League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
Hamilton County, OH November 5, 2013 Election
	Lee E. Czerwonka Answers Questions Candidate for Member Council at Large; City of Blue Ash

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What are your qualifications for office?

It has been my privilege and honor to serve the residents of Blue Ash as Council Representative at Large for the last 9 years. Vice Mayor for the last 4 years. 2 years as Vice Chairman Blue Ash Planning Commission. Member State Auditors Regional Advisory Board. Treasurer Hamilton County Municipal League. President Blue Ash Civic League. Chairman City Beautification Committee. President Fallsington Grant HOA.

2. What services do you believe should be considered basic and essential for the City?

I believe basic municipal services start with the Police and Fire Departments followed by the Public Works Department. These three departments are the foundation for all well run communities. Beyond these three is an Administrative Department which collects taxes and oversees economic development. Without the administrative side, these basic departments above, don't exist. These services are very basic and flow in a circle serving both the residents and businesses alike. Blue Ash is fortunate to be a well balanced community. 1/3 Residential, 1/3 Businesses, and 1/3 Recreational. This balance has kept Blue Ash in a positive sustainable financial position.

3. How would you balance the City Budget?

Blue Ash Administration and City Council continue a conservative long range approach to budgeting. Our budget is balanced because we have planned for economic downturns where other communities are struggling. We continue to focus on keeping operating costs down at all times, even when income levels rise. We were able to add $6 million to the city's capital reserves in 2012. Thus we continue to maintain Moody's "High Quality" Aa1 bond rating.

4. Citizen engagement is important to the health of local government. In what ways do you support citizen engagement?

Blue Ash will be beginning the update of the city's Comprehensive Plan early next year. This plan is updated every 10 years and is a blue print for both residential and commercial development with updated zoning areas for the city. The process of updating the plan is based in large part on the residents input through various channels of communication, including resident surveys, a series of public meetings with open dialogs with city officials and administration. The goal will be to find a general consensus of what kinds of development the residents would like to see in the city over the next 10 years. I encourage our residents to participate in this open process since it is their city and the new plan will strongly represent their views and input.

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 6, 2013 08:34
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