Utica City Council Candidates Sound Off: Question 4

In your opinion, what should be a Utica city council member's primary focus?

.: Without a doubt, it is the citizens' well-being, including public safety and economic responsibility.

: As a member of the council, I believe the job would be to work for the city’s best interest, and the residents. To find a way to increase revenue. Keep the city held to highest standards it has become.

: A Utica councilmember's primary focus should be maintaining and improving, where possible, city services while maintaining a good fiscal responsibility. A councilmember’s  decisions should be fair and beneficial to the city and its residents.

: The Washington Post stated, “The nation’s cities are struggling with the same economic problems that have affected our nation; high unemployment, a depressed housing market, and weak economic spending.”  These factors have reduced taxes that the city could collect that would provide services to our residents. The council members must work extremely hard to keep a balance budget until the economy turns around.

: I believe that the primary focus of a Utica city council member is to listen and respond to the concerns and opinions of the residents and business owners of Utica. The residents and business owners should feel that their comments and opinions are taken into consideration when decisions are made that affect the city and directly impact the residents. Another focus should be staying within the budget when making decisions that impact the residents and businesses of the city. We need to try to maintain status quo with the city services without adding costs to the budget, and not increasing the tax rate.

Question 3: Tell Patch about a tough decision you've had to made and how you came to a conclusion?