Many Altoona residents no doubt feel uneasy about tax implications that ultimately may be tied to the proposed $23 million budget plan unveiled last month by the city council.

Particularly for homeowners living on a fixed income and already having difficulty making ends meet, that’s a logical reaction. However, others probably are feeling similar pangs of unease as well, considering the total amount of the proposal.

However, the plan in question, whose components are spread out over a half-decade, seem to be within the municipality’s financial capabilities, if pursuit of the components is handled logically and carefully through correct prioritization of all that the five-year budget contains.

At the same time, current officials need to acknowledge — and let residents know — that cutting or postponing some of the plan’s elements might be necessary, if now-unforeseen issues surface.

Certainly always a possibility over such a time period is whether new officials who might come aboard through election or appointment might try to pursue some different priorities to enhance work already completed.

Therefore, it is safe to assume that the newly announced proposal, no matter if it receives an approval at this time, might not in the end be carried out exactly in the way current officials envision.

At this time, then, the plan is basically a blueprint establishing future work parameters but not ruling out changes and adjustments as the effort is launched and moves forward.

What is most important for the moment is that city officials are thinking and looking ahead, not succumbing to municipal stagnation. In effect, they have begun the process of putting their imprint on whatever good is projected to come, while hoping that nothing bad or counterproductive gets in the way.

There is plenty of opportunity for good, based on the financial framework that is envisioned and which has been revealed to the public.

Consider the good that can come from the millions of dollars envisioned for the various municipal departments and services targeted.

Recipients of the city’s proposed investment and the amounts are:

— Street work involving an investment of $14.8 million over the five years that the budget covers, 2025-29.

— Parks and recreation projects totaling $4.3 million.

— Projects related to parking facilities, $1.2 million.

— A total of $2.6 million for the fire department and $294,000 for the police department.

— For the Information Technology Department, a $234,000 allotment for upgrading software.

According to the Mirror’s article about the budget proposal, the plan is to spend an average of $4.7 million each year, although the actual expenditures will range from $3.1 million to $6.1 million annually, according to Finance Director Jim Gehret.

The five-year proposal is based mostly on borrowing, and that probably is best — money saving — for the long run.

Meanwhile, it was reported that, in addition to what is called for under the five-year budget plan, there likely will be additional spending tied to recommendations contained in the newly approved city comprehensive plan. The comprehensive plan envisions funding various improvements through money contributed by the city itself, private-sector donations and grants from the federal and state governments.

Whether the city will be successful in acquiring those other funds will involve a major wait-and-see. It apparently will involve much legwork and many contacts.

Altoona harbors the energy to achieve what is envisioned.