drmarysmithforlauderhill.com<\/a><\/p>\nDate and place of birth: 09\/13\/1969 Broward General Hospital, Ft. Lauderdale, FL<\/p>\n
In your opinion, is your city generally on the right track or wrong track, and why or why not?
I believe Lauderhill has made progress in several important areas, but there is still significant work to be done to ensure our city is moving in the right direction for all residents. While we did have a reduction in our millage rate, progress must also be measured by whether residents feel safe, whether taxpayer dollars are being used responsibly, whether our local businesses are thriving, and whether residents have confidence in their city government. I believe Lauderhill has tremendous potential. My goal is to help create a safer, stronger, more economically vibrant Lauderhill that ALL residents are proud to call home.<\/p>\n
List in order of importance the three most important issues in the city and briefly explain what you would do about each.
Public safety is number one for me. Our residents should feel safe in their homes and walking through their neighborhoods. I want to work closely with law enforcement and our community to address crime and police visibility where needed based on data. I would also ensure we are also creating positive opportunities for our young people. Next, would be responsible spending and transparency. Residents work hard for their money, and they deserve to know that their tax dollars are being spent wisely. I want to take a closer look at city spending, contracts, and major purchases to make sure we are getting the best value for our money. I also believe residents should be able to clearly see where their money is going and why decisions are being made. Economic Development and Small Business Growth would be third on my agenda. I want to see more quality businesses, jobs, and opportunities right here in Lauderhill. We need to support the small businesses we already have while attracting new businesses that will strengthen our community. I also want to connect our residents, especially our young people, with job training, internships, and career opportunities so they can build their futures right here in our city.<\/p>\n
Do you support or oppose Amendment 3, and why?
I understand why homeowners are looking for property tax relief, especially with the rising cost of living. At the same time, I have concerns about Amendment 3 because of the potential impact on the revenue cities depend on to provide essential services. I am all for tax relief, but not when it simply shifts the financial burden someplace else.<\/p>\n
If you are elected and Amendment 3 passes, you will have to reduce services or raise other fees. Can you cite a specific city program or service that is wasteful or unnecessary?
I would not cut essential services like public safety just to balance the budget. Before asking residents to pay higher fees, I would review the budget line by line, starting with outside consultants, professional service contracts, administrative costs, and any duplication of services. My goal would be to identify unnecessary spending, renegotiate contracts where possible, and make sure taxpayers are getting the best value for every dollar we spend.<\/p>\n
How would you assess your city\u2019s ability to manage growth, development and related issues such as traffic, noise, pollution and demands on city infrastructure?
I believe Lauderhill can manage growth effectively, but development must be responsible and well planned. Before approving new development, we should consider its impact on traffic, noise, drainage, public safety, and our roads and infrastructure. I support growth that strengthens our economy and community without negatively affecting the quality of life of our existing residents. Growth should work for ALL of the people who already call Lauderhill home.<\/p>\n
What single factor most distinguishes you from your opponent and why?
What distinguishes me is my leadership experience. I bring more than 20 years of leadership experience from the corporate sector, along with my experience as a business professor. I know how to manage people, oversee budgets, solve problems, and hold people accountable. I want to bring that same level of professionalism, accountability, and results-driven leadership to the City Commission.<\/p>\n
List in reverse chronological order colleges or universities attended with years of attendance and degrees.
University of Phoenix 2012 \u2013 2018 Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership<\/p>\n
Nova Southeastern University 2004 \u2013 2007 Master of Business Administration<\/p>\n
Nova Southeastern University 1998 \u2013 2002 Bachelor of Science, Business Management<\/p>\n
List in reverse chronological order your work history for the past 15 years.
August 2021 \u2013 Present<\/p>\n
Assistant Professor \u2013 College of Business and Management, Lynn University<\/p>\n
AT&T 1988 \u2013 2019 (Retired)<\/p>\n
Have you ever been a party to a lawsuit, including bankruptcy or foreclosure? If so, provide details of the case and disposition.
No<\/p>\n
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, including an adjudication of guilt withheld? If so, provide charges, dates and terms of sentence.
No<\/p>\n
Why should voters elect you instead of your opponent(s)?
Voters should elect me because I bring proven leadership, experience, and a genuine commitment to serving Lauderhill. I have more than 20 years of corporate leadership experience, and as a business professor, I understand the importance of responsible decision-making, accountability, and working with people to solve problems. I will bring that experience to City Hall and focus on public safety, responsible spending, economic growth, opportunities for our youth, and greater transparency. Most importantly, I will listen to our residents and make decisions based on what is best for ALL residents in our community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Name: Mary Smith Campaign website: drmarysmithforlauderhill.com Date and place of birth: 09\/13\/1969 Broward General Hospital, Ft. Lauderdale, FL…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":421840,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[483,249,251,250,482],"class_list":["post-421839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fort-lauderdale","tag-commentary","tag-fort-lauderdale","tag-fort-lauderdale-headlines","tag-fort-lauderdale-news","tag-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=421839"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421839\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/421840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=421839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=421839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=421839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}