THOMPSON BLOCK
REVENUE
SERVICE LEVELS
CHALLENGES
WATER STREET
QUALIFICATIONS
RE-ELECTION

THOMPSON BLOCK
HOW DO YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THE THOMPSON BLCOK?

I would certainly like to save the historic structure, but the redevelopment of the Thompson Block can only be completed by the owner. In the 9+ months since the fire, the owner has made no progress on the building. He has failed to remove the structures from N River St; allowed his traffic signs to be repossessed; cancelled court-mandated facilitation meetings; and barred the City's structural engineer access, thus requiring the City to get a warrant in order to perform a safety evaluation of the structure. City Council is accountable to the residents for their safety. The owner has left us with no other remedy but to seek action in a court of law.

REVENUE
WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS FOR GENERATING MORE REVENUE?

• Campaign for the passage of a Headlee override for public transportation. Council has already unanimously decided to place this on the ballot to raise revenue dedicated to funding public transportation. Its passage will allow us to shift the money currently being spent in that area to public safety.
• Focus on redeveloping obsolete and underutilized properties. During my time on Council, we have granted incentives that will allow for the rehabilitation of five properties, significantly increasing their values and adding to the tax base.
• Aggressively market the Water Street property so we can generate much needed tax revenue to offset our current debt obligations on the property.
• Prepare for the creation of regional authorities (like a regional police department) formed in conjunction with surrounding municipalities that will allow all involved to provide services at lower or equal costs.
• Lobby our leaders in Lansing on how important it is to fund Michigan cities.

SERVICE LEVELS
WHAT CAN THE CITY DO TO MAINTAIN CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS WHILE RECEIVING LESS REVENUE?

City Council recently agreed to a new contract with the members of the Fire Department that guaranteed no layoffs but provided the City with much needed financial flexibility. In addition, Council worked with the Downtown Development Authority to have them help fund a dedicated police officer for the business districts. By partnering with our employees as well as other governmental units, the City will be able to lessen the impact of reductions in service. As property values continue to decrease, however, we will have to keep prioritizing what services are most important to our residents and focus on those.

CHALLENGES
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS FACING YPSILANTI'S ECONOMY AND WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS FOR DEALING WITH THOSE ISSUES?

The biggest problem facing Ypsilanti is declining property values as a result of the Michigan economy and its side effects. We have to continue making our community attractive to businesses as well as residents. We can do that by keeping public safety levels high. We need to aggressively enforce ordinances so that our neighborhoods and business districts remain attractive. We need to focus on policies that will continue to make Ypsilanti a walkable community. We need to support public transportation by voting YES on the Headlee rollback. Finally, we need to aggressively market Water Street and make it more appealing to potential developers by clearing the site.

WATER STREET
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON HOW THE CITY SHOULD PROCEED WITH WATER STREET? DO YOU SUPPORT UPDATING WATER STREET'S ZONING?

The issue of zoning is a political diversion. The City owns the Water Street property and controls what will be located there. Due to the economic climate in Michigan, there has been limited interest in the property. If we create a specific zoning district at this point, we will restrict options that haven't even surfaced yet. This is the most significant site in Ypsilanti. It is imperative that we not diminish its value through exclusionary practices. In the meantime, the property is being cleared and becoming more attractive to developers. It's also important that we continue make the site more marketable by completing projects like the Border-to-Border trail and the other public spaces planned for the site.

QUALIFICATIONS
WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUELY QUALIFIED FOR THE OFFICE?

Having served on Council for the last four years, I am the only candidate with an in-depth understanding of the issues facing our community. In addition, having been involved with the numerous neighborhood associations and business organizations in Ward 3, I am the only candidate that has cultivated relationships with the community and earned their trust. Finally, I am the only candidate invested in Ypsilanti, having co-founded Wireless Ypsi and renovated a Downtown storefront. These projects have allowed me to promote our City as well as build solid, working relationships with our business community.

RE-ELECTION
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO SEEK RE-ELECTION?

Ypsilanti is facing significant challenges, including prioritizing services and doing more with less. To accomplish these things and move us forward as a community, we need strong, effective leaders who can get things done. I want to use my experience and creative problem-solving skills to continue to tailor the way the City delivers services to the changing needs of the community.