What do we want from local government?
Do we want a minimalist government that merely picks up the garbage and paves the roads, or do we want an expansive government that uses our money to invest in transit and cultural amenities and economic development?
We have been wrestling with that balance since the ill-fated MAPS vote of 1998, when Jefferson County voters said they did not want a sales tax increase that would have paid for a broad menu of local projects including a domed stadium.
While it is important that we strike the right balance, it also is important to maintain some consistency in our approach to the scope of local government action. Businesses, nonprofits and other entities involved in our public life need some basis for long-term planning.
For many years, those groups have known that the city of Birmingham can be a slow and difficult partner. Many improvements in our community came about in spite of Birmingham, not because of Birmingham. When Birmingham does come through with money and support, the projects get even better.
At least, though, the stakeholders know what to expect.
Wild swings make it hard to plan. That is why shifting from the County Commission of Larry Langford that seemed to have money for every good idea that came along to a County Commission led by Bettye Fine Collins that focuses on getting the roofs repaired at county buildings is causing such discomfort.
That is not to say Collins and her commission majority should not review all county spending. They promised fiscal responsibility, and we expect that of them.
We also expect, though, that they will work hard to honor the county’s commitments. A vote by the commission to provide funding is a promise, even if it is not expressed in a formal contract. The new commission should set its own priorities, but that does not mean it can walk away from projects in which the county said it will take part.
Some of the major commitments that are now on the table are the county’s share of the Red Mountain Park and Railroad Reservation Park, and ongoing support of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham.
The park projects will improve the quality of life in Birmingham and stimulate economic development. The Cultural Alliance is a rational and efficient vehicle to encourage the arts.
Collins says the previous commission did not set aside any money to fulfill those promises. The new commission is doing the right thing in taking a close look at all spending, especially if a funding source has not been nailed down. It should, however, put a high priority on meeting these commitments.
If the county turns away from these projects, in which county funding was a key part of the foundation for planning, private fundraising and other public support, it will signal a new era in which Jefferson County is not an investor in civic improvement.
Is that really what we want from the new commission?
I think not. I think the commissioners can be both careful stewards and prudent investors. We taxpayers should get more for our money than upgraded security systems and more modern elevators in county-owned buildings.
Some of the public money the county collects should go to make our public life better, as well.
EMAIL: tscarritt@bhamnews.com
