Bainbridge elected officials made a smart move recently in deciding to devote $300,000 of car tab revenues toward projects in the city’s Capitol Improvement Plan, which include many long-sought projects for non-motorized improvements for bicyclists and pedestrians, and to further discussions about a possible bond to help cover the costs of the projects.

The move is especially wise given that the hundreds of thousands of dollars raised by car tab revenues would easily be consumed by a single major road project, and using car tab money instead to retire debt by bonds issued by the city would give Bainbridge residents a bigger bang for the buck with a wider array of improvements.

City officials, however, should avoid putting a bond proposal before voters that would pay for street improvements.

Instead, the city should use its non-voted municipal bonding capacity to fund street improvements. Voters don’t need to decide the issue; it’s clear enough that maintaining and improving the city’s transportation system is a core function of the city that should be financed accordingly.

By contrast, a public vote is essential on the question of a new facility for the police department.

While providing adequate working facilities for its employees is also a core function of city government, we note that no true champion or advocate for the new police facility has emerged from the ranks of the city’s elected leaders. Instead, the city council has punted, and put off a decision on whether to share a facility with the Bainbridge Island Fire Department.

Though some may be holding out hope that a shared police-fire facility will still happen, we’re skeptical that will come to pass, even though we continue to believe that by partnering with the fire department, the city has its best chance of passing a bond measure to pay for the facility.

But, the city needs the fire department more than the other way around. The fire department has long enjoyed vigorous support from voters, and department officials would not be to blame if they moved ahead with the city in order to secure a February vote.

Bainbridge put off a decision on a potential partnership deal in order to get more public input from residents on the new police facility. But it seems the city is overthinking the value of what limited feedback it will get over the next few weeks.

The city should instead rely on the true public input that matters, that which would come from a public vote on the proposal.