Government Affairs
2008 Election Candidates and Candidate Survey Responses back to main Candidate page
Candidate Survey Responses – On The Issues – Each Question, All Candidates
1. Please list and briefly describe the three most important issues you intend to address if elected in May.
Mayor Joseph Donaldson
The three most important issues I will continue to address while working within the City Charter and working with the Council and community focusing on supporting education and assuring citizens opportunities to economically sustain themselves and the community, continue to support work force development through various community efforts and Council involvement, and to continue to find community solutions to the affordable housing crisis. I have the skills to provide community leadership through the Council to continue to find lasting solutions to these top three issues. It does take time and it does take a community working together void of silos.
Sara Presler-Hoefle
1. Investing in children and youth programs.
2. Supporting an economic environment that fosters job retention and creation.
3. Affordable housing plan and implementation.
Karla Brewster
1. Economic development- business retention and expansion of our present businesses. Continuing funding for the Northern Arizona Center for Emerging Technologies which is seeking start up companies that are sustainable and “green”. Continue with the advisory board (Northern Arizona Economic Development Advisory Committee) to review what is being done and what needs to be done.
2. Affordable housing- continue the city land trust program and partnerships with BOTHANDS, Habitat for Humanity and other non-profits and profits. It will take a multi-faceted approach to help solve this issue. We need denser housing, multistory structures using infill where we can. Negotiations with developers to incorporate affordable housing in their developments (paying some impact fees, waiving some regulations, fast-tracking the permit process) might be some of the negotiations.
3. Transportation- passing the propositions on the bus transportation is critical to Flagstaff (to pass all of them). Citizens need to know its importance to our city, even if they don’t ride the bus and how it, potentially, will impact our traffic situation. Seeking another airline and the expansion of the runway is a giant step in the right direction for Flagstaff expansion. Related are roads, highways and interchange issues.
Coral Evans
A. The Affordability Crisis in Workforce Housing
Workforce Housing and Affordable Housing must be an immediate, expedited priority. This includes the creation (through partnerships between government, non-profit and for-profit organizations) of a supply of diverse housing that directly meets the needs of the low-income and moderate-income families.
B. Bringing better-paying jobs to Flagstaff
It is vital we diversity the local economy through well-planned &sustainable economic development efforts. This includes aggressively recruiting businesses that pay higher wages, businesses consistent with the City’s environmental policies and offering appropriate incentives to businesses paying higher wages. Businesses that are offered incentives must be held accountable to the established incentive guidelines (e.g. hiring local residents, paying livable wages, etc.) and incentives should also be offered to established businesses.
C. Reliving Traffic Congestion
It is important that we make transportation, traffic management and roads a priority. This includes expanding the current bus system to decrease local and tourist traffic by extending hours, increasing frequency, adding routes & linking with NAU. It will be important to review, re-evaluate, and (possibly) change current City plans & funding to expedite solutions to the most pressing traffic problems.
Morgan Hagaman
I want to ensure that our City and streets are as safe as they possibly can be by getting the police the funding they need to fight any crime and that our public works department has what it needs to give us the best possible roads to drive on. Anytime one of our local business’s gets robbed or has property crime done to it is too much. Our roads need to be maintained properly so people can get to our local businesses. I want to keep new development and construction fees at a minimum to keep housing as affordable as it can be, and to keep current businesses interested in expanding in Flagstaff, and new businesses interested in moving here. I want to relieve the traffic congestion in our City by adding more North/South Corridors.
John McCulloch
Affordable Housing, Economic Development & Transportation.
Micole Shorty
A. EQUALITY- if we can’t move ahead together then we shouldn’t move ahead at all. The Wayside Horn is an example of this.
B. True sustainability- it takes more energy to transport recyclables than it actually saves. Therefore we need our own recycle station.
C. Higher paying jobs- encourage businesses to expand.
Al White
1. Work on a sustainable strong local economy- Expand on tourisms success and support (with the limited tools allowed in Arizona) local success stories. Monitor City’s economic development efforts.
2. Promote environmental stewardship, green building and renewable energy usage.
3. Finish some and start other plans for more grid-like transportation system. Relieve traffic and encourage alternative transportation modes. |
