Posted on 09/14/2004 10:23:59 PM PDT by Choose Ye This Day
I'm running for mayor of my small town, mostly because I want to offer voters a change from the same clique of guys who are always running city hall and the city council. I have a pretty good idea what I want to run on, but I'd like any Freepers' help brainstorming ideas to differentiate my candidacy, maybe stand out a bit.
1) What do you like about your town's/city's mayor?
2) What do you hate about your mayor?
3) What kinds of thing do you expect your city to accomplish?
4) How has your city been able to attract businesses?
5) How can one be a conservative mayor?
This last one is a tricky one. As I'm starting to speak with citizens, everybody wants stuff: a bigger library, a new community center, new streets and bridges, more school programs, etc. But nobody wants higher property taxes, and I sure don't want to raise them. So how do you get people what they think they want/need without becoming a tax-and-spender?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Corruption with city contracts, labor unions, and special interests.
I hate those things.
A conservative mayor is pro-business, pro-education, and pro-community involvement. Oh, and fiscally conservative... do away with fluff, feel good programs, and focus on the problems.
1) I like the fact that my mayor had a "traditional marriage" day
2) I hate that my mayor believes in facist tactics, such as stopping innocent folks on the street and asking for ID.
3)I expect my city to get away from trying to rescue the failing downtown area and hijacking my money to do it.
4)My city can't attract business any better than any other california city because california isn't business friendly.
5)One can be a conservative mayor by living openly with conservative values, not being shy about being a conservative, not trying to please everyone.
Thanks for your comments.
On pro-business...what kinds of thing does your mayor do to attract businesses? Our small town needs more businesses--more manufacturing, more stores, more restaurants.
Do we just slash corporate property taxes to attract companies and let the private citizens pick up the slack? That might work, but could backfire.
What are some examples of the "fluff, feel-good programs" that you especially didn't like?
I love the "traditional marriage" day. I think that would go over well in our heavily-Republican town.
"Not trying to please everyone" is sound advice. I'm afraid those that do try to please everyone are the ones that get elected around here. But you're right: I'd rather not get elected than get elected by offering everything to everyone, money's no object.
City beautification... Probably the most important thing you can do for the commercial areas. Security with regular police patrols. Encouraging police to bike or foot their beats around the town during the day.
If your town doesn't have an office for helping people with getting small businesses started up, you should have one.
A fluff program is something that serves a tiny minority, is barely used because people prefer to use their own private means, and costs a lot to maintain. A senior citizens shuttle is an example of one I don't like. I respect old people, but the number of people who use that kind of service compared to the cost is ridiculous. Besides, a volunteer group and charity is far more efficient at providing that kind of service. Fluff programs are almost always better served by charities and private industry... but are made into a public good by enterprising politicians who promise that they can do it better.
2) What do you hate about your mayor?
I don't hate anyone except Hitlery and Bill.
3) What kinds of thing do you expect your city to accomplish?
A format for vision based upon us residents, and earning their wages by creating a format that will ensure doing nothing but what the residence of our city request. D@mn the Government grants that create a hostage situation, and special interest groups who have no concern in the municipality except how they can benefit or increase their cash flow.
4) How has your city been able to attract businesses?
Through lower taxes, which in turn generate more business for our community through free Enterprise.
5) How can one be a conservative mayor?
By doing what a Mayor in my home town did when I was a child growing up in the town. Quit your house painting job,...., forget about a career in politics, focus on your constituents concerns at any cost, and let your constituents know your disdain for political action committee's, and when talking business with the City counsel, Just say NO!
I guarantee a reelection! ; )
Show yourself to be a friend of the small businessman. Yes, it would be nice to bring in a manufacturing facility with 500+ jobs, but that likely won't happen and you'd be a fool to promise it. Look at the stats on job growth - most of it happens in the small business sector. By putting together a program for the small business guy, you:
A)provide a fresh platform.
B)Get the votes of existing small businesses.
C) Promise something you can actually deliver
D) Promise something that you actually INTEND on delivering and fight for all you are worth to guarantee that outcome. ; )
Avoid fighting old battles, find some new battles to fight.
Our mayor also shut down a liberal "human rights commission" when they publicly referred to Free Republic as a "hate group"
so he does some good things and some things that really tick me off..
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