In his latest attack piece my opponent again distorts facts and trys to distract from real issues.  He asks of me "What have you done for me lately?"

Let's answer that!

As my opponent refers to things I have done in 2004 and before, what have I done since then? (click on underlined items for more details below)

Fighting runaway spending

Voting against budgets that spend more than we take in

Voting against raiding the capital projects reserve fund to pay today's bills

Offering millions of dollars in responsible cuts to bloated budgets

Pushing for realistic long-term financial planning

Pushing for changes to operations to serve you better and save money

Creating the Green Ribbon Commmittee bringing together a wide variety of interests to create real-world programs for sustainability to reduce the use of resources and save money

Sponsoring multitude of policies and ordinances to further sustainability in Roswell

Spearheading the submission of Silver Level Green Communities application to the Atlanta Regional Commission

Pushing for water conservation - during the drought you couldn't water your yard but new development received the ability to use your water

Fighting Charlie Brown mega-project for two years!  This story has been told over and over.  I help lead the fight against what would have been a disaster for Roswell.

Supporting new mixed-use overlays - we need redevelopment of several areas in Roswell.  Allowing new types of uses is the key.

Pushing for the start of the Midtown Roswell streetscape - This has been going on for years, mostly stalled by City staff incompetence and GDOT stonewalling.  At some points I literally resorted to several emails and calls weekly to keep this moving.

Voting for the first mixed-use project (hotel/retail/townhomes on the Square) approved under the new mixed-use overlay.  My opponent also says I'm against all development, yet I voted for this new wave of redevelopment.

The only vote against a rezoning that pushed higher densities into a neighborhood area.  I have been the most consistent defender of neighborhoods.

Voting against a cell tower being located by neighborhoods.

Fighting billboards - We were able to get one billboard taken down for a while until a court order put it back.  We continue that fight in the courts.  Like many things in city government, it's a never ending battle that requires diligence.  Here's the news report from December 2008

Fighting Runaway Spending - Since I voted against a tax increase in 2004 Roswell's spending has increased 40%, nearly $20 million annually!  This simply cannot be sustained and Roswell budget staff has confirmed this.  I have made numerous attempts to scale back this increase, with some success, but the majority on Council has won out - and my opponent has said he would join them. (back to top)

Voting against budgets that spend more than we take in - I voted against this year's budget because it spends nearly $1.2 million more than we received in revenues.  Our budget principles say we need to cover operating expenses and ongoing/regular maintenance with annual revenues.  We didn't but my opponent says he would have voted for this budget.(back to top)

Voting against raiding the capital projects reserve fund to pay today's bills - I voted against this year's budget because we used money from our capital reserves to pay for ongoing expenses.  There is now only $12 million left in that fund.  It has been used for intersection improvements, new roofs, new fire trucks, etc.  Even with using that for very few projects, like repaving roads, that fund will run out in three years. We have more than 4 times that much need for capital projects - 10 times if you count all the projected transportation projects. (back to top)

Offering millions of dollars in responsible cuts to bloated budgets - Every year I have made motions to make cuts in unnecessary spending.  Some pass, some don't.  The one mistake I have made in the past few years was voting for the 2008 budget.  I did work with my colleagues to cut all that I could and was successful in many and I ultimately supported that budget because I felt I had done the best I could.  However, that budget still represented one of the largest increases in annual spending we have ever had.  We also spent every bit of projected revenues, which I suggested we not do.  Of course, those revenues did not materialize and we had to make additional cuts later that year. (back to top)

Pushing for realistic long-term financial planning - For years I have said we need to create a 5-year financial plan that reflects true expected revenues and actual projected expenses.  I have received no support on Council to do that.  So every year we list 4-5 times the projects we have money for in the next 5 years then we promise that same pot of money to each of those projects.  It simply makes no sense. (back to top)

Pushing for changes to operations to serve you better and save money - we have so many inefficiencies in operations that it is stunning.  In a slow down of development we have multiple people doing nothing in our Community Development Department.  We have a separate purchasing department for Parks and for everyone else.  We started a purchase card program to save money then hired a full-time person to oversee it.  The list goes on and on.  My colleagues have refused to push to change this. (back to top)  

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