League of Women Voters of Ohio
Hamilton County, OH November 4, 2003 Election
	Debra McCarthy Answers Questions Candidate for Member Council; Village of Newtown

The questions were prepared by the LWV Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. How would you implement your top priority?

Flooding: Newtown is subject to recurring flooding from heavy rains which is causing damage to homes and property in the village. I would establish a task force to analyze the problem and recommend solutions to protect homeowners and businesses. Safety Services: I will continue to work closely with the police and fire departments for the village to ensure that Newtown residents continue to receive high levels of service and protection.

2. Numerous important issues including transportation, land use planning, housing and economic development for the Greater Hamilton County regions are being deliberated by OKI's Land Use Commission and Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission and Planning Partnership COMPASS; how engaged should local government be in these planning activities? If elected, how would you participate in these planning activities?

Local municipalities must be included in regional planning activities. If elected I would provide leadership in areas such as flood control and drainage, transportation planning, economic development, and greenspace management. Issues such as these are critically important to the quality of life and growth in Newtown and the region.

3. Ohio Department of Natural Resources in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Recycling Coalition conducted a state-specific study and found recycling businesses in Ohio generated $650.6 million dollars in state government revenue. If elected how would you promote recycling and support recycling programs currently in place in your community to reduce solid waste generation?

To encourage proper disposal of hazardous waste, I would promote the use of a hazardous waste disposal program four times a year to collect dangerous chemicals. To reduce the impact of solid waste on landfills, I would create a pickup program for discarded Christmas trees that would be turned into mulch by the village. I would also create a Fall leaf pickup program so that they would not end up in landfills.