Candidate Q&A: Doug Cunningham
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By Times staff | Thursday, September 27, 2007 |
Doug Cunningham (AP PHOTO)
Office sought: Davenport, 5th Ward
What are the most significant challenges facing neighborhoods and how would you address them?
To create sustainable and thriving neighborhoods, we need a two-fold approach. One is increasing police presence in our neighborhoods and the other is to increase the character and quality of our neighborhoods by reducing number of vacant and blighted homes. As alderman, I would view my job as a steward of the 5th Ward neighborhoods by enhancing homeownership, reducing crime, and building bridges between the citizens of whom we serve and city hall. Revitalizing neighborhoods through crime reduction and aesthetic neighborhood planning and investment will decrease the cost of continuing to maintain the status quo, while at the same time increasing the tax base will increase revenues. I believe it is possible to expand services, reduce costs and increase revenues. The benefits would be demonstrated in the 5th Ward as well as throughout the community as a whole.
What is most important, providing basic services or adding amenities for residents and visitors? What approach would you take?
The balance between basic services and amenities is a quality-of-life question. To enhance the quality of life for all of Davenport, we need to provide basic services which we all need and add amenities to build capacity so business will thrive, tourists will come, and our youth will want to raise a family and have a place were they can live work and play.
What are the city's most important infrastructure needs?
Every aldermanic candidate should have different answers to this question. I believe there should be a balance between the citywide needs for infrastructure and the specific needs in the wards. I will work with all aldermen to balance the infrastructure needs of the 5th Ward with that of the city. The infrastructure needs of the 5th Ward would include completion of sewer upgrades, street resurfacing and restoration of the historic brick streets.
How do your approach economic development?
As we clean up blighted neighborhoods, we decrease expenses in those neighborhoods and increase property values. Increased property values and increased amenities provide incentives to businesses to locate not only within the city and but even within our distressed neighborhoods.
Does the city have enough police officers? Are they deployed properly? What is the council's role in promoting public safety?
The City of Davenport does not have enough police officers or firefighters. The FBI reports that Davenport has a shortage of 20-plus police officers and the United States Department of Justice suggests that the deficiency is even greater. The National Fire Protection Agency’s Standard 1710 suggests that our fire department is understaffed by 20-plus firefighters.
Re-implementation of such organizations as the citywide crime committee provides the council with the information to determine whether public safety resources are being deployed properly.
By building bridges between neighborhood leaders, stakeholders, units of public safety and the council, we establish lines of communication that make the public safety of all of our citizens a priority.
How would you handle situations in which you disagree with another council member or members? Or does is matter?
The very nature of democracy is to have these public discussions or debates, I will welcome all input from other alderman, citizens and neighborhood leaders to find the best course of action to represent the needs of our 5th Ward. Government only works when every person participates.
Should the Isle of Capri take over the RiverCenter South? If not, what should the city encourage the Isle to do?
The answer is no, the citizens enjoy events such as the Festival of Trees, the car show, the boat and fishing show and many more. The Isle of Capri needs to look at existing vacant commercial structures within the downtown area such as the building at 3rd and Main that houses the Social Security Administration, the Forest Block or the Parker Building. Two of the three are currently available for less than the city is requesting in lease payments for one year.
What is your vision for Davenport?
The chasm between pro-business and pro-citizens has widened and created an impasse to action. To bridge the gap would allow productive progress benefitting both, with growth and prosperity — and ultimately a higher quality of life in the 5th Ward and throughout the city.
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