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Shelley Aloi (R)
End double taxation. We must have the conversation about how the property tax rate can be reduced for city residents. The first step is enacting legislation to ensure tax equity or tax differential. City residents should not be forced to pay for services they do not receive. This alone does not guarantee a reduction in the property tax rate. In addition, we must commit to no new spending while performing a careful line-by-line examination of the budget to eliminate waste while still providing cost effective services. Citizen involvement is vital to this process – I commit to being your citizen advocate in this endeavor.

Engage our citizens. Our citizens are Frederick's greatest resource. We must engage city residents and business owners in the processes and decision-making of city government. This includes using the wisdom and experience of our senior citizens and the energies of our Youth as well as the input and involvement of the many individuals and organizations in our diverse community. We must join together to make this shared vision a reality. I commit to being an alderman that serves, listens and takes action based on the collective voice of our friends and neighbors in the City of Frederick.

Amanda Haddaway (R)
As a human resources director, I have spent considerable time reviewing the HR components of city government and I am gravely concerned about our city's future ability to pay promised pensions to police officers and non-sworn city employees.

The pension plans are currently underfunded by millions of dollars. While the topic of employee benefits is not that glamorous and may not make headlines, it is extremely important and accounts for a major portion of taxpayer dollars each year.

In 2009, city salaries totaled $31,464,810 and benefits accounted for $21,073,563 of that total. If elected, I would like to take a detailed look at the current benefits plans and determine if there are any ways to better control costs while still offering a robust benefits package to city employees.

We also need to ensure that we do not make future mistakes like those made by the current administration on the buyout. The buyout plan's two-year salary offering was overly generous for such a plan. Employees taking the buyout should not have been eligible to come back as full-time employees.

To date, 24 of the 67 employees who took the buyout have returned to full-time status, rather than short-term contractual positions.

Chris Huckenpoehler (R)
Issues not addressed? Simply stated: our infrastructure.

Our roads and even sidewalks need help and a helping hand. Frederick can and should be a destination city for people in Maryland and three of our adjoining states to visit.

I agree with folks in our own community that we can make our city a magnet for others, and allow them to enjoy what we already have the benefit of – Frederick, Maryland, USA!

While annexations may be the latest hot topic, I believe that after talking to so many folks that we need to address any issues with what we already have available here, identify solutions, and make it happen.

There is nothing wrong with Frederick that cannot be fixed by what is right with Frederick. We're a big city, but still a small town. I'm positive, we can do better.

Alan Imhoff (R)
Everyone talks about "sustainability." For me, one area that has not been brought up is "urban farming."

Everything from rooftop gardens, to plots of land set aside for "mini-gardens" for use by those who live in apartments and condominiums or the ability to raise chickens in one's back yard.

While every idea may not make it into the city's livability code, there are things that could be included. One is to turn front and/or back yards into a more natural setting.

The state of Maryland is promoting this concept with its Chesapeake Bay initiative. By converting a portion of one's lawn into a certified meadow or wildflower border; a number of small steps are taken to reduce storm water run-of and less nutrient pollution. When combined with a reduction in imperious surface square footages for driveways and walks, more rain water can percolate into the groundwater.

Examples of this exist around the city already but more can be done. Revised regulations could help foster more of this concept. Imagine this idea spread across just 10% of our homes, then add to it that every home have rain collection barrels on their downspouts, not just during droughts but every year.

Carol Krimm (D)
Our long-term water needs have not been addressed during this campaign. The Potomac River Water Supply Agreement addresses our current water needs and planned development.

But the Frederick area has seen record droughts during our recent history, and we need to address the sustainability of water resources.

Water is our most precious natural resource.  Frederick should work with neighboring communities and complete a water resource study. 

I am a staff contributor to the final report of the Advisory Committee on the Management and Protection of the State's Water Resources (July 2008). This report recommends the completion of the fractured rock study that will increase our knowledge of aquifer recharge during late winter and spring. 

We need to also assess the hydrologic processes involved in the storage, movement, and use of water within and between watersheds.  We also need to have more information about minimum flow-by requirements for protection of stream ecology.

Our land use planners and policy makers need this information to adequately plan for the future.  I recommend the city reach out to other governments in the fractured rock area (i.e. land west of I-95) to complete the fractured rock study. 

Donna Kuzemchak (D)
Response to resident budget request: I believe education is our most effective means to equality. Without financial help, some can't even dream of a post-graduation educational or training program.

I would take $50,000 from an $80 million budget to provide support for 20-30 city high school graduates who may not otherwise be able to further their education. Students wouldn't be given the money free and clear. They would have to work for the city for eight weeks in the summer after they graduated. They would have to show acceptance into a post- high school program, and the money would be paid to the educational institution.

If the student didn't attend, the money would be returned to that fund for use in future years. It would help boost the economy (giving people work), while providing the ability to get training after high school for worthy students.

For this year, the money could come from the mayor's half-million dollar slush fund (money I tried to redirect into police and code enforcement).

Education, economics and equality — what mayor wouldn't be willing to take 10 percent of their half-million dollar "slush fund" to pay for that?

Michael O’Connor (D)
Through candidate questionnaires, numerous forums, and talking with residents throughout the city, the most important issues facing Frederick are being discussed. Beyond the campaign, through my nearly 20 years experience covering city and county issues for local media, I have come to recognize how these local issues really have the greatest impact on the quality of life of our residents.

That is where the next administration must focus. We must engage our citizens in addressing the critical issues of the budget, job creation, economic development, and neighborhood concerns. This starts with voting. Frederick is wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family, but it cannot be sustained without the involvement of our citizens.

Next, I want to empower our employees and directors to work with residents in solving day to day issues in the city, so that our next administration can take the time to work with neighborhoods and businesses and create a vision for Frederick's future, one that is sustainable and unique.

I love this city and want my children to the have the opportunities I have had to work and raise a family here, while preserving the ‘sense of place' that so many of us call home.

Kelly Russell(D)
Our city government's approach to issues is no less critical than the issues themselves. We must cultivate a "community government."

This means our government must work in partnership with residents, businesses, and other groups to identify, prioritize, and solve problems. Collaboration capitalizes on the expertise and innovations of people who can help develop creative solutions. This encourages active participation by citizens in shaping decisions that will directly affect them. These partnerships enhance our quality of life.

Community government also requires our elected officials to be accessible and responsive. Any citizen with a concern must have the opportunity to air it, must be able to trust that it will be heard, and that steps will be taken to work toward resolution.

Any citizen who has ideas to contribute that could improve the quality of life in Frederick must have that opportunity, and their ideas taken sincerely. Elected officials must take the time to listen to the ideas of others, research and learn new approaches, and implement "best practices" for our city.

We must ask questions, use common sense to reach answers, and implement the solutions in the context of the common good. This is how I will continue to serve Frederick.

Paul Smith (R)
Did not respond in time for inclusion in this edition.

Karen Young (D)
The $62.5 million unfunded pension plan (2008 number) is a major issue that the city must address. Pension and health care costs have increased at a faster rate than the city's revenues.

In 2002, benefits were 34.08 percent of salaries. In 2010, benefits will be 70.26 percent of salaries. Insufficient contributions to the pension fund combined with a lower than expected return on investment has caused the city's unfunded pension liability to increase. This is not a sustainable retirement plan.

Similar pension liabilities are driving many municipalities to the brink of financial insolvency. We need to have serious conversations about aligning retirement benefits to the modern economy.

In addition, we may need to move more aggressively from defined benefit (employer contributions) to defined contribution (employee contributions) programs. Going forward we may have to adjust retirement ages to reflect current life expectancies.

Finally, we will have to examine investment practices to determine whether policies are providing optimal returns with appropriate risk. This pension challenge requires prompt action to avoid unfairly burdening the next generation of workers and taxpayers. This is a complex technical topic that may not be interesting but it has serious implications on the financial health of our city.