Candidate Profile: Stuart Bikson, Rochester City Council Member

ROCHESTER, MI — There are four open seats for Rochester City Council in November's general elections.

To help readers make informed choices, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Stuart Bikson is running for Rochester City Council Member. Here's how he filled out his profile:

Live in Rochester-Rochester Hills? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone.

Age (as of Election Day)

62

Position Sought

Rochester City Council Member

Family

Wife Maria

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

no

Education

BGS in Economics, University of Michigan, MBA University of Wisconsin, Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Oakland University

Occupation

Special Education Teacher, Waterford Mott High School. Varsity Tennis Coach

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Rochester City Council. Currently Serving as Mayor of Rochester

Campaign website

None

Why are you seeking elective office?

To serve my community. I want to continue to support and fully fund our local police and fire department, continue to support low taxes and provide excellent city services to our residents.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

We need to continue to provide excellent city services while maintaining a balanced budget and low taxes. We need to continue to manage the city efficiently to achieve this goal.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I believe I have the experience and leadership skills to continue to lead the city in a positive direction. I have the knowledge of city government to run the city efficiently and to effectively use tax payer dollars.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I believe the current council has done an excellent job of running the city. We need to constantly improve the efficiency of the city and continue to search for innovative ways to run the city.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

As Mayor, I think the city did an outstanding job in fighting the covid crisis. The city worked very hard to help citizens and businesses navigate these extremely difficult times. I am very proud that we helped our most vulnerable citizens make it through this crisis.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Strong funding for our police and fire departments. Continue to have balanced budgets and maintain our low level of taxation. Keep working to improve our city services and provide residents with a exceptional level of service.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Serving as Mayor of Rochester during covid. I believe I provided steady leadership during these difficult times.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Treat people as you would like to be treated.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I have served on city council for multiple terms and have always acted in the best interests of the residents of the city. I pledge to continue to work to make this a better city with every decision that I make.