Racine County Eye candidate questionnaire
*required
Email address*:
Answer:Â macplattforalderman@gmail.com
First name*:
Answer:Â Mac
Last name*:
Answer:Â Platt
Age:
Answer:
Address:
Answer:
How long have you lived in the community:
Answer:
What position are you running for?*:
Answer: Racine District 8 Alderman
Have you ever held an elected office position before?* Yes or No
Answer: No
If so, what position(s) were you elected to?*:
Answer: N/A
In thinking about your election bid, what top three issued need to be addressed?*:
Answer: 1) The local economy, 2) Governmental Transparency and Accessibility, and 3) Education
How would you plan to address those issues?*:
Answer:
1) To improve the local economy, I would recommend a total repeal of ordinances that stand to stifle business development and onerous regulations that serve to increase barriers to entry but really serve no purpose regarding improving the conditions under which business transactions occur.
2) I would recommend the repeal of all ordinances that work to place barriers between the citizenry and access to their local governmental officials. Also, I would recommend ordinances that would serve to keep the government honest, open and transparent.
3) To improve the educational outlook, I would collaborate with local and national businesses and entities that require an educated and a specially trained workforce and develop the best ways the city can help the citizens become the educated and highly trained workforce said businesses and entities need.
In reference to those issues you have identified, what would success look like to you in making an impact?*:
Answer:
Success would be: 1) An increase in business development across all sectors and densities, and as a consequence a larger overall increase in revenue to the city via business taxes, even with a decrease in the tax contribution of each individual business.
2) An overall increase in citizen satisfaction with local government actions and far fewer complaints of dishonest government that does not respond to the wants and needs of the citizens it was established to represent.
3) A variety of things from higher graduation rates from secondary and post-secondary education as well as higher GPA and test scores as well as a vast improvement in local positions filled by local residents vis a vis residential transplants.
Why are those issues important to you?*:
Answer: They are important to me because when people are economically stable and secure, they are far more likely to take pride in their community with a desire to set down roots and grow stable families. This has far reaching effects from low crime rates, to high academic achievement as well as fostering a sense of community in which more people know and trust one another. Also, governmental transparency and accessibility fosters a sense of inclusion among the citizenry and the feeling that their voices are heard, concerns addressed and their interests represented. Finally, education also has far reaching positive effects such as creativity and innovation that contribute to a much higher standard of living making the city a far more attractive place to live, work and play.
At the end of your term, what would you like to have accomplished?*:
Answer: An improvement in the local economy, a much higher citizen approval rate of the government in general and specifically with accessibility, accountability and transparency.
Why should people vote for you?*:
Answer: They should vote for me because I am an advocate for maximizing economic and personal liberty, maximizing citizen control over the actions of local government which includes keeping it honest, open and transparent, and the fact that I will remain an independent voice of the people of the Eighth District. If elected, I will make it my business to remain accessible to the people by making myself available in person, via email, cell phone and social media.
What is your educational background?*:
Answer: High School Graduate with two years coursework in Pre-Law
What civic organizations do you belong to?
Answer:
Member of the Board of Directors of Community Training Center
Member of the Board of Directors of Honest Open Transparent Government
Member of NAACP, Racine Chapter