VOTER GUIDE – NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION CITY OF THE VILLAGE OF CLARKSTON Tuesday, November 4, 2014 POLLS ARE OPEN 7:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OAKLAND AREA Website: www.lwvoa.org E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 248-594-6602 1 Candidate for MAYOR for ONE 2-year term JOE LUGINSKI 71 N. Main St., Clarkston, MI 48346 (Candidates running unopposed were not sent questionnaires.) 4 Candidates for CITY COUNCIL for THREE 2-year terms CANDIDATES for CITY COUNCIL THREE 2-year terms Vote for no more than THREE RICHARD BISIO 37 Church St. Clarkston, MI 48346 Question 1 (150 Words or less): Provide biographical information and explain why you are running for City Council and relevant qualities and skills you would bring to the position. Question 2 (150 Words or less): What are the top 3 Priority Issues facing your city and what actions would you, as a city official, take regarding each of them? I am a 12-year resident of Clarkston. I served on the city council for a two-year term in 2010-2012 and was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2013. I have served on the finance and ordinance committees. I am running for council to continue to advocate for better city government, including better budgeting, transparency of city government, and consolidation of services. Recently, I proposed a tax rate reduction for the current budget year. 1. Rigorous budgeting: The city should have a three-year budget and a realistic long-rage capital improvement program. The operating millage should be reduced when long-range planning shows that is advisable. I have been an attorney for 35 years, handling commercial disputes. I am a published author on legal matters and have served on numerous court-appointed and bar association committees. With this background, I bring to the work of the council an attention to detail, a concern with proper process, and an ability to promote ideas. Copyright League of Women Voters Oakland Area 2014 Page 1 of 2 2. Shared services: I think there are opportunities to share services with the township, another municipality, or a third party vendor that could save the city money, such as utility billing and payment processing, tax payment processing, property assessing, and perhaps other functions that the city pays staff to do. 3. Law enforcement: I would like to revisit whether the city can enhance law enforcement services. Increased vandalism in the park is a concern and others have expressed concern about the coverage the city gets from the sheriff's department. Although dedicated enforcement for the city would cost something and should be put to the voters, this is an issue that deserves to be looked at. Published by the League of Women Voters Education Fund CITY OF THE VILLAGE OF CLARKSTON (Continued) CANDIDATES for CITY COUNCIL THREE 2-year terms Vote for no more than THREE Question 1 (150 Words or less): Provide biographical information and explain why you are running for City Council and relevant qualities and skills you would bring to the position. SHARRON CATALLO Question 2 (150 Words or less): What are the top 3 Priority Issues facing your city and what actions would you, as a city official, take regarding each of them? DID NOT RESPOND IN TIME FOR INCLUSION 29 Buffalo St., Clarkston, MI 48346 PEGGY J. ROTH DID NOT RESPOND IN TIME FOR INCLUSION 25 Madison Ct. Clarkston, MI 48346 MICHAEL G. SABOL 20 Buffalo St. Clarkston, MI 48346 My family and I are nine year residents of the City. Along with an Engineering degree, I have an MBA, and law degree. I have been on the Council for two and a half years. I have worked for GM for 38 years with a variety of experiences in managing people and multi-million dollar programs. This has provided me with many skills which I believe to be critical to a Council position and include issue identification, problem solving and strategies to resolve issues. I love the City and the people. There are great people and I want to continue to be their voice in local government. The City is a naturally beautiful place that I want to see grow and yet maintain the historic beauty of the streets, buildings and homes. My passion, education and work experiences can provide the most benefit to the residents of the City. The biggest issue facing the City is how to handle the excess in budget reserves that we have. We should return some of this to the taxpayers but we must do it in a manner that is thoroughly planned. We need a rainy day fund and to make sure that the requirements of an aging infrastructure are met. Second, we need to work to enforce the laws that we have. One of the keys to being a government is the rule of law and enforcing those laws. I plan to continue to be a voice of enforcing our ordinances or having reasonable discussion on eliminating those laws. Finally. the City continues to face an identity crisis. I will push to have a fully operational Community Committee that will work with the Chamber of Commerce, Independence Township and other surrounding communities to define the role and purpose in the overall community. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan national organization whose purpose is to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government. The League never supports or opposes any candidate or political party. Candidate responses are included as submitted and have not been edited except in cases where the replies have exceeded the stated word limitations. Spelling and Grammar were not corrected. The inclusion of candidates’ statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and in no way is to be construed as an endorsement by the League of Women Voters which takes no responsibility for any views or facts stated by the candidates. Copyright League of Women Voters Oakland Area 2014 Page 2 of 2 Published by the League of Women Voters Education Fund