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City Council hopefuls focus on economy
Impact on Durango overriding concern
Herald Staff Writer
Broderick
Lyon
Thompson
Tucson
The election is for registered Durango voters by mail only - Monday is the deadline to register - and ballots will be mailed next week. Four candidates are vying for the three open seats, and all recently visited The Durango Herald offices to discuss their candidacies.
The economy and its impact on Durango was a recurring theme in each:Paul Broderick•Years in Durango: 15.
•Employment: First National Bank of Durango, vice president/business banking officer.
•Education: Bachelor's degree in business administration, University of Georgia.
•Personal: Married 10 years (wife, Monica), one daughter (age 5).
Paul Broderick said he's running for City Council because Durango's been good to him, and he wants to make sure it's just as good for his young daughter.
"I'm concerned about what it'll be like in 15 years, and I want her to have the same opportunities I had when I got here 15 years ago," Broderick said.
The current state of the economy, and where it could be by the end of the new council's term, is a primary concern for Broderick, who is a small-business specialist at First National Bank. He previously worked for Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado and said he believes that without a healthy business community, Durango won't be as healthy in other areas, either.
"All of the amenities we enjoy here - the river trail, our open spaces - are funded with tax dollars, and it's all on the backs of the business community. City Council needs to have that perspective in these times ... and as far as that goes, I'm where the rubber meets the road," he said.
He said the recent sharp decline in construction in Durango means many people will have to find different ways to make a living, as much as 21 percent of Durango's workforce was in construction-related industries last year.
Broderick said he will continue to encourage the growth of other nontraditional Durango businesses such as Mercury Payment Systems and StoneAge to keep the economy as healthy as possible.
"We're going to have to replace those jobs somehow, and we have to provide an environment that allows that to happen," he said.
Doug Lyon•Years in Durango: 1982-87 (Fort Lewis College); moved back again seven years ago.
•Employment: Fort Lewis College; professor of business.
•Education: Bachelor's degree in accounting, Fort Lewis College; masters' degree in international management, Thunderbird School of Global Management; doctorate in management strategy, University of Kentucky.
•Personal: Married 15 years (wife, Chris); two daughters (ages 12 and 14).
As the only incumbent who chose to run again, Doug Lyon said past actions will play a large role in an uncertain future.
"We've accomplished a lot in the last four years with two different councils, but what I'm most proud of is our fiscal discipline," Lyon said.
As a man who has spent his entire adult life studying and teaching business, Lyon said he has no desire to abandon Durango when things could be getting worse before they get better.
And with early tax revenues indicating the city budget could take a hit of hundreds of thousands of dollars this year and next, the predictions and warnings about tightening the city's collective belt that Lyon made more than a year ago are proving true.
That doesn't mean he's happy to be correct.
"The issues that keep me up at night are the health of the local economy and the impact it's having on the people who live here. We're talking real human misery here; that's the nightmare," he said. "The real core issue is the well-being of our friends and neighbors. While we're much better off than many other municipalities, we've got some difficult decisions to make this year.
"The city budget has the wherewithal to absorb (a $400,000 drop in tax revenues) with some ease, but at the same time, the level of service provided in terms of police protection, water, sewer, roads, general services has historically remained quite high, and maintaining those building blocks requires a healthy economy. But we'll be able to find that $400,000 without dealing a crushing blow to any one segment of the budget."
Christina Rinderle Thompson•Years in Durango: 10.
•Employment: Manager, Crossroads Durango and Durango Office Suites.
•Education: Bachelor's degree in environmental science, Purdue University.
•Personal: Married 2 years (husband, Walker).
Christina Thompson is remaining positive in the face of an uncertain future and believes the uniqueness of Durango and its people also are the city's strengths. As the manager of the Crossroads Building, one of Durango's largest downtown urban renewal projects, she sees downtown Durango as the lifeblood of the city.
"Since a huge chunk of our sales revenue comes from downtown and north Main, I think our community needs to be commended for shopping locally, supporting our businesses and keeping a broad base of dollars in our community," Thompson said.
She is a strong proponent of infill development within the city, but, like her fellow candidates, acknowledged difficult budgetary decisions will need to be made before large projects are seen again in town or elsewhere.
"Cutting funding is never easy. In our home, we are traveling less. We try to ride our bikes to work and eat at home more often. I don't know one person who hasn't cut costs," she said, but added that similar cuts likely will be necessary citywide come budget time for 2010.
"Maybe that is creating less waste and only having trash pickup three times a week. And with 11 current vacancies in Durango Police Department, I would ask the people if they expand citizen watch programs to limit criminal or malicious acts: Crime costs our community a lot of money," she said.
Aaron Tucson•Years in Durango: 28•Employment: Z-Excavation; concrete finisher.
•Education: Fort Lewis College (3 years); prerequisites for mortuary school (family business).
•Personal: Single.
Aaron Tucson has spent his whole life in Durango, and that's why he's ready to return to City Council after a four-year hiatus.
"I love Durango, I bring experience, diversity and a youthful voice," Tucson said of his decision to re-enter the political arena.
He also called the budget crunch the city's biggest issue this year, and said maintaining basic services remains the city's top priority. After that, the debate begins.
"We've had great management here for the last quarter century, and we take it for granted when we can do so much for so many different people. Nothing deserves to be cut, but this year, we need to really set priorities and take a tough look at it," he said, but opted not to target any specific groups or programs until budget talks actually begin.
Tucson said the health-care crisis is, or should be, a close second for Durango residents.
"When my friends and I (are snowboarding and) see jumps we normally hit, we're thinking twice about them now because we don't have health insurance," he said.
He said just because conventional wisdom says health care is not a municipal responsibility, it may be time to rethink traditional policies. That could mean tapping into existing earmarked sales-tax revenues such as the 1999 Animas River Trail and Recreation Center tax and the 2005 Referendum 2A tax money.
"Those are great things, and, of course, we can't get lax on the (Recreation Center) debt service, but maybe in tough times we can't keep funding everything the same way - would people rather have health care or a river trail?"
He said he would push again for the creation of a health district, which voters approved in 2006 but opted not to fund, essentially killing the idea.
"I'm not saying the city should fund the district, but if it comes up again, it will be a communitywide discussion, and the city would definitely play a role in it," Tucson said.
ted@durangoherald.com
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