Following the money at City Hall

Asign of maturity among elected officials is recognizing when governments need more money to do their jobs. Another, even more important sign? Wisely spend the money taxpayers are already sending in.

As the citizens of Santa Fe have made clear in recent years, they are displeased with how city government has shepherded public resources. Whether in caring for public parks and facilities or handling its budget, the sense of the citizens is that city officials have failed to be good stewards.

That does not mean, however, that any discussion of increasing taxes should be dead out of the gate.

Considering the state of public roads and some facilities, Santa Fe could be due to spend money getting the place into shape. About $250 million in deferred maintenance has been identified — that’s a lot of catching up.

Before that can happen, though, problems identified in previous reports about the city’s financial practices and any other issues in the still-delayed city audit must be addressed.

Citizens can’t be asked to cough up more money when they don’t know — or trust — where the money currently goes.

Mayor Alan Webber, just two months into his term, is asking the City Council to begin discussing a bond package to pay for public safety and road improvements, as well as doing needed work on city facilities.

There are two parts to the discussion — $60 million of general obligation bonds and $13 million in GRT revenue bonds. Voters would decide the fate of the $60 million package but don’t have to weigh in on the revenue bonds.

Before you grab your wallets, remember that all of this is very preliminary. The larger bond issue, in fact, is being discussed right now so that if — and this is a big if — the city decides to put it before voters, all the deadlines can be met.

There is no actual bond package being proposed; before that happens, citizens, councilors and staff would have broad discussions about what exactly is needed.

In these days of tax cuts designed to shrink budgets as a means of slashing government spending — thus harming essential programs, whether food benefits for the needy or health care for the elderly — it is encouraging to see a city government unafraid to try and correct problems, even if it might mean a tax increase.

Being discussed — in a very preliminary way — for large general obligation bond spending are such projects as a south-side fire station, another $10 million per year into road repaving and the construction of a joint police and fire station.

The revenue bond money could go to improve city recreational facilities and the downtown library, as well as replace wornout bridges. These do not appear to be frivolous or wasteful projects.

However, these are early days, and there will be plenty of time for a broader conversation in the months ahead. Eventually, the city wants to become more proactive in placing general obligation bonds before voters, catching up with maintenance and, eventually, getting ahead of problems. That’s a worthy goal.

First, though, citizens need to know where their money goes. Demonstrate that taxpayer dollars are spent frugally and with care. Show that money is not being wasted. Restore trust, in other words.

Mayor Webber was elected to challenge how City Hall does business. The first step? A strict accounting of how tax dollars are spent.