Cutting Costs

In addition to better management of roads and public safety services, the budget is riddled with areas that could be cut back slightly without detracting from the quality of life in Lafayette.  Today, there seems to be no one on the council that focuses on reducing such peripheral costs, in order to better tend to our core needs, such as infrastructure and essential city services, without burdensome taxes.  Here are several examples of changes that should be made:

• Hiring Freeze.  Though Lafayette has grown little in the past 4 decades, the size of the city administration has grown five-fold and is still hiring.  The city should implement a hiring freeze.  No organization should continue to expand without the revenue to support such growth. 
• Cap Consulting Fees.  $160,000 a year is far too much money to spend on consultants annually.  The city does sometimes need expert opinion, but a cap should be placed at half of this amount, $80,000.  That is approximately the amount of money spent on consultants other than those charged with passing a new tax. 
• Restrain Landscaping Costs.  The City of Lafayette spends $500,000 per annum on landscaping Mt. Diablo Blvd.  This is extravagant.  Landscaping that requires less maintenance and irrigation would save us money and water.  This should be the budget for fixing a road, not decorating it.
• Move the City Offices.  Surely, downtown city offices are desirable, but far from necessary.  The city already owns property off of St. Mary’s that could house the city offices.  If this is not possible, the city could rent less expensive property than the luxurious Desco Plaza location.  This could save hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• Business Registrations.  The City of Lafayette once charged $16 for a business registration fee.  This was found to be unprofitable and was stopped.  Some business owners, however, have told me that they would pay $50 for such a registration, as it provides legitimacy, recognition and could be useful in certain dealings with County authorities.  Making this type of registration available and voluntary could raise some much needed funds.
• Opt-Out Exemption Push.  Some of Lafayette’s senior citizens have chosen to refuse their exemption from parcel tax, since they have the money to pay and feel it is for a good cause.  Encouraging this type of volunteerism could bring in some more funds.
• Reasonable Raises.  This year’s increase to city employees’ salaries and benefits was 7%, more than twice the standard cost-of-living raise in California of 2.9%.  While the City does need to make certain that Lafayette retains quality employees, we should keep in mind that we are going through an economic retraction.  Only the most essential and competent employees should receive such large raises.
• Save Money on Library Services.  Lafayette has a stunning, wonderful, new library.  We should consider using it as the centerpiece of a joint Lamorinda Library system to allow us to split costs with Orinda and Moraga.  Additionally, Riverside has increased the level of library services and saved money by contracting professional library services.  We should consider doing the same.
• The Details.  Our Council must begin paying attention to the smallest of details, too.  Perhaps we can save some money (and energy) by keeping the twinkle Christmas lights lit a bit less.  The Council uses Lafayette Vistas to try and influence public opinion with taxpayer money.  This is not a proper use of taxpayer money, especially since the Council already has a website.  Surely, we could find many ways to save money while maintaining the same quality of life.  Someone on the Council should be doing so. 

Perhaps our current Councilmembers do not have the time to find ways to save money.  My promise to Lafayette is that, if I am elected, I will work tirelessly to find ways to make our budget more efficient, so that we can maintain a high level of city services and infrastructure maintenance, without making life more expensive for Lafayette’s residents. 

Join the Campaign for a Fiscally Responsible Lafayette.  Vote for Froymovich.  Change You Can Spend.