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Q&A With Bloomington Mayoral Candidate John Linnemeier

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?

A municipally owned fiber optic high-speed Internet system will build on Bloomington's strengths. Such a system will put us on the map as a high-tech destination and provide sustainable, high-paying jobs. Building a system that serves the whole community won't be trivial, nor will the funding of it through revenue bonds be easy, but it is doable, as can be seen by dozens of other communities around the country who have done it. The greatest difficulties will be encountered from telecom lobbyists who own the Statehouse.

We'll need a small cadre of wizard-smart Bloomington IT patriots who are both tech-savvy and politically savvy to lay out an actionable plan. I'll expect to see a business plan with deadlines and realistic numbers behind it on the day I enter the mayor's office. Within two weeks of winning the primary I'll have a team in place.

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?

Bloomington politicians have studied the deer problem for years, and it's time to take action. Frankly speaking, there never was much of a problem out in the Griffy Lake Preserve, where I've taken weekly walks for many years. The problem is in our neighborhoods. It will continue to worsen until something is done about it.

I've spoken with White Buffalo about the possibility of darting female deer and giving them ovariectomies. It's being done successfully in Fairfax, Va. When I asked the people at White Buffalo how they were able to overcome the objections of their state Department of Natural Resources, they replied that it was allowed since it was part of a "scientific experiment" of the effects of ovariectomies on urban deer populations. The question is why can't we get Indiana University, Ball State University or Purdue University to run a similar "experiment" to overcome our DNR's objections?

3. What, if anything, needs to be changed about parking in downtown?

If it were up to me I'd yank all the parking meters out tomorrow. They're ugly and I don't like throwing my money away. But if I'm mayor, not everything should be decided by me. Certainly, it is easier to find a parking space in the downtown area these days. On the other hand, it troubles me that small businesses like Caveat Emptor, Max's, the Yarn Shop and Bretano's are being forced out of business as a result of the meters.

After gathering input from businesses, the employees of those businesses and those using the parking spots, I'll abide by their decision. I believe my plan to increase bus ridership by making it free to ride all buses (it would only cost $600,000, 7 percent of BT's operating budget) will substantially alleviate parking problems as well.

4. What do you want Bloomington's downtown to look like 10 years from now? How do you make that happen?

We should seek a mixture of buildings that serve diverse populations, not just students. CFC has shown the way. Kirkwood Apartments and their townhouses provide architecturally interesting upscale, non-student housing. The Bicycle Apartments are affordable, compact and don't add to parking problems. Requiring builders to provide some affordable housing with their developments might be a good idea as well. The downtown square should maintain its architectural integrity.

In Columbus, Ind., builders are encouraged to choose from a list of outstanding world-class architects. The results have brought favorable attention from all over the country to this small Indiana town. We might consider something similar here in Bloomington.

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?

No one in Bloomington should go hungry or be left out in the cold. Families with children have a right to find shelter quickly.

I was surprised to see how well run, neat and quiet the Crawford House facility was. People who would have died out on the street are now living in comfortable housing. Their incarceration and ER visits have decreased substantially. I believe that anyone staying there should be required not to panhandle.

To keep community support, those trying to help the homeless need to address the valid complaints of perfectly good-hearted citizens who feel threatened by the ever-growing numbers of homeless individuals in our streets and parks.

We need to encourage other communities in Indiana to share the burden of caring for the homeless. I believe those who receive free food should also help to cook it, serve it and help to clean up afterwards.

Q&As with Darryl Neher and John Hamilton will be published Tuesday and Wednesday.

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