Editor’s note: Philip Elmer is one of four candidates running for two At-Large City Council seats in the Nov. 5 Greenfield general election.
Address: 28 Chestnut Hill
Occupation (past/present): Journalist
Political experience: Long-time observer, first-time candidate.
How long have you lived in Greenfield? Five years. My wife has been here 42.
What qualities would you bring to the City Council? I’m pretty level-headed. I know how to work collaboratively. I’m a quick study, good at making sense of complex documents. I’ve traveled widely for my work as a journalist and covered a wide range of stories. I’m particularly well-versed in how business gets done on the internet.
Are you up-to-date on your property taxes? Have you ever been delinquent on your payments? Yes, up-to-date. No, never delinquent.
Which subcommittees would you be interested in serving on and why? The Economic Development Subcommittee. This would be my first choice, because I’ve been working on some ideas for attracting more fully employed, tax-paying families to Greenfield, starting with software engineers, game developers, video producers, financial service and other back-office workers who can take advantage of our blazingly fast internet.
Second choice: Ways and Means Committee, because that’s where budget decisions go. I’d like to know, for example, what it would take to get an undercover cop and a bike-mounted uniformed officer patrolling Main Street again.
Dissatisfied voters petitioned to put the library and safe city ordinance on the ballot. What does that say about the confidence voters have in the City Council to make decisions on their behalf? It doesn’t say anything good. At council meetings, I’ve heard citizens shout “You don’t represent me!” at councilors who were, in fact, democratically elected to represent them. I fear that somewhere along the way this council lost the faith of too many Greenfield voters, either by tying up in knots measures that are the city’s business or passing “feel good” measures that — because they are so divisive — make the town feel bad. Dissatisfied voters might trust the council more if they felt it was sticking to its knitting and getting the council’s business done.
The city charter is expected to undergo revisions next year. What changes should be made, if any? That’s a big question for someone who’s still trying to get into the club. I’m too new to Greenfield city government — and have too much to learn — to have an informed opinion. If elected, I promise to get up speed as fast as I can.