Ed's Vision for Surprise
“This isn’t about me. This isn’t about you. This is about US together and the future of Surprise.” Ed Cunningham
Transparency
Transparency is absolutely necessary for every organization and business that serves the public. This is for two main reasons: accountability for those in office and those who work for the city, and enabling residents to make informed decisions about what they want those serving them to achieve. In all the years that I have mediated conflicts in business and community relationships, the root cause of almost every breakdown is misunderstood expectations. Transparency is the most important tool to avoid conflict and be effective as a city government.
Community Identity
Community identity is important for many reasons, but most of all it brings us together with a common vision of who we are as Surprise residents. In this day and age, where powers are working so hard to divide us, it is even more imperative that we create and believe in who we are in Surprise. We come from many beautifully unique backgrounds and cultures. Each of us carries the stories built over generations of how we came to live together in this community. Individually, we are wonderfully unique, and together we are stronger for those differences.
Intelligent Growth
We are at a crucial crossroads in our city where the growth of the past meets the dream of what our future growth will look like. It is important now more than ever that we work on the now and make prudent decisions that future generations will be proud of and will continue.
Water Rights Retention
Part of prudent growth initiatives is to bear in mind that we are a desert and that one of our most precious resources is our water. As we allow more development to be permitted, we must keep in mind two things: water availability and conservation, and more importantly, retention of our water rights. We as a city should never allow something as precious as a basic human need to be out of our hands to control.
Our First Responders
Having been a firefighter and paramedic here in the West Valley for over a decade, Ed learned firsthand the importance of making sure our first responders are not only trained to the highest level of standards but also equipped to handle any emergency situation that will arise. This must also be coupled with prudent eyes on the fiduciary responsibilities we have to every other program that the city manages to serve the residents of Surprise.
Crisis Preparedness
No matter where you sit politically, religiously, or economically, we can all agree that these days and times are uncertain, and preparation for worst-case scenarios, while working towards best outcomes, is the only way to be prepared. This is accomplished through open and direct public access to information on how best to react to any crisis that may happen. Even though we are a statistically safe city, we are not completely removed from the possibility of a crisis such as rioting, mass shootings, food and water shortages, etc. These will be the times that a strong, experienced, and steadfast ability to lead from the front will be most important. Ed Cunningham brings all of this to the office of Mayor.
