"Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity
for taking things for granted." ~ Aldous Huxley
What public services are most important to you? Police, fire or rescue -- having these ready and present when they are needed certainly is high on most people's list. Water and sewer, and having our garbage removed, are mostly things we only think about when it is trash day or on alternating months when the nominal bills for these services are due.
Being able to get from point A to point B safely and within a reasonable amount of time is something we enjoy, occasionally being reminded by inconvenience -- this infrastructure requires a lot of maintenance -- when we hit a pot hole or run into a delay because the roads are being painted or paved. Citizens may also enjoy major roadways being lit by street lights as we travel at night, and we certainly appreciate traffic signals and road signs which help us do this safely.
Residents of Christiansburg may enjoy the good public schools and the library downtown, yet we often forget these services are provided at a county rather than town level.
When it snowed, road crews couldn't get the streets cleared fast enough, even though most crews were pulling double shifts trying to stay ahead of the weather. This included laying down a lot of chemicals and gravel.
Right now, town crews are busy cleaning the roads again. They need to make sure drains are cleared and are scooping up the material that gave our cars some traction during slick conditions. Some of this may be recycled to reduce disposal costs, but that means getting other pollutants out -- including sticks and litter. Otherwise much of this could begin to collect in the public sewers, limiting this system's capacity which could translate into higher treatment costs or even cause some sewage back up in many places.
Maintaining our public transportation systems and managing basic services for water, sewer and garbage that help ensure public health and safety are important functions of Christiansburg government. Supporting these basic services is where a goodly portion of the various taxes and fees collected go, providing for staff, materials and equipment.
All these things most people take for granted will become the focus of the Christiansburg Town Council over the next couple of months as they begin the process of developing a 2010-2011 fiscal year budget.
This includes, at a minimum, advertising the general and capital improvement budgets and holding at least one Public Hearing to gain input from citizens on what they believe matters most as regards public spending. This process includes a review of how well the current fiscal year is performing, in regards to projected revenues and expenses. It's also an opportunity to educate citizens on the reasons taxes are allocated as suggested in these budgets, and why certain rates or fees may need to be adjusted to cover all the priorities.
2009 was an historic year, as it appears to be the first time Finance Committee meeting times were publicly posted. A couple of work sessions with the full council were also held, before the required Public Hearing, were positive changes first witnessed last year (also known as "open government"). Since then, a new Treasurer/Finance Director has joined the leadership team, so watching for further improvements in how public finances are presented is something that should be on each citizen's agenda.
It may be residents have great capacity for taking things for granted, but when something impacts our personal budgets or quality of life -- it can bring a greater appreciation for basic services or clarity to the scope of competing needs each budget cycle addresses.