Ricky Butler

Wages / Job Benefits The changing workforce has been a challenge for the public sector because they can’t adapt as quickly as the private sector. We need to be innovative and competitive with compensation to ensure that we “keep up” to maintain the levels of service that our residents have come to expect. This is especially critical for our law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel as these areas are extremely competitive. Taxes / Budget Running a city costs money and the budget is not immune from the same cost increases our household budgets face , but local government has a responsibility to provide a high level of service as efficiently as possible. Nothing should be off the table when it comes to the budget and thinking outside the box to cut costs while maintaining that forward progress. We do it every day in our own lives. Infrastructure / Transportation it’s important to ensure that we have a seat at the table to foster collaborative discussions on how to address this issue and support investment in transportation initiatives and road improvements like the Gateway Express Project. Economy I believe that one of the most important responsibilities for a member of city council is to promote the city to ensure it’s a viable option for business. The city has consistently been recognized for its business-friendly practices and I want to see those practices continue. I want to see us work with businesses to help them be successful and avoid getting wrapped up in red tape. Infrastructure / Transportation You can’t ensure that infrastructure is keeping up with growth when maintaining what we have is a challenge. Much-needed improvements from things as simple as neighborhood roads and sidewalks to more complex systems like water and sewer have not been a priority the last several years and that needs to change. That may require some tough conversations, but the reality is that improvements to parks and other amenities are meaningless when the basic responsibilities of government aren’t being met. Housing I want to give this issue the attention it deserves and find ways to better balance the need to meet housing demands while minimizing the harsh impacts of growth on our residents. Development has proven to be a complex issue the last several years, but cooperation and open discussion with developers is key. We should also be looking at ways to re-invest the resulting tax revenues in improvements to infrastructure impacted by further development. Criminal Justice / Public Safety Like most communities, it’s driven by non-violent crime like property crime, but that doesn’t make it less of a problem. The men and women of the Pinellas Park Police Department (PPPD) are moving the needle, but I want to make sure they have the personnel, tools, technology, and support they need to put boots on the ground and criminals behind bars.