GUEST COLUMN: SUSIE WEINACHT

By Susie Weinacht

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Communication is critical to building trust. The concerns I hear most aren't about fraud or corruption. Taxpayers simply want transparency in government, and to be able to see for themselves how their money is being spent.

I believe keeping a Citizen Oversight Committee is important. Such committees have served effectively before, as far back as the Citizens Committee for the Police Station in the mid-1990s. Volunteers can be conduits for taxpayer questions to the city government, as well as for city reports to the community. Continued use of the “Our CR” magazine, plus the website and local media, are important, but the public outreach on an issue as important as street funding needs to go beyond that. Frequent updates to neighborhood associations and civic clubs would go a long way to engaging more of the public.

That same spirit of outreach and transparency is essential to prioritizing street repair spending. The city has condition reports and engineers' assessments of the streets. Those are key factors in what gets done first, but not many taxpayers have seen those reports. Let's share that information. We also need to make public safety a critical focus. If two streets are in equally bad condition, but one of them has higher injury accident rates, then it must get higher priority.

Cedar Rapidians are smart, reasonable people. If you show us this information and allow our input at some point in the process, this will all work. Start with recommendations from professional staff, get City Council input and then hold a public open house to show the public the facts. Get input before a City Council vote and then follow up with the essential oversight from the citizen's committee.

My viewpoint probably won't differ much from other candidates. We've all been consistent about favoring progressive, positive, pro-growth positions. But there are differences in the way we would bring people together, and that goes right to the heart of these issues on keeping residents informed and getting input into street priorities.

I've had 15 years of behind-the-scenes involvement in everything from education initiatives to flood recovery. My work has brought me in touch with so many different kinds of people - from both political parties, from both sides of the river, from all generations. Many amazing people from so many different backgrounds. The other candidates all have great experiences, but they tend to be with tighter circles, maybe just representing business or some other special interest. My experiences, I hope, show people that I'll be the most independent candidate and the one able to involve the most people.

I would be a fresh face with a fresh perspective, and I think I'm the best candidate to make sure that we get more fresh perspectives from many people out there eager to be included.

Comments: susie4cr@gmail.com