I decided to run for mayor of Hobart because I am concerned about the future of our community. Through my administrative, business, community and government experience I am the most qualified candidate to lead Hobart.

During this campaign, I have proposed a detailed four-point platform of financial responsibility; accountability; focus on government, not politics; and investment for the future that my administration will emphasize as part of my real vision for Hobart.

To be financially responsible with taxpayer dollars when finances are tight, we must re-examine city spending first, not borrow from the future. It is also important that we work together with other communities to find better ways to share costs. Through the creation of cyclical replacement programs for city equipment and infrastructure repair, we can lessen the need to borrow for large-scale, one-time purchases. We must also continuously evaluate dollars spent each year on consultants.

Accountability is extremely important in government and I propose we take commonsense approaches to government. In an October article, The Times identified Hobart as the second most efficient community in Northwest Indiana based on the number of employees per 1,000 residents. As a leader, that tells me we have good qualified people working in our community that deserve the opportunity to see if we can together raise the bar of services to Hobart residents.

Ensuring that we concentrate on government and not politics, I propose the hiring of a human resources professional to assist with city hiring, benefits and HR policies and procedures. I also propose the creation of a five-member civil service police commission to oversee hiring, promotions and disciplinary reviews within the police department. This is the system used in the fire department. We must also keep Lake County politics out of our community. This is our community, our values, and as residents we, not outside political influences, should govern our community.

It is important that we invest in our community's future. I support the creation of an industrial park to increase assessed valuation, increase tax revenues and create jobs. It is also important we revitalize our downtown. I propose we work with private businesses and a focus group of Hobart residents to help develop a revitalization plan for downtown.

I support the elimination of large-scale residential tax abatement that overburdens our community's ability to provide quality city services to all our residents, and residential growth should be concentrated in single-family homes, not apartments. I also support continued improvements to our city park system with a focus on quality over quantity.

For additional information about my qualifications and vision for our community, visit guthrieformayor.org