I believe all civil government (local, state, or federal) must decide all issues based on the principles of limited government and sound money. That means, all civil government is established to protect the rights of its citizens, NOT to grant rights. Only God can grant rights. But God has given civil government to protect them (Romans 13).

Also, civil government has the obligation to manage the taxes it collects honestly. There are three ways that it must do this:

1. No civil government should go into debt. Debt is a form of slavery. Debts obligate someone else to pay for present consumption, therefore obligating future citizens to pay it.

2. It means fairly taxing its citizens. The citizens of Calera would be surprised by all of the different ways they are taxed.

3. While Calera has no control over this, all civil government should have a form of currency or medium of exchange that is backed by something such as gold or silver. The federal government is taxing us heavily in this area, because it refuses to back its currency with something that has value. Instead, they create money from nothing, inflating the money supply, therefore driving up prices by driving down the value of the dollar.

With this said, here is how I see the "issues" facing Calera:

Traffic Congestion on Hwy 31

I believe that while easing the congestion of Hwy 31 would be a positive thing, I don't believe it is the taxpayer's responsibility to pay for it. The reason is one of justice. Everyone would share payment for a road that not everyone uses. The City of Calera has little money that it does not have to tax its citizens for. Therefore, I believe that all road improvements and expansions should be privatized.

The Refurbishing of Downtown

Once again, this is an issue of individual rights. One citizen should not be compelled to give up his property (i.e., money) so that another citizen can benefit. This should be left to the owners of the properties downtown. One way the city could help, is by removing any barriers that may be in the way, such as any archaic zoning laws, or lower property taxes, etc. But, the city government (the government of the people) is not responsible for this.

Creating Jobs in/for Calera and Attracting Industry

Government cannot and does not "create" jobs. It is less government that creates jobs! I am all for helping to attract jobs to Calera, by being a government official who is willing to take obstacles out of the way of future residents and businesses to living and establishing themselves in Calera. This can be accomplished by lowering or cancelling out some archaic taxes (including gas taxes and property taxes). More businesses and industries would be encouraged to set up in Calera if there were less hoops to jump through.

Police Presence and Enforcement

This is a legitimate, and probably the most important, function of civil government. I support all the funds necessary to help our local police do their job: equipment and salaries. If need be, I support the hiring of additional officers. I also support good compensation to those laying their lives down for protecting our communities. I support our local police not having to be tied down with petty offenses, but with real crimes and disturbances in the city of Calera.

Utility Management and Cost-Cutting

Most of the city debt is wrapped up in utility services that the city provides. I believe the best course for cutting costs with these utilities, as well as the provision of better management, would be best handled by a private company. There are more incentives for a private company to manage its internal affairs well, provide good customer service, and offer competitive rates. The citizens of Calera would greatly benefit from the privatizing of the utilities.