Gainesville City Commission 2015 Candidate Profile and Issue Questionnaire Part A: Candidate Profile 1) Candidate’s Name: Yvonne Hinson-‐Rawls 2) Email Address: [email protected] 3) Campaign Website: www.yvonnehinsonrawls.com 4) Education: University of Florida, BAE ‘71 and MAE ‘72 5) Occupation: City Commissioner 6) Employer: City of Gainesville 7) Previous Employment: Miami-‐Dade County Public Schools 8) Three Qualities Leaders Must Possess: Vision Passion Integrity 9) Civic Involvement: •
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Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Alachua County Democratic Executive Committee Alachua County Retired Educators Association, Inc. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. League of Women Voters Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church NAACP Executive Board Page 1 of 7 •
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Pace Center for Girls, Fundraiser Captain University of Florida Alumni Association, Lifetime Member Women’s Giving Circle 10) Board(s) I’ve Served On: • Gainesville Housing Authority • N.A.A.C.P. Executive Board 11) Party Affiliation (If Applicable): Democrat 12) Political Involvement: • Alachua County Democratic Executive Committee, Membership Chair • Obama 08 Zone Coordinator 13) Have you ever been a previous candidate for political office? Yes. City Commission, District Outcome of Race: I won 14) Campaign Organization and Structure Manager: Yvonne Hinson-‐Rawls Treasurer: Gladys Hayes Media: Kamelya Hinson Advisors: Pollster: General Consultant: None Facebook Page Name: Yvonne Hinson Rawls Twitter Account: None Instagram Account: None 15) Are you a current member of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce? NO 16) Why are you running for Gainesville City Commission? (Do not exceed 75 words) Page 2 of 7 Gainesville is sitting on the cusp of greatness. I’m running to continue the momentum we have begun to move Gainesville forward. Move forward in on-‐the-‐job trainings and apprenticeships, small business development and economic fairness. Move forward in equality and justice. Finally, move forward in equitable access to renewable energy such as solar. I look forward to continuing my service to the citizens of Gainesville and reaching our ultimate goal of stable and prosperous communities throughout. 17) Why should members of the business community support your candidacy? (Do not exceed 75 words) As a former business owner I desire business practices and regulations that empower, assist and accommodate businesses in fulfilling the needed requirements to move forward. A collaborative one-‐stop process that is sensitive to their needs and timelines rather than issuing a multitude of red tape. The city now has an online registration where a business may apply and receive responses for permits online. “Commissioner Rawls is approachable and makes herself available to provide resources and. 18) Are there any organizations/entities which you would NOT accept donations from? YES. Organizations that are diabolically opposed to my core values and the values of the city. 19) Is there any additional information about you and/or your campaign that you would like to share? (Do not exceed 75 words) N/A Page 3 of 7 Part B: Issue Questionnaire {Each Answer Must Not Exceed 75 Words} 20) What is the role of local government? The local government is very broad and states that local government’s purpose is ‘…role of local government? Under the Local Government Act 1989, the function the peace, order and good governance…’ of their municipal district. In practice, this means that the commission can determine what they need to do to ensure “…the peace, order and good governance…” of their municipalities. Essentially each commission makes its own decisions based on its collective beliefs, the advice it. 21) If elected, what would be your top three (3) specific policy objectives and why? 1) Training, apprenticeships and small business development 2) Equality and Justice for all 3) Equitable access to renewable energy and education. 22) What specific policies and/or programs should be advanced to promote economic development in the City of Gainesville? I would like to explore partnerships with local industries and companies willing to relocate to create cooperative investment industries. 23) How would you promote small business growth in the City of Gainesville? I support business practices and regulations that empower, assist and accommodate businesses in fulfilling the needed requirements to move forward. With a collaborative one-‐stop process that eliminates the multitude of red tape, we will attract more citizens to become small business owners. We have already moved in the right direction, the city now has an online registration where a business may apply and receive responses for permits online. Page 4 of 7 24) What is your philosophy towards utilizing public funds to finance economic development incentives in the City of Gainesville? Gainesville uses incentives to encourage private enterprise to develop and yet it still sees a slow rise in the east. Enterprise Zone Tax Savings, Qualified Targeted Industry Tax Refund Program, Industrial Revenue Bonds and the CRA. 25) Please discuss any specific ideas you may have to promote job creation from the “GED to the PhD” levels of education in the City of Gainesville? Again, I recommend on the job training, apprenticeships and small business development. High schools should be required to prepare students for the world of work with vocational education. I also would like to explore partnerships with local and industries willing to relocate to create cooperative investment industries. 26) What is your view on education across the “cradle to career” continuum? I wholeheartedly support it and work in partnership with Gainesville HIPPY on such a venture. 27) What are your views on skilled career pathways? They need to be returned to the required curriculum. 28) What (if anything) should be changed about the City of Gainesville and Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) development review process? Is that the code for governance? I would like to have the full report of the forensic auditors before moving to swiftly on this. Page 5 of 7 29) What (if anything) should be changed about the City of Gainesville Land Development Code? The Land Development code is under complete review. It is receiving praise in some sectors of the city and great criticism in others. We will soon have a document both sensitive to growth and sensitive to its residents very soon. 30) Please discuss any specific ideas you may have to enhance the growth of the technology and manufacturing sectors in the City of Gainesville? I would like to explore partnerships with local industries and companies willing to relocate to create cooperative investment industries. 31) What are the greatest infrastructure challenges facing the City of Gainesville and how would you address them? In my humble opinion, the greatest challenge might be for GRU. There appear to be numerous communities still using septic tanks in and around the city. These have been in the ground so long that they are corroding, yet many residents can’t afford to replace them nor access city sewage. We once had a connect-‐free impact fee that we were building for this very thing, yet it was seldom used. I would gather a registry. 32) The cost of electricity in the City of Gainesville ranks among the highest in the State of Florida. Please discuss any specific ideas you may have to reduce the cost of electricity and make Gainesville more competitive. Equitable access to solar energy. 33) The Gainesville City Commission currently governs Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU), which has approximately one-‐third of its customer base outside of the City of Gainesville corporate limits. Do you support changing the current GRU governance structure? NO. I would like to wait until after the forensic audit however, we need an Page 6 of 7 advisory of experts on the governance structure without the ultimate fiduciary responsibility. 34) Do you support a Special Legislative Act by the Legislature of the State of Florida to provide for a voter referendum giving City of Gainesville registered voters the opportunity to amend the City Charter and create a separate utility authority to govern Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU)? NO I support local governments having local authority. 35) Do you support moving City Commission elections from the spring to the fall and being non-‐partisan? YES For increased voter engagement I hereby certify to the veracity and completeness of the information herein and that no other party other than myself completed this questionnaire. Original or Electronic Signature Page 7 of 7