Michael's conversation with Chad Smeltzer covers the essentials of how city managers handle budgeting, the significance of long-term fiscal planning, and the challenges cities face with infrastructure management. Through his tenure in cities like San Antonio and Ventura, Michael emphasizes the importance of understanding both current and future fiscal impacts to create sustainable city environments. The episode also explores the innovative solutions offered by Zachtax in assisting cities with sales tax and property tax analytics for smarter, data-driven decision making.

• Importance of Long-Term Planning: Cities often focus on short-term financials due to system limitations, ignoring crucial long-term infrastructure costs.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Access to detailed, real-time data can empower city managers to make informed economic and infrastructure decisions.
• Role of Zachtax: Zachtax provides necessary tools for cities to analyze sales tax and property tax data, aiding in economic development and fiscal sustainability.
• Management Challenges: Transitioning from managing projects to managing people and navigating crises like Hurricane Harvey poses unique challenges for city managers.
• Development and Fiscal Impact: Evaluating the fiscal impact of new developments can help cities plan sustainably and avoid future financial burdens.