A Hillsdale professor and alumnus are running for two Hillsdale City Council seats on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Professor of Economics Gary Wolfram is running for a seat in Ward 3, and Hillsdale College alumnus and current graduate student Joshua Paladino ’18 is running as a candidate for Ward 4.
“I love Hillsdale,” Paladino said. “I want to raise my children here. I want it to be a place that is safe, beautiful, and strong for them. On a more practical note, I want to take a more active role in the community, and especially in the debates surrounding education.”
Paladino is vying with Hillsdale City Planning Commissioner Penny Swan to replace Raymond Briner in Ward 4, who is not seeking reelection.
Paladino said his goals include improving the literacy rates of the local public schools, reforming the local library, and strengthening the police department, especially in the face of increasing levels of homelessness.
“Many of the City institutions have been running on auto-pilot these last few decades, and it’s time to get serious about these issues,” Paladino said. “We need to shift the priorities towards the public health of the city.”
According to Paladino, the lagging literacy rates of the local schools have made them more vulnerable to the influence of ideologies like Critical Race Theory.
“I think we need to promote great literature and high literacy,” Paladino said. “The fundamental thing is to focus on a child being able to read and write at the highest level, and to move away from ideological distractions.”
For Paladino, who currently serves as secretary on Hillsdale Community Library’s board, a similar focus applies to the local library.
“When a kid comes in, they should only discuss books and reading. We need to cultivate smaller, worthier, and permanent collections,” he said.
Paladino said he wants to help bridge what he sees as a divide between the city and the college.
“Unfortunately there is a divide between the city, and if she gets her affairs in order and is productive, then maybe the college could become a partner to the city,” Paladino said.
Wolfram said he also wants to strengthen the relationship between the city and the college.
“I am running for City Council to provide a service to my community,” Wolfram said. “My goal is to act as a positive force to improve the city, and I hope to add to the interaction of the city and the college.”
Wolfram and Cynthia Merritt are running to replace current city council member Bill Zeiser in Ward 3, who is not seeking reelection.
Wolfram said he wants to use his experience serving on both state and federal levels, as deputy state treasurer under former Michigan Gov. John Engler and as chief of staff to congressman Nick Smith, both Republicans.
“I hope this experience will aid the city in its interactions with the state and federal government,” Wolfram said.
Wolfram also said he wants to explain positive economic policy to constituents in the community.
“My goal is to explain to my constituents such things as the purpose of the Tax Increment Financing Authority and the importance of the ‘positive externalities,’ something which my public finance class would be familiar with,” Wolfram said.
TIFA is a city government council that promotes economic growth, and positive externalities are benefits that a third party gains from a transaction.
Nine members make up the city council, with two members representing each of Hillsdale’s four wards, along with the mayor. Each member serves a four-year term, with one member of each ward up for reelection every two years.
City Council members currently seeking reelection and running unopposed include Greg Stuchell of Ward 1 and William Morrisey of Ward 2, according to Hillsdale City Clerk Katy Price.
According to Price, since only two candidates filed to run for the contested wards, a primary run-off was unnecessary, and all four candidates will appear on the November ballot.
Paladino, who studied Politics and Journalism at Hillsdale College and worked as The Collegian’s opinions editor, credits the school with his love for the city.
“The college gave me a great love for the city,” Paladino said. “I love this small town. The politics are face to face conversations with neighbors to get things done and decide what’s best. I’m grateful for my time here.”