Councilman Andrew Touma announces City Council re-election bid

[Press Release]

It is with great pride and honor that I announce my re-election bid for Niagara Falls City Council in 2017. I have never viewed myself as a politician, but rather a hard-working, public servant dedicated to providing a service for the residents in the City of Niagara Falls. I have aspired to be someone that residents can trust to represent their best interests and make the best choices for them. It is imperative to work together with all stakeholders – residents, business leaders, city officials, and elected officials – to obtain growth in our city.

I ran for City Council in 2013 because I thought the council lost sight of their purpose and ability to move our great city forward. In my opinion, some members needed to be more receptive to the needs of the public and provide them a voice. Over the past three years, two of which as Chairperson for the council, I am happy to say that we have given residents the opportunity to be involved in the decision-making process.
One example of this involvement is my neighbor-to-neighbor initiative, which was implemented by Councilman Walker, where we go into communities throughout the city to hear the concerns and ideas of the residents. Another example is the implementation of the Human Rights Commission, which ensures equal treatment of all individuals in our community.

During my tenure on the council I remained an independent voice, yet worked with my council colleagues to implement laws such as eliminating door-to-door solicitors, reducing the use of casino dollars in the general budget, reducing expenses, and increasing revenue. We have been successful with improving the quality of life through the improvement of city parks as well as the addition of a new skate park; all while lowering homestead taxes for residents.
Moving forward with a collaborative approach, it is imperative to keep our neighborhoods intact, provide efficient services, create a stable and sustainable budget, and use casino dollars wisely to incentivize economic development and job growth. We need to continue to provide our residents with training opportunities that will meet various industry needs.

I look forward to your support and participation as we pursue progress and continued momentum for our city.