Why should someone vote for you? (i.e. – what’s your “elevator pitch” when talking to voters?)
I would create a new email and website if I win the Ward 3 Aldermatic seat downtown. The BMA agenda would be included so that all city citizens could add their opinions on the issues of every meeting. A poll would be added on each agenda issue so the voters and taxpayers have a say on each issues. I would answer every call from our citizens. I would hold a Ward 3 Aldermanic Town Meetings at least four times a year to hear from the people. I would be the People’s Alderman.
If elected/re-elected, what steps would you endorse to address the issue of homelessness in the city?
Homelessness throughout the 12 wards effects all our citizens in one way or another. All the money being spent on the issues of homelessness is not always well spent and changes need to be discussed on making some of these programs to show more result if we are to make a big dent to solving our problems. Just throwing taxpayers hard earned dollars 💸 alone doesn’t solve our problems. Some 10 years ago our City District Schools had 603 homeless students. Today a decade later, we have over 800 school students homeless. We have got to do better in solving this most important issue in saving our children.
Also, the safety of people standing in the middle of our busy streets is not the answer nor is it safe for people standing on those narrow divide curbs in the middle of traffic. The closing of the Valley Cemetery Gates on the Pine Street side need to be closed within the curfew times from sunset to sunrise. It would save lives in overdoses and stop the crimes and assaults at night 🌙. It would also stop a lot of the graveyard markers being knocked down and damaged 💔. The longer we postpone an action that would solve many of the cemetery park problems during the curfew times at night is not acceptable… we must find ways to help and educate the homeless issues for those who want to be helped get that help and those who don’t want the help nor break our laws be delt with like any other citizens committing crimes. We must keep our citizens and their neighborhoods safe at all times day and night.
If elected, what steps would you endorse to address the issue of housing costs?
Housing within the city of Manchester has become unaffordable to a large segment of the population. Some 62% of our housing population within our city comes from apartments. We as a city are a working class community within most if not all of our neighborhoods. Giving taxpayer dollars to large housing builders without them allowing any affordable units is not the best way toward changing our availability of affordable housing. It is time to use our resourcefulness in solving our housing problems to a better usage by continuing to treat all city employees equally. 🙌 It is time to stop upping a grade pay where it’s not needed…
If elected, what steps would you endorse to address the issue of attracting and retaining quality city employees?
To respect all city employees without treating some employees diferently. All city employees have eqaul values as they work as a team in each city department. A city of one.
What is your perspective on the city’s roads, transit system and parking? If you believe improvement is needed, how would you accomplish that?
When it comes to our city infrastructure, like city roads – our transit system and parking needs, we should try our best to fix our potholes and fix our worst roads and streets in a fair way. That means not to resurface the same roads or streets more then needed. Every pothole complaint should be looked at and dealt with in terms of safety. If need be, we need to find better efficient ways to get the job done. More money will have to be found in order to keep up with the more costs to fixing them in a timely manner. This topic of roads and streets is one of our citizens top priority issues to get done.
What is your opinion on the city’s parks, library and entertainment offerings/public events? If improvement is needed, what should be done?
All city parks – the two city libraries, plus the entertainment and other public offering of events need much improvements within our city. We have lost too much, especially within our city parks, where projects get started for necessary safety, but the funding doesn’t match its needed cost of a timely manner to complete the tasks. The same goes with so many lost city festivals throughout our city. We must take more opportunities to apply for grants available for park improvements and the same goes for our summer entertainment in those parks that were meant to do so. The loss of our city concerts, whether they be public or private, could use more of the art grants out there to be used in funding them while available. If we as a city don’t apply for them then it’s our loss and the city is not better for it if we don’t try. Our growing city needs these great events to continue throughout our Spring – Summer and Fall months to entice our businesses downtown and other large areas of condensed populations so they can encourage more businesses to start and thrive. The heart ❤️ of our downtown and the center neighborhoods needs this to keep the “broken windows effect” that creates more crimes and illegal activities.
What is your opinion on the city’s policies regarding property taxes and other fees (i.e. – pet licenses, parking meters, etc.)
When it comes to city property taxes and other city fees – licenses and parking meters, we as elected officials need to be very careful of how we spend our financial resources conservatively but in a prudent and productive manner with the taxpayers ability to pay those taxes. A reminder that the city of Manchester has always been a hard working-class community since its beginning. We need to do the best we can for our dollars value at all times with a higher percentage of results within our city needs.
What are your thoughts on the city’s business climate and how would you attract more businesses to come to Manchester or convince more people to start businesses in Manchester?
We need to continue trying to build up our Queen City, especially within our downtown area as it’s economic factors that help grow our economy and grow the residential areas that continue to boost our businesses, while welcoming outsiders to join us in celebrating our successes. It’s up to us to see to it that our “broken windows effect” is corrected so that people feel welcome and safe within these areas throughout the Queen City of Manchester. Like making the small investments to keeping the business areas clean and repaired while lighting up the darkness downtown to keep criminals away. Light all our downtown city centers decorated with the appropriate necessary lighting ✨️ for our outdoor activities…
What is your opinion of the state of education in Manchester and what should the relationship be between the Board of School Committee and Board of Mayor and Aldermen?
We as a city should have a much bigger voice and a better relationship with out federal – state and county government agencies as we are the largest city north of Boston and New Hampshire’s most populated city who pay the biggest tax share. We should have a stronger voice of our needs where too often the county or state governments burden our city with their problems unfairly. We are all in this together, after all in the solving of our problems. I want our elected officials to take notice and involve ourselves with a stronger loud and clear voice to govern our city needs.
Anything else you’d like to add not mentioned here and what is the best way voters can reach you if they have more questions?
I can be reached by phone at 603-450-9401 or if you chose to elect me as your People’s Alderman representing both the Business – Industrial and Residential neighborhoods within Ward 3, then I would create my own Alderman GMAIL for your direct contact to me so I can be reached by you all. I would also create a Ward 3 Alderman website so that you all will have my ear and a voice on the issues that concern you.