McCue: "Continue the Progress We've Started"
Incumbent McCue said Cudahy was once known asan anti-business community but that now the polar opposite is true, partlybecause of a streamlined 90-day approval process for new businesses. He alsohired Cudahy'sfirst-ever full-time economic development director, Lara Fritts. McCue saidshe's already brought in more than $800,000 in grants.
McCue cited Datastore, FedEx,Skyline Catering, and Rexnord as examples of Cudahy businesses expanding under his watchdespite the tough economy. McCue also deserves credit for retaining businesseshe said were considering leaving: Patrick Cudahy, National Tissue, RoadrunnerTransportation Services, and Steelsmyth.
"They were looking at all oftheir options. And when I heard that, Lara and I went into their offices, metwith the presidents of their companies and persuaded them to stay in the cityof Cudahy,"McCue said.
He points to the anticipated CobaltPartners retail development at the southwest corner of Laytonand Pennsylvania avenues and anotherdevelopment at Laytonand Kingan as positive indicators. McCue added that the city has started afa%uFFFDade grant program, which will increase curb appeal at 17 downtownbusinesses, and rolled out "welcome wagon" financial incentives toattract businesses.
"We're positioned to take fulladvantage of the economic recovery," McCue said.
When McCue took office in 2007, Cudahy was being sued andin the middle of a foreclosure lawsuit over the aborted Iceport facility, whichMcCue said attorneys expected would last until 2012.
"In two and a half years I gotthe land back free and clear, no liens, and we prevailed in the $5.3 millionlawsuit. Now the land is ours to develop," McCue said. "The Iceportfiasco, which my opponent supported and voted for on numerous occasions, hascost the city $3.9 millionplus all the lost [potential] development over thelast eight years."
McCue opposed the Wal-Mart andMilwaukee Wave training facility later proposed for the same site because theWave wanted $10 million of city money, he said.
An undisclosed area heavymanufacturer is "extremely interested" in expanding to the Iceportsite, McCue said, and the city is considering adding a rail spur to accommodateit.
"It would be 300,000 squarefeet and up to 900 family-supporting jobs," McCue said.
As mayor, McCue added a policeofficer, detective, K-9 unit, two school safety officers, and crime suppressionunit. McCue also takes pride that Cudahywas held up as a model for emergency preparedness following last summer’sPatrick Cudahy fire.
His privatizing the assessor’sdepartment saved $133,000 annually; combining the public works and engineeringdepartment heads, $139,000; having city employees pay a portion of their healthcare, $95,000; and McCue said paying off the city’s unfunded pension debt saved$11.3 million long-term. Cudahy’sbond rating was upgraded to AA-, he said.
Cudahy is benefiting from neighborhood stabilization grants,McCue said, and he’s working with the Milwaukee Community Service Corps toconvert duplexes and foreclosed homes into single-family, owner-occupied homes.
McCue is endorsed by the CudahyProfessional Police Association and Steelworkers Union, Local 29.
"The city of Cudahy is on the right track," McCuesaid. "I want to continue the progress we’ve started."
To learn more about Ryan McCue, goto ryanmccue.com.
Day: Wants Part-Time Mayor
Tony Day did not comment for thisstory, but participated in a March 23 debate hosted by the League of WomenVoters, which is posted on YouTube.
During the debate, Day suggested Cudahy’s mayor shouldbecome a part-time position, with the addition of a new full-time cityadministrator. He said this could reduce costs, with a mayor’s salary reducedfrom $64,471 to about $22,000, and by enabling the administrator to performnegotiations.
McCue counters that this would be"more taxation and less representation. If that occurs, the city of Cudahy will not have asingle full-time elected official at City Hall."
In the debate, Day also said hefavored a referendum on whether citizens wanted Wal-Mart at the Iceport site.McCue said a court stipulation regarding the lawsuit made holding a referendumimpossible.
According to his campaign Web site,Day wants to "promote business development through the Cudahy Chamber ofCommerce's involvement" and expand the role of the Cudahy CommunityDevelopment Authority (CDA), on which Day once served. Day also said he prefersthe city's old residency requirement for staff, which McCue said is no longerpractical to attract the best personnel.
To learn more about Tony Day, go totonyday.info.
