he Clinton City Council has proven in recent years that it can implement visionary programs that will benefit residents without taxing them to death in the process.

It appears that will be on the horizon again this year, as Council prepares to vote on its Capital Improvement Plan, a five-year futuristic spending map which could include work — and funding — on a myriad of projects in 2010-11.

Those projects won’t impact the current tax rate, something that the Council and Mayor Lew Starling have been adamant they don’t want to see happen. As much as city leaders want progress and desire improvements, they don’t want any of it to come at the expense of taxpayers or their hard-earned and well-tapped money.

A hold-the-line on taxes mantra has been recited year after year by the Council and mayor, but that hasn’t stopped them from being diligent in upgrading services, continuing to clean up the city, revamp the downtown and upgrade water and sewer. But they’ve done it in a systematic and frugal manner, implementing slow growth standards that have worked and worked well.

Those same type projects are on the horizon in the five-year CIP.

Among the projects which could receive council OK for the 2010-11 fiscal year will be a trimmed down overhaul of City Hall, Phase III of a downtown revitalization project, installation of new water and sewer lines and a $50,000 expenditure for electrical system repairs to Sampson Community Theatre.

All are worthwhile projects and ones that will improve the city, its services and its stance in the future picture of Clinton’s landscape.

That the city can forge ahead with such major plans without adding to residents’ taxes is an amazing feat and one that could not be possible without the vision of our elected officials and those they’ve hired to move the city forward not just next year but in the proceeding years.

We hope Council can continue its progessive steps with the proposed CIP plans. They are wise investments in the future of this city and are worthy of the funding Council can provide.

These projects aren’t the only ones needed in the city, but they are a good beginning.

We hope city staff will continue to look at the needs across the entire city and meet them as they go.