Bloomington Democratic mayoral candidates John Hamilton, John Linnemeier and Darryl Neher will appear in a broadcast debate Thursday, April 23 at 8 p.m. Learn more about the debate here.
We asked each of the Democratic candidates five questions about community issues. Responses have been edited for style only.
1. What is Bloomington's greatest economic need, and how would you meet it?
Bloomington's greatest economic challenge is creating and attracting sustainable, living wage jobs and addressing the poverty that results from a lack of jobs. I'll lead a comprehensive effort to attract the sustainable jobs and help create the homegrown businesses that are critical to Bloomington's future. I'll push for the creation of a citywide fiber optic broadband network that will give businesses and consumers access to affordable high-speed Internet. Creating a cutting-edge Internet infrastructure will attract businesses, provide individuals the ability to work remotely and give start-ups an edge.
Having started my own nonprofit and community development bank, I know what it takes to run a business. I'll use my experience in community finance to support high-wage clean industries and help local businesses grow. And I'll create a shared workspace in the downtown Tech Park and work closely with Indiana University, IU Health and Ivy Tech to bring faculty inventions and ideas to market.
As mayor, I'll be committed to creating a 21st century economy that works for everyone.
2. The debate over what to do with Bloomington's deer population has been going on for several years and the plan at Griffy Lake Nature Preserve did not come to fruition. How would you handle this issue moving forward?
The debate over how to handle the city's deer population is important to many citizens. I believe there are two separate problems in the deer debate: what to do with the deer in the city, and what to do with deer at Griffy Lake. As mayor, I will follow available science to protect Griffy nature preserve, so that families can enjoy it for generations to come as we do today. In the city, neighborhoods may vary in their reasonable approach and the City Council is the best venue to
accommodate those differences.
Based on my experience leading the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, I know that government action can greatly impact environmental protection. As mayor, I will do everything I can to protect the natural beauty of our city.
3. What, if anything, needs to be changed about parking in downtown?
I have stated publicly that I would not have supported the parking meter proposal as it was presented. There are still unanswered questions about the purpose and effect of meters downtown. One critical question is where the money is going?
We need to know the economic impact the meters are having on the downtown. How do the meters impact people who work or take classes downtown? The meters have effectively given folks who drive to work downtown a dollar an hour pay cut and raised the cost of taking classes at the Waldron. While the Council continues to adjust the times and cost of meters, we still don't have a clear enough answer: Why are we collecting this money and where is it going?
4. What do you want Bloomington's downtown to look like 10 years from now? How do you make that happen?
Bloomington's unique character is one our city's great strengths. As mayor, I'll be committed to protecting the city's unique qualities. I believe the council and the city have allowed too many unattractive buildings tarnish our city's aesthetic. The construction of a 70-foot hotel on Kirkwood is only the latest example of this unfortunate trend, and I energetically opposed approval of it. As mayor, I'll support strong and clear environmental and aesthetic guidelines for developers.
We must revise our Growth Policies Plan and Universal Design Ordinance to reflect this philosophy. I want to make sure that generations from now people can stand at the corner of Kirkwood and Walnut and look down at the Sample Gates and see the same spectacular pedestrian friendly view we have today.
There's no guarantee that our city will always have the same unique look and feel - we must protect it. As mayor, I'll support responsible growth that protects what makes Bloomington unique while expanding opportunity for all.
5. How would you balance the needs of Bloomington's homeless population while not allowing the city to become overwhelmed by people who come here seeking services?
As the son of a minister I grew up with values of social justice and compassion for others. I live by those values today. Fifty percent of the homeless in Bloomington are families with children and 75 percent have a last known address in Monroe County. As president of the board for the Shalom Center, I brought new federal funds to pay for the construction of Crawford Homes. It has been very rewarding to see many of the residents at Crawford turn their lives around over the last year. I'll continue to support a housing first approach to homelessness by seeking new federal funding for a second Crawford complex.
In addition to creating more housing, I'll work with nonprofits and faith-based groups to coordinate services and ensure that the resources through the city are being used as efficiently as possible. I'll also support a new detox center.
