Brian Pearson is seeking election to Streetsboro City Council - Ward 4. View his responses to our candidate endorsement questionnaire below:
1. Why are you running for office, and what previous experience makes you the most qualified candidate for this position?
I’m running to make city hall work for everyday people. That means being open, transparent, and accessible to the residents of Ward 4. I don’t have a personal agenda; I want to work to create real solutions for the people who call Streetsboro home.
I am the only qualified candidate in this race. I have dedicated my entire life to serving others – from my career on the front lines of Northeast Ohio as and firefighter and paramedic to my labor union activism and my service on the Streetsboro Civil Service Commission.
I have the hands-on practical experience of a street-level bureaucrat, a formal education with a Master of Public Administration from Ohio University, and experience working with department heads and city leaders to guide the hiring and promotional practices for city workers.
2. If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in this position?
If elected, I hope to bring the citizens' voices to City Council so that we begin to put the needs of the residents first. I want to engage with neighbors and other stakeholders in everything I do. This is a massive change from what I have experienced during my four years as a Streetsboro resident.
I also want to build stronger, safer, more connected neighborhoods so we can all be proud of our community. I want to protect and restore our forests, river and streams, wetlands, and wildlife. I want to ensure that our municipal workforce has the staffing and resources they need to meet their mission and that tax dollars and incentives only go to high-road employers. I'll put the needs of citizens ahead of developers when it comes to our growing local economy.
3. What are three policy initiatives you plan to focus on if elected?
My top three policy initiatives include building safe, strong, and connected neighborhoods, protecting and restoring the natural character of our community, and supporting workers.
I intend to build safe, strong, and connected neighborhoods by supporting investment in our neighborhoods. That means dedicating greenspace as community gathering areas, focusing on walkability, improving biking access, and investing in public safety.
I intend to protect and restore the natural character of our community by working to strengthen rules that safeguard our forests, streams, river, wetlands, and wildlife. I want to improve how we allow contractors to develop in these areas and look long-term at who develops. I also want to work at a tree-replacement program that requires contractors to restore the trees they destroy. I also want us to be thoughtful about who we give contracts too so that those who violate environmental laws are on the outside looking in.
I also want to support workers by investing in our municipal workforce. I want us to give them the staffing and resources they need to continue doing their outstanding work and improve their safety and efficiency. I also want to advocate for a procurement process that elevates “high road” employers. We should not give tax dollars or tax breaks to contractors who violate workers’ rights and fail to meet their obligation to the taxpayers.
4. What can local governments do to encourage young adults to stay in Northeast Ohio?
Our elected officials must do better. Not only are we failing to meet the moment regarding economic opportunity, but our state government is also passing terrible legislation. As local leaders, we must use our platform to advocate for sound policy at the Statehouse. We need to make sure that young adults feel heard and seen.
5. Will you support nondiscrimination policies that protect individuals regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, veterans status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression? If so, how?
Yes. I will support strengthening our current nondiscrimination policies and enforcement, including advocating for strengthened nondiscrimination language in the collective bargaining agreements. As a member of the Civil Service Commission, we’ve made nondiscrimination a feature of our conversations. I will continue to do that.
6. Do you support reasonable regulations on firearms in the United States? Please explain in detail.
Absolutely. I support background checks, waiting periods, red flag laws, and guns in public buildings. OPATA-certified school resource officers should be able to carry, but the current rules in the Streetsboro City Schools of allowing non-teacher staff to carry a weapon are reckless and downright insane.
7. What will you do to actively engage young adults in local government?
I intend to give young adults a seat at the table. Engagement is a critical element of a well-rounded civics education. I believe City Council can be proactive in that effort, from establishing a Civics Day program through the schools to establishing an advisory committee to better connect us with the want and needs of that population. I’ll advocate for these things.
8. Describe your vision on public safety and your plans for crime prevention?
As a former firefighter, I have made public safety a key feature of my campaign – specifically providing the resources and personnel our police officers, firefighters, and dispatchers need to effectively do their job. I have worked closely on the Civil Service Commission to strengthen our hiring process so that we are getting the best-quality candidates, and I feel extremely comfortable with their vetting process.
I live in the middle of the Meadow View development, and last year, my wife and I had both of our cars stolen in the middle of the night. Rather than acknowledge that we have become an easy target, the mayor blamed us for making ourselves susceptible to crime. This is personal to me. I believe that an excellent way to prevent crime is by fixing some of our underlying issues that might make us susceptible. That starts with, as my platform includes, building strong and connected neighborhoods.
I want us to designate greenspaces as community gathering points so that neighbors begin to connect and start keeping an eye on one another. I want us to become a more walkable community. I want us to provide better street lighting. I want us to take care of vacant lots and promote designating those areas as greenspace. I am not suggesting that the broken windows theory of policing is legitimate, but that a stronger community is necessary.
A neighborhood watch program has been established in our neighborhood, and I believe that is another appropriate measure.
9. What should your locality be doing to ensure racial equity and eliminating bias in community policing?
I think we need to appropriately fund our police. That means requiring them to attend trainings that make them aware of their implicit bias and providing incentives for our police to live in the community and/or to engage with residents in a more proactive way. Strengthening our equal employment rules are important too.
10. The Environment
Experts agree that a key to reducing the effects of climate disruption is to reduce our dependence on, and use of, carbon-based fuels, including oil, natural gas and coal. Please answer the following questions related to the environment in detail:
10-A. Should local governments play a role in phasing out the use of fossil fuels by our municipalities? If so, what role should a local legislator play?
Absolutely. Government, at all levels, should play the leading role in phasing out fossil fuels. We should look at how we power our facilities and equipment and use renewable energies where possible. We should also make development decisions through an environmental lens. That means improving walkability and biking so that we aren’t using up carbon-based fuels for short, local trips. I also want to see the expanded use of public transit in Streetsboro, and work with the Mayor and the County to establish transit routes that make sense.
10-B. Do you support the use of "Fracking" (hydraulic fracturing) to extract oil or gas within your city, or would you support a ban on Fracking?
No, I do not support fracking within cities and would support a ban on fracking. I lived and worked in Northeast Ohio during the fracking boom and witnessed, first hand, the effect it had on the environment. From earthquakes to irresponsible contractors draining product into streams and rivers. Not to mention, it did not have the impact on the workforce we hoped. It should not be done in or near our city.
11. In June of last year, the United States Supreme Court overturned the landmark case Roe vs. Wade, which guaranteed a persons right to safe and legal abortion access. What role should local government play in advocating for access to safe and legal abortion services?
I will fully and actively support the statewide effort to restore and protect abortion services in our state. I will use my platform as a candidate, and should other measures come after my potential election, I will support those efforts too. I think we also need to be pragmatic about supporting reproductive health.
We could very well be stuck with a ban in this state. So we need to support reproductive health in whatever capacity we can at a local level. I see our role as elevating those services and making sure that our laws create an open atmosphere to welcome facilities and services and that our criminal codes harshly punish those who interfere with the way those facilities and services do business.
12. The state of Ohio has continually cut funds to local governments over the last decade. How do you plan on operating within the confines of an already reduced local budget, without cutting critical services to tax payers?
Streetsboro has done a great job of weathering the pandemic and has seen a consistent increase in income tax collection. That has contributed to a generous carryover and one that should go towards supporting our residents by funding our services. With that said, I think it is important to work with department heads to establishing long-term budget strategies. Capital improvement needs, equipment maintenance programs, etc. are all important.
It is also critical that we engage with business leaders to understand the long-term economic projections of our tax revenue generators. With a market study coming to Streetsboro, I’ll be most concerned with us attracting businesses that are part of a cluster for a particular industry. We need to be diverse in the sectors we attract so that we aren’t heavily impacted by the economic cycle of a particular industry – much like the Mahoning Valley has been.
13. What can be done to create and/or attract new businesses with good paying jobs and benefits in the City? How can we encourage new businesses, and existing businesses, to become an active part of our community?
To create or attract new businesses, that pay their workers well, we need to invest in the community. The answer is not to provide tax incentives. Rather, we need to invest in education and our infrastructure so that we have a well-rounded and educated workforce – and the physical capability of welcoming new businesses. We also need to provide the amenities that attract residents. Paired with an investment in education, we can attract the workforce we need locally for high-paying industries to thrive. Doing these things should give us the local talent so that a sense of community is baked into our economic development.
We also need to reduce regulatory burdens. Our building department has had a rather poor reputation. We need quicker approval processes and improved zoning codes and permits.
14. Should the City reduce the cost of services by contracting out or privatizing government services? Why or why not?
No. Multiple studies prove that contracting out or privatizing government services add additional costs in the long-run or shift costs to taxpayers. In situations where I don’t have the support to block privatization – I’ll work to ensure our procurement process puts high-road employers in the front of the line.
15. Do you feel that housing in your City is affordable and available for young people and families? If not, what will you do to address this issue?
In 2018, a survey found that residents wanted more affordable housing. I don’t think most young people can afford to live in our community. I’ll support zoning codes that keep our multi-family dwellings in adequate shape. As we continue to develop and look towards creating a downtown that is similar to First & Main (Hudson) or Crocker Park (Westlake), I’ll be advocating for mixed use structures – business on the first floor and housing on the second.