Candidate Forum Sunday

Get it from the horse's mouth!

LOCAL

Lake Oswego Citizens' Action League

City Council Candidate Forum

Sunday, October 12

3:00 - 5:00 PM

Lake Oswego High School

A Few Key Issues important to Lake Oswegans:
Budgeting - LO has one of the highest employee FTE per capita in the state for similar sized cities.  Personnel costs are the largest sector of city spending.  How can we make sure employee expenses don't cut into essential services?

Urban Renewal - what is the purpose of urban renewal, and when is the right time to stop spending and stop adding to city debt for public and private "revitalization" projects?  

Utilities - what can be done to keep rates low so residents can afford to live here?

Infrastructure - maintain and repair existing infrastructure, or spend money on new pathways, roads and a vertical park (steps) for future Foothills development?  

City Character - preserve unique neighborhood character and our commercial village-style character, or allow the city to become more dense and built up like other towns throughout the Metro area?  

Leadership - control city government by elected officials and citizen vote on key financial issues, or allow staff-driven agendas and spending that ignores citizen input.  

Property Rights - respect property owner rights to manage their property without excessive government interference or continue to pile on regulations to manage private trees, vegetation, and even stumps and windfall in one's yard.  Who will deal with Sensitive Lands and get government out of our front and backyards? 

Attitude - might we be more humble or must LO always insist on the "best" of everything at the public's expense?   Does newer and bigger mean progress?

Power - will money and in-crowd status continue to push a narrow agenda and divide the city?