Some may be growing tired of my op-eds. That’s fair. No one is required to read them, but I pray you continue to. But these columns serve a purpose. They represent the criteria I will use as I decide how to cast my vote—and they are offered in good faith to the many thoughtful, energetic young p eople who have stepped forward to run for office. This is my contribution to making our city and our neighborhoods a decent place to live. Recently, the City accepted its annual audit and agreed to corrective action plans to address long-standing weaknesses—budget controls, revenue monitoring, payroll discipline, and internal accountability. That matters. Not because audits are glamorous, but because they tell the truth about how a city actually operates. Gene Bouie (Submitted photo) This is exactly what the first circle of my Venn diagram represents: fiscal responsibility as the foundation upon which strategy, execution, and growth must rest. Economic development without fiscal responsibility is just talk. And anyone discussing economic development without understanding the importance of managing the budget is not talking about transformation. But accepting an audit and filing a corrective action plan is only the beginning. For those plans to mean anything, they must be translated into clear department goals and staff-level objectives. Every finding should point to ownership. Every corrective action should have a responsible department, measurable targets, timelines, and expectations for performance. Just as important, the budget must support how the work gets done—not merely what is promised. When spending is aligned with disciplined processes, clear standards, and consistent follow-through, corrective actions stop being paperwork and start becoming results. If no one is accountable for execution, the same findings will simply reappear in the next audit. If a mayoral candidate speaks passionately about growth but cannot explain the city’s budget, the budget cycle, how waste will be eliminated, or how revenue will be responsibly grown—and how departments will be expected to execute with consistency and discipline—voters should ask questions. Not hostile questions—serious ones. Budgets are moral documents. They reveal priorities, discipline, and judgment. They determine whether a city can sustain services, invest in neighborhoods, and earn the confidence of residents, businesses, and higher levels of government. You cannot grow a city without discipline. The City’s agreement to audit corrective action plans is an acknowledgment that systems matter. Controls matter. Execution matters. Promises unsupported by goals, standards, and follow-through eventually collapse under their own weight. For those running for office—especially first-time candidates—this is not a criticism. It is an invitation. Learn the budget. Understand the cycle. Ask how dollars flow, where they stall, and how expectations will be set and measured. Growth is not accidental; it is managed. Fiscal responsibility and economic growth go hand in hand. One without the other is illusion. As voters, we deserve leaders who understand that truth. As candidates, you deserve to be judged by it. ...read more read less