- Joshua Ramirez-Roberts is one of eight candidates running for an open East Lansing city council seat in the November election.
- Ramirez-Roberts said his top two priorities is focusing on the budget and development of the city.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
It's a crowded race for the November election in East Lansing with three open city council seats. There are some big issues for the city to address. Over the course of the next week, we will be introducing you to all eight candidates with a series of four questions.
The third candidate is Joshua Ramirez-Roberts.
Background:
Ramirez-Roberts was born and raised in East Lansing. He recently graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Social Relations and Policy. He is currently in a year-long teaching internship at East Lansing High School while pursuing certification in Secondary Social Studies Education.
As a student, Ramirez-Roberts has spent two years on the University Student Commission. He also spent two years serving as a legislative aide in the Michigan House of Representatives, served a term on the Community Development Advisory Committee and is currently a board member of the Bailey Community Association.
Question & Answer:
Q: What would be your top two priorities if elected to city council?
A: "My top individual priority is really the budget. Then when we look at the other top priority, it would be development.
For the budget, we're currently staring out around $100 million in unfunded legacy costs. So essentially pensions that we promised, but have no ability to pay, we don't have the money to pay it, and I think that needs to be paid down as quickly and as efficiently as possible so we're able to reduce that burden upon the community. At the same time, we'll be able to put that money back into our city so we can more properly fund city services. It makes residents really feel like they're getting what they pay for in terms of taxes, because we do have one of the highest highest tax rates in the state in terms of local tax. So making sure that our citizens are getting the worth out of that.
And then we're looking at development. I think we've given developers too much power over our community. We're really starting to see a decline in local business, a decline small businesses are really getting priced out or getting pushed out. I also think we're developing at a rate that outpaces our infrastructure. So really work on trying to build up our infrastructure to actually accommodate the types of development that we're building, because we're going very much high density, high rise, but at the same time I don't think our public transportation networks nor infrastructure are actually built to support that."
Q: The turnover rate in the city has been high the last few years. What would you do as a council member to encourage employees to stay in the city?
A: "I know we've had a lot of council members leave in the past few years. I don't plan on doing that. Also, when we're looking at retaining the city staff, I really think the primary thing is just to abide by the city charter, right? I don't plan on getting involved in day to day staff operations. Then at the same time, our current city manager has a lot of baggage. So make sure, keep him on a short leash, make sure that nothing's going on. Keeping communication with our HR team to make sure that there isn't any infractions. If there are infractions, investigating that as thoroughly as possible, really making sure that we're emotionally supporting our staff, just because I know it can be difficult. Even if that baggage isn't true and it doesn't carry over to the situation, there still is that baggage and it needs to be addressed."
Q: Affordable housing and student housing are always hot topics in the city, but with downtown space so limited, how would you want to see those addressed?
A: "I think the primary problem with Albert Ave. development was that none of the businesses were contacted. They found out when the public was and this project had been going on for over a year, had been in talks for over a year and the city didn't communicate that with any of the businesses. They didn't enter discussions with the community to see what they should be advocating for, what they should be pushing for. I think one of the first things we need to do is reopen up that dialogue, start communicating with the city, listening to residents about what they want to see.
One of the big things I've heard from residents is that they just don't enjoy going downtown anymore. The amount of people I've met that just say I used to go downtown, it's not really my thing anymore. I mean, look at the scope of our downtown. It's not very big, and we're building really, really high density and that's pushing out a lot of local businesses, but we need to be able to strike that balance between affordable housing and making sure that we can maintain our local economy. So, I think it's just looking at different areas not just that little tiny stretch of downtown, but also looking at more farther east down Grand River and really looking at redoing part of town. At least talking with those land landowners, those developers about redoing that and do it in a way that's really walk-able, that we can design it to be walk-able.
And really looking towards mixed use condos and incentivizing mixed use condos, because not only does that provide people with an affordable means of home ownership, we've been very rental centric. I understand, I've very recently been a renter, that rentals are a critical part of the dynamic, but we need to build up towards that missing middle so that people can move out of rentals eventually and be able to escape that cycle of rent poverty. So making sure that we can build back our affordable housing stock so that people actually have a chance to have ownership."
Q: Why should people vote for you this November to serve on the city council?
A: "One thing I like to say is I'm not taking any donations. I'm not fundraising at all. I like to think, if you look at fundraising tactics, a lot of that creates distrust about why you're taking that money, where you're taking that money from, what did you promise to get that money, I don't have any of those issues. I'm beholden to no one except the residents who vote me in.
Also, I think we have a lot of younger residents of our city who feel they don't really have a voice and at the same and when we're making these decisions, especially long term decisions about infrastructure and development and housing, I think the younger generation who's going to inherit those decisions, needs to have a role in making them. Then also, a big thing for me, I'm going to be incredibly, I already am, impacted by climate change. So once again, looking towards that younger generation, who's able to plan more effectively and create I think, just play into our interests more. We want to create a more vibrant downtown, we want to create a more economically diverse downtown. I represent that diversity I feel like, at least in terms of both I'm from East Lansing, and I'm also recently a student so I'm able to combine those two aspects.
I think going back to how I'm from East Lansing, I really love this community. I lived here my entire life. I don't plan on leaving. I legitimately think this is one of the best cities in the world, which is rare to hear someone say when there's Venice and Rome out there, but I really do think it. Then also, I think we just need to be able to restore the trust between residents and council. I think that's incredibly important. I hope that's something I'm going to be able to do. And if I am elected, if people do choose to elect me, I plan on communicating regularly with residents explaining my decisions and being completely accountable and open."
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