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Questions For Candidates Round Two
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randy View Drop Down
MUSA Official
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Joined: Jan 13 2009
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Points: 1586 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote randy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Questions For Candidates Round Two
    Posted: Sep 23 2009 at 11:31am
As many of our readers know, I ran a series of interviews with almost all candidates for Middletown city council. It went over pretty well (I think) and I have decided to run a round two. I believe there are more questions I can ask and more that you our readers have.

So once again I am opening it up to you MiddletownUSA members, If you have a legitimate question and it is not a rehash of one already asked in the previous interview post it here. I will review all those submitted and begin the process of contacting those candidates that wish to take part.

I look forward to reading your comments.  
Call me for a www.CameraSecurityNow.com quote 513-422-1907 x357
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VietVet View Drop Down
MUSA Council
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Joined: May 15 2008
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Points: 7008 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 23 2009 at 2:56pm
randy- might be more questions from the post you had back on June 29. The post is located under City Council under "Do You Have Questions for Candidates" on page 5. You had listed your original round of questions there.
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Mike_Presta View Drop Down
MUSA Council
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Joined: Apr 20 2008
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Points: 3483 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike_Presta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 23 2009 at 5:28pm

Randy:

Here are a few very important question that really need to be addressed.

Mr. Marconi, on this very forum, once stated: “What is all this wackiness about some secret society with Middletown Moving Forward ??? Do not confuse this with a local group called Move Middletown Forward. I do not know who is the organizer or organizers of that group.”

Many city officials have talked about and otherwise acknowledged the existence of “some other group”, but NO ONE seems to know anything about it other than that they are POSITIVE that it is NOT the same folks as “Middletown Moving Forward”.

This begs several questions:

1. If city officials KNOW that there is another group (MOVING Middletown Forward) that they know NOTHING about except that they are CERTAIN it is NOT the same as MIDDLETOWN Moving Forward, HOW can they be so sure that it is NOT the same people???

2. WHY has no one addressed the issue of the other group's flyers being displayed in the CITY MANAGER’S office???

3. Can ANYONE just waltz into the Middletown City Manager’s office and put ANYTHING that they care to into the literature display rack along side of CITY brochures???
“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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2000+ View Drop Down
MUSA Resident
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Joined: Jan 27 2009
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Points: 100 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 2000+ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 24 2009 at 8:31am
Randy, Someone needs to check on the Sopanish Q&A. He's listed in your home page in the candidates Q&A feature but when you click on his name, you get Gary Barge's interview. Please look into this and correct the problem.
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randy View Drop Down
MUSA Official
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Joined: Jan 13 2009
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Points: 1586 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote randy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 24 2009 at 8:51am
Originally posted by 2000+ 2000+ wrote:

Randy, Someone needs to check on the Sopanish Q&A. He's listed in your home page in the candidates Q&A feature but when you click on his name, you get Gary Barge's interview. Please look into this and correct the problem.
Already taking care of sorry about the mix up.
Call me for a www.CameraSecurityNow.com quote 513-422-1907 x357
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Rail Fan View Drop Down
MUSA Resident
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Joined: Sep 03 2009
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Points: 143 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rail Fan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 24 2009 at 10:29am
The citizens of Ward Two desperately need a new City Council representative who will ask pertinent and probing questions about: property demolition and subsidized housing plans, public education improvement, crime and crime reduction measures, jobs and economic development initiatives, municipal government fiscal belt tightening, etc.
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wasteful View Drop Down
MUSA Citizen
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Joined: Jul 27 2009
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Points: 793 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wasteful Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 24 2009 at 10:48am
Question for Rail Fan doesn't the city have enough Subsidized Housing at over 3000 units according to Gilliland?
 
What is the city going to do with 1000 housing units that need to be torn down?  Best to get rid of them now.
 
Jobs and Economic Development are citywide problems and issues that need to be addressed for everyone.
 
Crime another Citywide issue that needs addressing.
 
Municipal Government belt tightening is also a citywide issue and as long as Ward 2 consumes a significant part of those resources I don't see it being a major issue for them.
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Rail Fan View Drop Down
MUSA Resident
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Joined: Sep 03 2009
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Points: 143 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rail Fan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 24 2009 at 1:50pm
Yes, from 2000-2005 both senior City staff and elected officials were grossly misguided in promoting the explosion of HUD subsidized housing.  The doubling of Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) rental units resulted in the de-emphasis of working class home ownership throughout Ward 2 plus portions of Wards 1 and 4.
 
Yes, there is an acute need for demolishing a number of residential properties that are no longer economically feasibile for being rehabilitated.  However, there exist reasonable opportunities for building attractive, energy efficient moderate-income single-family homes on the vacant lots to be created.  Through the assistance of Federal Home Loan Bank - Cincinnati, Ohio Housing Finance Agency and HOME Program funding, quality new homes can be built at a net sales price of $75-85,000.
 
Absent the creation of decent paying, environmentally friendly jobs, Middletown will continue to struggle.  Funding assistance is available and should be sought from the Federal Home Loan Bank - Cincinnati, U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Economic Development Administration, etc.
 
Lastly, it does the City harm to consider seeking certain types of Federal public assistance grants to reduce general fund personnel costs.  In the end, some of these programs will perpetuate the economic dependence of the lowest income households.
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wasteful View Drop Down
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Joined: Jul 27 2009
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Points: 793 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wasteful Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 24 2009 at 7:28pm
Quote However, there exist reasonable opportunities for building attractive, energy efficient moderate-income single-family homes on the vacant lots to be created.  Through the assistance of Federal Home Loan Bank - Cincinnati, Ohio Housing Finance Agency and HOME Program funding, quality new homes can be built at a net sales price of $75-85,000.
 
Rail wouldn't it be better to turn the re-development of these lots over to private enterprise rather than further burden the city and its tax paying citizens with duties that the city continually fails to perform up to par at. 
 
Quote Lastly, it does the City harm to consider seeking certain types of Federal public assistance grants to reduce general fund personnel costs.  In the end, some of these programs will perpetuate the economic dependence of the lowest income households.
 
Rail just above you want the city to go after Federal funds to re-develope lots that they are demolishing houses on. 
 
 
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Rail Fan View Drop Down
MUSA Resident
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Joined: Sep 03 2009
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Points: 143 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rail Fan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 24 2009 at 8:16pm
Rail wouldn't it be better to turn the re-development of these lots over to private enterprise rather than further burden the city and its tax paying citizens with duties that the city continually fails to perform up to par at.
 
WASTEFUL --  The Federal Home Loan Bank - Cincinnati always provides financial assistance for new first-time buyer single-family infill housing undertakings through a participating member bank and not municipalities.  Ohio Housing Finance Agency also works directly with participating banks plus reputable, experienced affordable homeownership builders/developers too.  So, yes, we both agree that the private sector is best in implementing efficient, cost effective homeownership revitalization programs like this.  The major role of the City is only to use HUD funds to acquire/demolish residential properties that are beyond the economic feasibility of rehabilitation. Then, the City conveys said lots to the lowest, responsible homeownership builder(s)/developer(s) responding to an open, fair public solicitation process.
 
WASTEFUL -- You raised some very good questions and thanks for your interest.
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Rail Fan View Drop Down
MUSA Resident
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Joined: Sep 03 2009
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Points: 143 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rail Fan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 24 2009 at 8:25pm
Rail just above you want the city to go after Federal funds to re-develope lots that they are demolishing houses on.
 
WASTEFUL -- once again we both are similarly minded.  My point is.............The City should not place an increasing reliance in seeking HUD funds such as Section 8 Administrative Fees to reduce the need for General Fund revenues that pay for salary and fringe benefits for personnel.  The cost for this increased dependency on Federal funds is likely to be far worse than the administrative funds that come here (with strings attached) from Washington, D.C.
 
Thanks again, Wasteful. 
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wasteful View Drop Down
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Points: 793 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wasteful Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 24 2009 at 9:33pm
Originally posted by Rail Fan Rail Fan wrote:

Rail just above you want the city to go after Federal funds to re-develope lots that they are demolishing houses on.
 
WASTEFUL -- once again we both are similarly minded.  My point is.............The City should not place an increasing reliance in seeking HUD funds such as Section 8 Administrative Fees to reduce the need for General Fund revenues that pay for salary and fringe benefits for personnel.  The cost for this increased dependency on Federal funds is likely to be far worse than the administrative funds that come here (with strings attached) from Washington, D.C.
 
Thanks again, Wasteful. 
Agree 100%, now all we have to do is get Council to stop ignoring the 48000 citizens who are not on Section 8.  I have a feeling the only way that is goin gto happen is at the ballot box, as they all seem to have a deaf ear to the Section 8 fiasco especially when it comes to the business community and the residents.
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randy View Drop Down
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Points: 1586 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote randy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 25 2009 at 3:02pm
I really do respect all of you on this site and I take the things you say and questions you ask or want answered serious. I am looking for questions that are not HUD or section 8 related. Sorry but we have asked this questions and I wont to talk about other issues in town. Like suncoke or the at large verus the ward. Does any one have any thing to add?
Call me for a www.CameraSecurityNow.com quote 513-422-1907 x357
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wasteful View Drop Down
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Points: 793 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wasteful Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 25 2009 at 3:23pm
Randy why talk about SunCoke all of the current council voted for it and it is basically a done deal what is there to discuss.  If you want to talk about SunCoke maybe you need to get Monroe's version of what is going on with the Legal action.
 
The at large issue is OK, but the Biggest issues in Middletown are EXCESSIVE POVERTY, LACK OF EDUCATION, LACK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EXCESSIVE PUBLIC HOUSING/SECTION 8 AND WHY NO PROGRESS IS BEING MADE ON ANY OF IT.  Wanting to be the Best Section 8 in Ohio just doesn't cut it.  Saying you want to reduce Section 8 is one thing.  They stated this 6-7 months ago and once again we have no progress made toward this stated goal.  This is one of the problems with Middletown, it takes years to get any action or goals accomplished.
 
Even after the BOE stated that poverty was hurting the schoolk sin the combined meeting, it was like so what when you looked at Council.  No reaction, no statement of agreement and plan to even discuss it further with the BOE.
 
I can't wait for Election Day to just get rid of some of the people who sit on Council and do nothing.
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randy View Drop Down
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Points: 1586 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote randy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 25 2009 at 3:42pm

Wasteful, I agree with for the most part. All the council members serving now did vote for it, but my interviews are also for the other candidates. They had no vote in the matter do you not care where the person you are so desperate to elect stands? As for the issue being over it is far from over.

 
I do work on another site based in Monroe and the questions asked of those running for council did indeed have suncoke questions. But the issue is not over with. As for section 8 I agree with you completely and I have made that very clear on this site. I think Middletown has far too much section 8 and it is not run the way it should be. My point was and is that current council are not going to answer that question again and one question answered leads to 10 more to be asked. I started this interview process so we could get some answers to questions we had, it is too the point now where council serving now don’t want to talk to me any more cause I only ask section 8 questions. I ask them for the readers of this site who I respect and think deserve answers.

 

But are you telling me there are no other questions too be asked? What about the paving of the alley’s over streets, there must something you want to talk about.

Call me for a www.CameraSecurityNow.com quote 513-422-1907 x357
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Mike_Presta View Drop Down
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Joined: Apr 20 2008
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Points: 3483 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike_Presta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 25 2009 at 4:51pm
Okay, Randy.
 
I've already posed the MMF question, which SHOULD have every citizen in Middletown up in arms.
 
Next, I'll put forth the "conflict of interest" question.  It will be framed by Sunday evening in a way that will be appropriate to ask of past, present OR potential future council members.
“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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wasteful View Drop Down
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Points: 793 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wasteful Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 25 2009 at 5:26pm
Ok Randy ask them about Economic Development when is is coming to Middletownz? 
 
Ask them about the affect of Poverty on the Public School System.
 
Ask them about Adkins wanting to declare the whole city eligible for HUD funds yet 46% of the citizens won't qualify for any of the funds.
 
Ask them how they plan to combat Poverty when they are attracting more and more low income residents, yet there are not enough significant jobs in Middletown for the people who live here now.
 
Ask them about 56 Degree going out of Business, if it is true, and why they think it is still feasible to push Downtown development.
 
Ask them why they don't re-instate the infrastructure fund and start repairing some infrastructure, i.e. roads.
 
Ask them why City employees only pay 7% of their Health Care Premium and even the Federal Employees pay 25%.
 
Randy all of these questions have been asked and talked about on this forum for months and you knwo what we get no significant concrete answers to any of them, from the City Admin or the City Council.
 
 
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Impala SS View Drop Down
MUSA Resident
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Joined: Jan 12 2009
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Points: 136 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Impala SS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 26 2009 at 12:38am
Randy:::::::I think you are doing a great job here. I would like to know why they would pave allies and not pave our much needed streets, I just dont understand there thinking at city hall. They might as well call us Mortletown, what ever she wants she gets.
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