Yes Weekly: New Blood in D3

Yes Weekly: New Blood in D3

 

…Hartzman possesses a pessimistic outlook on government’s ability to provide for citizens, a deep streak of fiscal conservatism and sense of intellectual rigor tempered by philosophical playfulness.

 

“Here’s my beef with the current city council,” Hartzman said. “They authorized a 35-percent debt increase to be put on last November’s ballot. I asked, how do they justify that. The answer I got repeatedly is, ‘It’s up to the voters.’”

 

Hartzman considers the council’s primary role as being the city’s fiduciary. He likens the council’s action in authorizing a bond for referendum to two parents who know they can’t afford a vacation putting the matter to a family vote and being overruled by three children who favor taking the unaffordable vacation.

 

“I consider it political malpractice,” he said. Members of the current council, including Matheny, voted unanimously last year to authorize four municipal bonds valued at $205 million last year. Voters approved all but one. “When we come out of this recession, there are businesses across the country that are going to be making a lot of investments,” Hartzman said. “These businesses are going to be looking for a place to go to get away from high debt, high taxes and fiscal irresponsibility.

 

Municipalities with the lowest debt, the safest communities, the lowest taxes and infrastructure that’s prepared for it stand to do well.”

 

…He is opposed to the city borrowing money to pay for the completion of the northern section of the Urban Loop, noting that the southern section is underutilized.

 

…Hartzman comes armed with sheaves of printouts from his campaign blog that counterbalance philosophical quotes with statistics. He passed one paper across the table questioning what might happen if the state government stops paying unemployment benefits to citizens who have been out of work for more than 52 weeks and then another paper noting that the NC Department of Health and Human Services has cut a host of programs benefiting the most vulnerable. The implication, he said, is that Greensboro, like other municipalities, is due for a spike in property crimes.

 

“We’re going to have to channel more money into the police department,” he said, arguing that the city should summon a spirit of voluntarism instead of increasing the tax burden.

 

…In line with his fiscal conservative view, Hartzman favors reopening the White Street Landfill to household waste.

 

…Hartzman has said that he will not take money from political action committees or accept campaign contributions of more than $100.

 

“I’m running for the kids,” he said.

 

Jordan Green

Yes Weekly, August 12, 2009