• Platform

D. Michael Collins 2013 Toledo Mayoral Campaign Platform

On November 5, 2013, Independent mayoral challenger D. Michael Collins defeated Independent incumbent mayor Mike Bell for mayor of Toledo, Ohio.

Collins' 2013 mayoral campaign website: http://dmichaelcollins.com

From the platform page: http://dmichaelcollins.com/platform

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!

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