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Vera Orlandic-Hodak – Round 1 General Election Questions

Vera Orlandic-Hodak is running for Auburn City Council Position No. 7.  Her opponent is Robert (Bob) Baggett.

Auburn Examiner: Social media accounts for public officials can build a direct connection for the city’s residents that can create a dialogue for comments or questions with those responsible for their public services. Presently only Auburn’s Mayor has an official Facebook account. Do you believe city councilmembers should have official social media accounts to engage with their constituents? Please explain why or why not.

Vera Orlandic-Hodak: The city council speaks with one voice. I do believe a Facebook Page for Council is a good idea. It would be a place citizens could write to council as a whole and for Council to respond.

Auburn Examiner: A common issue raised about downtown Auburn is a lack of parking, or that parking is limited to 3 hours. With the two new mixed-use buildings going in, how do you propose the city addresses these concerns?

Vera Orlandic-Hodak:  Currently I understand that there are at least two developers that want the ability to add to the planned Sound Transit garage for people bloc parking. That should be done. Council should plan and give the mayor direction to waive, which means we all pay out of the General Fund, impact fees for a developer to put in parking garages in the downtown. Council should also be planning now for a larger downtown and identifying key areas and include parking.

Auburn Examiner: What thoughts do you have, if any, to improve the appearance of the city?

Vera Orlandic-Hodak: Let’s put some energy into cleaning up the city. Businesses who clean their sidewalks and adjoining areas should be recognized. Campaigns to clean up downtown, shopping areas and our streets especially entrances should be done. If the state won’t cleanup the in and off ramps let’s do it ourselves.
Let’s do some innovative things with our parks like putting pedestrian lights at least around the big parks to make them safer.

Auburn Examiner: If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?

Vera Orlandic-Hodak: I’d use it for incentives to bring the businesses we want that will also pay property taxes and sales taxes.

Auburn Examiner: The city’s projected budget indicates that without changes, Auburn could be in the red in the coming years. It has been suggested that implementing new revenue sources would likely prevent this. What revenue source(s) would you propose to help balance the city’s budget?

Vera Orlandic-Hodak:  I’ve looked at the city budgets and that same statement has been made each year for almost twenty years. We stay within our budget. Clean up the city to make it presentable. Reform the building codes and fee schedules to make it more attractive to bring new businesses here and reform existing codes to make it practical to expand existing businesses. Then we have new and higher property tax receipts and sales Tax receipts.

Auburn Examiner: What do you feel we can we learn from Seattle’s growing problem when it comes to affordable housing?

Vera Orlandic-Hodak: Auburn, Algona and Pacific have been ‘affordable housing’ for Seattle for a half century. Let’s make sure we don’t do what Seattle has done. Let’s plan our own future here.

Auburn Examiner: The city will see new development and redevelopment to accommodate the continual growth of Auburn. If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

Vera Orlandic-Hodak:  We need to really plan for growth not with an outside consultant but by doing the hard work of meeting with all of Auburn. Meet with business sectors, involve the neighborhoods. North Auburn, North West Hill, South West Hill, North Lea Hill and South Lea Hill, downtown, all the areas east of M Street, through downtown to the West Main Street Area, the Plateau, the Academy and South Auburn and Lakeland. All our businesses, all the neighborhoods, the school district, the college for goodness sake let’s include Muckleshoot in our planning for once. Then let’s plan for what we want our Auburn to be fifty years from now. Get agreement. Put the plan to a public vote and then implement the processes to do it.

Auburn Examiner: While not voters the youth of Auburn are still constituents. How will you involve them, and ensure they are considered in your decision-making process?

Vera Orlandic-Hodak: Auburn has done a great job with our Youth Council. I’d like to have more meetings and input from that Council once elected.

Auburn Examiner: What programs do you feel the city is lacking? If elected, how will you work to see these programs implemented?

Vera Orlandic-Hodak:  Mental Health clinics -here. Drug dependency clinics – here. Sexual Assault assistance – here.

Auburn Examiner: Illegal dumping, excessive litter, graffiti, and unkempt sidewalks are among concerns raised by Auburn residents. What do you propose to address cleaning up Auburn’s more unsightly areas, and keeping them maintained?

Vera Orlandic-Hodak:  Let’s put some energy into cleaning up the city. Businesses who clean their sidewalks and adjoining areas should be recognized. Campaigns to clean up downtown, shopping areas and our streets especially entrances should be done. If the state won’t cleanup

Auburn Examiner: What businesses do you feel Auburn is lacking and would benefit from the most?

Vera Orlandic-Hodak:  The better question is what businesses would do well here in Auburn and what can we do to get them here

Auburn Examiner: If elected, how will you govern for the future of Auburn?

Vera Orlandic-Hodak:  Council speaks with one voice. I believe strongly in working in a cooperative manner to get things accomplished for our city. Let Council find areas of agreement, agree to do them and get them done and then do that again and again

Auburn Examiner: What is your favorite word?
Candidate did not provide a response
Auburn Examiner: What is your least favorite word?
Candidate did not provide a response
Auburn Examiner: What turns you on?
Candidate did not provide a response
Auburn Examiner: What turns you off?
Candidate did not provide a response
Auburn Examiner: What sound do you love?
Candidate did not provide a response
Auburn Examiner: What sound do you hate?
Candidate did not provide a response
Auburn Examiner: What is your favorite curse word?
Candidate did not provide a response
Auburn Examiner: What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Candidate did not provide a response
Auburn Examiner: What profession would you not like to do?
Candidate did not provide a response
Auburn Examiner: If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Candidate did not provide a response

Check out other candidate responses to these questions here.   Other election questionnaires can be found in our Vote 2019 section.

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