Mark Aliff, at-large Pueblo City Council candidate in his own words

Puebloans will vote on some of the city’s leaders in the upcoming election Nov. 7, including selecting the city’s mayor for the second time in recent memory.

The Pueblo Chieftain has surveyed all 18 candidates for mayor and council about the key topics and critical issues facing the city, featuring some questions submitted directly by readers.

Check your voter registration here to make sure you’re registered to vote. The mayoral election is city-wide, while council members are elected by district. Check which city council district you live in here.

Fifteen of the 18 candidates for mayor and council responded to the Chieftain's questionnaire. Their answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Mark Aliff is one of three candidates running for city council at-large.

Introduce yourself and tell us why you're qualified to be on city council.

I am a born and raised Pueblo native whose great grandparents immigrated to Pueblo many years ago so my great grandfather could work for the steel mill. I have worked as a manager in the automotive industry for the last 34 years supervising up to 125 employees. I am an Army veteran where I served as a medic. I earned my B.S. and Master of Divinity degree from Liberty University. I am an experienced legislator having previously served on city council where I was appointed work session chair and elected vice president by my peers. I have served on numerous city boards and commissions.

Describe how you would approach your job as city councilor.

The days of communication, collaboration, and compromise in municipal government have been replaced with zero communication and the mentality that “if you do not agree with me, you’re dead to me.” Cowboy politics and the win-at-all-cost attitude that plagues the political environment has done nothing but ensure that nothing gets done. It has never been truer that if you want change, be the change. So, to that end I am making this pledge. I will be the leader that will legislate by example. I will communicate with all my colleagues and the community on all issues facing our city. I will be willing to always compromise for the greater good of our community.

What are three ideas for ordinances or initiatives you would like to introduce?

First, I will lead the initiative to mandate that the city council create a five-year strategic plan that addresses their core responsibilities of public safety, infrastructure, community quality of life and fiscal responsibility.

Secondly, I will lead the initiative to build an aquatic and recreation center in the heart of downtown. Investment in our youth has long been overdue. Creating this center will be unifying and an economic driver for our community.

Finally, I will lead the initiative to explore municipal residential trash service. We must consider that mandatory residential trash service with bi-monthly large item pickup and robust recycling opportunities will be the only way to keep our city clean.

Compensation for city councilors has stayed the same since 1997. Do you think it should go up?

I do not believe city councilors should be paid more. I am motivated to serve our community by a passion to serve, not to earn a living.

What role should the city have in addressing homelessness?

The city government has a moral and ethical responsibility to concern itself with the health and well-being of all its citizens. Municipal government must ensure that the entities that are in place to care for the unhoused are working to alleviate the pain and suffering associated with this national crisis. However, it is also the responsibility of municipal government to enforce its municipal codes and ordinances that prohibit the transient population from turning our business districts into urban campgrounds and toilets. Municipal government ensures that there is help for those that want it and that those that are just passing through adhere to our laws.

What are your ideas to make Pueblo a safe city for all?

I will be mandated by oath and the city charter to ensure that the community is safe and that our laws are enforced. My responsibility will be to support and ensure that the police department has all the resources needed to effectively protect our community. In return, I would expect the department to provide the city council with a clearly defined five-year strategic plan that we could refer to often to inform us of progress or problems. We should have the reasonable assurance that our laws are always being enforced. It is important to note that the city council only has a say in funding the police department, but day-to-day operations and ultimate control of the department falls under the mayor’s sole discretion.

How would you approach improving transportation infrastructure within the city?

The absolute priority is to get our streets paved and repaired. The community voted for “Revenue for Roads” and here we are, another year with minimal progress and no transparency on how much money the ballot initiative is producing. I will demand that council receives constant updates and accounting information as it pertains to the initiative to ensure the community is getting what they voted for. Nothing less than 100% of the revenue should be going towards our dilapidated roadways.

Do you support ballot measure 2A, which would raise the city's lodging tax to help pay for childcare?

I do not support raising taxes under any circumstances. I do support eliminating the barriers and government red tape that hinder qualified and caring entrepreneurs from opening day care centers. In a free-market society, prices are dictated by supply and demand. Too many parents in need of day care services with too few providers obviously drives up the cost of the services. It is way past time for legislators to eliminate the costs and barriers that prohibit affordable day care and not place the burden on taxpayers for their ineffectiveness.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city in any way, what would you do with it and why?

The city has been stuck in deficit spending for many years. It would be my fiduciary duty to apply the $1 million grant to the revenue side of the budget to help reduce the deficit.

Describe your vision for Pueblo in 2050. What do you think the city should look like?

I envision a safe, clean, and vibrant Pueblo in the future. A community thriving with plentiful residential and commercial development that has increased business activity and living wage employment opportunities are the norm. Pueblo’s city center has blossomed into a city of its own with plentiful housing, entertainment, and recreation opportunities for all citizens to take advantage of. There is a healthy balance between industrial, technology, and service industry markets which has revolutionized our employment opportunities. The poverty rate has plummeted, and Pueblo has become the shining star of economic growth in Colorado. Finally, neighbors helping neighbors has replaced partisan politics and the future has never been brighter. I have never been more ready to make this vision a reality.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Mark Aliff, at-large Pueblo City Council candidate in his own words