8/15/13

Conservatives for Guilford County; Greensboro City Council Candidate Questionnaire 2013

1. What, in your opinion, is the single most important activity in which municipal government engages?

Public safety

2. Do you support granting incentive monies or bond monies for private real estate development?

No, but I thought the Southeastern building was a good project whose increased tax value will pay for itself.

I would have voted against, but would not have minded if it passed.

3. What measures will you propose to enhance the Greensboro Police Department's ability to reduce crime in the city of Greensboro?

Increase employment and living standards.

4. Will you advance an initiative to require the Greensboro Coliseum to discontinue hosting Superjam?

No

5. Will you seek or accept the endorsement of the Simkins PAC?

No, but I very enjoyed our interview in 2009 with with Skip Alston, Earl Jones, Alma Adams, Goldie Wells and Steve Bowden, and look forward to this year's interview/debate.

6. Will you seek or accept the endorsement of TREBIC-affiliated organizations?

No, but look forward to meeting with Marlene Sanford and friends at the screening, which was great fun last time.

7. Will you seek or accept the endorsement of the Replacements Ltd. PAC?

What someone does in the privacy of their own home is none of my business.

If I am tread on, it is my business.

Someone else being gay isn't any of my business, unless my family is harmed.

8. What steps do you propose to spur the recruitment and creation of jobs?

Create a level playing field for businesses looking to expand or relocate, which Greensboro currently doesn't have.

9. Will you support extending incentive monies to private concerns to create jobs?

No, if the increased tax revenue pays for it, and the current rules of the game dictate the extortion, I won't work to block it in some cases.

10. Would you ever vote to raise property taxes for Greensboro residents?

Always and never are two words we should always remember never to use.

11. Would you ever vote to raise water fees for Greensboro residents?

Greensboro and Guilford County's residents were fleeced by Roy Carroll, Richard Beard and Robbie Perkins in the American Express back room incentive for their data farm deal, because of which Roy recieved water/sewer for his Birch Creek development, after AMEX fired more than 1,500 workers on the other side of town.

12. What measures will you propose to limit the cost of benefits for city employees?

Reduce costs for the city's 457 plan, saving/giving a raise to employees in the plan by more than $550,000 per year.

I would like to create more transparancy in what our health providers and insurance companies charge for what to whom.

13. Do you support adding more police officers to the Greensboro Police Department; and if so, how many?

My understanding is the department is currently well staffed.

I find Chief Miller to be an honorable man.

14. Do you believe the computers in the Greensboro Public Library used by adults should be filtered to prevent the inadvertent viewing of pornography by minors who are nearby?

I think the issue has been blown out of proportion.

15. Will you support the city using its eminent domain powers when the true motive is economic development?

No

16. Which city activities or programs will you propose to be reduced or cut back?

DGI, the Greensboro Partnership and Center City Park funding should be investigated for self dealing and cronyism.

17. Do you support taxpayer funding of the construction or operation of the Greensboro Performing Arts Center?

I believe the city and some council members are decieving the public on this issue, as some are lining themselves up to personally profit from the venture.

18. Will you propose converting the entire Coliseum complex to a regional public authority?

Don't know the specifics enough to say.

19. What steps will you propose to eliminate the operative deficits at the Greensboro Coliseum complex?

Figure out a way to make it profitable.

20. Will you support new bonds to be placed on the ballot to pay for capital projects?

No

21. Do you support requiring that the city pay directly out of its current revenues and fund balances for capital projects instead of new ballot initiatives?

Yes

22. Will you give Action Greensboro, the Greensboro Partnership and/or DGI special, increased standing in the formulation of policy decisions?

No

23. Do you favor taxpayer funding of Action Greensboro, the Greensboro Partnership or DGI?

No

24. Do you favor expanding mass transit services in the city of Greensboro?

If the demand rises.

Some folks could use benches at heavily used bus stops.

25. Do you believe the city council should reverse the city's policy extending taxpayer-provided benefits to the partners of gay or lesbian city employees?

Not because they are gay.

The tread on me issue with this is the same with abortion; who ends up paying the bill?

As a Austrian fiscal conservative, I find myself to the right of the pro-life movement on abortion, in a bizarre kind of way.

26. Will you propose that the city refrain from collecting the dues on behalf of any municipal employee union?

The city should refrain from paying for any set up costs associated with collecting the dues.

27. Do you favor opening city council meetings with a non-sectarian prayer?

I like the moment of silence.

Matthew 6:5 - 7 5; "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.

Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

28. Which of the two following statements best describes your conception of the role of a city council member?

I will provide affirmative leadership to city staff, and assure the city council is the chief driver of policy and decision-making.

29. Are you committed to the concept of limited government?

Yes.

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