The best way to hold local elected officials accountable for the wise use of your hard-earned tax dollars is to know what you’re talking about, to be informed. A great way to get educated is to read the Locke Foundation’s newly published City and County Issue Guide 2014. The report lays out in easy-to-understand language what are core services that are appropriately administered by local government and paid for with local tax dollars. The guide also lays out the areas and services that are outside the boundaries of core services — things way too many cities and counties wade into all too often. Here’s what you can expect to learn, starting with analysis from JLF’s Vice President for Research, Roy Cordato.

Cordato authors a section in the new Issue Guide on economic development policy. It urges local officials to avoid interfering with market forces. 

“Local governments should focus on making their communities conducive to economic growth and business investment by keeping property taxes, sales taxes, and business regulations and fees low,” he said. “The focus of county budgets should be on essential government services, making sure that these services meet the needs of business. This focus would include providing reliable sources of water and transportation services that accommodate the desired lifestyles of the work force and the needs of industry. Beyond this, city and county government should allow business investment to take its course.”

A section on “spending and taxes” calls for local government leaders to focus on core government services. “Local governments must earn the trust of taxpayers,” said Sarah Curry, JLF director of fiscal policy studies. “Spending on municipal golf courses, economic incentive packages, downtown parks, privately owned athletic stadiums, convention centers, and other nonessential services has at times received higher priority in local budgets than school buildings, sewer systems, police, fire departments, and roads. For local governments that typically face funding constraints, prioritization is the key.”

Remember, the only way to ensure that your tax dollars are being used wisely is to press local officials to deliver core services. Armed with the facts, you can become an involved citizen.