ENVIRONMENT
Tom is an environmentalist and long-time member of the Sierra Club. He believes that we need to have a goal for 100% clean energy by 2035. Tom also believes that Bowling Green needs to find a way to recycle again. As mayor, he will choose a group of citizens to form a Recycling Action Committee for creating long-term solutions to this problem. Tom also wants to plant trees and build more sidewalks to ensure that Bowling Green is a walkable and green city. As a small business owner, Tom employs environmentally-friendly practices in his business such as using solar panels and energy-efficient tools and technology. Tom supports a 100% renewable energy ordinance in order to have Bowling Green be an affirmative part of the solution to Climate Change.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Tom is proud of the diversity in our city and believes that our laws, workforce, and government should reflect that. Tom will fight for racial justice by pushing for equity in law enforcement. He also pledges to make appointments that reflect the diversity of our community and find ways to hire more people of color in Bowling Green. Tom will vote to pass a Fairness ordinance to ensure that the LGBTQ+ community of Bowling Green feels welcome and valued. Tom also has been a supporter of the movement for racial equity that arose after the murder of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. Indeed it is important to assure that in Bowling Green, Black Lives Matter.
Tom also understands that diversity is about more than sexual orientation and skin pigment. For example. Bowling Green has a wonderful array of religious beliefs, as well as those who reject all religions. While Tom is a practicing Christian, he strongly believes that those who hold public office should represent all citizens, not just those who choose a certain religion. He also believes that diversity is not achieved by simply choosing a person of a certain ethnicity for an appointment. Diversity of thought is important as well, and Tom will select people with diverse viewpoints to appointed boards, because only then will the best decisions will be made.
MOVING BOWLING GREEN FORWARD
Bowling Green has tremendous untapped potential, and Tom will provide the leadership to recognize this and help Bowling Green move forward to reach this potential. He will listen to citizens and step up to guide our city during these uncertain times. Tom will make sure that Bowling Green continues to grow as a flourishing city with safe and affordable housing for all, ways for small businesses to succeed, efficiency and transparency in its operations, and integrity in the mayor’s office.
SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING
There are many problems with current housing in our city–for example, too many houses are poorly insulated, making utility bills unaffordable for the people who live in them. Tom believes that we need innovative solutions to problems like these in order to provide affordable and safe housing to the people of Bowling Green. Tom is a supporter of URLTA, a state law that assures renters are treated fairly. URLTA has been adopted by both Lexington and Louisville, and it is high time Bowling Green adopted it, as well. As a landlord, Tom supports the common-sense provisions of this law.
SMALL BUSINESS
As a small business owner, Tom knows the ins and outs of running a business in Bowling Green, and he believes that we need to make it much easier for small businesses to operate in our city. Tom believes that the laws should be easier to understand and comply with, and the inconsistencies with the county laws should be examined. Often, businesses that operate in both the city and county have to contend with inconsistent regulations, making it more difficult for them to be successful. As mayor, Tom will work to fix these inconsistencies and improve accessibility by making changes such as putting city tax collection online.
EFFICIENCY
Tom believes that the city must become more efficient in its operations, freeing up resources to meet the challenges we face. We need to look for more areas where the city can cooperate with Warren County government and Warren County school systems. While we may not be ready to consolidate the city and the county, we can certainly achieve efficiencies through cooperation.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Tom believes that we need to re-envision our city planning and zoning in accordance with Strong Towns concepts, which will aim to make our community financially strong and resilient. He also plans to make our city more pedestrian-friendly, as too many streets currently do not have sidewalks, which discourages walking.
LEADERSHIP
Tom believes that Bowling Green deserves an engaged and present leader–not just a manager. We need someone who will be proactive to help us face the uncertain times that are expected as we battle and recover from the Coronavirus pandemic. Tom will listen to citizens and have weekly “fireside chats” to communicate and take feedback from the people of Bowling Green. He will also lead with compassion and common-sense. Tom was disappointed in the current mayor’s decision to secretly remove flags based on a conspiracy theory, and he will pledge not to take such unilateral action.
BROADBAND
Tom has a masters degree in computer engineering, and has been involved in the IT field for over 30 years. He understands how critical abundantly available, affordable Broadband is to meet the needs of our city in the years to come. As the pandemic has shown us. broadband is not always available to everyone who needs it. Tom believes it is important to look around the country and world and find places who are doing things right and to study and emulate their successes. As a life-long problem solver, Tom will push to find out-of-the-box solutions that will help move Bowling Green into being a leader in Broadband access and affordability.
RECOVERY FROM THE PANDEMIC
Tom has years of leadership experience from his career in the IT industry. The challenges of recovery may be daunting, but Tom has spent his career solving problems, and is ready to respond to whatever the fates may have in store. In the past, it may have been perfectly acceptable to have a leader who stood aside and let others point the way, but today we need a more pro-active leader who brings people together to face the situation. Tom believes in the power of the “bully pulpit” and will use the office of mayor to communicate frequently with citizens. Tom has the experience and temperament for the job. Tom also understands the need for technical expertise, and will consult with technical experts when necessary Tom has already shown leadership in this area: early on in the pandemic, Tom understood the gravity of the situation and the impact on the city, and created the “Safe Places to Patronize in Bowling Green KY‘ Facebook group, which has grown to over 3500 members.
LABOR
Tom is proud of the work labor unions have done throughout history to strengthen Kentucky and provide protections to workers, and he believes that there needs to be a balance between the needs of workers and management. Today, in our state, the balance of power is tilted toward management. Tom opposes so called “right to work” laws because they weaken the power of labor unions and mute the voices of workers. Tom also believes that one of the reasons for the 27% poverty rate in Bowling Green is lack of union representation, since union jobs on average pay higher wages and have better benefits.