Council hopefuls debate city’s troubles
(The following is the last of a three-part series concerning the race for two four-year terms on Uniontown City Council and a special election for a two-year seat on council.) Uniontown City Council Republican candidate Gary Altman said his goal is to reduce high property taxes that are stifling business development and home sales, and voters who want change should choose Republicans in the upcoming election.
His opponent, Democratic nominee Philip Michael, said he would rely on his experience and education, and study how other cities deal with financial struggles to move Uniontown forward.
Michael and Altman are running in a special election for a two-year term on council. They shared their views on issues facing the city during a recent debate held by the Herald-Standard editorial board.
Altman, an attorney, said high real estate taxes are the city’s biggest problem facing the city.
Taxes on a property near his home are $2,300, while taxes on an identical property in neighboring South Union Township are $118 and those two homeowners receive the same services except local police, he said. The city has a full-time police department and state police cover South Union Township.
People in City Hall are the only ones who know how this year’s budget was crafted and, Altman said he would try to begin gathering financial information about the budget the day after the election if he wins. He said he has a bachelor’s degree in business and understands finances.
Republicans dominated council about 20 years ago and managed the city well for a long time, he said.
Altman said he sees the need for someone to command of the city’s finances.
A teacher in the West Mifflin Area School District, Michael said he has a master’s degree in business administration and served on the boards of Fayette Chamber of Commerce and Fayette County Mental Health/Mental Retardation program.
He said he would rely on his education and experience, and study “best practices” used by growing cities and cities that survived difficult financial times to help the city run more efficiently.
Michael promised to work hard for residents and said he wants to revitalize the downtown.
Turning to other subjects, the candidates addressed fire and police department staffing, and offered their opinions on regionalizing services.
Currently, Mayor Ed Fike is saying at least 25 employees, including seven firemen, have to be laid off to avoid ending the year with a $220,700 deficit.
Altman said he would have to examine the budget to determine if the proposed layoffs are needed.
He said he support a full-time department if the city can afford it.
“I’d love to have them if we can keep them,” Altman said.
Michael said he supports assessing the strengths, weaknesses and threats to the fire department and work with everyone involved to determine the best solution.
He said only 23 of the 2,500 fire departments in the state are manned full time and some cities rely on full-time firefighters and volunteers for fire protection.
A state constable, Michael said he works with the police department every day and had high praise for the department.
A good department is needed to help attract residents and Michael said he would like to double the size of the department. He said officers should patrol neighborhoods and not just respond to calls. He commended neighborhood groups for working with police.
Altman said the city needs the police department, but he said he doesn’t know the number of officers the department needs. He said he supports having an appropriate number of properly trained and equipped officers.
He also commended residents for forming neighborhood groups and said that type of community involvement should be used to accomplish goals throughout the city.
Altman said the city, South Union, North Union and possibly Menallen townships should be one home rule charter community. Sharing services would allow each municipality to save money, he said.
“I think we should regionalize everything,” Altman said.
Michael said there are pros and cons to regionalization, but his priority would be to make sure the city is safe.
The city’s budget and financial management were other topics.
Altman said he doesn’t know what the problems are with the current budget, but he would like to balance the spending plan and lower property taxes.
Laying off a total of 41 employees, which the current administration did, was an indication that the city might have had too many employees, he said.
The city has to solve its own problems and electing Republicans to council would produce change in city government, Altman said.
Free consultants offering fresh suggestions might help the city and hiring a city manager could also help if politics did not interfere with the position, he said.
A manager probably would have to follow council’s instructions, he said.
Philosophically, Altman said he believes becoming a home rule community would be best for the city.
Michael said he does not support raising taxes, but the city has to stop spending more than it receives in revenue and council does not need consultants to tell them that.
“It’s simple math,” Michael said.
After spending is brought under control, short- and long-term strategic plans are needed, he said.
There are advantages and disadvantages to a city manager, but hiring one might help as long as the manager generates more revenue that the city spends on his salary, he said.
The police, fire, street and parks departments are priorities, Michael said.
Council’s decision last year to layoff the sanitation department and hire an outside contractor was another topic.
After the debate was held, an arbitrator ordered the city to pay $83,225 to the former sanitation workers for violating the city-union contract by not meeting with the union and discussing alternatives before hiring the contractor.
Michael said council made the correct moves, which saved money. Government should provide services and maintain infrastructure to help businesses and attract residents, he said.
Altman said he doesn’t know if council’s actions were correct, but they might have been because the city did not run the sanitation department efficiently.
He said he doesn’t support eliminating services, but service cuts might be necessary if the city can’t afford them.
On other topics, Altman said he hasn’t read the new Blight, Owners and Occupants Responsibilities ordinance, but the ordinance it replaced, the 2007 Regulated Rental Unit Occupancy Ordinance, had good and bad features, Altman said.
He said landlords are not the “root” cause of declining neighborhoods. The economy forced residents to sell their homes and the landlords took advantage, he said.
Businesses and landlords should not be overtaxed, he said.
Landlord abuses can and should be addressed and the city’s zoning law could be modified to regulate and promote growth, Altman said.
Michael said both ordinance and pros and cons, but the city should concentrate its efforts on code enforcement and working with landlords and tenants.
The “blight” ordinance can be modified if needed, he said.
Michael said he is married and has three children. He said he obtained a bachelor’s degree in education from California University of Pennsylvania and has been teaching social studies in West Mifflin for three years.
Altman said he was born and raised in Uniontown and is married with two children.
He said he graduated from Duke University in North Carolina with a degree in business in 1971 and graduated from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee with a law degree in 1974.