Mr. Evans, or David if I may? That's another story. A surplus is a positive ratio relative to the amount of revenue vs. the expenditures.
We were talking more on long term debt, and the huge increase in it. The long term debt payments, to pay it each year, has sucked up a much bigger percentage of tax revenues under Chris Doherty. All of that extra money could have been used to run the day to day operation of the city. For many years to come, money to pave streets, re-build our infrastructure and other expenditures like PUBLIC SAFETY will not have the resources any longer. While investment and borrowing for investment is normal, the ratio between investment and dividends from those investments have been a complete failure. Our population is declining or stagnant, our tax base is declining and to compound the negative, our taxes were raised, fees were raised, crime is up and services are declining which compounds the problem. All to pay for Chris Doherty's borrowing, increasing debt, patronage hiring, crony contracts and bumbled waste like the sewer contract deal and the court losses and legal fees fighting with the employees. If his actions increased the population, raised revenue, increased the tax base and increased services, it would all be worth it. It isn't happening. And nowhere can I find that to be a fact. Budgets, audits, bond ratings, merchantile taxes, business privelege taxes, wage taxes all show a decline. His policies, at a huge long term cost, are not working. It's time to try something else. What or who can change things is another current question. Since it seems Mrs. Evans is not running for mayor, who else is?
One thing I do know, is Chris Doherty does not deserve another chance, in my opinion. He's had almost 8 years to turn things around and it didn't happen. I hope there's another choice come May.