Bill Shields did not respond to Lake County News' candidate questionnaire. Instead, he provided the following information about his campaign and platform.

Bill Shields

Not a new face in the City Council race

Bill Shields is a longtime resident of Clearlake, age 74, and retired. For many months the city of Clearlake, with a serious shortfall of revenue, has failed to properly examine the city tax base. Without this, all the necessary services that the citizens of Clearlake rely on cannot be provided. By bringing together business owners and taxpayers to take a good look at working together, with new ideas to improve the tax base, we may be able to overcome our consistent lack of revenue. There should be a consistent open-door policy at City Hall with no overuse of closed meetings.

The city of Clearlake has a primary responsibility to maintain a safe and pleasant environment for its citizens by providing efficient, effective public services. The city also should provide a catalyst that involves residents, businesses and service organizations to foster further development of our city.

He said he will work to build a better Clearlake, including building better roads for the city.

Shields is a veteran of the US Air Force and member of the Elks and Moose lodges, and other organizations. He is a community volunteer who is concerned about kids and seniors.

Mission statement

1. When elected to the council, he will push for more detailed examination of our tax base in order to repair our city's finances, along with cutting expenses that waste taxpayer dollars.

 

2. Water rates in our city are too high and he will look for solutions to this problem.

3. The city of Clearlake should start utilizing solar energy to reduce long-term costs of electricity and heat.

4. He will push for a code advisory committee to begin reform of the city building code.

5. He will seek advice and feedback from the citizens to assist the City Council in finding new ideas to increase the beauty and cleanliness of the city.

6. The redevelopment agency is in debt and he will work to remedy the situation and prevent future bad investments.

Residents of Clearlake have the opportunity to make the sensible choice and elect Bill Shields to the City Council. He will make sure that your tax dollars are wisely spent. He will take a good long look at the many lawsuits against the city of Clearlake that in the past have left a bad impression of the city, its officials and some of its residents.

Bill Shields is about working to make Clearlake a better place now and in the future, and not continuing the bad decisions and bad policies of the past. He will be there for you 24 hours a day at 994-0811, where you can count on your call being returned, or just drop by 4312 Sunset in Clearlake just to talk about the issues or what's bothering you about your community.

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