William Sherer II: Why I should be the next mayor of Canton
Editor's note: The Canton Repository asked both candidates for Canton mayor to write essays in advance of the general election.
Canton is a great city. As your mayor, I will make Canton even greater!
I was born in Canton, educated in Canton and I raised my family in Canton. I have worked in Canton for my entire life and have helped build many of Canton’s greatest structures and buildings. I pledge to you my continued investment in, and support for, this great city and its residents.
As your mayor, I will focus my energy and attention on three areas which I believe are critical to Canton’s growth and future success:
Enhancing and improving our neighborhoods
Upgrading and strengthening our safety forces
Promoting economic development and the creation of good-paying jobs.
Our neighborhoods are a reflection of the quality of life in our city. I want our neighborhoods to be an example of excellence for the entire State of Ohio. We need to start investing in our neighborhoods one block at a time. Street paving, including alleys, infrastructure and neighborhood renovation are critical to our city.
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I intend to initiate an ambitious paving program that will repair all of our city’s streets in a reasonable period of time. We also need to energize our program of razing abandoned or habitually neglected housing and buildings and making these properties available to willing and innovative developers.
The city must strengthen and strictly enforce its various building codes to help fight and prevent neighborhood blight.
I will also work closely with our Police Department so it becomes more involved with our neighborhoods. I want the city and the Police Department to bring back neighborhood bike patrols and continue to coordinate neighborhood events with our safety forces. Every neighborhood in Canton is important and I promise that each neighborhood will receive the respect and help that it deserves.
Finally, I will initiate and continue grants that provides assistance to neighborhood businesses and homeowners for building repairs and home maintenance.
Safety is a major issue that I intend to address as mayor. I will do all in my power to ensure that our safety forces are at adequate staffing levels and that they have the resources to perform their duties. We need to expand our foot patrols in the downtown area, as well as in our neighborhoods.
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We must collaborate with the Stark County sheriff and the Ohio State Highway Patrol to reduce violent crime in the city. The City of Canton will not be able to move forward without safety.
Economic development and jobs growth will be a cornerstone of my administration. The renovation of the Onesto Towers and the Bliss Tower, the Music Block, Centennial Plaza, the newly renovated DoubleTree Hotel, the Amazon distribution center and the Hall of Fame Village are several examples of why we need to cultivate and nurture economic development in the city.
I will collaborate with community organizations and agencies, such as the Canton City Schools, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, SARTA, Pro Football Hall of Fame and many of the most aggressive developers in the city to continue the pattern of economic growth and development that we have begun.
Economic development is the lifeblood of our city because it will give us the ability to raise our standard of living, lift people out of poverty and improve the overall quality of life for everyone that lives in our city.
The goals and plans that I have shared are not simply aspirations, they are my mission in life. As your mayor, I will make these goals and plans a reality. I respectfully ask that you give me that opportunity by electing me your mayor.
William V. Sherer II is the Democratic candidate for Canton mayor.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: William Sherer II: Why I should be the next mayor of Canton
