered business owner and a person who grew up and attended schools in Saco, I feel that I have some experience and understanding to offer. I would like to continue with the work that this council has presented for the last two years.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? First is financial, second is education and the third is homeowners’ rights. We will be scrutinizing each line item during this budget process to make sure that funds are adequate to keep Saco running smooth and offering excellent services, while keeping taxes down through these economic fluctuations. Second is monitoring and keeping all people aware of the RSU formation, the impact of Thornton Academy’s addition of private living quarters and meeting educational standards and hopefully exceeding national standards. Homeowners’ rights are a big part of my moral and ethical conditions for being a councilor. I have always felt strongly that people have constitutional rights to their land and state and local laws should not prohibit or take claim to any part of that.
Ward 5
Arthur J. Tardif, unopposed incumbent
Age: 68
Address: 249 Lincoln St.
Phone number: 283-3126
Occupation: Realtor with Prudential Prime Properties
Family: Wife died within past year; son, Donald, of Charlotte, N.C.; daughter, Suzanne Randall, of Saco; six grandchildren.
Education: Thornton Academy, 1959; numerous college courses while on police department and for real estate.
Previous political experience: Have served as Ward 5 councilor for more than 20 years and would like a few more to reach 50 years of service to the city along with my 26 years with the police department.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? Should TABOR and excise tax referendums pass, the city will be struggling to make things work and tough decisions will have to be made as far as cuts and layoffs. Also, I would like to see the referendum for RSU pass, as this is costing more than it should as there is not local control over the school board to make them accountable for the spending they do. They can now soft soap the public and hope it passes without being accountable to the city they belong to.
Ward 6
Eric Cote, unopposed incumbent
Age: 62
Address: 260 Beach St.
Phone number: 284-7059
Occupation: Lawyer
Family: Super wife Dorothy-Rae and terrific son, Ben
Education: Thornton Academy 1965; Colby College 1969; two years, nine months and 18 days in the U.S. Army, service in Vietnam and Africa; New England School of Law 1977.
Previous political experience: 30-plus years as city councilor, mayor or planning board member
Why are you running for office? I enjoy serving in local government.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Help maintain Saco’s high quality of public services through a patient and persistent effort. 2. Reduce use of energy and convert to renewable energy sources. Continue to implement existing technologies to achieve these goals. The community will continue to work with the Maine chapter of the Sierra Club, Maine Council of Churches, Efficiency Maine and other communities. 3. School organization. Defeat current setup in November referendum and return to the more efficient setup Saco previously had.
Ward 7
Marston Lovell, unopposed incumbent
Age: 63
Address: 51 Nott St.
Phone number: 282-2722
Occupation: Electronic systems management
Family: Married with two children and two grandchildren
Education: Bachelor’s in psychology; B.S.B.A., accounting
Previous political experience: Elected representative to Sanford’s Town Meeting; USM Student Senate; Saco City Council since 2007.
Why are you running for office? I believe I provide a business and financial viewpoint not represented by others on the council. I seek to encourage controlled growth without gratuitous cost.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Increase the taxable property value of Saco faster than the tax rate increases. This will require us to resist the pressure to accept higher costs and to pay for some necessary capital improvements with low interest bonds rather than operating expense. Managing the cost of capital improvements in this way will spread the expense over several years rather than absorbing it in only one or two tax years. 2. Review the method of calculating the “rainy day” savings allocations to acknowledge that inflation erodes its value in good years and its effectiveness in protecting taxpayers in lean years. Change the budget procedures so that sufficient tax money is set aside in good years to cover the recurring lean years sufficiently to protect against inflation. 3. Periodically, events occur that make it difficult to promote progress while keeping costs in line. I plan to urge more thorough analysis of financial impact before supporting new or enhanced services.
Ward 1
Cynthia Chadwick-Granger and David Precourt challenge incumbent Margaret Mills.
Cynthia Chadwick-Granger
Age: 49
Address: 3 Sean Place
Phone number: 450-1023
Occupation: Mortgage loan officer for Bank of America
Family: Married to James; son Ryan and stepson Michael
Education: Studied business at Hesser in Manchester, N.H.; University of Southern Maine
Previous political experience: Saco Planning Board, four years; past member board of directors for the chamber of commerce; past president of Mortgage Brokers of Maine; PTO president at Saco Middle School; involved with Saco Spirit committees; Big Sister with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America.
Why are you running for office? I decided to run while I was on the planning board because I want to be active and involved in city government decisions. I’m an advocate for the people who don’t have a voice. I’m not afraid to speak up and that’s what we need.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Stabilize taxes. 2. Attract small businesses to expand economic growth. 3. Create more jobs in Saco by bringing new businesses to the city. I want to maintain Saco’s uniqueness and support downtown Main Street businesses. I encourage people to shop and live local to support local business and the people in this community. I also support trail systems and conservation, which are important for families and our future.
Margaret “Peg” E. Mills, incumbent
Age: 53
Address: 168 Simpson Road
Phone number: 283-1025
Occupation: Retired librarian
Family: Married with college-age daughter
Education: Bachelor’s degree from University of Maine; Master’s degree in library science from Simmons College
Previous political experience: Current Saco City Councilor completing two-year term
Whyare you running for office? I want to continue to serve the people withcareful and measured decisions. Saco is my home where I can learn theneeds and interests of townspeople by visiting local businesses,volunteering with the food pantry, Dyer Library and Saco CommunityGarden and listening to my neighbors. Because we are a small city, manyproblems can actually be evaluated and addressed, satisfying outcomesin this busy and complex world of today.
What are the top threeissues facing Saco and how will you address them? Finances, finances,finances. These are difficult times for us all and the city budget hasbeen trimmed already. Starting this winter I suspect we will need totrim the budget even more because our various sources will continue todecrease in the next couple of years. Saco is a beautiful communitywith many services and progressive accomplishments.
We need tomaintain as much of what makes Saco a great place to live and work withour limited resources as we can. We cannot spend what we don’t have. Atthe same time we would be penny wise and pound foolish to let thesegood city resources deteriorate during the recession.
The citycouncil needs to make creative, careful and difficult choices inselecting what we can support. Because I have worked on two citybudgets already I have experience with some of the nuances andcomplexities of Saco finances. I am especially encouraging voters tosupport the road bond and vote against both TABOR II and the excise taxchange. All three of these November decisions will have a bearing onsaving taxpayer money in the end.
David A. Precourt
Age: 50
Address: 21 Berry Road
Phone number: 282-1135
Occupation: Self-employed, landscaping and excavation
Family: Joanne Nadeau Precourt, wife of 26 years; twin 21-year-old sons Joshua, senior at Endicott College, and Nicholas, senior at the University of Maine
Education: Biddeford High School graduate, courses at University of Southern Maine
Previous political experience: No previous political experience, but always took interest from the sidelines.
Why are you running for office? Because I believe I can bring a positive, constructive knowledge to this position, and would really like the opportunity to represent the people of Ward 1 and the city of Saco.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Filling the business park with good-paying jobs so the young adults don’t feel the need to move out of state. At the same time, this could help reduce the tax burden to the residents of Saco. 2. Property tax relief: A. Making sure school consolidation works. B. Work with neighboring communities to lower service costs. C. Work on bringing new businesses to the area. 3. Help stimulate our economy with responsible growth. A. Lowering permitting fees. B. Tax credit for the first-time homebuyers at the city level.
Ward 2
Leslie E. Smith Jr., unopposed incumbent
Age: 62
Address: 325 Flag Pond Road
Phone number: 282-5385
Occupation: Drivers license exam supervisor for Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Family: Married to high school sweetheart Gail; daughters April and Amy; son Duane; grandchildren Gunner, MacKenzie, Kael and Cody.
Education: Wells High School; teaching certificate from University of Maryland; numerous technical courses during 23-year career in the Air Force.
Previous political experience: First elected to Saco City Council in 1989.
Why are you running for office? I like to be involved. Government should not be a spectator sport.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Control taxes. Expand the tax base or reduce spending. 2. Maintain city roads and other infrastructure. Use grant money when available or do the job right the first time. Sometimes the low bid is not the best bid. 3. Making Saco a city that people want to live in, work in and visit. We need to keep our city neat, clean, safe and affordable. We need to provide education and city services that make Saco attractive without taxing people out of their homes. Saco needs to be business friendly to expand the tax base. That does not, however, mean a wide open city. We need to protect and preserve what makes Saco unique. That is done by matching the business with the neighborhood.
Ward 3
Marie Doucette, unopposed candidate
Address: 75 Clark St.
Phone number: 284-7032
Occupation: Retired
Family: I have two daughters and a son. My daughter, Sharon, lives in Florida and my daughter, Susan, and son, Steven, are Saco residents. All are graduates of Thornton Academy.
Education: Bachelor’s degree from Westbrook College
Previous political experience: I have been a member of the Saco GOP Committee for several years and secretary of the committee for four years. I represented the Saco GOP Committee at the state GOP conventions in 2004, 2006 and 2008. I have served as a ward clerk and warden for Ward 3 for the last few elections.
Why are you running for office? I’m running for office because I feel that everyone should become involved with their government at some level, whether it’s running for the school board, city council, mayor or state and national government. If politics isn’t your forte you can become involved in local organizations such as food banks, soup kitchens and other civic programs (i.e., Saco Spirit). What better way to help your community, state or country.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? Property taxes top the list and it is important to closely monitor the budget and spending to ensure that property taxes remain stable. Economic development is another important issue. We should work closely with the Biddeford-Saco Area Economic Development Corp. board and the Saco Planning Board to bring businesses and small industry to our community. Affordable housing for seniors and low-income residents is sorely needed in Saco. We need to look at other communities who have been successful in expanding their affordable housing units and apply their ideas to our community.
Ward 4
Jeff Christenbury challenges incumbent Sandra Bastille
Jeff Christenbury
Age: 24
Address: 166 Ferry Road
Phone number: 590-3943
Occupation: Television producer/host at WPXT-TV in Portland
Family: Mother Marianne, father Timothy, brother Samuel, 21
Education: Thornton Academy Class of 2003; Boston University Class of 2007 with a bachelor’s in broadcast journalism, minor in history.
Previous political experience: Never run for public office; member of the Republican Project.
Why are you running for office? I’ve lived in Saco nearly my entire life and feel I can do a lot of good for the city. The city could benefit from a young voice on the council and I want to make citizens more aware of how their tax dollars are being spent at the city level. I know many of the families in Ward 4 and will do my best to represent their particular interests and concerns as well. Saco is a fantastic city and I want to help it keep growing and prospering.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Taxes. The city needs to keep property taxes and other taxes under control. Many citizens fail to understand how much money is spent on various programs and departments in the city and I will keep a running blog/open line of communication with the citizens in my ward to ensure people know what’s going on with their money. 2. School budget. With the reorganization of the local schools, it’s extremely important the school board is transparent in the massive budget they now must undertake. I will fight to ensure the citizens of Saco are given a fair shake and are not saddled with paying the bills/salary increases of other towns in the Regional School Unit while keeping the quality of our education programs in Saco high. The 2009-10 school budget mess was unacceptable. 3. Long-term debt. The city of Saco has more than $20 million in outstanding debt and continues to ask for bonds from taxpayers. Reducing our overall debt is not difficult and it’s up to the city council to plan far enough in advance to address issues such as paving and street repair without having to borrow large amounts of money. Just because we’re retiring debt in the next few years doesn’t mean it’s OK to undertake more. I think there are other ways to plan for and fund needed capital improvements and repairs that don’t involve our taxes going to interest on large bonds and debts.
Sandra L. Bastille
Age: 47
Address: 18 Eastern Ave.
Phone number: 602-9313
Occupation: Customer service representative for the Maine Turnpike Authority
Family: Married for 29 years to James Bastille, a wooden boat builder; one daughter, Michelle, was recently married. I have one grandson, Avery James. My father, mother and siblings all live in the area and we were all raised here in Saco.
Education: University of Southern Maine, 1991
Previous political experience: Woman’s Republican Leadership Committee, Saco Shoreline Commission, Saco shoreline ad hoc commission; Save Our Shores of Camp Ellis; Saco Coastal Waters liaison.
Why are you running for office? As a homeowner, partnered business owner and a person who grew up and attended schools in Saco, I feel that I have some experience and understanding to offer. I would like to continue with the work that this council has presented for the last two years.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? First is financial, second is education and the third is homeowners’ rights. We will be scrutinizing each line item during this budget process to make sure that funds are adequate to keep Saco running smooth and offering excellent services, while keeping taxes down through these economic fluctuations. Second is monitoring and keeping all people aware of the RSU formation, the impact of Thornton Academy’s addition of private living quarters and meeting educational standards and hopefully exceeding national standards. Homeowners’ rights are a big part of my moral and ethical conditions for being a councilor. I have always felt strongly that people have constitutional rights to their land and state and local laws should not prohibit or take claim to any part of that.
Ward 5
Arthur J. Tardif, unopposed incumbent
Age: 68
Address: 249 Lincoln St.
Phone number: 283-3126
Occupation: Realtor with Prudential Prime Properties
Family: Wife died within past year; son, Donald, of Charlotte, N.C.; daughter, Suzanne Randall, of Saco; six grandchildren.
Education: Thornton Academy, 1959; numerous college courses while on police department and for real estate.
Previous political experience: Have served as Ward 5 councilor for more than 20 years and would like a few more to reach 50 years of service to the city along with my 26 years with the police department.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? Should TABOR and excise tax referendums pass, the city will be struggling to make things work and tough decisions will have to be made as far as cuts and layoffs. Also, I would like to see the referendum for RSU pass, as this is costing more than it should as there is not local control over the school board to make them accountable for the spending they do. They can now soft soap the public and hope it passes without being accountable to the city they belong to.
Ward 6
Eric Cote, unopposed incumbent
Age: 62
Address: 260 Beach St.
Phone number: 284-7059
Occupation: Lawyer
Family: Super wife Dorothy-Rae and terrific son, Ben
Education: Thornton Academy 1965; Colby College 1969; two years, nine months and 18 days in the U.S. Army, service in Vietnam and Africa; New England School of Law 1977.
Previous political experience: 30-plus years as city councilor, mayor or planning board member
Why are you running for office? I enjoy serving in local government.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Help maintain Saco’s high quality of public services through a patient and persistent effort. 2. Reduce use of energy and convert to renewable energy sources. Continue to implement existing technologies to achieve these goals. The community will continue to work with the Maine chapter of the Sierra Club, Maine Council of Churches, Efficiency Maine and other communities. 3. School organization. Defeat current setup in November referendum and return to the more efficient setup Saco previously had.
Ward 7
Marston Lovell, unopposed incumbent
Age: 63
Address: 51 Nott St.
Phone number: 282-2722
Occupation: Electronic systems management
Family: Married with two children and two grandchildren
Education: Bachelor’s in psychology; B.S.B.A., accounting
Previous political experience: Elected representative to Sanford’s Town Meeting; USM Student Senate; Saco City Council since 2007.
Why are you running for office? I believe I provide a business and financial viewpoint not represented by others on the council. I seek to encourage controlled growth without gratuitous cost.
What are the top three issues facing Saco and how will you address them? 1. Increase the taxable property value of Saco faster than the tax rate increases. This will require us to resist the pressure to accept higher costs and to pay for some necessary capital improvements with low interest bonds rather than operating expense. Managing the cost of capital improvements in this way will spread the expense over several years rather than absorbing it in only one or two tax years. 2. Review the method of calculating the “rainy day” savings allocations to acknowledge that inflation erodes its value in good years and its effectiveness in protecting taxpayers in lean years. Change the budget procedures so that sufficient tax money is set aside in good years to cover the recurring lean years sufficiently to protect against inflation. 3. Periodically, events occur that make it difficult to promote progress while keeping costs in line. I plan to urge more thorough analysis of financial impact before supporting new or enhanced services.
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