• Platform
• Endorsements
• Accomplishments

D. Michael Collins 2013 Toledo Mayoral Campaign Platform - stub

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Fall of 2013

http://dmichaelcollins.com

Before it disappears from the intertubes ...

Platform

http://dmichaelcollins.com/platform

D. Michael Collins' Platform to Change Toledo

Cut Taxes

• Place before the voters the opportunity to eliminate the temporary income tax of .75%
• Place before the voters a permanent income tax of 2.20%. This will save our citizens $3.4 million per year
• Utilize Capital Improvement dollars to restore streets, not for operating expenses

Cut Crime by Increasing Police Strength

Public Safety Plan to reduce Crime by increasing police strength 25%

• Hire 40 police officers per year to cover attrition and reach the goal of 575 officers
• Open the West Toledo District Police Station within 90 days of taking office
• Re-establish “beat integrity” which will mean officers will be assigned to the same neighborhood and be more responsive and understanding of the neighborhood problems
• Re-energize the Block Watch program by providing more city support

Cut City Budget and Executive Positions

Save $15 million while maintaining service levels in the neighborhoods

• Cut Mayor’s staff by 30%
• Cut all other executive positions by 20%
• Cut water/sewer operating budget by 10%
• Implement performance based budgeting
• Process payroll internally
• Restructure the Utilities, Service and Parks/Recreation departments, utilizing best practice examples from other cities, and create a Department of Public Works with a flattened management structure

Work with Private Sector to Create Jobs

1,000 new jobs and reduce “The Brain Drain”

• Facilitate and establish new tax incentive plans, that will support development at Southwyck, Northtowne, and Capital Commons
• Revitalize the downtown riverfront
• Initiate a small business development plan to work with new and existing business owners to make sure that their concerns are heard and addressed by the city. This will include a concentrated effort of outreach and assistance to small business owners, the backbone of our community. Assign two staff members to be my liaisons to our small business owners and visit each owner to determine what we can do to make sure they remain, or expand their business in Toledo.
• Expand the use of Joint Economic Development Zones (JEDZ) and Joint Economic Development Districts (JEDD) with neighboring communities
• Consider for implementation recommendations in the Meta Plan which was developed under the leadership of the University of Toledo with input from Community Business leaders but never used

Reduce Water bills for Seniors by 40%

• Adjust the senior discount to 40%
• Modify the water deposit policy

Restructure Neighborhoods Department

• Restructure department and cut management staff by 25%
• Hire four new code enforcement inspectors
• Increase inspector productivity by 25% thru the use of new technology and better work assignment
• Discontinue inspector rotation and assign them to work specific neighborhoods so that they will become more familiar with the issues and be more responsive to our citizens
• Increase Nuisance Abatement enforcement by 40%
• Establish a code enforcement Task force by 7/2014 to recommend changes in our Nuisance Abatement procedures

Improve Customer Service

• Replace multiple customer response points with an efficient and responsive customer service program which will operate from 8am-8pm Monday through Friday
• Require calls to the Water Department be answered with a waiting time of no more than 10 minutes and expand hours of operation from 8am-8pm, Monday through Friday
• Require a 3-day response time to citizens’ nuisance complaints
• Hire 30 New Paramedic/Firefighters every year to maintain a rapid response time and quality emergency service
• Support and implement recommendations from the performance audit of the Utilities Department
• Consider expanding the Performance Audit process to other Departments if there is a sound return on investment from the Utilities Department audit

Provide Accountability

• Be accountable to the citizens of Toledo. Schedule “Meet the Mayor” meetings each quarter to listen to citizens
• Commit to being transparent in all city business practices
• Eliminate spending on wants; spend tax dollars only on needs
• Brand Toledo as a user-friendly city
• Stay in Toledo, work hard, and tell people the truth
  
  Collins, an Independent Thinker with a Definite Plan of Action!

Endorsements

http://dmichaelcollins.com/endorsements_accomplishments

2013 Mayoral Race Endorsements

Toledo Police Patrolman's Association
Toledo Firefighters Local 92
Ohio Veterans United
United Association Local 50 - Plumbers, Steamfitters & Service Mechanics
Toledo Police Command Officers Association
Boilermakers Local 85
Toledo Federation of Teachers Local 250
UAW Region 2-B
Greater Northwest Ohio AFL-CIO
Retired Toledo Police Officers Association
Teamsters Local 20
AFSCME Ohio Council 8 / AFSCME Power in Action
Northwest Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council
Ironworkers Local 55
Sheet Metal Workers Local 33
IBEW Local 8
Cement Masons and Plasterers Local 886
Roofers Local 134
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 697
The Toledo Blade
OCSEA/AFSCME Local 11
Farm Labor Organizing Committee
Heat & Frost Insulators Local 45

Accomplishments

Accomplishments

Making sure every dollar of your tax money is spent wisely
Sponsoring legislation which restored funding to 2012 levels to Toledo's homeless shelters
Testifying before the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives regarding the effects of Senate Bill 5 on the public sector safety forces
Working with our many Blockwatch coordinators to safeguard our neighborhoods
Bringing to light stories of bid rigging and intimidation of contractors by the City's Dept of Neighborhoods resulting in a shake-up in the dept
Uncovering a $22 M outstanding income tax delinquency and demanding the Administration aggressively pursue
Calling attention to a City contractor's handling of sludge resulting in the EPA ordering meaningful water and soil data collection
Disputing the Administration's claim that the city has a surplus from 2011 whereas the city actually has a $5.7 million deficit because the money in question is restricted for specific uses and cannot be used for other purposes
Fighting for new police and fire classes
Exposing the Administration's purchase of 2 luxury SUV's under the pretext of equipment replacement for street sweeping vehicles
Fighting for jobs to go to local workers in the Marina District sale and that the contract have a buy-back provision if there is not substantial development within a specific time
Fighting to keep the Turnpike from being sold by the State
Sponsoring legislation which imposed a license fee and a fee per machine on internet cafes
Sponsoring legislation to replace the vicious dog ordinance with a non-breed-specific ordinance
Serving in a leadership role on the committee that brought about the new VA Clinic located on the University of Toledo Health Science Campus
Supporting park boards; helping citizen groups form park boards for Pickford and Crossgates
Uncovering the "secret funding" to convert Bay 4 at the Erie Street Market into a nightclub
Sponsoring legislation which added catalytic converters to a list of items deemed as "restricted" under Toledo's municipal code.
Fighting for District 2 to receive its fair share of CIP dollars for street repair
Working successfully to save Walbridge Park Board by defeating the Administrations's plan to abolish park boards
Helping the Reynolds Corners neighborhood save 13 acres of wetlands
Saving River Rd park by defeating the effort to rezone & sell it
Forcing the Administration to fulfill the commitment to finish the Townley-Burroughs street, water and sewer project
Fighting for the median curb cut project to ensure safety for students at Bowsher High School
Reducing exposure to flooding by ensuring funding commitments to the Haefner Ditch project
Maintaining regular contact with the owners of Southwyck to facilitate future development; seeing that the structure was torn down to prevent the neighborhood from going to blight
Creating and distributing a district-wide Email newsletter resulting in better communication within District 2
Serving as guest lecturer to speak about local government to students at Start, Bowsher, Rogers, Harvard, Beverly, Burroughs, and Hawkins schools

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