What a great turnout! Tha=
nk
you.
The reason we are here is to commit to the success of the city of
This effort cannot be achieved alone.&=
nbsp;
Many friends and my family have rallied behind me. And for that, I am forever
grateful. I would like to int=
roduce
my wife, Diana Morse, and our daughter, Catya Donovan. Catya is my ace campaign manager.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> I welcome her enthusiasm, dedicati=
on,
and creativity as we move forward.
Diana is a professional writer, with great wit to insure I maintain a
sense of humor, and a keen eye to anticipate my potential mistakes. She is amazingly brilliant and
constantly keeps me on my toes. My
two sons, Will and Ned cannot be here tonight. They are away at school.
Tonight, I will stress briefly 5 campaign themes.
Safety and quality of =
life
Professionalism
Money and resources
Competence
1. My first and most
important theme is safety and quality of life, and I'=
ll
make a couple of points here. TODAY,
a shooting occurred around the corner from my house. It is another example of our loss =
of
control of our streets that began in the last administration. As a proud center-city resident, I=
wish
to continue and enhance our new Mayor's concerted effort to create a safe
environment for all of us. It=
is
not easy. We live in a violent
world that is controlled only through intelligence and toughness!
a. &=
nbsp; I
will strive to work with the Mayor and fellow members of City Council to
support an effective police force, and to develop programs that enable offi=
cers
to engage cooperatively with the community and increase public safety. We need officers on =
the streets
and in the neighborhoods.&nb=
sp;
Only then will the relatively small number of criminals in this city
think twice about hurting us.
b. &=
nbsp; Safety,
trust, and quality of life are the hallmarks of a great city. Safety is not only to eliminate the
threat of crime, but also prevent the danger from disasters. I respect the need to preserve
2. The second
theme is independence. I enthusiastically support Mayor Pawlowski and his effort to reinvent
Simultaneously, he will see that I am inquisitive and direct, who will =
beg
to differ whenever appropriate. I
promise the Mayor he will have a cooperative yet independent thinker on City
Council. My job is to help al=
l of
us have the best city through intelligent, fair, and respectful
representation. We will
3. &=
nbsp; The
third theme is professionalism. Every great city deserves excellen=
t,
cooperative, and professional leadership.&=
nbsp;
I promise that I am a listener, and if you ever feel that I have
interrupted you, or that I am lecturing to you, I want to be told, immediat=
ely!
4. &=
nbsp; Money
and resources are my fourth theme. To afford our quality of life, eco=
nomic
revitalization is the key to the renaissance. With competent fiscal managem=
ent,
aggressive recruitment of employers for new, quality jo=
bs,
and a team effort to increase the capability and competitiveness of our
citizens,
a. &=
nbsp;
I am dedicated to maintaining a dialog with our school system with the =
sole
intent of ensuring that we produce talented, civic-minded graduates,
who are valuable members of our social and economic system.
Further, I make a commitment to insure that members of our greatest
generation are confident to feel safe and secure in their retirement
years. They comprise a key so=
urce
of volunteers and insight to our civic process. A city with its amenities is perfe=
ct for
retirement. Transport, health=
care,
cultural activities, and inexpensive housing are all close-by. Our seniors will not be forg=
otten,
and there are actions we can take as a city to help them remain a vital par=
t of
who we are.
5. &=
nbsp; My
final point is about competence. These commitments cannot occur wit=
hin a
vacuum. Team members must have
experience and know-how. As
evidence of my qualifications, I point to my years in municipal and
international finance, manufacturing, general
management, economic development, and now as a teacher. My training in=
clude
assignments with large firms such as Bank of Boston, Data General Corpration, and ATT.=
My small business tenure includes general management in a pioneering
retailer of microcomputer products as well as growing up working in my small
family business. My education
includes the liberal arts and its stress on respecting people, as well as
business, and its sense for the bottom line. I strive to understand, and =
I do
not jump to conclusions.
<= o:p>
<= o:p>
Safety and quality of =
life
Professionalism
Money and resources
Competence
This is not an inclusive list of what I believe, nor is it fixed in sto=
ne,
because the ideas always need continuous thought and discussion. That will
occur, though, as we move ahead in the campaign. You will find that I always =
listen
and look to improve upon ideas.