Email us at: Joe@Wilson4mayor.com
BIO, Endorsements, PRESS and Stance on Issues >>>
*(Endorsed by Erie Board of trustee members/ Mayor
pro tem Glenn Massarotti and Dr. Paul Ogg.)
03/21/2010
"ERIE Deficit is no Myth"
Both distinct challenges and terrific opportunities await Erie’s future. For the first time in memory, the town of Erie will outspend its projected income, and do so by a hefty $1.3 million dollars. The published 2010 numbers are: $12.3m in projected revenue and $13.6m in expenses. Average citizens call this a budget deficit, and a net operating loss. So do I.
In his recent state of the town speech, the mayor forecast that we can suffer these Budget losses for up to 6 years before exhausting the $7.5m reserves in our “rainy day fund”. This situation, (taking reserves to cover losses), is being defended by some as a “balanced “Budget. In reality, balanced budgets can be sustained indefinitely, this situation cannot.
I have an optimistic alternative; let’s balance the budget now, (spend less than we take in), since we’ll be forced to eventually, anyway. In so doing, we’ll save what’s left of our cash reserves, allowing them to be used for shaping and investing in a positive future for our town.
We did this in the Community where I live, eliminating $200k in unnecessary and inefficient expenses from a $1 million budget, while maintaining or improving virtually all services. Those of us in the private sector operate like this in our private and business lives every day, government can too.
Here’s a ‘win-win’ proposal that can have our budget running a surplus by the end of the year; the “Erie efficiency incentive” will allow town employees and citizens both to profit while managing our costs down. Participants recommend methods to a) increase efficiency. b) Eliminate waste. c) Invest in future efficiencies that will cut costs in the near and long term. If their Ideas are chosen and employed, the participant will receive 10% of the savings realized for up to 3 budget years. Example; A town employee’s suggestion results in $100,000 savings a year in operations, she receives a check for $10,000 each of the first 3 years the idea is applied, ($30k total), the townsfolk save $270,000 net. Such incentives are very effective in the private sector and could work wonders in government.
On a related subject; Economic development is key to future quality of life in our Town. In a recent broadcast email, a supporter of my opponent demonizes developers. We remind them that local governments don’t build grocery stores and business campuses for employers which result in the creation of jobs – developers and construction trades do. To demonize them would be a shame. They will be key partners and investors in developing a sustainable Economy in Erie, keeping taxes low and generating revenue to pay for our services and amenities.
Community unity and a involvement in affairs of the town can and should be a focus in the future. We must ignore those who seek to pit neighborhoods and citizens against each other, - It’s not productive.
As our forefathers envisioned it, the more public input we have in government, the better it will serve them. Here’s another proposal to help our town government to be more responsive to its citizens needs; the ‘E-trustee’ program would allow citizens who volunteer for the program to receive some of the same information and proposals that the board of trustees get in advance of town meetings, and do so in the comfort of their homes via e-mail. Participants would be asked to respond to an online survey to be used by elected officials to better serve the public in the town boardroom. I suggest a goal of 500-1000 citizens who would agree to participate, giving us 10 – 100 times more citizen input than at present. We have the technology, let’s use it .
Erie can benefit from such innovative ideas and use of common sense solutions to emerge as a leader and example to other communities, while better serving its own citizens.
Optimistically, I look forward to a bright future for our families and town.
Joe Wilson
www.Wilson4mayor.com
From Colorado Hometown weekly 3/16/10:
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Candidates to shape Erie’s future
This is a unique election for the Town of Erie. Four of the seven board positions will be occupied by new representatives come April, and the decisions we make now will shape our future and our standing in the region. This is a critical time for our town and it is vital that we choose the right people to fill the mayor and trustee vacancies.
Joe Wilson is the perfect choice for mayor. As we compete with our neighboring municipalities for the best seat at the economic table, Joe brings both the vision and business acumen that we need in these most challenging times. As the dynamics of the economy and the region have changed, Erie will be well served by a mayor with a fresh perspective and a no-nonsense approach, rooted in solid business principles to steer our town in a positive direction. Joe’s record of fiscal responsibility and proven leadership will help Erie remain solvent and provide the best opportunity to draw meaningful retail development and primary employment, while maintaining the quality community that drew us all to Erie in the first place.
For trustee, there are many fine candidates from which to choose. Mark Gruber, Robb James, Hank Pantier and Rhonda Grassi all possess the skills and principles that we expect of our leaders. All have proven themselves in their community and represent a commitment to good government — a government that welcomes diverse input and works collaboratively to solve the challenges that we face.
Erie’s future is bright. We are well positioned not only to succeed, but to thrive. As citizens, we must choose the right people to lead the way.
Glenn Massarotti and Paul Ogg
Erie
BIO-
Name: Joseph Wilson
Occupation: Independent and franchise hotel owner/ broker and administrator
Age: 51
Family: Wife, Carole; three children; six grandchildren
Education: CU, Sustainable Practices, renewable energy. Colorado real estate and water law course graduate.
AHLA, hotel administration, marketing and accounting graduate.
Years in the community: Native to the area since 1958.
Leadership/local government experience: Choice Hotels International, franchise owners group vice president.
Director and past president of Vista Ridge homeowners association. Multi-location business operator and employer.
Why should voters cast a ballot for you April 6? Elections, by design, bring in fresh perspectives, energy and skill sets to serve the public. I offer my great desire to keep the neighborly feel and quality of life in Erie intact while providing real-world, common-sense business experience for the people of Erie to:
1) attract jobs and business partners to our local economy to help fund the increasing operational costs of our town amenities, thereby avoiding tax increases on the residents and adding balance to the local economy;
2) aid in keeping up with our schools due to serve the bumper crop of wonderful young people in our town; and
3) encourage sustainable practices, responsible spending and efficiency in town government.
If approved by voters, what impact will the connection of Bonanza Drive to Vista Parkway have on the town? It’s premature to speculate. To date, no engineering, design or price tag has been disclosed to the public regarding the project, making it difficult for the public to consider passing such a measure or guessing at its impact.
What are the keys to economic development in Erie?
1) Find and model strategies from similar communities that have proven successful in the past. Concentrate on bringing in employers, businesses and retailers to the already developed and approved sites in town, requiring no further public spending for roads or infrastructure.
2) Establish and secure the remaining prime intersections and parcels on our perimeters before they, too, are absorbed by surrounding cities to become revenue streams for their projects and residents.
3) Develop a long-term advertising and outreach strategy to develop Erie’s reputation as a welcoming partner to the types of employers and businesses we want to attract. Let the business community know about the fantastic quality of life, strategic location, recreational opportunities and great schools that are available in our town.
