By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
TAYLOR – Two political newcomers with strong business backgrounds are running for city treasurer: residents Nicone Dragone and Amira Garza.
Each were asked to introduce themselves and share their priorities if elected city treasurer.
Nicone Dragone
Born and raised in the city of Taylor, I am a 1988 graduate of Taylor Center High School. I married my wife, Sherry, in 2007, and we have six children and seven grandchildren.
I am employed by Cox Automotive Inc. as an outside coordinator. Previously, I worked for Autocomm Inc. and was responsible for hiring and terminating employees, payroll and maintaining our weekly budget.
My roots run deep in Taylor. I have been involved in the Taylor Tots Soccer League as well as coaching for the Taylor North Little League. I formerly served on the Taylor Zoning Board and have been a member of the Knights of Columbus.
My priorities include aggressively working to reduce foreclosures. I’ll meet with troubled homeowners to assist them with their tax issues. If elected, I’ll continue to “knock on doors” to simplify the help process. I’ll expand assistance with forms by partnering with the senior center and the library to hold tax help sessions for seniors.
I will explore installing self-service kiosks for bill payments to eliminate waiting in long lines.
I will establish a quarterly mailer or email explaining any tax changes, deferment reminders, or local benefit updates.
I will also partner with local banks and police officials to educate residents about scams targeting property owners.
Amira Garza
I am a wife, mother and an experienced community financial professional running for Taylor city treasurer. I am happily married to my husband of five years, Alex, and we have a one-year-old son, Rami. We are also pet parents to our Pomeranian Gizmo, who is 11 years old.
I am the only candidate running for city treasurer with the experience necessary for this position. I hold a bachelor of arts degree in marketing and management from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. I bring more than four years of experience in banking to the table with my service as a community banker at Dearborn Federal Credit Union and at Huntington Bank.
Most recently, I was employed for six years as a project manager at McCann Relationship Marketing implementing new processes across the agency, demonstrating strong organizational and financial oversight skills, gaining years of training experience with great interpersonal skills, and managing multi-million-dollar projects.
I am a first-time candidate running for office and a new face in Taylor politics. I am not part of any of the “team” politics that dominated Taylor politics in the past and I am not a politician. Simply put, I am running to bring new ideas and a fresh perspective to the treasurer’s office. I am truly committed to keeping the office independent and free from politics, because city hall should work for everyone. We are all taxpayers.
I believe in transparency and accessibility, with clear, easy-to-read public financial reports, and an online “where your tax dollars go” tracker. My office staff and I will be readily available to meet with residents to address any issues that may arise.
Fiscal responsibility is also important, and since we already pay more than our fair share of taxes, I support no new city taxes. I support smart, balanced, easy to understand budgeting, as well as long-term financial planning for a stable future.
I believe we should invest in Taylor by keeping city funds in local Taylor banks and credit unions, supporting economic growth through responsible investments, and strengthening partnerships with small businesses and nonprofits.
I will provide personal financial workshops for residents, as well as regular office hours to help residents understand their tax bill and the resources available to help them. I will focus on inclusion for youth, seniors and underserved groups.
I will upgrade outdated city treasury programming and equipment to modern, secure systems, and will improve online access to city financial services, including tax and water bill payments. I will also protect sensitive resident data with strong cybersecurity.
I will provide ethical leadership you can trust, and will not accept special interest money. I will never accept any corporate campaign donations.
I am running a transparent and positive campaign, and I’m running on my experience and what I will do for you. I am committed to serving Taylor, not partisan politics, and I believe in people over politics.