Protecting Our Character and Traditions

By Rick Ochsenhirt

Building on the past to improve the future.

In many ways, today's 62,600 residents are not too different from those early settlers. Like most of us, they were working families who wanted to raise families and conduct business in a friendly community.

Due to the explosive airport expansion after World War II, and our proximity to the airport, our business community grew and prospered and while we are dubbed "The Industrial City." That is no longer true. Today we house airport support businesses, hotels and a wide variety of high-tech and commercial business. These firms are the basis of our economic stability and are necessary to support our community's infrastructure and finance our many city services.

I will work very hard to enhance our business community by promoting and attracting compatible industries that will add to our revenue without infringing on our established residential neighborhoods or otherwise impact our quality of life in a negative way.