League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
Hamilton County, OH November 5, 2013 Election
	Vanessa White Answers Questions Candidate for Member of Council; City of Cincinnati

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? (50 word limit)

As an elected public official, I have demonstrated an independent approach to transparent governance and fiscal responsibility, and an ability to collaborate across differences to solve problems. I'm a mother of five with an MBA and non-profit experience; I understand the human service and administrative demands of complex urban government.

2. How would you balance the City Budget? (100 word limit)

My leadership experience in budget and finance tells me that to balance the budget without harming the quality of life in Cincinnati we must do two things: First, increase revenues without raising taxes primarily by promoting business-friendly policies that increase the number of gainfully employed residents who contribute to the tax base rather than strain it. Second, continually look for efficiencies in the city administration and in the delivery of city services, without cutting services. This may require exploring shared service strategies. Any ultimate discussion of budget priority-setting requires substantive public participation, which mostly has been absent.

3. Plan Cincinnati calls for the city to adopt a citizen engagement policy. What would you include in such a policy? (100 word limit)

As a School Board member I've made good on my promise to promote greater citizen participation as a means to good governance. Three factors are essential to productive citizen engagement that should be articulated in an engagement policy. First, citizens must have convenient, consistent access to the governance process through public forums that are accessible. Second, citizens must have evidence that their participation makes a difference, which means officials must commit to act on what they hear. Finally, there must be ongoing feedback between citizens and officials after the "forum" to keep the public informed and to hold officials accountable.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Word limits may apply. See individual questions for specific word limits. Direct references to opponents are not permitted. Please edit your work before submitting. We are unable to provide spell-check at this time.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 13, 2013 07:03
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