You're right about priorities. There are so many expenditures (positions and programs) within the City that, while maybe not without some benefit to the community, would probably not make the cut given what I think are more pressing community needs that would give the tax payer more of a return on their "investment". It's subjective of course, but I see resources going into PR, marketing, "studies", optional certifications, and questionable administrative "needs" that could otherwise go into improved front-line public safety (police & fire); public infrastructure maintenance (streets, parks, bike paths, sewers, pools, etc.); social needs (homelessness, drug/alcohol addiction) and . . .?
Once certain positions and programs come on-board and get intertwined and interdependent with the rest of the bureaucracy, it's tough to get rid of them. Volunteer council and committee positions can only spend so much time on this stuff. I guess they do their best. I don't have the answers.