City Council: Shane McFarland on The Murfreesboro Post

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City Council: Shane McFarland

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Posted: Thursday, March 25, 2010 1:34 pm

Shane McFarland

Name: Shane McFarland
Occupation: Owner, Shane McFarland Construction
Education: Middle Tennessee State University 1997 BA in Accounting
Campaign Web site: www.shanemcfarland.org

Why are you running?
A simple answer is I love Murfreesboro.

I moved here in 1992 to attend MTSU and never left. I met my wife here and have two children that attend Murfreesboro City Schools.

I want to do whatever that I can to help make Murfreesboro a better place to live. I have been honored to serve on the City Council for four years and we have been fortunate to do some great things for the City. It is so much more than just one Councilmember, but a true team effort from staff, employees and community that have helped Murfreesboro excel.

I want to continue to be a voice of the residents and serve this community.

What is your position on district versus at large representation?
I am a representative for all the residents of Murfreesboro.

Anyone who has dealt with me over the past four years knows that I return all phone calls, e-mails and make sure that I stay in touch.

I think this is a decision that has to be made by the community and not just the seven members on the council. This is a decision that is so much larger than a political election.

I have not heard an outcry from the residents over the past four years for a change, but I would not be doing my job if I did not listen to the recent comments and study the issue. I will continue to serve all the residents of Murfreesboro.

What is your position on the economic issues facing the city?
I think this is one of the major issues that we are dealing with and will continue to deal with.

Sales tax numbers continue to lag behind, which in turn hurts the overall budget. Job creation has to be one of the main priorities we focus on.

We as a City need to focus on things that help our small businesses and larger businesses and do anything that we possibly can to help them succeed.

We cannot forget about the current businesses in Murfreesboro and those companies and small businesses that have made Murfreesboro strong.

If we need to readdress things for example like signage then we need to be proactive and make sure we put businesses in a position to succeed.

The Gateway is a good example or being proactive. The city collects $1.3 million dollars in property tax and the county collects $2.4 million in property tax. This does not include sales tax dollars and hotel motel tax. The investment the city made in Medical Center Parkway is continuing to pay dividends for Murfreesboro and Rutherford County(including our school systems).

We must continue to promote this kind of economic development. It only helps keep our property taxes low.

What is the most pressing issue and your possible solution?
The easy and most obvious answer would be to say growth and the economy. I agree, but I think it is much more.

We have to deal with change in our community, our demographics, our schools and especially our government. We have to have a strong united government to move us forward.

We have to continue to support our Police and Fire departments. Any rise in crime is too much.

We need serious people who are willing to work and continue to make this community as strong as it can be.

Do we have problems?

Sure we do, but you have to have strong leadership through times of change and that is what I will continue to provide. You have to be willing to listen and always take advice. Our city needs to continue to be progressive and proactive. We have to identify potential issues and opportunities and make sure we address them quickly and efficiently.

I can promise that I will work hard for every citizen of Murfreesboro.

Tagged under City, Elections, Shane McFarland

Member Opinions:

By: GladToBe on 3/21/10
then where is our raises shane ? I thought you said you support Police and Fire. I guess you just mean you like the Police but dont have the guts to stand up for us when we need help. Not getting my vote.