AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
Every constituent of every elected official wants a better quality of life in their community.
Priorities shift among demographics,
but great parks, pedestrian safety, quality hous[1]ing, good schools,
safe streets and protection against dangers top just about everyone’s list.
The challenge is how to fund a
municipal budget with room for everything from social services to huge
infrastructure projects aimed at both sustainability and mitigation against
ever-increasing natural disasters.
The task becomes even more challenging
when the cost of services and materials is soaring, while the federal
government — and its myriad programs that traditionally disburse billions to
municipalities — is shrinking.
The necessary resources exist, in abundance. The challenge is to move the resources to where the needs and opportunities are. That will require an informed and engaged electorate and the corresponding leaders. We also need to change our belief system to recognize that in order to solve our problems and realize our opportunities will require shared solutions rather than atomistic individual efforts.
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