Chris Wilson Taps Personal Experience To
Create Plan To Fight Blight.
Democratic mayoral candidate Chris Wilson knows firsthand the
benefits of code enforcement and blight reduction efforts. “Not long
ago, the area where my business is located on Main Street was very dangerous,
very run down.” Wilson said. “But now, thanks to a wide-ranging
effort including local business owners, Bristol police and local civic
organizations, the area is much safer, and cleaner. Several old buildings
have come down and new buildings and owners have moved in.” Wilson added.
Wilson believes the same kind of effort needs to be initiated in
Bristol’s West End. He believes it's time for the city of Bristol to
step up and support a West End clean-up.
Wilson’s anti-blight plan starts with code enforcement and
Performance Based Budgeting. “My opponent has been in the press lately
taking about blight, but what he doesn’t talk about is his failure to support
the position of the former code-enforcement officer, the person most
responsible for forcing absentee landlords to maintain their properties,”
Wilson said. “Mr. Cockayne is once again offering Bristol residents lip-service
rather than leadership. Not once in the 6 years Mr. Cockayne has
served on the city council has he addressed blight in a meaningful
way. Now that Mr. Cockayne is running for Mayor, it’s suddenly
important to him. Moreover, not once has Mr. Cockayne suggested a
way to pay for his blight initiative without raising taxes. I have.”
Wilson stated.
Wilson is referring to his plan to initiate citywide Performance
Based Budgeting reform designed to find efficiencies in Bristol’s
$180,000,000.00 budget. Wilson went on to say, “16 cities across the
country, many counties and the State of Washington have embraced Performance
Based Budgeting, have found efficiencies and have been able to support critical
programs without raising taxes. If we find just 1/2% in savings in
our budget, we’ll save $900,000.00. More than enough to hire back
the code enforcement officer that Ken Cockayne failed to
support.”
As Mayor, Chris Wilson pledges to take on the absentee landlords,
the drug dealers and criminals who use run-down properties as
safe-havens. Wilson highlights that his blight effort will reduce
drug activity and violence, increase property values, make Bristol more
attractive to businesses and improve Bristol's quality of life. And,
unlike his opponent, Mr. Wilson has offered a way to pay for his initiative
without raising taxes.
For more information about Chris Wilson’s campaign for Mayor of
Bristol, log onto www.votewfm2013.com.
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