Frank Pullia says Thunder Bay needs a better way of doing business.
A recent graduate of Lakehead University’s MBA program, the veteran councillor and third-time mayoral candidate said the city needs someone with his experience and background running the show, with new ideas and a willingness to broker change.
“There is a desire for change across the board. People have been telling me they’re looking for a more aggressive, hands-on, grass roots leadership style, which I can bring to the table, because that’s my style,” Pullia said.
“I want to make the community feel they are part and parcel of the city’s future. That’s what I would bring.”
Pullia’s vision is to make Thunder Bay the most livable city in Canada, something that can best be done by growing the population and cutting back crime rates that has turned the city into one of the country’s most dangerous, according to MacLean’s magazine.
“We’re already No. 24. We can go to No. 10 fairly quickly. I’m going to be introducing a plan to get us to that destination and a road map on how to do it,” said Pullia, who first served as an at-large councillor from 1994 to 1997, making his way back to council again in 2006.
Over-taxation is an issue he said needs to be addressed immediately, and reversing the trend is something he says he been able to influence since his latest election to council by challenging administration and asking for a line-by-line review of the budget.
“It’s finding ways to do things better, working smarter, and by helping to grow the economy,” said Pullia, who adding he brings more than 30 years of experience in labor and management to the table. “You’ve got to control your costs, grow the economy, and then you can stabilize taxes.”
Crime is another area Pullia admits needs work in the city.
To see exactly what the situation is, he’s gone on a couple of ride-alongs with Thunder Bay Police. Pullia said citizens deserve to feel safe on the streets and in their homes, but it’s a deeper problem than many realize.
“I was able to see first-hand what was happening. In most cases the calls were more social in nature. I would work immediately as mayor to bring in an addiction and detox centre – more beds. Those people need a different kind of help. If you put them in a cell block it’s not going to help them or our community. They need a different type of assistance.”
That would not only reduce the crime rate, it would free up resources of police, hospitals and paramedics to address the real issues of crime.
Four years from now, Pullia hopes to have put the job creation need behind the city, by lowering business taxes and encouraging existing businesses to expand by cutting out red tape and bureaucracy at its core.
“We can grow by keeping the people who want to stay here by giving them the opportunity to get a job, and give those who have left the opportunity to come back,” he said.
A recent graduate of Lakehead University’s MBA program, the veteran councillor and third-time mayoral candidate said the city needs someone with his experience and background running the show, with new ideas and a willingness to broker change.
“There is a desire for change across the board. People have been telling me they’re looking for a more aggressive, hands-on, grass roots leadership style, which I can bring to the table, because that’s my style,” Pullia said.
“I want to make the community feel they are part and parcel of the city’s future. That’s what I would bring.”
Pullia’s vision is to make Thunder Bay the most livable city in Canada, something that can best be done by growing the population and cutting back crime rates that has turned the city into one of the country’s most dangerous, according to MacLean’s magazine.
“We’re already No. 24. We can go to No. 10 fairly quickly. I’m going to be introducing a plan to get us to that destination and a road map on how to do it,” said Pullia, who first served as an at-large councillor from 1994 to 1997, making his way back to council again in 2006.
Over-taxation is an issue he said needs to be addressed immediately, and reversing the trend is something he says he been able to influence since his latest election to council by challenging administration and asking for a line-by-line review of the budget.
“It’s finding ways to do things better, working smarter, and by helping to grow the economy,” said Pullia, who adding he brings more than 30 years of experience in labor and management to the table. “You’ve got to control your costs, grow the economy, and then you can stabilize taxes.”
Crime is another area Pullia admits needs work in the city.
To see exactly what the situation is, he’s gone on a couple of ride-alongs with Thunder Bay Police. Pullia said citizens deserve to feel safe on the streets and in their homes, but it’s a deeper problem than many realize.
“I was able to see first-hand what was happening. In most cases the calls were more social in nature. I would work immediately as mayor to bring in an addiction and detox centre – more beds. Those people need a different kind of help. If you put them in a cell block it’s not going to help them or our community. They need a different type of assistance.”
That would not only reduce the crime rate, it would free up resources of police, hospitals and paramedics to address the real issues of crime.
Four years from now, Pullia hopes to have put the job creation need behind the city, by lowering business taxes and encouraging existing businesses to expand by cutting out red tape and bureaucracy at its core.
“We can grow by keeping the people who want to stay here by giving them the opportunity to get a job, and give those who have left the opportunity to come back,” he said.
