Ed Braddy discusses how he is determined to demonstrate that he meant what he said during his campaign: improving the lives of ALL of Gainesville’s citizens is his priority. The first thing he plans to do as mayor is select and work with a diverse coalition that will bring everyone’s concerns to light: from utilities to transportation to student involvement. He is ready to tackle – and resolve – the issues.
How will you bring East and West Gainesville citizens together to work toward a common goal?
My message is one that resounds throughout all communities. All citizens have universal needs; there simply are different degrees of urgency. For example, improving our street lighting and transportation, as well as furthering small businesses, are issues that all want addressed. Fortunately, I have strong allies who are community leaders, and together we will continue our outreach to East Gainesville. We will listen and develop practical solutions for all groups.
What steps will you take to ensure that a fiscally conservative agenda is implemented?
Although as mayor I only have one vote, I will make sure that fiscal stewardship is a major issue during all commission conversations. That won’t guarantee that fiscal conservativeness will prevail, but it makes it harder for commissioners to say that policy doesn’t impact the bottom line. I will continue to make affordability of government services a central issue.
The city’s budget department forecasts that the city will have to increase its annual contribution to its defined benefits plans from $12.8 million (FY 2012) to $21.7 million (FY 2017). How will this addition in spending be funded?
As a candidate, I did not have inside information that I will now have as mayor. I have already called the city auditor to learn as much as possible about the pension issue. However, it is my understanding that they are close to a resolution. Once I have all the information, I will ensure that the entire commission is informed.
Do you think that the 8.5% annual return assumption that the city uses is achievable? What if the actual return is less and the city has to put in more money to make up the difference? How will this affect our property taxes?
The 8.5% annual return assumption seems too “rosy”, but I first want to see past returns before making any conclusions. I want to see what the city is hitting as a mark right now because I am a big believer in metrics.
As for property taxes, I will do everything possible to cut internal costs, restructure, and outsource before any tax increase is recommended.
Will our electric rates increase in order to keep GRU’s $34+ million transfer payments in tact after the biomass plant is operating?
The rates are already scheduled to increase. My preference is to reduce the transfer amount. I want to focus on the everyday struggles of GRU customers, especially small businesses and citizens with lower incomes. They already are struggling to pay each month. The last thing they need is a sharp increase in rates.
What will you do about the biomass plant?
I have three solutions in order of priority:
- Refund the current overcharges on the adjustment fee because it is the people’s money, not the government’s.
- Find a way to exit the contract. The city can take the legal route to break the contact or it can revisit the back out clause that [disappeared outside the Sunshine]. It is better to pay to back out of it than be stuck with it.
- If there is no exit option, then I will seek to negotiate a rate structure to work a better deal for GRU customers.
How will you foster start-ups in our community?
I will gather small business owners – both those who have been successful and those who have had their businesses fail – and ask them to identify barriers to entry and their experiences with the government. They will serve as advisors who will bring their experiences to the commission and tell us “here’s what you should do.” Rather than impose a plan, we need to listen first.
Additionally, we need to address the basics first: infrastructure, affordable utilities, and reasonable government fees.
What are your feelings about the city’s annexation strategy?
Since we’re zero for three, I believe that it’s a horrible strategy and I hope that the city commission declares a moratorium. Until we can get our own house in order, we really should not have ambitions to acquire more. We need to first achieve equalization in the city.
One example of inequality is the transportation system. In East Gainesville, where several people rely on public transportation to get to their jobs, wait times for buses can reach 45 minutes. By contrast, the wait time is usually only 15 minutes in several areas where people are electing to use public transportation, but don’t necessarily rely on it for their livelihoods. Issues like that must be resolved before we add any territory to the city.
How will you increase the quality of life for the average Gainesville resident?
The issue of affordability is the missing piece of the puzzle. Parks, natural resources, and public places are important, but we can’t enjoy them if we are struggling to get by. We need to make city services more affordable. People’s quality of life is increased by experiences, by going places; therefore, we must concentrate on paving roads, maintaining the infrastructure, and not reducing the capacity of our thoroughfares. Ultimately, the definition of “quality of life” is different for every individual and family. So, the best way the government can aid it is to leave a small and light footprint to allow people the chance to pursue whatever makes them happy.