We don't have an economic crisis here in Miami Springs but we are closer to one than we were two years ago or even four or six years ago. Our City Council has mistakenly believed that cutting taxes and using reserves is the proper balance for our community. However, as has been noted by many candidates throughout the years, the solution to many of our problems is, without a doubt, increasing our income. One of the ways we can do that is to improve our commercial tax base. The few building owners who have invested in their buildings on Westward Drive have not seen a return on their investment. In fact, because of the lack of an understandable code and the lack of code enforcement, our downtown is in as bad a shape as it has ever been.
I live and work here in Miami Springs. I made the choice to do so. I eat lunch here everyday. When I have clients at my office, I send them into our community to eat and shop. I don't own a building downtown, but as a public official and a resident, I do have an interest in making our commercial district appealing.
Our community needs to stop spending money out of designated reserves, and instead start putting money INTO designated reserves. We are never going to have a new pool, new signage downtown, or new lighting if we continue to spend what little money we have saved on our day to day bills. We just can't continue saying, "everything is going to be OK" without a plan for our future and an economic plan to get us there. Doing so is foolish and irresponsible.