With a newly adopted comprehensive plan joining the foundation of Altoona city government, and in the aftermath of an interesting — and potentially productive — discussion at a city council meeting on Sept. 9, this is a right time for asking a fundamental, but also very serious, question about the Mountain City’s future.

Does Altoona want to idle in “sputter-sputter gear,” remaining content to do so, indefinitely, or does it want to shift progress into a high-gear action, “meeting-our-needs” mindset capable of defeating problems, and without overly burdening the city’s taxpayers who fund the city’s operations?

At the same time, does Altoona want to become more aggressive about letting its needs be known in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C., and expecting — not just hoping — elected representatives in those two capital cities be better workers on its behalf?

Altoona’s and Blair County’s seniority in the two capitals has increased, and that increased seniority should be worth more than what the city and county have been witnessing.

All that said, the Sept. 10 Mirror front-page article “City urged to remedy service shortfalls” — dealing with the Sept. 9 council meeting — should have been of considerable interest to all who call the city home.

During that meeting, it was acknowledged that the city government — the provider of services — is a “bare-bones operation,” manpower-wise, whose capacity to be proactive regarding key issues is being greatly limited.

That acknowledgment, also part of the comprehensive plan, was followed in the article by two perhaps more important acknowledgments.

The first is that Altoona, among the commonwealth’s 15 largest cities, is second-to-last in the number of full-time employees per 1,000 residents, in per capita payroll costs and per capita property tax levy.

The second is that Altoona’s poverty rate is better than all but three of those 15 largest Keystone State cities, while its median household income is in the mid-range on that list.

The meaning of all that?

It means Altoona can afford to do more and be more.

For example, even a property tax bill higher by an annual $100 or $200 to pay for better city services probably amounts to much less than many, if not most, city adults dole out for lottery tickets and other forms of gambling over the course of a year.

This should not be construed as definitely advocating a tax increase, however. That issue must be thoroughly evaluated.

Altoona is lucky to have someone like former city Planning Director Larry Carter still “on premises” to discuss city issues — like he did at the Sept. 9 council meeting. His comments triggered views from council members that were encouraging via their possibilities and scope.

However, those comments could end up hollow if they are not followed up with substantive commitments and actions.

More discussion like that on Sept. 9 needs to take place on an ongoing basis, if Altoona really intends to try to keep up with the needs of the times.

Needed discussion once, twice, three times a year doesn’t portend success for what the city hopes and needs to accomplish over the short and long terms.

Were a weak prescription for the city’s needs to become dominant, city residents could reasonably anticipate a lengthy stay in the “sputter-sputter” repair shop with little hope of getting the kind of “tune-up” needed.

Shortfalls are put to rest by determination and good ideas, not lackadaisical responses.