I am not in favor of raising taxes or special fees. I said in 2000 that we needed to get a more accurate and precise accounting of the City's finances, and I remain adamant about that point today. One of the most disturbing statistics coming out of City Hall is that debt services is poised to replace public safety as the largest part of the operating budget!

The City budget has become a guessing game, where public officials argue over who's spending how much on what. Because the City budget is large and complex, we need a Mayor who will provide timely and accurate information in an open budgeting process, support regular audits of City agencies, and work with the Council to balance the books every year.

This business-like approach of launching an operational audit in the first hundred days will dictate our course of action. Rest assured that I would exhaust every option at my disposal to avoid raising taxes. They include my proven ability to secure federal funds, my desire to develop an action plan to reduce the duplication and overlapping of State and County services that could result in cost savings, and my track record in the public and private sector of growing the economy which will result in additional revenues.

I, therefore, reserve, for now, making such a pledge until I can truly assess the state of our finances coupled with the advantage of having full and complete access to all the financial records of the City as the sitting Mayor.