VISIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY
- Keep taxes from continually increasing every year and let's work to fix the home reassessments.
- Adjust the parking regulations so the overnight parking ban does not take effect on October 1st or last until March 31st when the weather is projected to be warm enough to allow for on-street parking.
- Ensuring forgotten sidewalks that need repair are fixed or replaced adequately. Address the speeding on interior residential roadways.
- As a member of the city's primary legislative body, the Council, Chris will represent the interests of all the residents citywide by using feedback metrics.
- Creating a real-time information system allowing for the rapid deployment of essential information to the residents of our great city.
- Chris wants to work with the Mayor and all members of the council for the betterment of the City of Tonawanda, putting residents first.
Chris talking about his Visions
Taxes and Home Reassessment
In our mayor-council government, the mayor and city council work together to balance and pass the annual budget. I pledge to every taxpayer that I will not be another “rubber stamp” for budget purposes. I will evaluate how every dollar is earmarked in the budget before casting a vote for or against the budget.
As the Second Ward Councilperson, I will hold the line on spending and aggressively manage how taxpayer money is being spent.
To increase revenue so taxes do not increase, ideas like increasing tourism, new construction homes, and bringing new development to the city could reduce taxes. Applying for public grants can also fund programs in the city, thus freeing up monies for other projects.
I pay the same taxes as everyone else. I get hit with the same tax increases as everyone else. I am a working-class citizen like everyone else. I will protect your money the same way I protect mine, by asking questions and requiring justification before spending tax dollars on frivolous matters.
I will also work to fix the unfair home reassessments. I too was hit unfairly by this latest home reassessment and am in the process of formally fighting it like so many of our residents.
I thank all the volunteers that work on the City of Tonawanda Board of Assessment Review.
Parking Regulations
Section 62-112 of the City Charter governs the overnight parking ban stating, “The standing of vehicles between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on all city streets is hereby prohibited from October 1 through March 31.”
With no flexibility to adjust the regulation in October or March, there is an added undue burden to the residents that need on-street parking.
Conversely, during the Blizzard of 2022, the storm was predicted days in advance. Yet, there was no mechanism in place to ban parking during daytime hours during the two days of the storm.
This is an easy fix that can be changed with nothing more than an amendment to the language in the section. As a council member, I will argue for this change, allowing residents to use the city streets that our tax dollars pay for, more days per year for on-street parking.
My position on the matter appears to have a simple fix, but the Second Ward needs a councilperson that will sit down and do the hard-work.
Sidewalks and Speeding on Side Streets
Taking a stroll down a city street shouldn’t require you to leave your stroller or wagon at home because the sidewalks are too cracked and damaged to push or pull a wheeled device. Trip hazards, cracks, bumps, and improper sloping should not be present on city sidewalks. Sometimes, these issues are caused by construction vehicles, utility companies, or other contractors. As a council member, I will hold private entities that break our sidewalks responsible for cost of repair, so residents do not use tax dollars to fix these issues. If a sidewalk becomes defective by some other means, like tree roots or age-crumbling, I pledge to ensure our city services will make the necessary repairs within a reasonable amount of time from the date they are first notified. I will ensure our sidewalks are reinstalled, reconstructed, repaved, or repaired to ensure a safe pedestrian infrastructure. This will help our city continue to achieve walkability.
Many residents are concerned with the speeding that happens in our city, especially along side streets where children walk and play. I plan on addressing the speeding on interior residential roadways in addition to other traffic concerns.
Resident Feedback
Political success is measured by the resident’s satisfaction. It is crucial for city government to know if the residents are receiving the level of service they expect from their elected officials. Residents should be able to access government programs and their local representatives with little effort.
One of my visions is to create a City Satisfaction Survey (CSS) to assess various areas of city services, community engagement and programs, atmosphere, amenities, and overall thoughts of what can be done better. I believe this is an important service for residents and visitors.
With all the easily accessible free online data tools on today’s market, this City Satisfaction Survey (CSS) can be completed with no cost to taxpayers.
Everyone is a stakeholder in our city. Renters, homeowners, visiting friends and family, tourists, consumers, and anyone that enters our city should have a say in city government. While residents have a right to express their ideas and say through voting, everyone else can voice their opinion through the City Satisfaction Survey (CSS). For example, this portal will allow visitors to report potholes, a resident to report an overgrown tree near power lines, or a tourist to comment on the bike path. This information can then be directed to the proper department for consideration.
Adaptability
From the Blizzard of 2022 to digitalizing city services, being able to adapt to change is crucial to providing the best possible services to residents of our great city. One of my visions is to provide real-time information to residents that opt in to receive notifications.
My idea is simple: provide a free service that delivers text messages and email messages to residents to alert them to incidents that may affect personal safety, emergency road closures, police and fire emergencies, and adverse weather conditions.
This mass notification system will provide real-time communication to any resident that opts in, allowing for the rapid deployment of essential information. Our community can expect to receive quick and accurate information during urgent situations.
Mobile Alert Example: 
Working Together and Putting Residents First
As Chairperson of the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Initiatives
and Community Engagement, Chris works with the Mayor to create and implement
programs that benefit all residents of our city. These programs are non-partisan
for the betterment of the city. They include the Veteran of the Month Program,
the City Open House and Touch-a-Truck, and the Mayor’s Summer Reading Program.
Chris’ goal is to enrich city outreach programs while not creating a cost to
taxpayers. As a disabled veteran, Chris personally oversees the Veteran of Month
program. Chris runs these programs with the Mayor with a zero budget, yet still
provides great opportunities for residents to enjoy these programs.
As an elected member of the Council, Chris will continue to create programs for the City with little or no-cost, while providing services to all residents. Chris believes in putting people first.
