Toledo City Council Candidate Debate...notes...

I understand the initial decision to have only three candidates answer each question but considering two did not end up appearing, it would have made it easier to compare/contrast the four present if they would have all answered the same questions. To describe how last night was done the questions started with one candidate then the next two candidates answered the same question. Then the next candidate was the first one to be asked a new question with the next two answering that question and so on...


The first question was about Brain Drain, Joe described a little about his ten point plan that his campaign released on this issue mentioning his idea for the Heritage Festival among them. I don't think James understood the question since he responded that he felt that the term "Brain Dead" wasn't something we should be using. Dave responded that he felt the key to ending Brain Drain was to provide a better business climate and that "bells and whistles" like the Heritage Festival would not help.

On the topic of the City Council being divided, James stated that if he is elected he will represent the you not either party and he will not be connected to back door politics. Dave stressed his work on the issue of ethics and how he has worked with both Frank Szollosi and Rob Ludeman to get results. Bob stated that he is a Democrat running for neither team and that he would not make any deals and that the person who was appointed did make deals.

The next question none of the three really answered, it was about the candidates position on tax incentives given to out of state businesses rather than local businesses. Dave brought up Joe's campaign not using a local vendor and stated that he is supporting local businesses and pointed to his business survey. Bob stated that he also bought his campaign material locally and mentioned his proposal to decrease the sales tax for local businesses by 1%. Joe stated with the creation of his new law firm that he was a local business and hoped that people would use local attorneys for all of their legal needs. After the laughter stopped, Joe continued with regionalism is important and we should be competing with China and Japan not local suburbs.

Joe, James and Dave all agreed that neighborhood groups like Westgate Neighors are important. Joe mentioned his plan for Citizen based budgeting and the Citizen Academy and his support for open government. James stated that citizens should always be involved and that he believes that declaring most acts voted on as emergencies in City Council is wrong. Dave stated that seeing the citizen response concerning Glass City Academy demonstrated how important citizen and neighborhood groups are.

The candidates were asked their position on the legality of snow piles that obstruct the view of a motorist. James felt it should be illegal and should be covered under the current nuisance laws. Dave stated they should declare it an emergency, then after the laughter stopped, agreed it should be looked at under the current nuisance laws. Bob stated this is illegal and it should be enforced.

On the question of Urban Sprawl, Dave talked about his business survey the results that showed that businesses want a decrease in their taxes as well as a more business friendly city. He then continued asking Joe since he proposed reducing taxes for teachers and safety personnel people wanted to know where was their tax cuts. Bob stated that our neighborhoods need to be revitalized and that we should partner with the public school system to make neighborhoods and schools keep people in Toledo. Joe felt that urban sprawl is an issue with Toledo that drains our tax base and that the use of water rights and a Smart Growth plan are needed that a strong Urban core is critical to the success of our City and that a City without a good downtown is a city without a soul.

Bob, Joe and James are all against the municipal fees, Bob stated he would not support new fees and would work to repeal the one in affect. Joe stated money should not be wasted on things such as lights/city pride signs and showers that money could be spent more wisely so that such fees were not necessary. James also stated that he felt it was wrong for an out of state company to be collecting a ten percent fee.

Point of Sale ordinace Joe, James and Dave all agreed that the solution is enforcement of what we have now and hiring more housing inspectors. James, Dave and Bob all agreed that City Council should follow the same ethics rules as the Mayor and his staff.

On Gambling...Joe stated he was against gambling. Dave in humor referring to the Commissioner's debate stated he'd give a politician's answer, limited gambling downtown done responsibly could be a potential boost. Bob felt that the societal problems with gambling were large and that it was not a solution to our area's problems, he got a chuckle with the statement that he's not much of a gambler, that he's not lucky. He then reaffirmed he felt gambling was not good for Toledo.

The question was then asked if the candidates would sponsor a resolution by Toledo City Council to end the war in Iraq. Dave felt that was not the role of City Council that the focus should be on City services. Bob stated he was not against the idea of City Council making resolutions and that he would sponsor that resolution. Joe stated that elected officials are leaders and on important issues should take sides, he would also support such a resolution.

When asked how long would you stay in office, Bob pointed out that one of the candidates in this race ran for judge before and that if he is elected he will not run for any other office that he is not a career politician. Joe stated that he felt public service is the way to help people. James gave a response that elicited a laugh from the crowd, "if you elect me you are stuck with me".

On would the candidates report unethical behavior, Joe, James and Dave all said yes. On the Environment, James, Dave and Bob all felt it was important, Dave and Bob support recycling. Dave stated he was a "Teddy Roosevelt type of Republican" and Bob stated that a Smart Growth plan was important and the City should be a leader when it comes to environmentally progressive ideas.

The three most critical issues facing our City according to Dave are Economic Development, Ethics and Public Safety. He stated his 13 years experience in purchasing would be an asset to City government. Bob stated Jobs, Safety and Neighborhoods, that all of these were interelated with Economic Development and revitalization. We have to have neighborhoods that people want to live in. Joe stated Jobs, Crime and Sprawl and feels that the City needs a full time economic development person that there are not enough hours in the day for the Mayor to be able to be a full time mayor and a full time economic development director.

That is not all of the questions but a good majority of them to give you an idea of what was discussed and what the basic responses were of the candidates who attended.