| SUSTAINABILTITY |
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| MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE PRESENT GENERATION WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE ABILITY OF FUTURE GENERATIONS TO MEET THEIR OWN NEEDS. |
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| Ann Arbor will continue to lead the Nation in Sustainability. As Mayor, Tom will continue to work toward our Green Energy Challenge by using 30% renewable energy by 2010 with a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas production and have the whole city using 20 % renewable energy with a 20 % reduction in greenhouse gas production by 2015. Soon there will be mandates on all cities across the country to do the same. |
| MARKET AND PROMOTE RECYCLING |
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| Although Ann Arbor has one of the finest Recycling Centers and curb-side pickup systems in America, only about 50% of the Ann Arbor residences practice recycling daily. Tom feels the best way of getting more people involved in recycling is to educate the children in our schools about the benefits of recycling. When children learn recycling in school they go home and tell their parents and grandparents about the advantages of recycling. My “Hands On Ann Arbor Program” will help educate our families so recycling will be practiced in every household. We need to increase the usage of the Community Television Network (CTN), radio and the newspaper. Perhaps the schools theater programs could act out eco-friendly skits in a fun and innovative way. Everyone learns better when the brains are stimulated in a positive and creative way. Producing student base eco-friendly programs would be a very effective method to pique their interest. |
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| Madison, Wisconsin has a newspaper called the “Sustainable Times” that includes stories about green practices, tips on how to become green and provides an outlet for green businesses to advertise their products and services to a green customer base. Ann Arbor should consider setting up a similar paper that hopefully could be organized by our “Hands On Program”. Our green volunteers could produce a children magazine that we could use as a teaching tool. Most people want to “go green”, but either don’t know what that means, or don’t know where to start. A paper similar to the “Sustainable Times” can be that avenue to help shape the minds of Ann Arbor to think and to practice Eco Friendly behavior |
| BRING NEW BUSINESS TO ANN ARBOR |
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| The City of Ann Arbor needs to be the “ECO Mecca” of Michigan and encourage eco friendly businesses to locate here. Governor Granholm said in her recent State of the State speech, “The Great Lakes State will be the alternative energy epicenter of America” and it is that group of businesses that we want to encourage and recruit to settle in Ann Arbor. We have to work with closely with the Governor and Sparks to make sure Ann Arbor becomes the Mecca for Eco Friendly business to settle here. It’s important that the City of Ann Arbor takes advantage of our current situation by not waiting for sustainable businesses to settle somewhere else but to use Tom’s strength in marketing and promoting to bring these businesses to Ann Arbor. |
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| Our City needs to work on loan packages with banks that would enable those who may want a green roof, solar panels or to make their home more energy efficient to more economically obtain them. Going green is an expensive short-term proposition with long-term payoffs. Many people want to go green but when they look into the cost, they often think it’s too expensive. The City of Ann Arbor has a responsibility to make it more affordable to its citizens of Ann Arbor. Perhaps the city could offer tax breaks to those who wish to make their homes more energy efficient. |
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| GREENWAY AND ALLEN CREEK GREENWAY SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY |
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| Ann Arbor is viewed as a very progressive city and sensitive to our environment. Voters passed the greenbelt program in November 2003 to provide funding to protect open space inside and outside the city limits from development. The council fully supports buying development rights to township farmland but when it comes to the 3 existing downtown greenway properties the majority council members believe we should sell them to the highest bidders. These 3 city owned properties; First and William, 415 W. Washington (across the street from the “Y”) and 721 N. Main have long been considered important to assembling a greenway, or linear park, from the downtown area to the Huron River. Since 2006 the subject has gotten little attention from council. Allen Creek was enclosed in a pipe in the 1920’s. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to raise Allen Creek to the surface, where we all could enjoy a boardwalk surrounded by trees, picnic tables and benches stretching from First and William to West Park? Why can’t the city and the Allen Creek Greenway Conservancy compromise? For example, at the corner of First and Williams we could build some beautiful, unique shops on the hill overlooking Allen Creek below. In regards to the investor(s) who would purchase the 415 W. Washington and the 721 North Main properties, we could put in stipulations on what would be expected from the developer of those properties. Raising Allen Creek and developing a park system can be done only if we have total council support and it can be funded using monies federal an state grants. Developing a greenway downtown is not a dream, it can be a reality. |
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| ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION |
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| We need to encourage more people to use the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) vehicles to access downtown by doing a better job of marking and promoting. We need to develop more bike lanes that need to be safer. Although I support the idea of a commuter rail service between Ann Arbor and Livingston County and the possibility of Streetcars, I do not intend to raise taxes to implement these ideas. The cost could exceed 50 million dollars to make streetcars a reality. With an improved economy and a strong grant writing program this could possibly become economically feasible. |
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| Tom would like to see an area downtown that would be a park. In the winter there would be an outdoors ice skating rink located in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor. Skaters would have the opportunity to skate under the stars and city lights and enjoy a warming hut where hot chocolate could be served up on chilly, cold days and nights. From May to September the children of Ann Arbor could perform evening concerts. The Downtown Business’s would benefit greatly by the large crowds. |
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