Jim Martuscello confirmed on Wednesday that he intends to run for Fifth Ward Alderman on the Democratic Party ticket. Martuscello previously served on the Common Council for a series of terms starting in 1981. He said that concerns about the city’s housing stock, Department of Public Works, and finances prompted him to run for office again.
Martuscello said that in his opinion, the city “looks horrible” and that he was not happy with the progress of demolishing dilapidated buildings. He suggested that funds recouped through the foreclosure process should be earmarked for demolition work. He also said he would like to see a reduction in the city’s residential water fees, so that owners would have more money to invest in fixing up their properties.
“The equipment in DPW, from what I can see, is broken down and outdated,” said Martuscello. He said the DPW “keeps the city clean and running” and that the whole fleet needs to be updated. Martuscello said he wants to look into the possibility of using money from other funds in the budget, or bonding to pay for upgrades.
While Martuscello believes the current controller has brought stability to the office, he is still concerned about the city “spending money when you don’t know how much you have” and wants to take further steps to control expenditures.
Martuscello said an official announcement about his run for office is still forthcoming, but that he has already begun telling anyone who asks about his intentions.
