Candidate Profile: Tom Roth, Royal Oak Mayor

ROYAL OAK, MI — Royal Oak voters will vote for their mayor 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.

Tom Roth is running against Michael C. Fournier for mayor of Royal Oak. Here's how he filled out his profile:

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Age (as of Election Day)

60

Position Sought

Royal Oak Mayor

Party Affiliation

Non-Partisan Race

Family

Wife, Celeste; two daughters, Ashton (28), and Kendall (23)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

B.A, University of Michigan

Occupation

Global Account Director, Interos; I have 16 years of experience in senior leadership roles for companies.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

First Time Candidate

Campaign website

electyourteam2021.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I believe in Royal Oak - it's the reason I've chosen to live here while working and raising a family. Now that my daughters are grown, I have more time to devote to making the community around me stronger, and being Mayor of the city I have grown to love strikes me as the best way to affect that positive change in my backyard. I helped give citizens a voice by helping to put the relocation of the Veterans Memorial on the November ballot. Now, I want to help give citizens a stronger voice in our local government.

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

While I think the campaign for various offices in Royal Oak have centered around a critical veterans issue with our memorial (and one I am supportive of in November), there is much about the city of Royal Oak that makes believe we need stronger leadership. Our city's finances should be concerning to our citizens. Once elected, I intend to call for an outside financial audit to analyze our expenses and revenues and then develop - in concert with residents, business owners, and other elected officials - a plan of action that ensures we keep Royal Oak on track with a balanced budget.

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

I believe my background and experiences will bring a much needed fresh perspective to the governance of the city of Royal Oak. We need more listening to our constituents and less dictating from City Hall - something that happens far too frequently for my taste. I want Royal Oak to be a welcoming and inclusive place. I also expect and demand fiscal responsibility from our leaders, while protecting our property values through balanced planning and zoning.

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 Mayor is out of touch with his residents and isn't transparent enough with the city's decision making processes. His choices regarding our budget and finances concern me - I am worried that running up deficits as we work to create solutions for our residents isn't the answer. We have to learn to life within our means - many of our residents live on fixed incomes and cannot tolerate another tax increase from City Hall. I also believe our city's Master Plan is currently adequate, but many of our current leaders are catering to large scale developers rather than citizens who have chosen to live in Royal Oak because of our existing quality of life. Suggested wholesale changes to the way we manage our space in Royal Oak are unnecessary.

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

I believe our Oakland County Health Department has performed marvelously during the pandemic. I continue to support their work, advice, and counsel and will follow their mandates when elected Mayor.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I want Royal Oak to be a vibrant city and a wonderful place for people to raise their families. Over the course of the last 5 years, we have seen no-bid projects that have hamstrung downtown businesses, causing many of them to close for good.

I want to ensure the safety of all residents and visitors to our community with a well trained and strong public safety departments (Police/Fire/EMT).

I want to make Royal Oak affordable again by reducing the tax burden and provide incentives for first time home buyers.

Lastly, I will continue to promote diversity in Royal Oak and I want ALL who live and own businesses in Royal Oak to feel like they are part of Royal Oak and their opinions are valued.

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

As a young US Army Armor platoon leader, I learned to lead from the front. Royal Oak needs leaders who will lead from the front and work for the residents, not hide behind paid-for legal opinions as excuses to violate our City Charter and Ordinances to suppress or diminish voters’ rights.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Get out and meet the people. The only way elected officials can truly understand what is important to their citizens is to talk to them. That's why I'm a strong advocate for community engagement. As Mayor, I won't make decisions in a vacuum - voters must be engaged and not be governed from officials in ivory towers who refuse to listen to them.

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

I am a graduate of the University of Michigan with a BA in Marketing & Economics, I am a US Army veteran and the current Commander of the Frank Wendland American Legion Post 253. My platform includes improving Royal Oak’s financial transparency to increase resident trust and make it easier for residents to hold their elected officials accountable