Steve Filipovic Answers Some Questions

The latest in our Know Your Candidate series is Steve Filipovic! Remember: there will be a test.

Steve ran for Mayor in '08 and for the empty council seat in the recent by-election, placing a distant third for mayor with 8.3% of the total vote, and a much closer third for council with 14.8%. While he is currently running for Council, it's looking like a run at the Mayor's spot will be the fate of this campaign, that direction having been hinted at by Filipovic a number of times over the past few months.

At the moment Steve doesn't have a website, but we will post it as soon as it's around.

And here are his answers to our now famous questions:

Q: Why are you running and why should I vote for you?

A: I am running to instigate change in Victoria. Both of the two Establishment Teams will cling to the old way of doing things, they support the old boys club. It is time for a new boys and girls club to take over. You should vote for me and encourage your friends to vote for me because I will run the city in an open and democratic manner. More respect for the people and less PR! Right now the city is in the hands of developers, it should be in the hands of the people.

Q: What issue is most important to you and why?

A: Affordable Housing is the most important issue it effects everyone making it very difficult on young families to buy and very expensive for the 63% of Victorians that rent. Housing ownership was set up to cost about 35% of your disposable income; over the years we have seen rental costs skyrocket to well above the cost of ownership. We need to create more rent-to-own opportunities and promote cooperative models with city by-law support to remove hurdles for our renters to transition into home owners which is proven to be the most cost effective and provides plenty of spin-off benefits, like improved health and well-being.

Q: What's something people don't know about you?

A: Most people don't know that not only am I an environmental and social rights activist through my work with Earth Walk, I am also a small business owner. Having run a successful contracting company that specializes in building fences and sundecks for over 24yrs. I have also built many houses and even some apartment building under the tutelage of my now retired Dad who owned a very large construction company here in Victoria. So I know housing and I know we could be doing a lot to make it more accessible to the working class of Victoria.

Coming soon: What's up with school boards?

Until then,

Vic Votes

Posted in: Candidates,Council,Election2011,Interviews