05/2017 Mayor's Corner MAY 2017
Message from the Mayor
Planning Wisely for Future Challenges
We have officially kicked off budget season! The Budget Committee had two meetings to
begin reviewing the proposed budget for fiscal year 2017-2018. The Budget Committee
consists of members of the City Council, five appointed citizens at large and one alternate,
and myself. A special thanks to Stephanie Veal, Thomas Schweizer, Clifford Rone, William
Ludwig, Nathan Rix and Rajendra Patel for volunteering their time to ensure the health of
Tigard's financial future.
The Budget Committee is responsible for deliberating on the proposed budget submitted by
the City Manager and for sending the approved budget to the City Council for final adoption.
Through the budgeting process, the City of Tigard staff work hard to plan and budget for
our community's future. From January to April, the Finance Department and the City
Manager work collaboratively with all city departments to prepare a proposed budget for
Budget Committee review. The end result of our budget process is a plan that guides how
we spend every penny of a roughly $137 million budget.
I am proud of the diligence the city applies to maximizing the value of your taxpayer
dollars. This has allowed us to do our best to maintain services levels, but has also meant
deferring repairs and system investments. This is not a financial path we can continue to
sustain any longer.
The city's average revenues only increase by 3.5 percent annually and, for a city our size,
expenses for general services grow at an average of about 4 percent annually. Our general
fund resources erode every year, meaning slowly eroding city service levels.
As we plan for the future of our community, the City Council will explore options for
correcting the imbalance between resources and expenditures. One possibility is a voter-
approved local-option levy to maintain funding for day-to-day city services. The City Council
has decided to create a Tigard Levy and Bond Advisory Task Force to advise us on whether
or not to pursue a levy, as well as the general scope of the levy. Be sure to apply!
My next "Fireside Chat with the Mayor" on Thursday, May 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at
Symposium Coffee, 12345 SW Main St. Joining me this month is new Police Chief Kathy
McAlpine.
My May quote of the month is by Dwight D. Eisenhower "Neither a wise man nor a brave
man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him."