Last Friday I waxed philosophical as I explored the role of the mayor as the leader of the city and as the manager of the city government. To sum up, I said I was a bit skeptical of instances in which voters have been treated to and appealed to as if they were consumers searching for the lowest prices.
The good folks at the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia wrote to me today to provide a counterpoint. I respect their work a lot and on many points I agree, especially the idea that they've been talking about for long time - that the city budget is the best and most clear way for the mayor to demonstrate his priorities and overall philosophy on governing - that is, if the budget itself is clear and easy to understand. Since I can't do justice to their arguments, I'll share with you the email from Marisa Waxman, Senior Associate and policy expert.
Click on "Continue Reading" to check out the email.
Dan-
It was great to see a blog entry about a book so near and dear to our hearts at the Economy League. We were really taken with the authors’ recommendations to shift the annual budget process from debates over little cuts and additions at the margins of the document to a discussion of how we can use the resources we have to achieve the outcomes that matter most to Philadelphians. I sensed some discomfort for the idea treating voters like consumers, but we got the sense from the book that an improved approach to spending requires that citizens get involved in shaping government’s priorities. I think there is a difference between the 2 approaches, and I would hate to see the lessons for Philadelphia from The Price of Government be overlooked because it seems a bit too much like voter as shopper oriented.
You correctly pointed out that there is a lot more to governing than just managing dollars and cents. But it is also true that if you want to know what a government’s policies truly are you have to look at the budget. Every elected official says that they love kids or puppies – but it isn’t until you look at the budget that you see if those are really the government’s top priorities. And by involving residents in these discussions, government can focus resources on priorities that matter the most.
The Economy League launched IssuesPhiladelphia.org to help residents and others uncover the connections between city spending and the outcomes the city produces (be it smoother streets or safer (or not) neighborhoods). We also offer recommendations to improve Philadelphia’s budget process, making it more results oriented, citizen-driven, and transparent. Among those recommendations are suggestions for increasing the involvement of citizens – which requires that citizens first have the information necessary to make informed decisions. The Next Mayor, IssuesPhiladelphia and several other initiatives have been doing this hard work lately, and I hope it makes a difference in Philadelphia.
Thanks,
Marisa
Marisa G. Waxman, AICP
Senior Associate, Economy League of Greater Philadelphia
I think I will take them up on the offer of a copy of Peter Hutchinson's The Price of Government. Governing.com's interview of Mr. Hutchinson clearly doesn't do his ideas justice.