Ford: Enforce the city ordinance to paint and clean up personal properties; build and repair sidewalks; repair streets; improve drains to prevent trash build-up on streets; enforce and/or add city ordinances to prevent the rental of properties that do not meet city codes; cut down all old overgrown areas and deteriorated trees and plant new ones. I support a happy environment for a positive working relationship.

Leyens: Clean it up, update and implement uniform signage, enforce existing ordinances aggressively, and focus more attention on landscaping, which is an economical way to make an immediate impact. For years, taxpayers have been promised this, but have yet to see real results. We need to make this a reality now!

In addition, Vicksburg should be marketed heavily … to Vicksburgers. There is a need to instill pride within our community, and I hope to inspire the private sector to invest in our community’s future. Government should act as a lead to secure the interest of the private sector. Vicksburg is our home, and we should treat it that way.

Loviza: When I was mayor (1993-1997), I supported the addition of four trash trucks with 12 additional workers and an additional sweeper to improve cleanup efforts in Vicksburg. I will continue that effort. We added, with Kiwanis help, five garden spots with club and organization signs at each entrance to our city. I will enhance that effort at all city entrances. I supported extending downtown boulevards and gardens. This will continue. I favor additional river-rail related gardens downtown and additional trees to be planted where they will not block views of drivers. I favor working with the MDOT in cleaning up I-20 and Frontage Roads. With the help of the Council of Garden Clubs, civic clubs, Chamber of Commerce, KVWB and other agencies, I will move forward with the approved Beautification Plan of 2000.

Walker: We have made great strides in improving the appearance of Vicksburg over the last few years through realignments, scheduling, the addition of code enforcement officers, and stricter enforcement of city codes, facade grants. I would like to see more equipment, at least two additional employees in street cleaning, inspection, litter abatement, and landscaping. This will require a greater budget allocation in these areas, but it would be worth it.

Question 10: In 2000, water, sewer, and garbage collection rates were increased drastically to bring them more in line with the city’s actual costs for these services. These increases offset a multimillion-dollar supplement being paid from the general fund. Should consumers pay the actual costs of city utilities or should there be cost sharing, as was practiced previously, to limit bills of those less able to pay?

Ford: I support each individual carrying their own load of utility cost. However, I believe there should be a one- or two-time assistance allocation (per year) budgeted to aid those less fortunate. More of a sliding scale assistance program for low-income and disable families in acute situations only. I also favor the state allocating additional tax assistance for the residents in all counties.

Leyens: A large percentage in our community live on fixed incomes. Currently, we focus some of our community marketing efforts to attract elderly residents. These are life-giving services, and we cannot simply ask these people to adjust. The main concern and purpose of government is to provide life-giving services at the lowest possible price.

It may have seemed logical to pass the true cost of gas and water equally to our citizens, but this strategy failed close to 40 percent of the community who simply cannot pay for these added expenses. This winter, because of the actions of our current administration, some people in our community were hungrier and/or colder than they were last year. City government has failed these people. It’s morally wrong.

Loviza: While I empathize with the needs of the poor, I feel people in general would rather be contributing members of society, If a true emergency exists, I favor contributing utilities to the poor until they are more able to pay. In general though, I feel that consumers should pay actual costs.

Walker: Residential, commercial and industrial fees for water, gas, sewer and garbage collection charged by the City of Vicksburg are already less expensive than they would be if provided by a private firm or other public entities. Users of these services should pay the full cost of these services. On the other hand, I support continuing exercising the discretion we used when we allocated $2.7 million of surplus gas funds to keep the cost of natural gas affordable during extremely cold winter months when suppliers raised their cost. Everyone, residential and businesses, benefited from this. Once we have completed the task of separating gaming monies from the regular general fund (the practice of combining gaming monies with all other monies in the general fund was started by the previous administration) and putting them in a separate account for one-time expenditures, I would be willing to use some casino funds to make the cost of some essential services more affordable. There is no guarantee that this could continue indefinitely, however.