Iowa City Council Candidate Profiles: Richard Finley

Here's a profile on Richard Finley, a technical project manager at Rockwell Collins.

Finley, who proposes that it is most important for the upcoming council to find a way to maintain city services during lean budget years ahead, is seeking one of the two At-Large seats up for grabs in the Nov. 8 election, filling the slot by At-Large council member Mike Wright, who will not run.

There will be a primary Oct. 11 that will narrow the field of At-Large candidates from seven to four.

Iowa City Patch: Where are you from originally and what is your tie to Iowa City?

Richard Finley submitted BIO: Richard Finley was born in Lafayette, Indiana while his father was attending Purdue University. Once his father completed his studies he moved the family east to the Washington D.C. area. Finley graduated from Rockville High School and attended the University of Maryland where he earned a bachelors of science degree in Biology. He maintained close ties with the midwest through his extended family in Indiana and opted to return there to pursue his career. He moved to the greater Dayton, Ohio area and worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. While in Dayton, Finley earned a Masters degree in Computer Science from the University of Dayton.

Finley accepted a position at Rockwell Collins and moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1996. While getting to know the area he frequently visited Iowa City and fell in love with the town. He moved to Iowa City in 2002 when he and his wife purchased a home in the northeast portion of the city known as Goosetown. They are slowly but surely restoring the historic home where they live with their two Labrador retrievers.

Iowa City Patch: How old are you and how long have you lived in Iowa City for?

Finley: I am 56. I have lived in Iowa City for 10 years.

Iowa City Patch: What is your profession?

Finley: I am a Technical Project Manager with Rockwell Collins

Iowa City Patch: What motivated you to run for city council?

Finley: I am seeking an at-large seat on the Iowa City council because I wish to serve the citizens of Iowa City. I recognize that Iowa City is a unique fabric made up of neighborhoods, diverse culture, university life, and much more. These things make our community vibrant, interesting and desirable as a place to work and live. I am running for Iowa City council to ensure that our community preserves core city services and to ensure that Iowa City maintains and improves the wellbeing of our community in the face of flat tax revenues.

Iowa City Patch: What would your priorities be as a council member?

Finley: The Iowa City community is growing, and the hard work of carving out a budget that preserves our high quality services is fast becoming the most urgent of tasks. My experience in planning and successfully executing multi-million dollar government contracts as a Technical Project Manager with Rockwell Collins uniquely qualifies me to step up and serve my city. I have studied Iowa City’s past budgets and am prepared to do the tough job of extracting top value from our tax dollars. The city’s $60 Million dollar budget falls well within my usual level of budgetary oversight.

Iowa City Patch: Why do you think you are qualified to be on the city council? What voters in Iowa City do you think you will appeal to and why?

Finley: My work experience will benefit the city. My love of Iowa City qualifies me to care for the city. I appeal to a broad spectrum of folks in Iowa City. I am an engineer by trade. I am a musician in a local band.  My wife and I are restoring an historic home. I am one of the people of Iowa City.

Iowa City Patch: Which issues do you feel will be the most important in the upcoming election?

Finley: The maintaining of core city services in the face of flat revenues.

Background of the profile series:

Iowa City Patch sent the current Iowa City Council candidates a list of the same seven questions to provide people with a greater understanding of the individuals who are running in the Nov. 8 election for the Iowa City Council.

The seven council members serve four year terms, with four seats up in November (effective 2012) for one District A, one District C and two At-large slots on the council. The remaining three slots are up in 2013 (effective 2014).  City elections are held every two years.