Here are the questions which came from about 50 individuals who attended the Candidate Forum co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce. The session was hosted by the Royal Oak School District and held at the Middle School.
> What is your strategic plan for the city?
> Where do you stand on the Human Rights Ordinance? (2 pro, 2 con)
> What do we do about the city's unfunded liabilities?
> How do we pay for our streets?
> What is your solution to the rat problem?
> What is your solution to the Woodward motel problems?
> What do you see as Royal Oak's role in improving Woodward Avenue?
> What one major item would you like to accomplish in your term?
Answering the questions were:
● An incumbent commissioner whose answers were softly spoken and reasoned.
● An experienced civic activist who delivered her thoughts with oratorical emphasis.
● A political aide who read his answers to most of the questions, which all the candidates had already heard many times.
● A newcomer to politics whose demeanor ranged from humble to almost combative.
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All that happened in the 60-minute time limit permitted by LWV rules.
I have several times complained that the LWV format is stilted and limited. Yet, last night's audience could come away with some sense of the competence of the candidates and a feel for their respective personalities.
