League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
	Hamilton County, OH November 5, 2013 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Member of Council; Village of Newtown

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Basic Services, Budget, Citizen Engagement Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. What services do you believe should be considered basic and essential for the Village? Answer from Cheryl McConnell: I believe basic and essential services include clean and safe streets and parks, a professional police and fire department, and council members who promote fiscal responsibility. Answer from Joe Harten: Residents have consistently requested the the Village provide a strong and well-equipped police force, and I will continue to support this. In addition, the quality of life in our village depends on a good mixture of businesses, residential areas, and parkland. 2. How would you balance the Village Budget? Answer from Cheryl McConnell: Like any personal or business budget, I would ensure that expenses do not exceed revenue. Answer from Joe Harten: The Village has maintained a balanced budget during my first term on Council, and I intend to maintain our status by living within our means and aggressively exploring opportunities for cost savings. 3. Citizen engagement is important to the health of local government. In what ways do you support citizen engagement? Answer from Cheryl McConnell: I support citizen engagement in local government through participation in village council meetings. Information is also available on the village website to keep citizens up to date. Answer from Joe Harten: I encourage village resident to get involved in local government, either by serving on our various committees or by participating in community forums (such as the recent meeting on the Eastern Corridor project and the upcoming meeting on the proposal for future uses of Short Park). Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Word limits may apply. See individual questions for specific word limits. Direct references to opponents are not permitted. Please edit your work before submitting. We are unable to provide spell-check at this time. The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.