Candidates in Tuesday's election for York City Council have their eyes fixed on the city budget.

Four are sparring for two seats, to be vacated by council President Joe Musso and Councilman Cameron Texter, and all have listed finances among the items they'll address.

Republican Jay Andrzejczyk said avoiding Act 47, which designates a municipality as financially distressed, is the city's biggest challenge. The council should look at "reinventing government," he said, suggesting changes such as moving parking enforcement from the city to the General Authority, which operates the parking system.

In both the short and long term, "there are ways to do this that give a cash infusion to the city," he said.

City police "are run a bit thin right now," he said, but he believes new officers that haven't yet hit the streets will have a major impact. It's too early to say if more police are needed, he said, but he'd like to discuss the issue of 12-hour shifts with the police commissioner.

Andrzejczyk said that his work with the General Authority has taught him to understand the "convoluted" city budget. Holding the administration responsible for the budget is the council's most important role, he said.

Democrat Renee Nelson said taxes and crime are the biggest challenges facing the city.

She thinks the city is headed in the right direction when it comes to safety. The new mayor may want to reorganize the police department, she said, and she'd help with that.

Nelson

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said she wants to look at the city's budget thoroughly to see if changes or cuts can be made to help deal with high taxes. She believes her budget experience with the school board makes her the right candidate for the job.

The city also needs to find out what the public wants in terms of new business, she said.

"I'd like to research other cities (and) what they're doing to bring people in," she said.

Democrat Henry Nixon said the city needs a new focus on community and economic development and safety.

"Those have to go hand in hand," he said. "The focus has been different. The focus has been project oriented."

Real estate values have to go up in order for the city to avoid Act 47, Nixon said. If the administration develops a strategic focus that is supported by everyone, "we have something that could really look like success."

Nixon believes safety is voters' top issue, followed closely by taxes. To improve safety, he said, there has to be police engagement in the community, "from the top down."

Republican Nina Aimable could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

In her answers in the York Daily Record's online Voters Guide, she said the city should offer incentives to bring more businesses into the city. She also said the city needs more visible police patrols combined with the work of the Guardian Angels to crack down on crime.

She suggested that people without school-age children should not have to pay school taxes and said there should be a "two-year raise freeze period" for city employees.


ABOUT THE CANDIDATES

Name: Jay Andrzejczyk

Party: Republican

Age: 37

Occupation: Business development manager, Kling Bros. Insurance

Activities: Has served on the boards of the General Authority, Housing Alliance of York, York County Council of Churches and Safer York Weed and Seed committee


Name: Henry Nixon

Party: Democrat

Age: 61

Occupation: Development director, York Symphony Orchestra

Activities: Currently serves on boards of Rotary Club of York, Leadership York, and on committees of Downtown Inc., Cultural Alliance of York County and York County Literacy Council


Name: Renee Nelson

Party: Democrat

Age: 33

Occupation: Working part-time and going to school to be a teacher

Activities: Current school board member, has also worked with Girl Scouts and Habitat for Humanity


Name: Nina Aimable

Party: Republican

Occupation: Retired

Activities: Sunday school teacher at Trinity United Methodist Church, graduate of Leadership York, board member for York County Area Agency on Aging