VIDEO: Brunner Would Veto Income Tax; Wooley Wants Volunteer Firefighters
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EDITOR'S NOTE: The Bay City mayoral candidates' debate hosted by MyBayCity.com is posted on YouTube worldwide network. The debate was the first new MyBayCity feature, LOCAL FOCUS.Summarized are positions by candidates Charles Brunner and Michael Wooley in response to questions by Columnist Dave Rogers.)
Charles Brunner would veto any city income tax but will "look at anything" to reduce city costs, while Mike Wooley eyes a partial volunteer fire department, privatized bridge-tenders and layoffs of all employees who don't live in the city.
Mr. Brunner wants to "work with upper level General Motors officials" to try to preserve the Bay City PowerTrain plant and its 700 employees while Mr. Wooley says a proposed maritime museum and "natural resources" may make the city a "destination area" for tourists and a "little Petoskey or Traverse City."
Both support efforts by the public-private Bay Future, Inc., economic development organization.
Those were among positions taken by the mayoral candidates in the Nov. 6 election in an on-line video debate about the city budget crisis sponsored by MyBayCity.com.
CITY INCOME TAX
The issue of a proposed city income tax raised in Mr. Wooley's signs "has not even been discussed as a possibility" recently, said Mr. Brunner, who asserted: "I would oppose a city income tax -- no question about it."
However, Mr. Wooley warned that new commissioners who may be elected could revive the issue and attempt to put an income tax on the ballot. "It is a very real issue that must be dealt with," he commented.
Mr. Brunner noted that the implication in the advertising was that the mayor had the power to impose an income tax while such an issue would have to first pass the commission even to be voted upon by the people.
POLICE & FIRE DEPARTMENT
Mr. Wooley's most dramatic proposal was for layoffs of many city employees who don't live in the city, 61 percent of the entire staff. He said 37 of 51 city firefighters and 7 of 8 bridge-tenders live outside the city.
Stating "there were only 12 fires in the city last year," and asserting that 72 percent of all fire department calls are medical runs," he would aim to save $3-4 million a year by downsizing the $6 million a year department to the "magic number" of 14 firefighters who live in the city. The slack would be taken up by private, taxpaying ambulance companies and volunteer firefighters, much like plans used in Mt. Pleasant, Troy and townships, he said.
The savings from the use of volunteers could go toward a multi-million dollar bond issue to pay for repairs to "failing infrastructure" like streets and sewers, said Mr. Wooley.
Neither candidate would reduce the present 67 member police force, but Mr. Wooley suggested bolstering the force by recruiting more reserve officers. Police reserves are down to 19 from a previous 41, he said.
Mr. Brunner said proposals to save money on bridge operations were vetoed but he would look at privatizing the service if necessary. He would not favor reducing the number of firefighters, a move that he said would require closing a fire station.
STATE GOVERNMENT
The solution to state government budget travails should be more cuts, said Mr. Wooley, at the same time asserting "we do need our revenue sharing" because the money came from Bay City folks in the first place."
Mr. Brunner said the state "has cut, and cut, and cut," adding: "If we lose a portion of our revenue sharing we will have to go back to the table and make cuts." He supports the decisions made at the state level that involved both cuts and increased taxes.
"The feedback from our Brunner-Wooley Mayoral Debate video has been totally positive," said MyBayCity Publisher O.J. Cunningham.
"Our circulation numbers (8,900+ articles viewed Monday, October 8, 2007) have more than doubled over the past two years. What that tells me is that we have touched the pulse of the local Bay City community.
"Obviously, more and more people are using the Internet as a source of timely and pertinent information. And they know . . . It's All Bay City . . . All The Time . . .
"The use of video by MyBayCity is just another step forward down the information highway.
"We have number of additional MyBayCity video projects on the front burner. It's what the readers want."
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