If I Were Elected Mayor of Newport...

Imagine if you were in charge of Newport. What would you change or improve? Would you lower taxes or more provide more services?

We asked readers on the Newport Patch Facebook page if they were elected mayor, was is the first thing they would do.

Most respondents said crime and the roads were problems in Newport:

Jani Brooks Pave Broadway!!

Mary Brugman-Hartnett Fix the roads 

Anna Anton Do a Giuliani and get rid of the panhandlers and crime in the West Broadway neighborhoods. Tipping point.

Jeremy Rudman Fix the streets and sidewalks, put beat cops on patrol

Bert Duguay ... put police on the street .......

John Begin Fix the construction PROBLEMS. And get rid of parking tickets. Oh and put Beat cops on Broadway and Thames St.

Others brought up revenue and transportation:

Paul Berdy Appropriately tax Salve, and the Breakers etc

Antonio Sanpere 2% bed tax on hotels B&B's and weekly rentals, put bike racks on taxi's and more bike racks in town, plus more scooter/motorcycle parking, lower vehicle traffic impact....

David Pignolet Stop the monopolist corrupt taxi companies from creating a hazard to the public by holding unfilled licenses

Erika Johnson Kiel Keep the bars open until 2!

Political buffs will have to put away the city’s charter for a moment. They might explain our mayor is not actually elected by voters, but appointed by the city council. Moreover, the mayor merely serves as the captain of that elected body; the council as a whole decides policy. The city manager and her staff are then responsible for the execution of directives set by the seven-member council.  This system is intended to provide checks and balances to our local government.

What is the first thing you would do? Tell us in the comments below.