|
Democracy for Monroe County Questionnaire
Submitted to Democracy for Monroe County
March 22, 2007
Please list your support committee members including officers:
Julie Thomas, Treasurer
Cathi Crabtree
Lorraine Farrell
Jane Bradley
Carol Scifres
David Keppel
Julie Birkett
Larry Meehan
Why are you running for office?
I am running for office because I feel that my skills, experience, and love
for the community qualify me to play a leadership role to maintain the
wonderful, diverse, and progressive aspects of Bloomington and to ensure
that our city is strong and vibrant many generations into the future. I am
most concerned about promoting sustainable practices in the economic,
social, and environmental policies of city government, and I feel that
Bloomington is in a prime position to be a leader in this area and a model
for other communities in Indiana and beyond.
Please discuss the moral center of your political philosophy
I am guided by the values of integrity and honesty: I strive to do what I
say and say what I do. In a broader sense, I am committed to social justice,
involving the grassroots in our democratic processes, nonviolent forms of
communication and interaction, and fostering environmental protection and
wise stewardship of our natural resources.
Please discuss your campaign’s theme
The three main focal points of may campaign are increasing sustainability,
reducing poverty, and advancing collaboration, through which we can build a
stronger community for all.
Please discuss the top three issues that concerned you enough to run for
office.
a) urban sprawl/land use
b) high poverty rate in the city
c) transportation – the need to focus on non-auto transportation
List your political experience (here and elsewhere), including any
grassroots activity in which you participate or lead.
• Bloomington Environmental Commission
• Citizens Advisory Committee of the Metropolitan Planning Organization
• Board of Directors, South Central Community Action Program
• Monroe County Democratic Women’s Caucus
• IU Bloomington Professional Staff Council
• IU Anti-Sweatshop Advisory Committee
• Bloomington Bill of Rights Defense Committee
• Bloomington Peace Action Coalition
• Monroe County Green Party
• Indiana Green Party
In what way do you consider yourself socially progressive?
I believe that all members of society should have the tools to contribute in
their own way to the community: a living wage job, affordable housing, a
solid education, and a say in the government decisions that affect them. I
feel that diversity strengthens society and that discrimination on the basis
of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or disability has no place in
a truly democratic community. For me the common good is a higher goal than
personal self-interest, and I deplore the power of corporations and the
greed that so often motivates their behavior. I also feel that we as a
society have a responsibility to future generations to not saddle them with
problems such as environmental degradation and financial debt.
In what way do you consider yourself fiscally responsible?
I firmly believe that a government should not spend more than it has, and if
it does need to borrow funds to undertake a large project, the public good
it will bring must outweigh the debt which burdens its future. Government
has a responsibility to the taxpayers to use their funds wisely, and it also
has a responsibility to future generations to not mire them in debt from
projects they did not themselves undertake.
How do you propose to balance economic development with environmental
issues?
The economic enterprises that we as a community support should be
sustainable: they should not degrade the environment, they should provide a
product or service the community needs, and they should preferably be
locally-based. I don’t think environmental protection and economic
development are mutually exclusive goals. Green business practices are
thriving worldwide, and that’s what I want to support in Bloomington.
What role should the Unified Development Ordinance play in deciding
whether a proposed development is approved or not?
The UDO is our local set of laws that governs development. It represents the
first set of criteria for approving development. However, the city has the
responsibility to consider other factors as well, when such factors effect
the public good. For example, a company that produces land mines may meet
all UDO criteria to build a factory in Bloomington, but such an enterprise
may not be the type we want to support. As a member of the Environmental
Commission, I intend to continue prodding developers in the direction of
green building and natural landscaping, even beyond the minimum requirements
of the UDO.
Describe your ideas for engaging citizens in more active participation in
our community and our government.
When I go door to door as part of my campaign, I always first ask residents
what issues are important to them in regard to city government. If elected,
I will serve these constituents, so it’s important to me to know their
priorities. When I serve as a City Council member, I plan to maintain my
website, www.PiedmontForCouncil.org, where I will keep community members
updated on important issues and have a forum to solicit feedback from
residents. I also plan to hold monthly meetings with constituents and
continue to attend neighborhood association meetings in District 5.
|
|
