The past two years have been a difficult for many of our businesses and our families. We have had to keep checkbooks balanced and have had to make difficult decisions that have affected our families and our daily lives. This is the result of a massive recession – one that has hit South Florida harder than other parts of this country.

Not immune to this recession is local government. Because of the unique characteristics of this recession, local governments are collecting an average of 10% less in tax revenue than in years past. Around the country, we have seen local governments forced to make difficult decisions when it comes to government services that are provided on the local level. For local governments, it’s time to prioritize.

The value of tax revenue should be even more scrutinized during these difficult times because for every dollar we give to the government, it is one less dollar we can use in our homes and for our families. If government officials levy and collect taxes, they need to understand how valuable that money is to their constituents.  They owe that to the people who elected them. Government officials in South Florida need to make difficult decisions when it comes to our local budgets. The answer is not to arbitrarily cut budgets at random, but to make decisions that prioritize government services. We have to make priorities as elected representatives, and understand what services are most important to provide to our citizens with their money, that is so precious in times such as these.

The main purpose of government is to provide for public safety. As government officials, we have a solemn responsibility to make sure our neighborhoods, schools and business districts are safe for our citizens and children.  In order to ensure that South Florida can get back in business, we have to base our decisions on the safety of the public. A safe community is a successful community.

Perhaps, adequately funding public safety may mean making more significant cuts in other services.  While this may be unpopular in the short term, it is important to prioritize where we will make the budget cuts.

We must understand our responsibility as government officials means making these difficult decisions and setting priorities for the use of tax dollars. Public safety is job #1 for our government, and it the most basic of needs for our community and the future of our region. Without adequate public safety, we would not have the opportunity to enjoy our beautiful region where we live, work, and play.

In the coming months, our local governments will begin approving budgets, and many of them will be lean. But they should be leaner in some areas than in others. We cannot take risks or play games with your money just because we want to win political points with certain political groups. Not now, and not ever. You and your families deserve better than that.  Just like we do at home with our families, government must prioritize how it spends our money.

As always, I remain accessible to all residents, so please contact me with any feedback you may have.  Thank you for the honor to serve.