2. Mayor James Sottile has just released his
proposed 2012 budget that doesn’t raise the
overall tax levy, but does raise individual tax
rates. He says the city’s decreasing
assessments means that people will actually
pay about what they did this year. He says it’s
a bare, bare, bare bones budget. What do
you think about the mayor’s pending plan
and where, if any place, would you cut to
lower the tax rate.
3. It is likely that, as mayor, one of you
will be negotiating contracts with
the city’s three unions. As you
know, a large part of the budget is
for personnel costs.
Specifically, what will you ask the
unions to agree to help make the
contracts more affordable to city
taxpayers.
4. Egidio Tinti has officially taken over
as the city’s Police Chief on a
provincial basis. As mayor, one of
you could decide to replace him
with another person when you take
office in January. Is is your intention
to keep Tinti on or not. Ex[plain your
position either way.
5. The Pike Plan renovation stirred up
some controversy. Some people in
Uptown wanted it knocked down
while others strongly supported its
repair. If you had been mayor, which
side would you have been on?
6. Over and over again, Mayor Sottile has said
that overbearing stringent state rules about
development have hampered projects from
moving forward in the city or, in some
cases, stopped them in their tracks.
However, environmentalists and historic
preservationist say the rules keep developers
from overrunning places with bad plans. Do
you think the rules are too tough?
7. If elected, what specifically would
you do to fight gang-related violence
in the city.
8. There has been suggestions, by each
of you, that the city has to move in a
new direction. Mayor Sottile would
say that he thinks the city has done
that during his 10-year term in office
and has said, repeatedly, that the
city is on pretty good financial
footing. Is his opinion wrong?
