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July 30th Ann Arbor News Article |
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7 compete in Ypsilanti council race by Khalil E. Hackem / News Staff Reporter SUNDAY, JULY 30, 2006 Seven Democrats are competing in the Aug. 8 primary to fill three seats on the Ypsilanti City Council, and all of the candidates say balancing the budget is the No. 1 issue facing the cash-strapped city. Juanita House and David Kircher are challenging Council Member Trudy Swanson in the 1st Ward. Swanson is running for a fourth, four-year term. Brian Robb and Roderick Johnson are competing to replace Council Member Barry LaRue in the 3rd Ward. LaRue is not seeking reelection. John Bailey is challenging Council Member William Nickels in the 2nd Ward for the nomination of the Democratic Party. Nickels is seeking a third term on the council. The winner of the Democratic primary will face independent Peter Hubbard and Libertarian Tom Bagwell in the general election in November. The deadline for minor parties to yield candidates is Aug. 8. The candidates all agree that they are eager to see progress on the Water Street project and that a city income tax is not a quick solution to the financial problems. City administrators are proposing $800,000 in spending cuts next year. Council members discussed asking residents to vote on a city income tax , but delayed that decision until next year. The city embarked on the Water Street project in 1999 to build condominiums east of the Huron River but no construction has taken place. The city is negotiating with a new developer for the project. The city includes three wards and 12,033 registered voters. Each ward is represented by two council members who are elected to staggered, four-year terms. WARD 1 "I don't want to pay more taxes, but let's wait and see,'' she said. Swanson said the Water Street project was too ambitious, focusing on residential development, but the city now must pursue a mixed development to ensure its success and meet financial obligations. She also said there is a need to bring new businesses to the Harriet Street corridor. House said the city should attract more businesses and new families and solicit help from business owners, neighborhood associations and talented residents to find solutions for its financial problems. "It's important to involve the residents in the decision-making process,'' she said. She also said residents pay enough taxes. "We need more information about the tax and a backup plan in case it does not pass,'' she said. The city also should focus on development and work with schools and other governments to save money and improve the quality of life for residents, she said. Kircher said the state's economy is in ruins and Michigan does not have the money to restore revenue sharing. So the city must evaluate its spending to reduce cost. "Everything is on the table,'' he said. He also said it is crucial to get the Water Street project going because its costs and its success affect all aspects of the budget. Most people are banking on regional cooperation to save money but that will not work because no local government wants to give up control of services, Kircher said. He also said that a city income tax will discourage new businesses from moving to Ypsilanti. WARD 2 To balance its budget, the city can continue making cuts or find additional revenues, Nickels said. An income tax could repel new businesses and residents, but cutting essential services could make the city less desirable. "I support putting it to a vote instead of cutting services.'' Nickels said he is optimistic about the Water Street project because the city owns the land and is working with a good developer. Bailey said the city should maintain core services and look for ways to reduce costs, such as regional cooperation with other governments on such services as police, fire, streets and garbage collection. To increase revenues, the city should look away from an income tax because adding more taxes will burden current residents and repel investments. Instead, Bailey said, the city should find ways to attract new businesses, redevelop underused areas and work closely with the Downtown Development Authority to fill vacant storefronts along Michigan Avenue. The city should also move quickly on developing Water Street before the loans are due, he said. WARD 3 He also said that if the residents decide on an income tax instead of cutting core services or state financial oversight, the tax is worth studying. "I don't want more taxes, but we have to be realistic about our situation,'' he said. The city should move quickly on redeveloping Water Street to give the appearance that Ypsilanti is on the right track, Johnson said. Slow progress on the project has been a "colossal image failure for Ypsilanti, and we need to turn that around,'' he said. He also said his ward has improved over the years and he wants to preserve that growth. Robb said the city has been struggling financially for years and there needs to be a fresh approach to balancing the budget by attracting new businesses, cooperating with regional governments and finding creative ways to generate revenue. The city should streamline its permitting process to make it easier for businesses to relocate to the city, Robb said. It also should abandon the income tax idea because Ypsilanti has one of the highest property tax rates in the county, he said. Instead, Robb said, the city should focus on redevelopment and make Water Street successful because it could inject new energy into downtown and the city. Khalil E. Hachem can be reached at khachem@annarbornews.com or 734-482-3225. |
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