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Santa Clara County, CA November 7, 2006 Election
Smart Voter

Control Spending / Balance the Budget

By Gary Cerezo

Candidate for Council Member; City of Milpitas

This information is provided by the candidate
The General Fund Five Year Forecast that takes Milpitas to 2011 projects a cumulative budget deficit totaling 15.65 million dollars. It is imperative that Milpitas adopts measures to control all spending. The City Council must look at long-term budget solutions or the deficit each year will just get worse.
For any household, living within your means is the foundation of good budget management. Managing a city's finances must necessarily follow the same rule: don't spend more money than you earn and when you do spend-spend wisely. The majority spent $40,000 dollars on a costly measure (i.e. Charter City) that no one wanted. Was this wise? I don't think so. Whether it's called "deficit spending" or "exceeding expenditures", let's call it what it really is: poor money management.

What will it take to get back on track? The ability to firmly say "no" to demands of special interests is a good starting point. Escalating salary and benefits must be considered in the budget equation. A City Council that collaborates honestly and openly on this and other issues will ultimately insure the City's long-term financial health. Setting priorities, effective oversight and double-checking the bottom line will keep us on the proper course. A sound budget will allow Milpitas to provide the proper services to our Citizens. Let's make sure that the city's checkbook isn't the saddest book we've read.

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ca/scl Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 4, 2006 21:47
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