Budget Accountability Priorities for New Port Richey
Core Standard
Residents should not need a finance background to understand how city money is being used.
If the city can justify a transfer, allocation, or capital priority, it should be able to explain it clearly before approval. That means showing the method, the authority, the purpose, and the public impact in a way people can actually follow.
This document outlines the standards I would use to push for that level of accountability.
A. Methodology
For every major transfer or allocation, the city should disclose:
the formula used
the assumptions behind that formula
the departments or services included
whether the amount reflects actual current activity or a carried-forward budget figure
B. Authority
For every major transfer or recurring allocation, the city should identify:
who approved it
under what policy, ordinance, budget authority, or agreement it was approved
whether council reviewed the amount itself or only the total budget package
whether the receiving body, including the CRA where relevant, had meaningful oversight over the amount charged
C. Plain-Language Public Explanation
Residents should be able to see, in one place:
who is paying
who is receiving
what public purpose is being served
whether the amount is tied to operations, debt, overhead, or capital
how long the transfer is expected to continue
D. Capital Oversight
Council and the public should receive regular, readable updates on:
which capital projects were approved
which have started
which are delayed
which changed in scope or cost
which dropped off the list and why
E. CRA Accountability
The CRA should be treated as a serious strategic tool, not a black box.
That includes clear answers to the following questions:
What are the amortization schedules for CRA-related obligations?
What transfers from the CRA to the city are administrative versus operational?
What services are actually being delivered in exchange?
How much of CRA revenue is going to public-purpose infrastructure versus private-development inducement?
What is the long-term plan for the CRA’s role in city finances?
F. Operating Growth Versus Actual Need
The city should be able to show:
where spending growth is outpacing measurable demand
whether staffing or equipment growth matches actual service need
whether technology and process improvements are being used to improve efficiency before adding ongoing cost
G. My Governing Standard
If elected, I would push for a simple rule: