City Council Candidate

The Worcester Phoenix
October 22 - 29, 1999

[Features]

William S. Coleman III

Questions	Answers
1. Last year, the city council rejected a comprehensive needle-exchange program that was to be based in clinics and tied to rehabilitation. Should this proposal be put forth again, would you support or oppose?	Support - I support a needle exchange/treatment on demand/comprehensive community education program based in clinics.
2. A minor league baseball league has been proposed for Worcester and a special task force is currently considering different sites within the city to construct a stadium. Would you support or oppose public financing for infrastructure improvements?	Support - I support programs that bring us together as a community. I know that Worcester would be able to request funding from the state and federal government to help us.
3. In the past year, the internal-affairs process within the Worcester Police Department has been scrutinized both by the press and by certain members of the council. A number of city groups called for an independent civilian review board to be formed. Do you support or oppose such a board?	Support - I asked the city council to put this question before the voters in the November election. The council refused to give the voters of this community a say on this matter. I would support the establishment of an independent and bonded civilian review board for all city agencies. One would think we had one in our city council.
4. The Worcester Youth Center provides services and programs for Worcester's most troubled youth. Currently, the city has only provided a small one-time grant to the center. Do you support or oppose increased city funding for the Youth Center?	Support - I do not subscribe to the theory that the Worcester Youth Center provides services to Worcester's most troubled youth. I believe that the Worcester YOUTH Center provides services to Worcester's most promising youth and I would support more funding.
5. This year, Mayor Raymond Mariano and Arts Worcester proposed the development of an Arts District on Main Street from Federal Square to Hammond Street. The project will likely require public money for infrastructure improvements and development costs. Do you support or oppose city funding for this project?	Support - In 1992 I asked the council to recommend to the city administration that a study be made to determine if parts of our city could establish an Arts District. I repeated my request in '93, '94, '95, '96, '97, '98. This is not the first time one of my ideas was stolen by a member of this council.
6. Do you support or oppose increased funding for park maintenance and for expanding the city's tree-maintenance program?	Support
7. Please rank (1 being the lowest, 5 being a high ranking) the city administration's efforts thus far to revitalize downtown. Please explain.	2 - No courthouse and no hotels -- (500 beds). No tax break for small businesses in downtown zone.
*8. What is the one* thing that the city administration could do to improve downtown development?**	Study the history of downtown Worcester. Downtown Worcester was always the place to be and still could be but the city must make downtown more user friendly for the guests and residents of this city.
9. Do you support lower tax rates for business or for homeowners?	Yes we must continue to expand our tax base by providing incentives for people to come here.
10. Has the city administration done its best to curb spending?	It should not have to. We are playing catch up with the rest of the cities who took advantage of the grants offered by the Reagan and Bush administrations under the Enterprise Accounts for Urban Cities.
11. Which of the proposed routes for an airport access road do you support?	Every one and none of the above. Most of us know that this is a done deal, be it in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or six years, a road will be built. The city administration knows that with this road (the Carrot) comes additional infrastructure money to the tune of $200 million. I asked the council to place this question before the voters in November, the council told the voters to take a hike.
12. What more can be done to encourage young entrepreneurs to succeed in Worcester?	What about lowering the business tax (HELLO is anybody home).
13. What is your idea of a fun night out in Worcester?	I am tempted to say go to Boston or Providence or New York, but when I think about First Night or July 4th at East Park or the Symphony at Institute Park or a walk around Elm Park, I think of the richness of this city.
14. Name one of the city's cultural resources that has languished because of poor marketing or leadership.	There is a statue in Elm Park that sits behind and inside a box, I want to know why. We have a new convention center and no new hotel...why? A new train station and no new trains...why? A new airport and no new planes with discount fares...why?
15. Why should we vote for you?	I am running for city council to be an independent and outspoken voice of the wonderful people of the city of Worcester. A councilor for all and an elected official that will make the city administration keep its promise to build a senior center that will be a total SENIOR CENTER.