Taking Responsibility: Matt Drew for City Council

My opponent, Howard Clement, has a simple theme for his campaign:  Experience Matters.  He’s right, of course.  Experience does matter.  Of course, this begs a larger question:

Experience doing what?

In the last eight years, the U.S. Census puts our city growth rate at 11.3%.

In the period 2002-2008, Durham City property tax receipts have grown by 42%, from $65 million to $105 million.  The total city budget has grown 33% from $245 million in 2002 to $327 million in 2008.  Was that enough revenue to handle our city business?  Apparently not, since we are currently carrying $340 million in debt, up 78% from $191 million in 2002.  Our city government budget is literally growing at three times the rate of population increase, and our debt is growing at seven times.

What experience does my opponent have?  He’s experienced in continual and rapid growth of government and taxes.  He’s experienced in borrowing tens of millions of dollars (and paying millions more in interest) to build iconic edifices that continue to drain money from the city budget.  He’s experienced in raising fees: a city fee increase went into effect a couple of weeks ago on the consent agenda, and wasn’t even discussed or debated.  He’s experienced in deciding who gets corporate welfare support, the vast majority of which goes to large developers and large companies with little debate.  He’s experienced in building skate parks in a year when critical programs are suffering budget cuts.  He’s experienced with delaying what should be straightforward city decisions week after week … after week.  He’s experienced in setting up programs like the Durham Youth Council that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to accomplish a goal that was already achievable.

What he doesn’t have experience with is reducing the footprint of government.  He doesn’t have experience with ending programs, terminating city participation in failed projects like Rolling Hills, and cutting frivolous projects.   As we move into what will likely be a decade of high unemployment, falling property taxes, falling sales tax revenues, and general belt-tightening, his response is to raise sales taxes to increase funding for yet another failed city program, our transit system.  He continues to refuse to take the lead on the issues facing our water supply, as the process slowly grinds along with low priority and no sense of urgency.

As you go to the polls tomorrow, consider that.  Consider the future, and what our priorities should be as a community in a time when resources are going to be scarce.  Consider that my opponent is likely to continue doing what he’s been doing for the last 26 years, and ask yourself: can we afford another 4 years of Howard Clement?

I’m offering an alternative.  It’s time to rein things in, and elect someone whose goals are different: cutting spending, reforming or removing programs that don’t work, and refocusing our attention on the things that actually matter.  Elect Matt Drew for Durham Ward 2!