Q&A: Seth Grimes, Ward 1 Candidate

Throughout this week and next, we'll be running Q&A's with candidates in the Takoma Park City Council election. Any of the candidates that responded to our questions will be posted.

Ward 1 Candidate Seth Grimes sat down with Patch to answer questions before the Nov. 8 election.

1. Where would you cut the budget? Can the city progress with programs or does it need to simply maintain its current services because of budget
issues?

I know of no pressing need to cut the city budget.

2. Name three things you would propose as a council member to improve
livability in Takoma Park.

1) Attention to economic and community development at an appropriate scale, with emphasis on our key commercial-residential areas: Takoma-Langley Crossroads, the Flower Avenue corridor, the Maple Avenue corridor between Philadelphia Avenue and Sligo Creek Park, and Old Takoma including Takoma Junction.

2) Solidification of intergovernmental and utility-company relationships, with PEPCO, Montgomery County, the State of Maryland including the State Highway Administration.

3) Steps to promote social and community service partnerships with key community organizations.

3. With the County Council adopting the CR Zone what would you like to see happen to the Takoma Langley Crossroads? Where is the balance between development and livability?

The challenge in Takoma-Langley Crossroads is to minimize and mitigate the effects of appropriate commercial development on nearby residential neighborhoods.  The city should continue a proactive stance to bring in the kind of development we want, that works here, in order to attract desirable businesses, create economic opportunity, and forestall undesirable development.

4. How do you see the Takoma Junction developing? How would you quell the traffic issue?

I believe the community would welcome near-term creation of a flexible, mixed-use, part-time commercial-community space in the city-owned parking lot, that is, with parking during regular business hours, perhaps with food trucks and a hang-out space during the day, with Zipcars and perhaps a bike-share station, and with activities such as craft markets and even a (temporary) dance space set up on regular occasions.  After environmental evaluation and experience with this improved utilization, we can discuss the feasibility and desirability of larger-scale commercial use.

I suspect that the traffic issues are not as serious, and do not affect Takoma Park residents, as significantly as some fear, and I am very hopeful that by optimizing the current signals and some small right-of-way changes, we can further minimize issues.

5. With tax duplication being such a big issue with residents, how would you make city services worth the extra money residents currently pay? If the county is providing a better service do you think the city should drop that service?

City services are already worth the extra money property-owners pay, and I do not know of any function that the county does better than our city does.  That said, a first shot at redressing tax-duplication unfairness is to gain city property owners the same exemption from the Montgomery County recreational tax that Rockville and Gaitherburg property owners enjoy, or to transfer that tax over to the city to pay for recreation services the city already provides here, to both city and non-city residents.  Let's take a shot at rec and then build out from there.

6. What issue is most important to you? Just speak your mind on this one and let the readers know why it is important for you to be sitting at the dais after the November election.

I'm thinking about:

1) Environmental and energy impact, and mitigation measures, linked to city procurements, capital spending, and operations.

2) Economic opportunity for residents and small businesses.

3) Community health and food security.

4) Tax duplication, in particular and most immediately stemming from Montgomery County's Recreational Tax, which Takoma Park property owners pay even though it's the city that provides the vast majority of local rec services here.