Note to readers:
In the interview that follows, first-term 3rd District councilman Steve Price answers our questions, with both questions and answers coming without commentary or analysis (as promised, CM Price has the floor to himself in the opening round; after that, the debate begins).
First, in Part I, the complete and unexpurgated correspondence preceding the interview is provided for the sake of the historical record.
Reader comments and questions about the interview are appreciated and subject to the customary blog policy.
We thank CM Price for his time and his candor.
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PART I: Pre-interview correspondence.
CM Price,
I see that in an interview with "Erik," a non-existent "college professor" invented for reasons that none of us truly understand, you are quoted as saying:
"I am always accessible. I receive on an average of 15 to 20 calls a day from my constituents. I will be more than happy to meet with any group or individual and listen to any suggestion, ideas or complaints to make New Albany a better place to live."
As I'm assuming there are no exceptions to this generalization, might we arrange a public meeting of some sort after Christmas?
Also, would you submit to an interview and agree to answer NA Confidential's questions, which will be coming from a real -- not a fictitious -- person (me)?
I have in mind 10 or so questions, all written, so that you can be satisfied that your answers are complete and as you prefer. I will not debate these or intrude upon the answers you provide during the initial posting on NAC, preserving their context entirely.
Of course, in follow-ups, I may take issue with some of your answers. Of course, you'll be given every opportunity to respond accordingly.
Game? I detect a marvelous opportunity for you to clarify your positions on certain pressing issues of the day.
Let me know. Thanks.
Roger A. Baylor
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Roger,
I am an equal opportunity person. Please forward to me any questions or concerns you may have, I will respsond and forward them back to you.
Also, I welcome your phone calls as well.
Holiday Blessings to you and yours,
Councilmen Steve Price
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Steve,
As promised, here are the questions for the NA Confidential article. Please take your time, emote and elaborate.
Thanks.
Roger
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Roger,
I would first like to thank you for the opportunity you have given me to answer your heartfelt questions about New Albany as it has entered into the 21st century.
Although we don’t see eye to eye on the resolution of the city differences, I appreciate your words enough about my view point to dedicate so much time and energy to get my opinion out to the residents of New Albany.
Those that know us either directly or indirectly know that if I say the sky is blue and the grass is green you my special advocate will see it differently.
Roger, I would like to make a confession, so to speak, to you, When I feel as if I should just give in and stop fighting for fairness for the citizens of New Albany, I read your blogg. Then I feel obligated to give the residents another view point. While you find my philosophy humorous and uneducated, I am appalled by yours. I wonder how you are unable to see the trees in the forest called New Albany. That very question is what keeps me going.
It was previously agreed that you would print my answers in their entirety before adding your rendition of the appropriate answer. I do however expect to have “equal” time in replying to your comments. I assume my argument will be appreciated.
Without further ado, Roger the “hot, hot, hot” answer you have long been waiting for.
Steve Price
PART II: Questions and answers.
1. Mr. Price, you ran for council as a Democrat. How does your performance in council reflect your role as a Democratic Party officeholder? How can we separate your public statements from those of myriad Republicans over the past 40 years? Why are your stated preferences so different from the historic and progressive ideals of the Democratic Party? Does being a Democrat mean anything to you? What would that be, and how do you differentiate yourself from a Republican?
I am a 21st century Democrat who represents all the people. I believe in standing up for what is right and speaking out against injustice. New Albany is seeing first hand the repercussions of frivolous spending. History has been my teacher. I am not against “community-based” progress just force fed growth. It is not about trying to differentiate myself from anybody; it is about fulfilling the needs of the citizens of New Albany, and doing what will ensure a positive future for this city.
2. Will you pledge to never abstain from a vote unless you can provide details, on record, of the conflict of interest that keeps you from voting?
Each vote is a separate matter to be evaluated through education and consideration before the vote is made. I will continue to vote, either by aye, nay or an abstention as it is best for my constituents. It is better to pause until further information is available than merely blindly rubber stamping.
3. Can you please explain the concept of new urbanism and how its guiding principles may help New Albany?
The basic principle of new urbanism is a focus on neighborhood development, with the end resulting in obtaining a balance of living, working and playing spaces in a given area. It is a continuously growing city wide plan, where public input plays a vital role in its success. Creating places for children to play where parents can gather, designing pedestrian friendly shopping districts and affordable safe housing is not as simple as merely drawing a map and placing an “X” where there should be a park.
Anytime a city focuses on positive growth for its economy and residents a city will benefit from careful planning in those areas.
I feel New Albany is currently working on the ground floor of putting into action these principles by enforcing cleanliness ordinances already established, while making “smart” renovations to existing parks and unimproved land areas.
4. Can you please explain how you intend to use your council position to advocate for those principles via legislative action? If you could give examples of successful legislation from other cities that have done a good job of improving housing and living conditions, it would be helpful.
The point of new urbanism is to serve the needs of the residents in the city. What is crucial to remember is the trends are only as useful as how they serve a particular community at a particular time.
It would be more useful to focus on serving the people who currently live in New Albany by revamping existing structures. I would use my legislative position to advocate for public dialogue of revitalization of existing city parks, how to improve the current parking situation in the downtown area and economic incentives for new downtown locally owned businesses.
I am a proponent of live entertainment, utilizing our riverfront in conjunction with the Greenaway. Live entertainment never goes out of style.
5. How do you think the city could improve its reputation and attractiveness within the circles of educated, creative, entrepreneurial people whose presence continues to be proven necessary for success in the 21st century economy?
21st century economy is moving towards being debt free; both on a household level as well as a governmental level. Until New Albany’s resolves our current fiscal situation how can we offer an incentive package to those individuals? Statistics tell us that people want to be part of a movement toward growth. Getting in on the ground floor so to speak. When dark clouds of fiscal burdens surround the boundaries of our city – what does that say to our perspective entrepreneurial people? We are a city who is incapable of living within a budget, who is wasteful with monies. The list could go on. How can we ask for monetary investments when we have given the perception of being incapable of handling our own finances?
6. What have you done or what will you do to express a clear preference for the redevelopment of existing city neighborhoods as opposed to continued sprawl?
New Albany in the past several years recognized the neighborhood associations. It has been a pleasure to watch a growing relationship between the associations and the city government. Maintaining an open line of communications between the two is a positive step toward redevelopment of existing neighborhoods. I have assisted the associations within my district as they work with city officials to devise and implement proactive problem resolutions. For instance, there was growing concern among my constituents regarding a car lot being placed in their highly residential neighborhood. I was able to help them voice their concerns to the city and reach a positive resolution.
Small communities within a larger city working to improve their particular area in relation to the city as a whole is yet another example of new urbanism planning in action.
I will continue to work with the existing groups that are dedicated to improving their piece of New Albany, Which in turn will improve New Albany as a whole.
7. Have you or do you intend to approach county officials to develop, in partnership, a countywide plan for smart and coordinated growth?
As I mentioned above, new urbanism or progressive urban planning is a team effort. It would be pointless to try and conceive a plan of progress in New Albany without consulting and coordinating with those who it will have the impact on.
If it will benefit my constituents and city government as a whole, I am certainly not opposed to opening a dialogue with county government regarding a mutually beneficial relationship to further “Smart Growth”, as it can only help.
8. What have you advocated for or will you advocate for that would provide an incentive to or lessen the risk for the early redevelopment "pioneers" who are now making themselves known around the city? Have you played a role in attracting these people and/or how do you hope to empower and encourage them and other similar people?
If the mission of the “early redevelopment ‘pioneers’” is to continue to bring New Albany into the 21st century with a solid fiscal foundation then I will do everything in my power to support them.
9. What is your reaction to this statement: “And yet, to Steve Price and those of his utterly clueless ilk, Frankfort Avenue is somehow the enemy, an inexplicable collection of strange people and alien concepts to be feared and loathed owing to the incomprehensible differences, and a revitalization equation that simply does not compute -- at least when reckoned by the slumlord’s shopworn abacus.”
This is a classic case of selective listening. Frankfort Avenue is a great example of new urbanism in a land locked area. Currently, New Albany is not land locked. I do believe there is such a thing as over crowding. When you have unimproved land throughout the city why over crowd tight spaces?
10. In terms of rate of growth in the state of Indiana, Harrison County ranks 4th, Clark County ranks 18th, and Floyd County ranks 44th. A local developer recently expressed to me that the "ridiculous politics" of New Albany played a major role in our low sore. Do you agree with this assessment? Please explain why or why not.
New Albany’s good ol’ boy perception has had an impact over the years. Hopefully our hindsight is becoming increasingly clearer as we pay the debt from our elected elders.
11. What is a UEZ? Why does it exist? And why do you oppose its continuance?
As I stated at the October 2005 council meeting; I am not necessarily opposed to the continuance of the UEZ. I do however have concerns over the funding source. Prior funding was received by an inventory tax that was paid by all business residing in Floyd County. That tax has since been eliminated.
12. What ideas do you have, if any, to restructure and enhance educational opportunities in New Albany?
As we know from following the news regarding the implementation of the federal “No Child Left Behind” Act we as a municipality are somewhat limited in our ability to legislate public education. However, that does not leave us without options. Other cities are finding ways to increase their school systems services and success. I strongly believe we as a city government owe it to our children to research and investigate plans from other cities to see if they are feasible for New Albany.
13. What is your plan for giving more meaningful authority to the historic preservation commission and ordinance enforcement position? Do you support the expansion of the city attorney position to full-time and/or the creation of a city court to better deal with the violations cited by those entities? If not, how do you envision the city being able to deal with them adequately?
The City Council established a position of ordinance enforcement officer to enforce the existing ordinances. While doing so, we outlined the consequences of violations to these ordinances. When properly enforced, I feel the message will get out that the city will not tolerate housing in substandard conditions. The City Council has discussed the possibility of a full time attorney. While I am not opposed to the idea, obtaining an accurate account of monies is a more immediate need at the present time.
14. As an extension of the preceding, do you agree that New Albany should institute rental property inspections with real teeth? Why or why not?
As a reminder, I spearheaded the cleanliness ordinance. I think homeowners’ period should take responsibility for their property. At the present time, I feel we need to focus on enforcing the established ordinances before entertaining new ones.
15. Is there a difference between being a “taxpayer watchdog” and expressing public contempt for the ideals of civic progress? Please explain.
The difference is the “taxpayer watchdog” is open-minded and looking out for the better good of the community and supports “community-based “ progress and takes a stand on force fed growth. A “taxpayer watchdog” knows taking out a 2nd mortgage to go to Disney World isn’t the smartest business move you can make. While the latter would say no without just reason, the “taxpayer watchdog” says lets look at ways to make the progress happen without tax increases. We can progress ourselves into bankruptcy. After all, Grandma’s don’t spend it if you don’t have it philosophy left wealth not debt with her memory. Let history be our teacher.
16. Neil Young or Bob Dylan?
What do you think?
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