Issues
Springfield: Land of Opportunity
By Sean VanGordon
Springfield is a very practical city. We pride ourselves on our open for business and can-do attitudes. Former Mayor Sid Leiken called it “The Springfield Way”. However, Springfield still faces challenges and economic hardship. But, even as we confront a budget shortfall, the discussion around city hall is, fortunately, focused on what we can do as opposed to what we can’t. Because of our attitude and this focus, Springfield has significant opportunities in both economic development and innovation.
Springfield’s economic development program is centered around downtown, Glenwood, and Gateway districts. In 2012 Springfield supported economic development by renewing a public safety levy, which makes downtown as well as the wider city itself safer.
Downtown Development
The Sprout Food Hub, Planktown Brewery, and the Washburne Cafe are some of the businesses that have created a food culture in the city. Downtown has also seen the opening of a new charter school and numerous second-hand stores. Downtown’s success is a result of hard work that volunteers, businesses, non-profits, and the city have performed.
We are creating a downtown where you can enjoy eating and shopping. We now have an inviting downtown where it is safe to take your family to dinner or open a new business.
City-Wide Development
In addition, there has been significant progress in Glenwood. And the Gateway District continues to be the largest employment area in the city.
In sum, we continue to make city-wide progress in economic development.
Innovation – The Springfield Way
Springfield has a long history of innovation and creativity in city services.
As a mid-size city, we offer creative, innovative services that save taxpayers money and support healthy, growing businesses. For instance, the merger of the Springfield and Eugene Fire Departments was a good example of improving city services while saving money through innovation.
As a result of our creative thinking and dedication to improving services while zealously guarding taxpayers’ money, Springfield is now a finalist for the Bloomberg Mayor’s Challenge. Plus, it’s the smallest city in the final 20. The competition is for a five million dollar award to provide innovative services. Springfield’s entry was a proposal for a mobile health care program. By utilizing sophisticated technology, this program can lower the cost of emergency medical responses even as it relieves pressures on Lane County Ambulance Services, thus saving both tax dollars and taxpayers’ money.
Economic development and innovation are and will continue to be key areas of focus for Springfield.
Springfield continues to create both attractive business opportunities and an ever increasing quality of life for its citizens because we think creatively and work hard to convert our dreams to reality. Our vibrant community is focused on accomplishments and dedicated to improving every aspect of city life.
Sean VanGordon is a Springfield City Councilor representing Ward 1
Five Lessons I’ve learned About Government Spending
By Sean VanGordon
In the fall of 2012 Oregonians should ask tough questions of candidates about their policy views. Campaigns in the United States are marketing-driven, heavily scripted and rely on simplistic catchphrases. Good marketing wins elections. But it doesn’t solve problems – because when you govern, it’s the details that matter.
Government spending is a perfect example of this oversimplification of issues. Voters are presented with the false choice of either paying more taxes to support government or cutting government programs. Even at the city level, budgets are more complicated than that. I want to share with you five key lessons I’ve learned about government spending. In doing so I’ll show that you can prioritize spending and protect essential public services.
For the sake of argument, this is a discussion about the management of government finances, not the role of government. In our current economic situation a reduction in spending is a reality, and this is my opinion of how to reduce spending while mitigating cuts to essential services.
Lesson #1: Economic Growth Is King
All budgets are tied together by a single truth, which is that the economy is king. That’s because economic conditions control the flow of revenue to the government. As a household earns more, it pays more in taxes. A worker with a decent manufacturing job pays more taxes than one on unemployment. Jobs will close deficits at all levels of government. Weak economic growth will make deficits worse.
Lesson #2: Reorganization Saves Money While It Protects Services
Elected officials need to constantly question the size and organization of government. By shrinking the size of government you can reduce overlap and save administrative costs. By cutting administration you protect services that the public uses. Here are some local examples:
- The Eugene-Springfield Fire Department merger: This is an ongoing effort to merge two fire departments. In Springfield it has saved approximately $600,000 through reduction of overlaps between the two departments. These savings protected firefighters from layoffs and, more important, safeguarded response times for citizens caught in an emergency.
- The Springfield Public Works and Development Service Departments: For the last twenty years these have been separate departments. Last year Springfield merged them. During the merger the city, determined to improve customer service, carefully reviewed all functions of the two departments. The result? Savings totaling about $300,000.
- The State of Oregon reduced managers: In 2012 the Oregon Legislature required that the State increase the ratio of employees to managers. While the State has had some challenges with implementation, the Legislature’s message was clear: Improve efficiency.
Lesson #3: Don’t Forget to Save
We need to focus on providing consistent services to the voters. The budget situation is tight in every jurisdiction, and we don’t know when it’s going to get better. Saving when you can and protecting your reserves protects the financial health of government. In the 2011-2012 budget cycle the City of Springfield received $500,000 more in property tax revenue than it had budgeted. The Springfield City Council decided to save it for the 2012-2013 budget cycle in order to avoid additional cuts.
In the Oregon Legislature there are numerous proposals to grow a rainy day fund. My personal favorite is the plan to save 3% of all revenue in the General Fund.
Lesson #4: Reduce Overtime
Overtime is expensive, but sometimes unavoidable. It wouldn’t make sense to send police back from a crime scene to punch out or call firefighters home from a fire because their shift was up. However, government needs to reduce non-essential overtime whenever possible. In 2011 the Springfield City Council held a meeting specifically to talk about the $900,000 in overtime we budgeted for the Fire Department. As a result, in 2012 the city reduced its budgeted overtime expenditure by 33% because management and labor worked together to find creative solutions.
Lesson #5: Innovate.
Innovation in government saves taxpayers money and protects services. It allows government to solve structural cost problems with creativity. Here are examples of innovative solutions that are either in use or under consideration:
- The statewide e-permitting system that allows developers to apply for permits on-line;
- The shared lending agreement between local libraries that makes it easier to share books while saving both staff time and spending on materials;
- Springfield is evaluating becoming self-insured for health insurance and workers comp;
- Both the Springfield City Council and Planning Commission now use iPads for public meetings, which saves thousands of dollars on printing costs.
There are plenty of additional examples on the state, county and local levels. As citizens, we need to promote this type of thinking.
Conclusion
The economic environment is tough right now. The country faces hard choices about the size and scope of government. In a campaign year candidates typically present two choices: 1) I will spend more money in government and may raise your taxes. 2) I will cut government spending and may cut your taxes.
Ask for specifics. Ask candidates which services they are going to protect and what the tradeoffs are. At the end of the day we need to elect leaders who can discuss their opinions in detail with you, and make solid decisions about problems we face as a community.
Sean VanGordon is a Springfield City Councilor
VanGordon: Four Ways to Turn Land Into Lane County Jobs
Lane County has lived with terrible economic news for the past three years. This recession has been deep, devastating, and personal. The recession exposed some serious, local economic flaws, but they are not new. They were already there. During the housing boom making money was easy, and it created strong economic growth. Either the economic boom hid our problems or we chose not to do anything about them.
We can’t fix the national economy, but we can make Lane County more competitive. Our economy is in the process of changing. Goods, services, and capital can move almost seamlessly between markets and regions. We are in a competition, and we have to make Lane County more competitive to succeed. Lane County is at a cross-roads. If we don’t do anything, then eventually the economy may grow enough to create low-wage jobs and the unemployment rate will go down. Our other choice is to work on creating smart economic policy that allows our private sector to be competitive for family wage jobs.
Jobs are created in the private sector. However, government policy impacts a community’s ability to create jobs and attract new businesses. In a series of articles I will share my thoughts on how to transform Lane County into an export-focused economy. I want to focus on manufacturing goods and providing services outside of Lane County. If we sell more goods outside the area, we create jobs.
Proper land use planning is the basis for solid economic growth. In the metro area there is a shortage of land to site businesses and residences on. Even if we attracted an employer requiring a large lot of land the metro area would have a tough time finding a location for that business. Lane County is less competitive in attracting new businesses because we don’t have locations that are ready for businesses to locate to. This is a serious disadvantage. Local governments have a variety of land use plans and procedures which can be used to address these problems.
Here are land-use issues that I believe will have an impact on our ability to build new businesses in the area, and my thoughts on them. These are all in the process of being completed. In the short term, effective land use planning provides certainty to the business community that there is space to locate or expand in the area.
- Springfield’s expansion of its Urban Growth Boundary to add 600 acres of commercial land to the city
By developing along I-5 Springfield businesses will be able to move goods to markets cheaply, which translates into a competitive advantage. From an economics perspective it makes no sense to continue to add larger industrial lots farther east. In the long term, I would like to see Springfield include part of Seavey Loop. If Springfield expands towards Seavey Loop it may make more sense for Springfield to also serve the Lane Community College (LCC) basin. Springfield may serve LCC cost effictively, and in the long term the LCC area may offer flat land for the city. A major challenge to growth in Springfield is the availability of flat land that isn’t farming land. Ideally, we would choose to expand in such a way so as to protect agricultural interests.
- Springfield’s completion of the Glenwood Refinement Plan including the Franklin Blvd. Expansion
The Glenwood Refinement Plan is the land use plan that outlines development guidelines for Glenwood. Without completing the plan extensive development of the Glenwood riverfront is impossible. While currently underdeveloped, it is centrally located in the metro area between downtown Springfield and the University of Oregon. It will provide an ideal multi-use location to live, work, and shop. It also provides a natural freeway entrance to the University of Oregon. As the University of Oregon continues to expand I hope it takes advantage of the opportunities that Glenwood provides.
- Eugene’s completion of the Envision Eugene Project
The Envision Eugene Project is Eugene’s review of its urban growth boundary. My opinion is that Eugene should expand toward the airport. I want Lane County to be able to compete for aviation and export businesses. Additional commercial land near the airport could open Lane County up to those type of businesses.
- Lane County’s work to develop Goshen
Could a freight-rail terminal be built in Goshen? Imagine moving our goods from trucks onto trains or vice versa. Freight rail isn’t as politically popular as passenger high speed rail, but it makes sense. Rail is a very cost efficient way to move commercial goods to the market. When businesses have more options for moving heavy freight it will lower the impact on our road system.
For local governments, completing these land use planning projects is a critical economic policy. It is the first step toward re-inventing our local economy. We will have available land to expand our business and commercial base. We will have the room to attract the types of businesses that create family wage jobs, provide benefits, and protect the middle class. Like I said, this is the first step.
In future articles for Lane Solutions I will discuss the importance of education, the University of Oregon, Health Care, and international trade in creating Lane County jobs.
Sean VanGordon
Springfield City Council, Ward 1