Allison Patton: Candidate, Pensacola City Council District 6
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is an interview conducted via questionnaire by the Pensacola News Journal with Escambia and Santa Rosa County election candidates for their respective races. All of the answers were submitted to the Pensacola News Journal by the candidate and are available to our readers to show the candidates' position and priorities on the issues. Candidates were limited to 750 words.
Candidate: Allison Patton
Office you're seeking: District 6 Pensacola City Council
Occupation: Retired Attorney, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Education: B.A. Finance, J.D. – Georgia State University
Why are you running for this office? I am running for District 6 City Council to serve our community. Our residents deserve a city government that is focused on progress for all residents and will lead proactively on the issues important to our community. I am doing this for our children and for our community.
What makes you stand out from your opponent(s)? As a Morgan Stanley Managing Director, I have the leadership, business and financial expertise that make me uniquely qualified to proactively develop and execute city initiatives, oversee large budgets, identify financing options, and lead with creative ideas. As a lawyer, I am adept at research, identifying and analyzing issues, advocating and collaborating to reach positive outcomes. I am proactive and just want to get things done!
More about the race: Pensacola City Council District 6: Hill faces two challengers in Patton and Padden
Previous elective office/ elective office experience: N/A
What are your three most important priorities if you are elected or re-elected? Safety, Economic Growth, Vibrancy
How would you implement Priority 1? Safety must be our governments’ highest priority. Residents cannot enjoy what our community has to offer if they are not safe. A strong safety infrastructure includes proper support for our police and fire fighters, expanding law enforcement engagement in downtown and neighborhoods, strengthening pedestrian and biking safety features, repairing our sidewalks and streetlights and addressing flooding and other stormwater contamination issues through active procurement of grants to fund existing projects.
How would you implement Priority 2? I will start by identifying priorities and developing a strategic plan for our community to direct our growth overall. Then we need the right programs to develop a trained workforce, proactively recruit businesses to our community and engage with existing businesses to understand and support their growth needs. Improving safety, education and continuing to develop our historical roots are some of the metrics that matter to businesses considering relocation.
How would you implement Priority 3? A vibrant community is a place where talented people want to live. To make Pensacola vibrant, we need a plan to reduce homelessness, a plan to increase workforce housing and a plan to expand the amenities residents’ desire. I serve on the Homeless Reduction Task Force and I know what cities are doing that are successfully addressing homelessness. I will help implement the same approach here. Continuing to activate our waterfront for the benefit of all residents, developing a walkable/bikeable city, beautifying our downtown and neighborhoods and creating affordable housing options.
How will you approach the growing infrastructure needs with the growth and development our community is experiencing?
I will seek infrastructure grants for stormwater and clean water projects, work with developers to implement needed infrastructure on a project by project basis, allocate tax revenues from developments to increase infrastructure and look for creative financing opportunities (such as TIF).
In what ways will you work to promote civility among your colleagues and with the public, especially when dealing with divisive or controversial issues? Civility and collaboration are critical to the success of local government. If we can listen to each other with an open mind, understand the other person’s point of view and care about other people, we can solve problems for our community. I will lead by example, with years of experience resolving cases working on divisive issues and bringing parties together for compromise so that we can get things done for the citizens of Pensacola.
What policy proposals do you have to increase the supply of affordable housing in our community?
Strategic partnerships, private sector incentives to create units, using city property to produce affordable housing, encouraging infill development, encouraging/incentivizing adaptive reuse projects, reviewing zoning and land use policies and look for innovative financing options for projects.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Allison Patton: Candidate, Pensacola City Council District 6
