Daily Herald editorial

Austin residents who have a concern for their pocketbooks and for the quality of community services will want to keep an eye on the city council for the next couple of months during its annual foray into budgeting. Should the council care to do so, it will have an opportunity to thoughtfully set city spending and tax goals for 2013. It will need to work more efficiently than last year, however, if the process is to be inclusive and effective.

Last year’s budget discussions were made particularly difficult because council members tried to micro-manage the process rather than set clear goals for spending and taxes, then let their staff experts develop a plan. Faced with the likelihood of a major tax increase because of reductions in state aid, the council double-clutched on a handful of cost-saving measures and then, metaphorically speaking, shrugged and passed along a 13 percent tax increase to residents.

This year’s challenge will be easier because there is no major shift in state aid to account for. With months to address the matter, the council is well positioned to consider whether it makes sense to increase the tax levy again and, if so, by how much. There is also plenty of time to set a cap on total spending, perhaps even on individual department spending and ask that the city’s highly capable management team develop a plan that incorporates both goals.

This year will also provide an opportunity for the council to demonstrate that it can encourage resident input during meetings. During last year’s discussions, residents who asked questions or offered opinions during council meetings seldom had reason to believe their comments mattered. Already the council has established monthly, casual meetings with the community (most recently yesterday); perhaps that practice will pay off at budget time.

Setting the city’s budget and tax levy is complex and difficult. It does not need to be as difficult as the council made it in 2011. Setting clear goals early in the process will be a key to easing the challenge.