Current Election

Backing Louras for Mayor
January 23, 2007, Letter to the Editor

Seldom has the city of Rutland been in more dire straits. Passing the buck in city government has become the order of the day. The residents of Rutland are suffocating under ever-increasing property taxes and fees. The mayor and the assessor don't communicate with each other. We are paying the salaries of two city attorneys, while the city of Burlington has only one. Proposals for a regional recreation facility are being pushed at a time when folks are struggling just to keep their heads above water. For sale signs are popping up like tulips. Business growth is stagnant, and we are losing our young people.

It is my belief that only a strong mayor can lead us out of this predicament. My support will go to Chris Louras. He is a proven leader and dedicated family man, who has given the city many years of honest service. Chris understands thoroughly the workings of city government. His leadership skills have been honed as a 10-year U.S. Army aviation veteran who has served in combat, as a successful local businessman, former state legislator, and six-term Rutland City alderman.

Chris will demand efficiency in city government and foster aggressive business recruitment. Most importantly, he has the integrity and enthusiasm to get the job done and to turn this city around. Chris has proven that he will ask the tough questions and have the interest of the citizens of Rutland at the heart of his mayoral decisions. There will be no learning curve for this candidate. He is well prepared to hit the ground running. He is the right man at the right time for the future of Rutland.

VIRGINIA DUFFY
Rutland

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Louras joins race for mayor
Author(s): BRENT CURTIS Rutland Herald Staff Date: November 16, 2006 Section: NEWS

City Alderman Christopher Louras on Wednesday joined the race to become Rutland's next mayor. Louras, 46, told a small gathering of family and friends outside a downtown eatery he wants to build a stronger economy by strengthening the faulty foundations of city government.

"We must not only revitalize and rebuild the city and the downtown core, but we must revitalize and rebuild city administration and change the direction of city government as well," he said. "Our goals must be to increase the tax base and reduce the tax burden."

As vice president of Sam Frank Inc., a Rutland business owned by his family, Louras said he wants to "take the leading role in directing the city's economic development efforts."

"I will meet with the region's commercial and industrial leaders to ensure that the essential services they need are being delivered," he said. "We must take whatever steps necessary to make certain that industry does not relocate from Rutland and to ensure that they have the required resources to expand."

He also said he wants to use impact funds received from Diamond Run Mall owner Damian Zamias to establish a revolving loan fund for start-up and small business expansions, build a wireless Internet hub that would serve all of downtown and support an initiative to create a regular open-air market on Center Street.

On the topic of city spending, Louras said he wants to review spending to ensure taxpayers are getting "the most bang for their buck." He also said he wants to create revenue by adding services in some city departments.

As an alderman, Louras often has been at odds with the administration and the board's leadership.

During his announcement, he said he expects to receive criticism from his political opponents. But he blamed some of the city's ongoing financial woes on those who refused to listen to warnings he made more than a year ago.

"My critics will try to paint me as divisive," he said. "If I have been divisive, then I am only guilty of separating those of us who wisely understood that the city was fast approaching financial crisis from those who chose to ignore or deny that we were suffering from grave fiscal mismanagement.

"The city needs someone who can identify potential problems before they grow to unmanageable proportions, and has the courage to lead and take the necessary steps to remedy the dilemma, even if the fix is politically unpopular."