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Mesa, Arizona Mayor Scott Smith on the challenges for cities across the country to balance their budgets in a difficult economy.
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Drug lying ads you -- -- -- just keep rising not Republican senator Jim dement trying to stop the government from bailing out.
Those plans did they go bust struggling economy a big focus of the presidential debate tomorrow night.
And that's Arizona.
Scott Smith in Denver ahead arms the big debates pushing for bipartisan solutions may have very good to have you there's a -- of give.
Both sides are you know talking and and and moving the ball forward.
What kind of reaction -- and progress you're making.
Well on the mayor's side -- make a lot of progress we get together as US conference of mayors and we we talked.
As -- not as Democrats not as Republicans and it's funny you come up with solutions you come up with waste work together it's it's a novel approach to maybe them on trying to Washington.
You know on what is -- these days mayor that you you're you're finding agreement on -- one of -- better.
Phrasing here that that.
You know when Washington.
They just can't come to agreement spending vs revenue or even what kind of spending at what kind of revenue -- how are you.
Proceeding -- would -- recommend.
Well -- in the cities we don't have the luxury of of kicking things down the road we we have to balance our budgets.
Which means that when revenues go down -- you just can't.
EU can't make ends meet you've got to do something.
To change the -- business in -- and many other cities we took on sacred cows.
We we had our public safety -- change the way they provided services.
We we went into places that other other times maybe would have gone because we still have to pick up the garbage we still have to answer 911 and so we had to get creative.
And actually come -- solutions rather than just.
Debate philosophies and I think that's the one thing that.
Our state legislators shares and that congress could learn from city's.
I always think may or may -- you're you're closer to fire them -- -- -- but that we have a choice between.
You know you like those services you really keep them and pay more for -- because they -- get expenses.
-- economy back we do a combination therein.
-- -- and have you advocated a combination of some things that are vital you keep.
But but.
You're gonna charge more either raise taxes and an area increased he's in an area fares in an area what are you doing.
Well you do you do whatever you need to in your city in your particular situation -- done at the well we've done both we we have a raise taxes but what we had our our citizens.
Who voted on a couple of occasions to basically invest themselves to tax themselves.
We we change the way we delivered certain services we streamlined.
Departments we eliminated -- departments.
What what cut would not close look on -- -- but it's not -- -- not to be done right I attended they got a lot of Democrats stand in Washington and it is.
Look at.
-- reigning in the growth of entitlements is akin to throwing granny off to -- And Republicans look -- closing credits and loopholes that allow some to escape paying any taxes with raising taxes.
And they get that dogmatic on both extremes so nothing.
Nothing moves thing.
Nothing gets done what you find in the -- it after awhile it's not a political issue anymore it's a mathematical issues.
Do you do you make certain choices because the numbers just don't add up -- got to make the tough choices and you go to your citizens and you say what are you want.
And I think sometimes the citizenry and the politicians are.
Our are on completely different pages that we don't get that luxury is much -- the city's.
We run into our our constituents in the grocery stores and if you pick up the trash on Thursday.
Julia -- because of budget this is you hear about it well I don't jetBlue flight I feel -- there -- I good I think mayors here more than anyone and and and that god bless -- they are provided lives Republicans or Democrats that's a tough job.
But I I am curious about one -- I have a crackpot theory -- that once the elections has as a matter who wins.
Cooler heads may be less dogmatic heads prevail.
And that we do make a progress on some of these you know taking issues.
I don't think it's just going to be kicked the can down the road think maybe I'm -- needed -- little Jimmy Stewart is here but I tend to think that that debt.
Once we're past the bluster progress is made what would be.
-- -- you know maybe you are naive but I hope you're right because it's a certain time reality kicks it.
And you have to have solutions and that's what.
That's what the public demands and I think there are good people in Washington that have been sort of overwhelmed by this tidal wave of of the system that we have.
And when they're not faced with the reelection when when they are faced with the reality the problems hopefully they can come together come a good solutions we've seen mayors do that across across the country.
We've seen it happen when we're we're faced with real dilemmas and we have some real problems that demand real solutions now.
People so they have to get everything they want -- -- Ronald Reagan and sells it.
But rather what -- there's absolutely no loaf at all all right all right -- -- doesn't work that way practice.
