Tucson is worth investing in. But for people to be willing to make that investment, they have to know their money will be well spent.

We need to do better – much better – showing how city money is spent and making sure it’s spent wisely. Here’s what I would do to help restore trust in city government.

Make sure our money is spent wisely

For any project the city does, financial and operational controls must be in place – and followed. As Mayor, I would make sure that oversight takes place.

Assign responsibility for spending decisions

Every financial decision of consequence should have someone sign off as the responsible person. It is unacceptable to look back and be unable to determine who authorized expenditures.

Learn from mistakes

We have to be honest about mistakes, learn from them, and move forward.

Recognize the good

City government needs to share its success stories. If we can learn from our mistakes, we can certainly learn from our accomplishments.

Come together as a community

At the city level, we are all neighbors, and neighbors have to get along. We cannot solve our problems without citizen involvement. I will call upon the business and non-profit communities to work together on projects that benefit Tucson as a whole.

Work with state and county

Whether we agree or disagree, Tucson needs to keep the conversation going with state lawmakers in Phoenix and our county Board of Supervisors. We may not win every issue, but if we’re not at the table, we’re sure to lose.

Focus on low-cost, high-impact programs

In tough economic times, we need more than ever to seek out programs that provide the most bang for the buck.

Establish innovation and excellence as goals

City employees need to know they will be recognized and rewarded for innovative ideas and excellent customer service. And if procedures get in the way of either one, those procedures need review.

Use debt cautiously, not speculatively

Municipal bonds should be reserved for projects that serve the public good, not speculative commercial ventures.

Listen, then act

Tucsonans have great ideas, and care about their city. We won’t agree on everything, but that is no excuse for doing nothing. Once everyone has been heard, it is time to act. We can’t allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good.