Local candidates: John Canale, 3rd Ward, city council

We've asked each of the candidates in the city and county legislature races to answer a couple of questions regarding why they're running and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Election Day is Tuesday.

First to respond, John Canale, candidate for the 3rd Ward, city council.

The primary reason I am running for city council is in response to the advice of my late father "Lou," who himself was a former city councilman and county legislator. He often reminded me that if I am to live, work, raise a family, and run a business in one community, there will come a time that I must give something back to that community that so generously supported me.  After living my entire 51 years in this great city, now is the time, and I can think of no better way to serve my community than as a city councilman.

I would like to offer the residents of the 3rd Ward an equal voice on city council, allowing their views and concerns to be heard, considered, and represented without bias regarding all city matters. The primary reason voters should support me is because I have the business "know how" it takes to run the city. As a local small business owner of Canale's Drum Studio, and having been involved in the local business community for the past 28 years in this great city, I feel the business background and knowledge that I bring to council is extremely advantageous to running a municipality.

One of the key issues I would like to focus on during my term is concentrating on the existing process of increasing revenues as we continue to look for ways to consolidate duplicate services in order to cut costs. These two facets are crucial to maintaining current services without impacting dramatic tax increases that the taxpayers can no longer shoulder.

I look forward to working with Julie Pacatte, our new economic development coordinator, to find ways to encourage more small business development and expansion in the city. Small business development will be crucial to building new revenue sources through expanding the tax base and increasing traffic and activity within the city.