Name any city expenditure during the last two years that, looking back, you would assess as a poor use of public funds. What, if anything, can be done to mitigate the loss of these funds, or prevent similar decisions being made in the future?

Mayor – unopposed

Ava Frisinger

The City of Issaquah, mayor, council, and staff, takes its responsibility to use the public’s money seriously and provides a high level of city services in good times and bad.

I prepare an annual budget based on fiscal projections, public input, and City Council goals, which become city goals. City departments develop their budgets with those same guidelines.

The City Council adopts the budget after public input and deliberation, adjusting the budget to address priorities or concerns they may have about the mayor’s presented budget.

City expenditures are made within the confines of the City Council’s adopted budget and the council’s fiscal policy.

Given that the City Council authorizes expenditures through the budget or, sometimes, an agenda bill for unanticipated situations, the process is a deliberative one, a collective one, and a collaborative one.

A council may reverse previous councils’ priorities, which is their prerogative and not something that may be prevented.

Position 1 – unopposed

Mark Mullet

The biggest waste of resources in the past two years was the way the council and city staff addressed the Southeast bypass issue.

City of Issaquah staff put in thousands of people hours on a project that had fundamental opposition on the Council.

The council and city owe it to the citizens of Issaquah to get on the same page before spending large sums of money.

The end result in this case was a no-vote by the council. Ideally this no-vote would have come much earlier in the process to save precious city people hours. The Southeast bypass issue was the lowpoint for cooperation between the council and city administration.

The goal going forward is to get both sides to agree on ideals and objectives before spending precious city revenue dollars.

Issaquah still has traffic and congestion issues that need to be addressed effectively in the next four years.

Position 3 – unopposed

Eileen Barber

I’m sure every citizen could point to expenditure that they believe to be a poor use of public funds.

It is important that all city expenditure begins with the budget process.

Has the expenditure met the original need set forward in the budget? Is there a clear and demonstrated need that can continually be justified?

The expenditure then needs to go through a transparent review process.

Starting with the appropriate council committee where staff and community members can provide their input. Then finally back to the full council.

It is a good process, but not foolproof. As we have all experienced this year there are unknown events that impact past decisions.

We need to continue to review the budget to ask is the expenditure fiscally responsible and take necessary action when needed.

Position 5

Joan Probala

Just as important as the actual spending decisions the city makes is the process that produces the budget.

I don’t point to a specific expenditure I disagree with because I recognize that the city budget, by nature, consists of compromises that lead to consensus. By the time the council votes, there is agreement.

I believe the city has done a commendable job of making the budget process open and transparent. The city has actively sought public comments. The key to preventing bad decisions is to give plenty of time for public reaction, followed by appropriate revision.

I credit the mayor and her staff for writing reasonable budgets and for keeping the public involved.

It is imperative that we continue and improve upon this process. I would encourage more residents to take an active part throughout the year to learn how the city finances the important city functions.

Maureen McCarry

Rarely is there an expenditure that shows a single, blatant abuse of public dollars.

Each decision has supporters and detractors. Hindsight is always 20/20.

When I look back as Council President, I pushed to decrease this budget by $1.5 million, and if I had known the depth of this tough economy, I would have pushed for more.

Now we have to balance the budget using our rainy day fund. This is my greatest regret.

The 9 percent budget increase for 2009 was based on the estimated income from growth and sales tax revenue that did not materialize.

Instead, we need to build budgets based on department measures of service that fit a sustainable revenue estimate.

In next year’s budget, our priorities need to maintain essential services without raising taxes.

Last year’s cuts reflected the value of my experience on the council to find efficiencies. With your vote, we can do more.

Position 7

Nathan Perea

I would say that trying to point out a specific expenditure made by the city as a “poor use of public funds” would contribute to a divide between our new council members, the incumbents and our mayor.

It’s important that newly elected officials do not look backwards to place blame, but work with their new team to move forward.

Looking ahead to future expenditures will be my job and I am sure we will face some tough budget decisions in the very near term. We will need to ensure that critical services are maintained such as fire and police and we will have to evaluate what other areas are lower priorities.

Good budget decisions are made when you await fiscal projections to evaluate what money you have to work with, followed by listening to the public and collaborating effectively with the mayor and council team members.

Tola Marts

The decision to expand the city’s staff by twelve employees over the last two years was a mistake.

It was based on budgets that grossly overestimated the performance of the local economy.

And then when actual revenues started coming in low, the city was too slow in taking action to come to terms with the budget shortfall.

Most of these jobs were in upper administration staff, rather than in fire, police, or road maintenance, the essential services that need to be prioritized. These hiring decisions helped put us into our current budget crisis.

The growth of the last decade is slowing down, and I feel Issaquah needs someone with a critical eye and the ability to make the tough decisions.

I will insist on conservative budget forecasts when making spending decisions and will respect your tax dollars.

Issaquah’s best days are ahead of us, but we must make careful choices.