Rich Taylor for City Council

*Authorized by Rich Taylor for Carmel Dear Carmel Residents, Our city is consistently ranked as one of the best cities in the country to live, work and raise a family. As the #1 Safest Suburb in Indiana and the #1 Most Affordable Safe Suburb in the country, we have a lot to be proud of as a community. I am running for City Council to keep Carmel headed in the right direction. These accolades would not be possible without our dedicated public safety team, world-class amenities and strong economy. If elected to the Carmel City Council, I will prioritize transparency, fiscal responsibility, quality of life and smart, responsible development. By staying true to these values, Carmel will continue down its successful path and remain a leader across Indiana and the country. Ensuring a world-class quality of life for residents in our community is a top priority of mine for the city council. Since I joined the Parks and Recreation Board in 2010, we have added more than 100 acres of land to Carmel Clay Parks. I am also a strong advocate for a complete city asset inventory, which will help us develop a long-range financial plan to ensure our streets, sidewalks, parks and entertainment amenities remain topnotch. I also recognize the importance of protecting the look and feel of our city, even with all the economic growth and development we have seen over the years. Although development in our community is a great thing, I do have concerns about density and future projects and would like to approve a study to look at how to best move forward with development and housing. I believe resident input will be crucial to deciding what the housing needs are in our community. Another major priority I have for our city is to continue supporting our public safety departments. As Carmel continues to grow, our Police and Fire Departments need to grow with it. I support our public safety teams and have been endorsed by both the Carmel Police Officers and the Carmel Firefighters. If elected, I will ensure that they have the proper tools, training, staffing and support they need to keep Carmel residents safe. Transparency in government is critical to the success of any community. I am a longtime supporter of strong municipal oversight and responsive elected leaders. Our elected leaders must listen to constituents, respond to their questions or concerns, and incorporate residents’ input when making decisions for the future of our city. With my extensive background in municipal finance, I understand how important it is to reduce debt and make responsible investments while maintaining low taxes for residents. Carmel currently has one of the lowest tax rates in the state. Since joining the Parks and Recreation Board, one of my goals was to ensure that costs remained at a responsible level. I am proud to say that only 17% of our park operating budget is funded by taxpayers, and the Monon Center has used zero taxpayer dollars to pay for its operations since I was appointed 13 years ago. Most of all, I want to ensure that Carmel remains one of the best places to live in the country. My wife Lauren and I have lived in Carmel for 18 years and have been blessed with two beautiful children, aged 8 and 4. As a husband and father, I want my family to live in a safe community and for my children to have access to some of the best schools in the state and country. Carmel has done a tremendous job of providing this for me and my family, and I will work to ensure that our city continues to thrive for years to come. To learn more about Rich Taylor’s vision for Carmel, visit taylorforcarmel.com or contact him at rich@taylorforcarmel.com. Be sure to follow Rich Taylor, at-large candidate for Carmel City Council, on Facebook and LinkedIn!