Susan Infeld - UH Mayor Candidate

Susan Infeld

SUSAN K. INFELD

3906 Tyndall Road  44118 Age: 55

E-mail: mayor@universityheights.com 

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

Education: B.A., Finance, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Occupation: Mayor

Qualifications: I currently serve as Mayor and previously served for 12 years as a Councilwoman

Community: Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, NOACA Governing Board, First Suburbs Consortium  Executive Committee, First Suburbs Consortium Development Council, University Heights Parade Chairman 

QUESTIONS and RESPONSES:

1. Economic climate: Yes, University Heights is in a solid position financially through careful stewardship of financial resources. The City has taken on no new debt in the past four years and is currently paying down outstanding debt. The City regularly undergoes reviews of operations to ensure that services are delivered efficiently at a reasonable cost. The use of grant dollars has freed up general revenue for other uses. I have generated large surpluses every year I have been Mayor. These surpluses allowed for capital improvements in City buildings, additional street paving projects, and the purchase of the school property for park development. 

2. Two major proposals: A consolidation of fire services will move forward if a better fire service can be provided to both communities at a reasonable cost. The conversion of the school property into a public park will provide a new amenity to the community. The continual analysis of the way services are delivered combined with efforts to provide new amenities to the community are important to the continued growth and health of University Heights.  

3. Partnering: University Heights partners with other cities, the School District, and the State of Ohio to jointly purchase products for volume cost savings (e.g. asphalt for road projects, gasoline for City vehicles, road salt, police cars). University Heights also partners with other cities for Court services, fire dispatch, specialized police services, and animal control. University Heights is currently considering whether to provide police dispatch services jointly with other cities and whether to consolidate its fire services with those of Shaker Heights. Pursuing partnerships has benefitted the residents of University Heights and will continue.  

4. School bond issue: Regarding the first bond issue, taxes will be raised for 38 years, University Heights will lose its middle school, and tax revenue will decrease. If it passes, I believe it will have a detrimental affect on the City. I am concerned that home values will fall as the property taxes increase, which will make our community undesirable to potential home buyers. Although the second bond issue is years away, it does not guarantee that University Heights will have an elementary school. It would be difficult for residents to support a decades-long tax increase for schools located outside the City.

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Volume 6, Issue 10, Posted 11:41 AM, 10.02.2013