Is there anything you think is being under or over funded in the City’s current budget? If so, please describe the changes you’d like to see

Running a family business taught me to read a budget two ways. Does it balance this year, and does it save for the future? The city budget balances. It doesn't save. The 2026 budget cut both of the city's long-term savings lines, one for repairs and replacement and one for unfunded retirement costs. Issues like this need serious people watching them every year, not just when a bill comes due. Michigan's Headlee Amendment limits how fast property tax revenue can grow without a vote. That is a good protection, but it shifts more of the load onto utility rates and fees, which everyone pays, including neighbors on fixed incomes. Every dollar has to count for the people who call Harbor Springs home. Overfunded? In a city this small, the problem is not overspending today. It is under-saving for tomorrow.

I'd start by saying that perfect is just a concept and that reasonable people can disagree. For example I believe that in recent years the City has improved roads overall, but there are certainly areas that still need attention. "Opportunity cost" is part of any such decision, to spend more on any one thing means less somewhere else, unless the community is willing to provide additional revenue. Budgetary flexibility throughout the year is important as issues arise, trade-offs will sometimes need to be made on the fly. Inflation turns "just right" into underfunded, this is likely to be more of an issue.

Regarding the City's budget I feel again that the concepts of prioritization need to be rigidly applied. The more objective and specific we can be regarding the City's needs and commitments the easier will be the allocation of funds. I think that fulfilling our financial obligations should be the highest priority. Second comes the ongoing reserve funding for future necessary maintenance and replacement of basic infrastructure. (Think electrical, sewer,sidewalks, etc.) I remember a lecture years ago from then treasurer Ron McRae about the comfort derived from adequate reserve funding. The looming revenue shortfall for funding the CIP wishlist is a related issue that needs to be addressed promptly. The revenue from the Electrical enterprise fund is a benefit to the City. Could it be increased? Are there other Enterprise activities the City could engage with? Water, Sewer, Dockage in the Harbor?

• City Budget is a very complex thing. Some things are cookie cutter and roll over every year, other things are more detailed. City uses a CIP program where they look at different projects and evaluate them based on priority and that has worked. I think things are good. I think if we allow the City Heads to do their jobs and continue to maintain the city infrastructure as they have, we will be ok.
• I know a hot topic is city sidewalks. City has a structure in place and replaces sections around the city as needed every year. They will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, I know not everything gets done at once but things do get done.