William Larsen

BIZPAC on Government Efficiency

Government Efficiency
BIZPAC and the Chamber feel increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of governmental services is essential to providing a system that benefits business growth and job creation. They quality of local government, not the quantity, is critical to how our communities operate. And inefficient, ineffective government that struggles to make ends meet, cannot focus on best practices, or establish a vision for economic growth. For too long local government has been trapped, due in large part to its outdated structure. A more efficient and solvent government can participate in the important work of creating communities of vision for the future: a vision that includes economic growth, educational opportunities, sound infrastructure, and outstanding public safety.


Once again I disagree with BIZPAC. We differ on the responsibility of government. Fort Wayne used to have limited government, but over the years has taken on ever more responsibility. This has increased property taxes and created a need for the local income tax. Yet, they want more efficiency in government with projects like Harrison Square, Kitty Hawk, and North River Development. If you want more efficiency, get government out of the business of buying and funding projects and back into zoning, planning and providing those services it is responsible for.

Let us talk about out dated structures.

• Education - What is out dated about learning to read, write and arithmetic? Do they have another way to improve the process of presentation and retention? The brain today still processes information the same way it did 10,000 years ago.
• Sound infrastructure - They did not think that CEDIT should be used for infrastructure such as sidewalks, curbs and streets.
• Public Safety - Possibly spending taxes on infrastructure will keep communities from deteriorating thus creating pride in the neighborhoods instead of spending tax dollars to subsidize risky investment such as Harrison Square.
• Economic Growth - What a catch phrase. It encompasses everything, but has no basis what so ever. What it means to one person is different to another. We all want economic development. We all want jobs to provide for our families.

Obviously I am not a politician. I am a husband, father to five children and an engineer. I want my children to do better than I. This city council seems to think that government needs to provide everything. That they know best. They assert their perceived values on City Council on all those in the city. I ask for your vote November 6.

posted by William Larsen @ 3:58 PM