I have lived in Wheat Ridge for almost seven years and truly enjoy being a part of the community. I want to see our City grow and thrive with the rest of the metro area. Wheat Ridge has many opportunities to grow over the next few years and I want to be a part of the government that ensures that growth.
In order to assure this growth and vitality, I will focus my efforts on:
• Economic Development
Wheat Ridge has historically experienced a 3.6 percent growth in revenues over the past several years, but projected expenditures are forecasted at more than 6 percent. The city and its citizens need to be proactive in growing our economic base and housing market to ensure that the city and its revenue growth opportunities keep pace with the needs of our community.
• Infrastructure Issues and Improvements
Wheat Ridge needs to make sure that its infrastructure is ready to keep up with the future growth of our economy. From roads and drainage improvements to parks and schools, I believe that City Council needs to focus on long-term visions for how we want our city to grow.
• Sustainable Neighborhoods
In January 2005, the Wheat Ridge City Council retained a consulting team to perform an independent analysis of the problems and opportunities that exist in the City of Wheat Ridge. From this effort, the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy and Wheat Ridge 2020 were born. A large portion of the neighborhood revitalization focuses on housing, specifically:
1. Develop new market rate housing throughout the City
2. Acquire, upgrade and sell out-of-date housing stocks throughout the City
3. Improve existing multi-family rental property throughout the City
Because approximately 47 percent of housing available in Wheat Ridge are rentals, I believe it is imperative that the City work with these landlords and others to create desirable neighborhoods that attract new families to our city.
• Citizen Communications and Involvement
A city is only as good as its citizen involvement. If elected to Wheat Ridge City Council, I intend to work diligently to stay in touch with the citizens of Wheat Ridge, specifically those that live in District I, to ensure that we all have a voice in the future of our great City.
To find out more about McGranahan for Council, visit the Web site
www.mcgranahanforcouncil.org.