1. Protecting Our Tax Cap. The tax cap is necessary to keep our property taxes under control and stop our low-income, fixed income, and elderly residents from losing their homes that they’ve worked their whole life times to obtain.

2. Work on improving our infrastructure as soon as possible before costs increase even more. And the sooner we can find these solutions, the more we will be able to save of our tax payers money. We had an opportunity to do some of this without increasing our taxes and lost at least some of it. One thing that can be done is that as current bonds are close to being paid off/expire, we need to be prepared to extend them by looking at our CIP in advance, and see what needs immediate attention. By addressing it in this direction, we can decide on what existing road repairs need to be addressed first. Doing it this way will help us stop just jumping from one quick fix to another. And a great side note by handling Bonds this way, on renewing an expiring bond, we keep the tax rates steady with no increase in taxes as needed, thus keeping our infrastructure maintained! This past year when existing bonds expired, we didn’t do this and spent the freed-up tax dollars elsewhere. This was a huge lost opportunity to catch up on some of the city’s deteriorating infrastructure. 

3. Not putting new items/programs into place unless they are sustainable down the road without new taxes and hurting other important programs already in place that are becoming unsustainable. 

4. Another good way to save the tax payers money would be to have our Soldiers Memorial Hall declared as an historic building (Which it is). This would make it eligible for Grants to refurbish it versus taxing our citizens for years. “It still is not too late to use this avenue!”

5. Having our property taxes fairly assessed. As it is presently assessed, private homeowners are overly assessed, thus causing them to pay higher taxes, while our business properties are heavily under assessed and end up paying under their fair share!

6. Figuring out on where to have new locations for enticing new businesses to come to Franklin. Especially after selling our available industrial property to the solar farm company that isn’t producing tax dollars for our city. A couple possible solutions could be:

a. Looking at what empty old factory buildings that are not being used could be marketed to business’s looking for a new location.

b. Using our river to produce electricity. As this would be a renewable energy producer. There are grant funds out there available for setting up this type of venture.

7. Aging and deteriorating City Equipment. Example, Police and Fire Department equipment, and City Vehicles/Equipment. I do have some suggestions on how to improve and replace some of it without increasing taxes.   

8. Residential Parking. We need to look at parking for our residents to be able to park their vehicles when they rent an apartment. Especially during the winter when it snows!

9. Listening too and working jointly with the school board to help guide both Boards in working together in helping the children of our town. The local Education System is an important aspect that most businesses and potential new residents look at when they are looking at moving to a new location. 

a. (By working towards improving the education of the cities children as a joint team, this can only improve our community as a whole and help make this community a sought-after destination. Once this happens you will see our community grow and more business ‘come.)

10. And the key way to really get started is to catch up on our internal audits for both the city and school systems. Especially since there has been any completed in several years. And once these are completed, a thorough forensic audit is needed for both organizations to ensure our tax dollars are actually being spent where they have budgeted for.

11. There is a need on putting trust in place between our citizens of Franklin and the Council. By doing this, we can have faith that the citizens can believe what the council says and does going forward. A big part of accomplishing this is for Council members to recuse themselves when definite conflicts of interest come before the Council. Without doing this, how can a resident of our city trust a councilor when they vote in favor of a motion when it benefits that councilor?

12. An Updated Strategic Plan needs to be put in place and acted upon for both the City and the School District.

(We all need to remember what worked twenty years ago has a very good chance of being outdated and unworkable today. Many jobs that exist today did not even exist five years ago. And how many jobs will exist five years from now that have not even been thought of yet. We need to be proactive and implement new strategies to move our city forward.) 

13. Also, many of our city’s properties are being used by non-profits where the City receives no income from their use, while simultaneously, the non-profits take in income for themselves using city owned property. Again, this causes our tax payers to lose a chance at lower taxes.

14. As Councilors, we really need to try and listen, while we consider what is being said before we respond. And when responding we need to be respectful and not be condescending.

15. When I was on the school board, I made my decisions based on what was good for all the students of our community. Not just a select few. As a counselor, I will do the same for the entire city. I don't believe that a favored few should get special treatment.

16. Aging and deteriorating City Equipment. Example, Police and Fire Department equipment, and City Vehicles/Equipment. I do have some suggestions on how to improve and replace some of it without increasing taxes.