Lawrence Journal-World opinion section

Lawrence residents don’t have to agree with every item that’s on the city’s five-year capital improvements plan to appreciate the need to have such a plan.

In fact, putting long-term spending priorities in front of local taxpayers so they can have a better opportunity to express opinions on those priorities is one of biggest benefits of the new process being implemented by Lawrence city officials.

The five-year plan, which includes 250 large projects and $318 million in purchases, will be considered by the Lawrence City Commission as part of the 2017 budget process. The plan likely will change before it is approved by commissioners this year and it almost certainly will change in subsequent years to accommodate changing city needs, but it provides important context for commissioners as they consider spending decisions.

The analogy offered by City Manager Tom Markus was an apt one: “… if there’s only one item in front of you to consider, you don’t necessarily turn into the best shopper. Having a capital improvement program that presents the whole array of capital improvements gives you the choice and gives you the opportunity to align what you want to get accomplished with your goals.”

Markus is right that dealing with spending one item at a time isn’t the best way to shop. Too often in recent years, city commissioners have looked at individual spending proposals and decided whether to accept or reject them without considering the broader spectrum of community needs. They may have a notion that dedicating money to one project may keep them from addressing another need, but they don’t have the context to properly weigh those priorities.

That’s what the five-year plan should help provide. Commissioners don’t have to rigidly stick to the plan, but they will have a better understanding of the trade-offs. If they choose to spend money not accounted for in the plan, they will see the impact that decision could have on the city’s ability to fund other priorities.

Looking down the road and setting spending priorities is a pretty basic idea, but establishing a formal process for making a list and sharing it with the public is a good step that may give both commissioners and residents a better understanding of what should guide the city’s spending decisions.