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Public Comments - Speeches

Legislative Briefing
2001

Good morning. On behalf of my colleagues, myself, and the people of Monmouth - the present and hopefully, the future home of the Public Safety Academy... I want to say thank you for taking time out of your schedules to meet with us today.

As previously stated, my name is Paul Evans. I am the Mayor of Monmouth and I have been asked to share with you some general thoughts we would like you to consider over the coming months.

To begin with, the special districts, cities, and counties within this region are asking you to remember that we're on the same team.

For good or for ill, the folks in Washington do what they do.

And in recent years, they have expected you to do more, which in turn, has challenged us to do more.

Unfortunately, the buck doesn't stop on a desk near the Potomac - it stops in the school boards, fireboards, city councils, and county commissions. Government is The People, and we are closest to their voice.

Put another way: We are the folks in "the trenches" trying to make government effective; we are your agents at the neighborhood level.

We are here today because there are some things our neighborhoods need.

You know, as we sit here today, it is hard to remember the way things were just ten years ago - so much has changed.

Population and its residual effects have dramatically altered the physical and political landscape.

We have more people living here.

We have more people on the roads.

We have more people in need of local public services, but we have fewer resources, and dated tools.

Later this morning, my colleagues will explain some of the specific actions we hope you will consider.

However, for the moment, I ask you to consider the larger frame.

Local governments have a finite capacity to pay for necessary services.

Ballot measures have arbitrarily capped our growth ratio despite the recognized increase in need for services.

Interestingly, at the local level, legitimate need is relatively insignificant: we are compelled to make do with what we have - even when we know doing so will cost us more over the long-term.

Like you, we have budgetary limitations that constrain our activity. Unlike you, we have fewer alternatives.

Today, budgets are tightening, and the effect of Measure 47/50 suggests that budgets will only get tighter.

This is important because cuts mean something.

In Monmouth, cuts aren't abstract: $40,000 means a cop, or two half-time librarians, or a park & recreation department, or a small street repair delayed, again.

I say this only to explain the relative proximity of the challenge.

In our circumstance, budgetary "shortfalls" have a face as well as an undeniable effect.

We know that your plate is full. We also know that you have a state to manage and a budget to build.

But we are here today, the local leaders of your district, because we need your help.

We need you to push a philosophy of local control.

Local control means giving us flexible tools and holding us accountable.

It means telling us what you want done in general terms, providing us with the funds to do the job, and letting us approach the challenge in a locally derived manner.

The recent successes of the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments are proof that regional planning works, when the plan originates within the region.

We know what our citizens need. We know the associations and partnerships that can make things work.

Unfortunately, much of the time we do not have the flexibility to do what needs done, at least in a timely fashion. This morning, you will hear several of us talk.

However, if you do not remember anything else, please remember this: Local governments cannot afford any more un-funded, under-funded, un-needed, or contradictory mandates.

We know that you know this, but some of your fellow legislators need convincing.

We also know that in challenging times, opportunity can trump risk - when we pull together and use principle-driven creativity.

We need development instruments that promote infrastructure investment through regional collaboration.

We need broad targets and rational funding streams.

We need you to ask the tough questions - how does bill X impact the local governments - how will the neighborhoods be changed?

We need you to challenge those that would try and push mandates down the "food chain" - especially when funding is not provided.

And ultimately, we need you to be our advocates because without your help, we will be much less able to help manage the new challenges of our developing valley.

In closing, I want to thank you for your patience - we appreciate your willingness to listen, and we sincerely welcome your assistance.