Mayoral Candidate Platforms
This is my platform and my vision for Harrisburg. It is what I think we need as a community. However, as a public servant my responsibility is to help the people of Harrisburg achieve what they want our city to look like. Please contact me to share your vision for Harrisburg with me.
Safe streets
More police on the street (“feet on the ground”) in our neighborhoods – community policing
Crime information and enforcement disposition on Internet
Improve community - police relations
Clean streets
City codes/ordinances on Internet
Improved and aggressive code enforcement
Streets that are in good repair, and that are free of snow and debris
Proper repair and maintenance of water and sewer systems
Comprehensive trash program that includes litter and dumping
Educational system
Consider aligning our school system as one that is based on experiential education, that teaches our children how to think by linking schooling with the community
Increased use of charter schools, and community centered schools
Return the school board to elected, community control, and retain the mayor as the chief executive officer (separation of powers)
Hire a superintendent who is committed to this city (lives and works here), and who is capable of re-designing the district to function at the highest educational standards
Base the re-design of our school system on performance (accountability, quantitative results)
Economic development
Reduce city and school taxes for everyone who lives in Harrisburg
Evaluate all tax programs and eliminate special tax abatement/reduction programs that work only for a few of the residents and businesses
Reduce the city’s debt
Tax base/revenue sharing across the metropolitan region
Transfer city-owned museums to private ownership and sell all artifacts
Transfer the incinerator to private ownership as soon as competitive bidding is possible
An up-to-date comprehensive plan, built on broad community participation
Neighborhood responsibility for implementation of the comprehensive plan
Revision of the zoning code – simple, understandable and designed to serve a vibrant, multi-use city
Auction city-owned land parcels to people who will live or run a community-based business on them
Democratize economic opportunity through workforce development/job training, entrepreneurial education, micro-loans, and business counseling
Work with local architects to provide plans for affordable housing that can be built for our community (We did it for New Orleans; we can do it here.)
Eliminate unnecessary “red-tape” that discourages contractors who wish to work in the City
Increase the economic diversity of city residents
Encourage major city employers to provide incentives for their employees to live where they work
Government Reform
BACK TO BASICS - Re-order city government priorities, focusing on basic services (public safety, infrastructure, transportation, public parks and public places)
Improve the productivity of city government through better process management
Improved communications with the public, including improved access to information through state of the art website, etc.
Create a partnership with City Council
Neighborhood Focused
Sustainable, walk-able neighborhoods, with accessible neighborhood amenities and services
Community and neighborhood leadership development, and civic engagement - individual and communal responsibility – including neighborhood groups as the first step of self-government
Develop and communicate the advantages of city living
Return to the City Beautiful model that Harrisburg helped to make famous nationwide
Make the river more accessible and adjoining neighborhoods more integrated with the river park
Eliminate the six lane, divided highway called Front and Second
