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New London Greens |
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1. Tax Payer BurdenTransparent and participatory budgeting – community-based participatory budgeting is the best means to understand expenses and city priorities. Communities identify projects and prioritize for budget resource allocation. I will work for transparent and early budget determination and review by New London’s districts. This assures community input on how and when our dollars are spent. Reducing taxpayer burden through single land tax restructure – Where implemented (e.g., Allentown, PA, Pittsburg, Harrisburg, and other small and large cities) there has been an increase in revenue and a decrease in tax burden for the majority of the residents. Property improvement is not taxed under this single land tax structure. A single land tax will assure all owned land is taxed, and revenues for public works, education, and safety and security are increased, development is revitalized, credit becomes more available. Community and Municipalities Savings – Apply best practices for energy efficiencies and clean air (reduction of CO2) provides an opportunity for real city-wide savings. As much as $14 million dollars has been reported by New Haven who has implemented some of these practices. For more info, see www.newlondonearthday.org 2. Community DevelopmentVision for community development – New London needs a shared vision of what we want the city to be and become. It is essential that this vision involve all city communities. Such a vision reflects how we want our common public areas used, the total cost of development, the growth of traffic congestion; and lastly, it needs to incorporate a sense of what New London’s history has been and its future legacy will be. Transportation – New London’s transportation needs to be focused as an entry-way into the city and a means for moving people in and around the city. A comprehensive plan is needed which includes rail, boat, walk/bike-ways, bus-trolleys for visitors, and a means to replace non-efficient travel within the city with a highly energy efficient and hassle free means of internal travel that naturally connects the city to regional and state-wide transit plans. Such plans need to include transit incentives and improved schedule and flexible travel needs to increase efficient travel utilization. Infrastructure, livable communities, and shared commons – A fresh, innovative plan for how we develop community is needed. This includes environmentally sound solutions to waste processing and land use as well as how we connect our walk-ways and bicycling paths for traffic reduction. I will strongly support the Mayor’s Accord to align New London with energy and cost efficient. This calls for proven energy efficient and environmental building code standards. Some Connecticut cities have reported up to $14 million in savings. Affordable homes – A comprehensive plan for containing housing costs is a priority. Affordable homes, property taxes and education are linked and must be part of such a plan. My proposed land-based tax has had the effect of reducing the cost of housing and eliminating penalties for home and business structural improvements. 3. Government AccountabilityImprove district representation – city government must reach out and connect with the various community leaders to ensure continuous communication and responsiveness to neighborhood needs. There is a rich diversity and substantial reservoir of community organizations which can provide creative solutions to the problems that affect our neighborhoods. Regular City Councilor meetings with groups such as Neighborhood Alliance will provide the essential input to recommendations and action. City leadership – New London confronts increasingly complex problems. Such complexity requires the energies and creativity of our citizens. Effective leadership comes in the form of collaborator, mentor, educator, and facilitator. This kind of leadership supports and empowers communities. New London needs and deserves such effective leadership. I will bring this kind of leadership to the New London City Council. 4. EducationLearning is a life long endeavor and must begin in pre-school for all. Effective education continuously engages the community. It is a partnership between teaches, administrators, parents, children, and the community at large. Education budgets require a shared understanding of outcomes and community deliberation. I support participatory allocation of resources for life-long education from pre-school and beyond. There is simply no single more important asset than the sustained education of our citizens. 5. City ServicesOppose privatization of city services – handing over such services to private companies reduces and in some cases eliminates accountability making services rendered less than needed and expensive. This is a root cause of tax increases. Promote Quality of Life initiative – I will advocate for a City Council resolution to create a baseline and annual report on quality of life index by City Districts to determine city resource allocations. Safety and security – Safety is best achieved through community and government agency alliances and partnerships. A comprehensive Safer New London program needs to be developed. Such a program is integral to community development and education. This would include, but is not limited to, robust neighborhood watch groups, education, housing strategy, youth justice plan, drug strategy linked to state and regional plans, health improvement, and economic development.
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