Candidates for county council

Democrat Julio Alonso\nOccupation: Chief Executive of Monroe County Community Kitchen\nPolitical experience: county council member since January, chairman of Monroe County Democratic Party for three years.\nTop 3 goals: \n1. Ensure adequate funding for long-term land use planning and environmental protection. \n2. Move county government forward with better fiscal planning. \n3. Provide voice for those who are disadvantaged and keep in mind the issues of hunger and homelessness in the county.\nQuote: "I'm running because I've always believed that we have an obligation to give back to the community and participate in political activity. This is somewhere I want to live for the rest of my life, and I would like it to be a quality place in the future."\nRepublican Doug Duncan\nOccupation: Investment manager\nPolitical experience: Served on the Planning Commission.\nTop 3 goals: \n1. Hold down property taxes. \n2. Bring more good jobs that pay living wages to the county. \n3. Make county government more "user-friendly" by working on the budget so money isn't wasted.\nQuote: "Monroe County is an exceptional place to raise a family, and it's a total package that can't be beat. But as I look out, I've seen government growth explode. Budgets have expanded, which has increased taxes and there's been a loss of manufacturing jobs. These are some of the issues that brought me into the race."\nRepublican Jeff Ellington\nOccupation: firefighter\npolitical experience: In his fourth year on the county council.\nTop 3 goals: \n1. Provide more opportunities for better education and safer neighborhoods. \n2. Create more jobs and higher wages in the county. \n3. Hire more police officers.\nQuote: "We (the Republicans) take input in, consider it and get along with both sides. The Democrats don't get along with anybody. There are even some long-time Democrats who have helped their party a lot in the past and now dislike this new wave of extremists."\nRepublican Randy May\nOccupation: Co-owner of May Brothers Construction\nPolitical experience: Has been serving on county council since July.\nTop 3 goals: \n1. Help bring more business and industry to the county. \n2. Would like to see a smaller, more efficient government. \n3. Increase involvement with property rights, education and get "back to basics."\nQuote: "We need to make Monroe County more business friendly. We have to get rid of the red tape and roll out the red carpet instead."\nDemocrat Scott Wells\nOccupation: Teacher\nPolitical experience: On Monroe County Comprehensive Plan Committee. \nTop 3 goals: \n1. Work on "smart growth" and change impact fees or up-front fees to help relieve county's financial trouble. \n2. Minimize cost of the welfare fund to taxpayers. \n3. Build county juvenile detention and treatment facility and a county community correction center.\nQuote: "Why am I a Democrat? Because it's the we party, not the me party."\nDemocrat Charles Wilson\nOccupation: Police sergeant\nPolitical experience: None\nTop 3 goals: \n1. Move all juvenile centers in county to Grand View School so the Juvenile Treatment Center can be funded more easily. \n2. Combine city and county planning departments. \n3. Don't give 100 percent tax abatements to businesses, and, if the county must, require businesses to sign legally binding contract that says they will refund money if they pull out of the deal.\nQuote: "I've been with the county for 15 years and have watched the way they spend money, and I'm tired of them wasting it. I believe that you shouldn't complain about something if you're not willing to make the change... The average Joe doesn't have a voice in the county, and I thought it was about time he got one"