First of all - hope you recover from surgery- never an easy thing.

I am not going to go through the 6 pages and pick out the questions you haven't answered. To be honest- that is up to you. You are on here to get our vote right? In order to get my vote a representative should be able to read through this thread- realize the answers that have not been answered, see the areas where a similar question was answered in different ways, and then post a reply that addresses all of these issues.

You say you are trying to do what is best for the city but you did not solicite information from the public on this site in regards to any of your previous decisions before you casted your vote. You were not even on here before the first vote- it is only after you did not get the votes for re-election and now weeks away from the second vote that you decided to advertise and create this thread.

In addition to all of the questions that have not been answered I have one more.  What information do you use to determine what is best for the city and its future before making your vote in council decisions. Please describe this in detail.

Posted By ravensnest on 05/07/2008 9:14 PM
Personally, I thank Mr Haddad for answering my question. However i must be honest i will not consider voting for you. I simply cannot consider voting for someone who thinks a airport is the most important thing that they can do for this town.The other day i was spending 30 minutes trying to get from one side of town to the other in rush hour and i kept thinking these characters on the council are sitting having a meeting about a airport while the residents of this town are stuck in traffic. That alone shows how out of touch the council is from the people.

ravensnest,

I can understand your frustration, believe it or not, I am completely aware of our traffic situation.  Unfortunately, as I have stated before we have no control over the overiding problem, that being highway 347.  The city and council are constantly utilizing whatever resources we have to figure out how to cure the problem, unfortunatley, it is going to take a great deal of time.  Its seems we all want instant gratification and that is simply not going to happen.

Regarding the airport, please keep in mind that that majority of the funding for the project are federal dollars, costing the taxpayers next to nothing.  It is an investment in the future of Maricopa.  We will not see a plane landing there for nearly 8 years; however, when that happens we will be leaps and bounds ahead of many other communities in reagrds to Economic Development.  I do not think that it is the most important thing we can do for Maricopa, I think it is a wise thing to do.  What I think is important is quality of life, parks and rec., and economic development...making Maricopa a place where one not only lives, where they work and play.  Making the folks that live here feel like this is their HOME not wherre they lay their head at night.  I hope that you will reconsider your views of me and really get to know who you are voting for.  I have no agendas, no surprises, I simply want to do what is right and with continued dialogue I think you find that voting for me is the right thing to do.

Posted By DesertDweller on 05/09/2008 8:21 PM
"Regarding the airport, please keep in mind that that majority of the funding for the project are federal dollars, costing the taxpayers next to nothing. "

Where did those Federal dollars come from?

DD,

Great point.  I stand corrected; however, would you rather they be invested in some other city or town or would you rather they at least make it back to where they came from?

Thanks,

KH

Which resources are being utilized to figure out how to cure the problem?  Other than putting your feet up on your desk and saying 'it is out of our control', WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT ?

I get that it isn't going to be fixed tomorrow.  But what is in the works/planning stages to fix it LONG TERM?

Rich

I apologize if it comes across as if we are putting our feet on our desk and throwing our hand in the air, that could not be further from the truth.  We are in constant contact with GRIC and ADOT to make sure they do not forget about us.  As of 2 years ago, Maricopa was not on ADOT's radar, as of today they understand our issues as does the Governor and are hopefully working toward a solution.  That solution may not come soon, but it will come.  As I have said from the beginning, I am a realist and I refuse to make a promise that I can't fulfill just to get you to vote for me.

Thanks

KH

Of course, given the choice, we would both probably rather that they not leave the area in the first place. As it is, you have to ask and show a need to get your own tax revenue back from the Feds and into your community, and then "qualify" in order to receive it. The fact that local residents are sending their money to the IRS means they have less to spend locally on goods and services.

While I don't like seeing federal grants sought after just for the sake of getting the money, I don't think the airport is such a bad idea. It has a lot of potential toward stimulating development, which will bring with it the hospitals and other services that people want. I think the City has done a tremendously poor job of explaining it to the residents, as they have with other issues like annexation and the downtown "slum/blight" improvement district. Most people, when they hear airport, don't consider the industries that won't locate without regional air service or the fact that Maricopa competes with other municipalities for the presence of these industries. There is going to have to be an effort at public education in order for this to ever receive community support.

This leads to the issue of transparency, which has been bantered about a lot. My definition of transparency is that the government states to its constituents what it intends to do, and then does what was stated. It should explain accurately why projects and programs are necessary and not try to "spin" the issue for political advantage. A statement that the proposed airport was a project that would primarily be federally funded and provide Maricopa with a tremendous advantage over other nearby communities to attract new industrial and commercial development would go a long way toward gathering community support.

DD,

Once again, very good point and one promise that I can make is to be an advocate of the people and make sure that transparency exists to the fullest degree from now on.  I agree that we have not done a great job of being transparent, and if elected, I promise that will change.

Thanks

KH