What are the alleged explicit principles governing our city?

Mayor Ben Nadolski’s “Ogden Way” is a misguided proposal

The Mayor’s road map, The Ogden Way, gives pre-eminence, not to the Ogden taxpayer, but to the Ogden employee.

At the heart of The Ogden Way is our mission for Ogden’s employees

The essay prominently states this in bolded text

This is not only wrong-headed, but its immoral.

Implicit in this statement, is a lack of appreciation for those whose hard work creates the wealth, the fuel, on which Ogden City runs. When a city transfers its center, its “heart,” from its citizens to its employees, it has doubled down on governing on the basis of its parasitic nature and declared itself to be indistinguishable from a criminal cartel.

One should recognize that in the free market, doing honorable business–-where the service to others is outstanding, and the self-sacrifice is clear-–is a boon for profit [2]. Such businesses are what create wealth. Not government.

The Seven Pillars for Human Success that the Ogden Mayor outlines for the city are a sophomoric embarrassment.

These statements are vague and in-actionable. They are on par with Pollyannaish wishes for “world peace.” Everyone wants the result of these seven pillars, but what actually makes a difference is the means to these goals. And if we violate the means to these ends then we insure that the desired end will not come to pass.

As Professor Thomas Sowell tells us, it is not the intentions of a policy that matter, but the incentives of that policy that carry the day.

Let’s go through the Ogden Mayor’s principles one by one.

“Safety.” One way to achieve better safety is to not incentivize and subsidize a criminal culture to make Ogden their home. Dear Mayor, just say “goodbye” to section 8 housing.
“Stable Neighborhoods” don’t just appear like pixie dust in a Disney movie. Stable neighborhoods are created where businesses can thrive, where regulations are held at bay and where criminality is prosecuted. Ogden businesses are closing because of shoplifting and section 8 housing are supplying the thieves. Section 8 housing is incompatible with “Stable Neighborhoods.” Ogden City can’t have it both ways.
“Vibrant Economys [sic].” Given our observation above noting that profit, in the honorable marketplace, is the result of service to others and self-sacrifice, to glibly say follow the “Vibrant Economy” with the following–”A robust, diverse and dynamic economy that supports businesses and workers now and in the future”–it utterly naive. Instead, the objective of a “Vibrant Economy” would be better buttressed by a pithy remark about reducing regulations and protecting businesses from shoplifting.
“Strong Infrastructure.” What is the median Ogden household cost for road quality per dollar paid in taxes? Ogden has the highest property taxes (0.67%) in Weber County. I wish to make Ogden’s property taxes the lowest in the nation.
“Healthy Lifestyles: Access to physical, spiritual and mental wellness, and recreation opportunities, including trails and open space.” Are “trails” spiritual but “saving one’s self for marriage” merely religious? How about instead “Healthy Lifestyles: We promote saving one’s self for marriage and marriage as a lifelong compact as the best environment to raise children”? That is the gold standard for romance and the creation of social power. Boom!
“Meaningful Connections.” Given our remarks above about honorable wealth creation being the result of service to others, “meaningful connections” are a natural by-product to capitalism. Promote capitalism and virginity, Dear Mayor and City Council, and you will promote “meaningful connections” automatically. Instead you promote “meaningful connections” as an artificial, after-the-damage afterthought.

With these seven objectives, one does not see a cost explicitly indicated. This is pixie dust politics. The City budget likewise does not breakout various expenses as a financial cost to the median Ogden homeowner.