If elected, Relken's goals will include communicating difficult budget decisions to residents and working with nonprofit groups to increase the city's tax base.
| Return to Candidate Forum | ||||
|
|
James Relken is no newcomer to city politics. The owner of a public relations and marketing company, he served as mayor on the City Council from 1983 to 1987 and 1993 to 1996. If elected, Relken's goals will include communicating difficult budget decisions to residents and working with nonprofit groups to increase the city's tax base. |
|||
| Times Herald November 13, 2007 - Describing council candidates as 'rejected' is disgusting | ||||
| Campaign Response to Questions on Forum: | ||||
| 1. The City Manager has proposed water rate increases in each of the next five years, Brian Moeller has stated that he would not support additional water rate increases, what is your position? | ||||
| I support both the water & Sewer rate increase at this time. The new council needs to work with the adminstration to reduce the rates in both areas in the future without cutting vital public safety. | ||||
| 2. If you are opposed to the City Manager's Budget, how would you balance the budget? | ||||
| I am not opposed to the city managers budget. I do not support any additional cuts in public safety. Balancing the budget has already been done by the current council. The new council needs to focus on revenue generation that is not tax related. | ||||
| 3. For many years the leaders of Port Huron have extolled the amenities of our city and it's great potential, in your opinion, why hasn't that potential been realized? | ||||
| We do not have a marketing theme that clearly describes our area. Currently we have a half dozen messages about Port Huron. We need one that sells the area for tourism and other developments. | ||||
| 4. Several of the challengers for council seats have expressed hesitation at being specific about budget issues, stating that the budget published on the city web page is not the real one, and that they are not "privy" to specific information that would shape their opinion. In the interest of having an open and transparent government, shouldn't the budget that is published be the real one? | ||||
| The City budget is very transparent to anyone who wants to take the time to study it. The entire budget is available for anyone to review and ask details about. City staff are always extremely helpful in answering questions. Residents can write the mayor with questions for has for a response at a city council meeting. The city has been honored nationally for its reporting methods | ||||
| 5. Candidate Al Wright found that the full detailed budget can be available to citizens if they pay approximately $200.00 plus time expenses for printing. Would you favor having the full budget available on the city's web page, or that the city would make it available on a CD disk for $1.00? | ||||
| Any process that provides more information for the public is great. Addtional costs to the city ( Web work to set up) I do not appprove. ( See answer in question 4. ) | ||||
| 6. If Pete was your son, would you advise him to purchase in the city of Port Huron? If so, why? If not, what can be done to make Port Huron a more financially attractive place to live? | ||||
| I would tell anyone that you get what you pay for. In the Case of Port Huron I think we get tremondous services for the dollars paid. Where to live is a personal choice. | ||||
| 7. The city has given tax incentives to encourage developers, manufacturers and businesses to locate in Port Huron, should they give tax relief to encourage common people to locate in Port Huron? | ||||
| Tax Relief in the City Of Port Huron for industry is based upon state law. In the case of Tax relief for citizens it would be dishonest to suggest that taxes can be cut without reducing vital services. Candidates need to be specific with clear examples of taxes or expenses to cut. | ||||
| 8. If elected, and you had sufficient support on the council, what would be your first priority? | ||||
| Work to set specific goals, Place a time line on those goals and communicate the progress to the taxpayers. | ||||
| 9. Televised city council meetings are intended to inform the public in a transparent manner, in your opinion, when should the council go into "closed session"? | ||||
| The law defines the process here. Open Meeting act. | ||||
| 10. What changes in the city charter, if any, would you support? | ||||
| A complete rewrite and review of the entire document. | ||||