Spending one-time funds

I commend our city leaders and city staff for investing the first payment of the American Rescue Plan funds in one-time public safety, infrastructure and broadband projects.

As you begin discussing how best to invest the second payment of the American Rescue Plan funds, I encourage you to continue the same practice of investing the one-time funds in one-time public safety, infrastructure, broadband and other permissible projects.

Some in the community may request some of these funds be used as "seed" money to start new programs and long-term projects. As you are aware, granting this request may obligate the city for long-term costs, without guaranteed revenue to pay the long-term expenses of the new programs and long-term projects.

In my opinion, the city does not have adequate discretionary funding to take on the financial liabilities of new programs and long-term projects at this time.

We are still playing catch-up with employee wages, street repairs and replacements, infrastructure improvements, and existing programs and projects.

Assuming the additional financial liabilities of new programs and long-term projects would not be a wise fiscal choice.

Continuing the practice of investing one-time funds in one-time projects will enable the city to complete several needed projects -- without obligating the city for long-term expenses after the American Rescue Plan funds are depleted.

I believe this would be the wise and fiscally responsible way to invest this additional funding!

GARY HILL, Cape Girardeau