JAMES E EVANS
FOR
CARLISLE BOROUGH COUNCIL
What's Important -
Issues and Stances
This list is not all inclusive but includes many key issues and where I stand on those issues.
Community and Citizen Engagement
I believe that you cannot represent the citizens of the Borough without direct engagement. An effective representative is out in the community listening to what’s important to the citizens, providing feedback (both positive and negative), and representing what the people of Carlisle want, not what some political ideology or agenda dictates. It is your government, get engaged, and provide input and feedback!
Borough Responsibilities
I believe in a limited borough government that provides the necessary infrastructure and related services (including health and safety), and general oversight for a safe and inviting environment for all of its citizens to thrive, and achieve a great quality of life.
Crime and Poverty
I believe the Borough's crime and poverty problem needs a higher-priority, and a different solution other than just providing hand-outs or a taking a blind-eye approach to the problem. These two issues in many facets go hand-in-hand. We need a deep dive to better understand what specific factors drive poverty and crime in the Borough, and have a frank discussion (sometimes uncomfortable) on what are the best ways to eradicate both. Empathy, education (traditional and non-traditional), accountability, and better economic opportunities will go a long way towards solving these problems.
Infrastructure
The Borough should be intensely looking at it's aging infrastructure, and developing short, mid, and long-term plans to address capital project (infrastructure) needs, and to increase/modernize its housing inventories based on its current and projected growth. A deteriorating and aging infrastructure is a hamstring to ensuring Carlisle attracts business and investment, and maintaining its vitality.
Root Out Corruption and Nepotism
I believe that the Borough should be actively and consistently monitoring all borough activities for corruption and nepotism. This not only includes internal business activities but any contracted or external business and services provide to the Borough. This goes hand-in-hand with transparency and accountability. No one should be enriching themselves off of the taxpayer!
Economic Vitality
The Borough should be engaged in attracting a diverse business base (all sectors and sizes). We need a diverse skilled (trades and degreed) population, both young and old, to maintain economic vitality, and continue positive growth. We have great educational institutions here, and in the region, but we must make the community more attractive to those who come here to study so we keep those talents here. These goals go hand-in-hand with a solid infrastructure and modern housing inventory.
Taxes, Services and Fees
I believe that taxes should be minimal, and that the Borough should always be looking at cutting taxes, not the status quo of maintaining current levels or increasing them. There should be a process/program implemented to root out waste and inefficiency. All services should be reviewed to make it extremely easy, and transparent for citizens to accomplish business with the borough; eliminate the red-tape and cumbersome processes. Additionally, tax increases should not be hidden behind the term 'fees'. While it may technically be legal to classify certain items as fees, it’s a tax increase for citizens. All taxes and 'fees' should have sunset provisions built in that force the Borough Council to ensure relevancy, and vote to re-authorize.
Transparency and Accountability
Everything the Borough does should be transparent to its citizens. While social media is a useful tool, the borough website and other media should provide more timely information on all borough activities to its citizens. No more hidden agreements, rushed votes or vague responses from the Borough about important issues. Mistakes and unfortunate things happen sometimes, and should never be spun or hidden from the citizens. The Borough must be upfront and honest regardless of the situation! Everyone at the borough works for you the taxpayer!
Ordinances
The Borough should conduct a thorough review of all ordinances actively on the books, and repeal if no longer applicable or feasible to reduce burdensome and/or outdate rules. Items can obviously be archived for retrieval if needed at a later date. Additionally, sunset provisions should be included in any and every ordinance passed by the Borough. This forces the Borough Council to ensure relevancy, make updates/changes, and vote to re-authorize, or the ordinance goes away.
Community Input and Involvement
Get Involved - It's Your Community
Carlisle citizens must get active, and provide input to make the community a better place. Everyone will have a different view on how the community should be managed, its priorities, and how to fix current and future problems but do not let that dissuade you from getting involved. Be open-minded, and listen to a different perspective, you do not have to agree on everything. You just might learn something new from being exposed to different perspectives from around the Borough. DO NOT let differences get in the way of making Carlisle an enticing and thriving borough; everyone of us has more in common than we realize.
Political advertisement paid for and approved by the candidate