Budget statements from Shoreline council candidates Richey and Salomon

By Evan Smith

Shoreline City Council candidates Lorn Richey and Jesse Salomon both recently sent statements about their approaches to writing and considering a city budget.

Incumbent Salomon and challenger Richey will meet on the Nov. 3 general-election ballot.

Here are their statements in the order their names will appear on the November ballot and in the voters’ pamphlet:

Shoreline City Council, Position No. 6

Jesse Salomon

The city budget is comprised of several different funds. About 11 percent of your property-tax money goes to the city government (the rest goes to the Shoreline School District, King County government, the Shoreline Fire District, etc.). The City also retains a fraction of sales tax paid on goods (food is exempted from sales tax), vehicle licensing fees, grants from federal and state agencies and more.

The budget is largely spent on salaries for staff. The biggest component of that funds approximately 50 police officers. It also funds road repair, park maintenance, code enforcement, the Shoreline Senior Center, youth summer programs, economic development efforts, the Spartan Recreation Center and swimming pool, as well as construction of sidewalks and park upgrades.

It is always my goal to fund city services while cutting unnecessary spending. In an approximately 400-page budget I always find things I would like to cut. I always heavily scrutinize the budget and try to cut any spending that is not needed.

Often my biggest objection is adding items to the budget that will continue to demand money in following years. This tends to mean objecting to adding new staff above the number we currently fund.

Because of initiative guru Tim Eyman's law that prevents property taxes from growing at the rate of inflation, we will have less revenue every year. Over time, unless we practice sound oversight, increase economic development, property values and associated revenue, we will have to cut services.

Lorn Richey

Don’t tell me your values; show me your budget. My approach to city budget reflects a careful approach to spending other people’s money, while supporting staff and labor. Massive developments can bring revenue, but they come with massive costs. I favor a more conservative approach.

I am certified in LEAN six-sigma government efficiency. This experience allows me to analyze government programs and improve them in much more effective ways than the traditional, “Let’s cut 10 percent across the board.”

I was raised to take care of a tool as if it was the last one I could ever buy. This is my approach to city infrastructure. At least 1 percent of the cost of buildings, infrastructure, and equipment should be carefully guarded for long-term maintenance.

Financing of city projects should not use risky methods that rely on rosy projections. Financing and leveraging can be very tricky. Just like a family investment plan, two rules apply: 

1. If you don’t understand it, you shouldn’t invest in it.

2. Save in the good times in preparation for the bad times.

Finally, pouring over spreadsheets is not enough. Each program should be analyzed. Council must rely on the expertise of staff, but Council should have broad enough experience to ask deeper questions. I will respectfully ask staff why they are doing something, how they are doing it, and humbly challenge their assumptions –That gets us efficient government, improves staff working conditions, and creates transparency, so that our budget reflects the people’s values.