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By: Glenn A. Choolokian

Candidate for Mayor of Niagara Falls

Like every community across the country, Niagara Falls is suffering some of the effects of a down economy. Niagara Falls is certainly at a crossroads. Our residents are looking for work, looking for safe streets, and looking for leadership. It is said that you can learn the most about a leader in times of difficulty.

 I am running for mayor in an attempt to bring to City Hall what I so desperately have looked for in our leadership: the willingness to make tough decisions; a desire to manage the taxpayers’ money as if it were their own; and the principles, trustworthiness and integrity to be a true representative who listens to constituents and makes decisions in terms of what is best for our city, and not themselves or special interests. 

Quite frankly, there is no trust or goodwill right now.

As your next Mayor, I will have a pro-business agenda that focuses on economic development, quality growth and public safety. I will bring the same fiscal discipline I have practiced in private business to city government. A city is just like a business, but our customers are the people, you and me.  We pay our taxes and it’s our right to demand that the governing body act in the best interest of the people. It just sometimes appears that they just flip a coin when they pass ordinances or make decisions. 

As your next Mayor, I will have an opportunity to raise my voice on behalf of the people I represent in an effort to bring us together to solve our collective problems, ensure that the community’s issues and concerns are heard loud and clear by those who can make changes in policy, and restore faith in our local political system. I will also work to make sure that those of us who have long been neglected by the system will instead truly have an opportunity to shape the system.

It’s important for our city leaders to make and keep the promise to live within our means, hold taxes steady and continue to promote new jobs and development. I believe that we must work to preserve Niagara Falls past while focusing on the future. 

By continuing to grow and expanding our tax base we will be able to keep our taxes steady and give the tools and resources needed that our law enforcement agents, firefighters and city workers need to perform their best. 

During the course of my campaign, I’ve seen and heard many observations about what is wrong with city government. Yet the political will has been lacking to significantly change the landscape of Niagara Falls. Too many in town have an interest in leaving it be.

In order to address wasteful spending and clear out the cobwebs, our city needs bold, new leadership unattached to the special interests that have placed our city where it is today. I can bring that.

The drive my parents instilled in me, has given me the professional experience and acuity to handle legislative matters as your next mayor.

My vision for Niagara Falls? Plentiful job opportunities and a growing small and large business base. improving the infrastructure needed to support growth. City leaders who smartly manage taxpayer dollars and do not simply increase taxes or create new fees when they cannot make tough decisions. 

  A city bustling with activity. Safe neighborhoods where families and visitors can enjoy our beautiful natural environment. A city that can educate, develop, attract and retain the next generation of workforce.

As your next mayor, I will work with residents and business owners to develop a clear vision of where our city is headed and make sure my actions are consistent with that vision. We need leaders who will focus on the long-range health of our city and not on short-term schemes designed to gain political clout. Most of our resident’s concerns are centered around protecting and improving the city’s public services. Simply put, the people of Niagara Falls want a better quality of life. 

Too many of our most talented and motivated young people leave the city because they feel their options here are limited. I am running for mayor because I want to help the city of Niagara Falls flourish into a place where young people want to stay here and grow their families in the future.

Over the next couple of months I will be releasing a highly detailed plan focusing on how I will fix many problems that has plagued our city for so many years.

Hopefully this campaign will give me the opportunity to usher in new ideas that focuses on identifying ways to inspire, empower and motivate our city residents. 

Niagara Falls has tremendous potential, but to fully realize the promise that Niagara Falls holds will require massive amounts of hard work and determination. There has been much talk recently about change, but how effective are these philosophies if “action” is not included. I believe with my combination of business and city government experience and my fresh energetic perspective all these things will help me to become very successful in the steps needed in the recovery of our city. Remember Choolokian is your only Chance for Change.