10 Current and Past Reasons to Vote for Troy Patton for Westfield City Council at Large:
Financial Clarity - Westfield City Council needs a CPA to request and analyze the financial constraints of the City. The current process is broken. It really does not matter if a project like Grand Junction were to cost $1 million or $100 million, we as taxpayers would like to see a return on our investment and the council needs detailed financial information prior to making a decision to approve or not.
2022 - We created the first Finance Committee for the City of Westfield helping the City budget on a quarterly basis which has never been done prior. We additionally made the City balance its budget without borrowing for the first time in approximately seven years!
Those of us who have lived here for the past years, want more infrastructure, but want it bid out, not given to companies just because they donated to our campaigns. When a company can build a tunnel or bridge for $2M, why would be excited to spend $7M for the same product? Those of us who have actually paid taxes to the City should have a voice and want each project bid out, not just handed out. Be wary of the citizen who moves to Westfield just before election time and wants to tell Westfield residents how to spend their money.
1.
No outside business interests should dictate the vision of Westfield. End of the pay to play developments where they pay a City Councilor $1000 or other amount if they get their development passed. They currently will contribute to some candidates once it is approved. Ft. Wayne made this illegal and Westfield should follow suit.
2022 - Passed a law to mandate councilors disclose who they have taken money from prior to voting. Taxpayers deserve full disclosure of votes by councilors who put donors before taxpayers.
3.
Controlled Growth – we need to update the developments that are already approved. We likely have over 10,000 homes in development. There is no sunset provision on these developments and we need to enact one so we can control the growth of residential head count so we do not burden the school's resources unexpectedly.
2022 - We have created sunset provisions on developments so developers can not create an unwanted and outdated community. Look at which candidates are taking money from developers who have outdated developments.
5.
Update the Comprehensive Plan which has not been done in over 10 years. If you don’t know where you are going, you will surely get lost. The Council represents the taxpayers, not special interests. It is the taxpayer’s right to know and understand what is occurring.
2022 - We have been pushing the City to update the plans around Grand Junction and elsewhere in the city. The City continues to try and defy the Comprehensive plan when it benefits their donors. For instance, they again want to create another TIF to tear down nearly 200 acres of trees against the wishes of the taxpayers. We need this updated as we will be approaching nearly 70,000 residents in the next 5-10 years and we have to have a game plan and not just a put up anything anywhere to get tax dollars that also go into the TIFs and not for public safety and schools.
7.
Put in replacement funds for large projects like Grand Junction. There are a large amount of depreciating assets. They will look tired and in need of replacement in the next 20 years or so. If we do not create a replacement fund, the taxpayers will be on the hook again for another bond issue to replace the projects initial assets. This should be done up front and if the money is not there to do so, then it is not a good project at that time. This should be done before embarking on any future projects to make Westfield a “destination place.”
2022 - We continue to push for savings for our City to make sure we have money for these projects. We have done this by cutting places in the budget where the City believes if there is left over funds, we should squander it. I think we should continue to save the money.
9.
I will help the City work with the schools and not in competition with them for money. This will make the current referendum obsolete when it expires and a new one will not be needed. We can lower the taxes for all homeowners of Westfield.
2022 - Voted NO to take tax dollars away from the schools as the City continues to attempt to take tax dollars, thus creating additional monies needed for the schools in the last referendum. I am against the blatant use of tax dollars for "pet projects." The schools should come first.
2.
Work to end TIF districts. The Independent Study by Ball State University says they are not working and just costing cities and schools and taxpayers in the short run and long run.
2022 - The City is abusing the use of the TIFS and now have created one taking residential homes taxes and putting them in a TIF to use as they wish. The State Board of Accounts also is saying the City is not utilizing the TIFs correctly and should not have unabated access to dollars that should go to Schools, Police, and Fire. I will continue to push to end TIFs that are not needed and fight against taking tax dollars from schools and first responders.
4.
Support for Mental and Physical Health. Many on the Council talk about mental and physical health. Their actions do not support them, but we spent over $500,000 for art and elective signs. We are taking over $4 million from the schools each year that could help with security, mental and physical health.
2022 - donated the pay I received on council for nearly one year in 2021 to Support Mental and Physical Health in Westfield. I want to put those who need help and are disadvantaged first. It is one thing to propose to help them so it looks good come voting time and another to actually create something that is good. The majority of the council pushed to create a Mayoral council for disabilities cutting the red tape needed for them to progress their agenda.
6.
Better checks and Balances. We have been written up by the State of Indiana because we do not have the correct checks and balances and processes and procedures. One of our councilman at large had his name on a $30 million dollar account for the city which is of grave concern. In addition, the Mayor is to present at least annually the financial health to the City Council and has not done so for 4 years. It is important the Council can perform due diligence on financial matters and projects are based on simple math, not optimism.
2022 - The RDC which is appointed by the Mayor refuses to show a budget for nearly $30,000,000 that has been received or will be received by the TIFs. This is against the Indiana Code. We have been holding them accountable and have made them pay back the nearly $6M they took to help the City pay for infrastructure. We can continue to help build out the city when the coffers are not raided for lawsuits and unnecessary spending.
8.
I have been a tireless advocate for kids in our community donating 1000’s of hours of time and my own money to make sure our children in the community come first. One of my projects I started still today raises over $25,000 per year for Westfield youth sports.
2022 - We pushed to allow residents for the first time to get into Grand Park for Free with much push back from the Mayor. We also pushed and were successful with allowing Westfield residents to use Grand Park without cost for the first time.
Now the Mayor wants to look to sell Grand Park, without any thought as to who would be hurt by the process. The Park is owned by the taxpayers. It has brought in exactly the type of tourist locations one would expect if they thought through the process, fast food and auto care locations. We can not change this, but we can make it more local friendly and ensure the taxpayers do not sell a Park we paid $130M + for $85M. I will continue to push for our local youth and put taxpayers first, not outside interests and family members who we want to put in business and then help them with taxpayer dollars.
10.