Scott Prince cites action, experience in Avon council re-election campaign
Editor’s note: Keep reading the Vail Daily this week and next week for more Avon Town Council candidate profiles. Find previous profiles at http://www.vaildaily.com.
Elected in 2014, council member Scott Prince is seeking re-election to continue a commitment to public service that spans 10 years, as Prince served on Avon’s Planning and Zoning Commission for more than six years before serving on council.
Since 1998, Prince has been a resident of Wildridge, where he lives with his wife and 13-year-old son. He works as a banker in Avon with 23 years of experience and has an MBA from the University of Denver. He calls himself an aspiring athlete and outdoorsman and volunteers for the Birds of Prey Talon Crew.
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Key Decisions
Prince said the next council will have to make key decisions regarding the future of the Town Hall and fire station buildings, hiring a new town manager and long-lasting budget decisions.
“I have proven myself to listen to the community and strongly believe in representative government, engage in robust, respectful conversations with fellow council members, increase transparency and the public process and be a guardian of taxpayer dollars,” Prince wrote in a campaign statement to the Vail Daily. “The last decade has been transformational for Avon, with improvements such as the pedestrian mall, trails, the stage and pavilion and the soon-to-be-completed road diet.
“But we continue to lose resident and guests’ tax dollars to neighboring communities. We need to focus on return on those investments by marketing our community and promoting economic development. I will be an advocate for the town to aggressively explore public-private partnerships, but hold to a fundamental belief in listening and balancing our residents, businesses and guests’ needs and desires.”
Prince does not support spending millions of taxpayer dollars on the relocation of the Hahnewald Barn.
“That said, I have great respect for the history of Avon and pioneers who made it so,” he wrote. “Perhaps there is a better solution than rushing to spend tax dollars to preserve the barn.”
Common-Sense Centrist
Prince considers himself to be a common-sense centrist when it comes to government’s role and spending.
“The economy is very robust right now, and we should be building reserves and planning for the next, inevitable downturn,” he wrote. “I am supportive of a ‘pay as you go’ model for government spending and fiscal conservatism. I have always advocated for not burdening future councils with debt and have made smart choices about when and how to spend money.
“Example: During our last annual townwide budget approval hearings, I introduced the idea to lower the projections for sales tax and revenue growth in our budget further than proposed by town staff. Council agreed, and I will do the same this year, emphasizing increasing our town’s reserves.”
Prince is an advocate of the town’s climate action initiatives, supports solar panels on town buildings and has introduced legislation for the renewable energy sales tax credit.
Focus on Accountability
As the father of a teenager, Prince was alarmed by the rapid rise in the popularity of vaping and e-cigarettes and recently introduced legislation to increase the age limit from 18 to 21 to purchase vape and tobacco products in Avon.
“My professional experience in the financial and corporate environment has given the town a different perspective than my fellow councilors,” Prince wrote. “I leverage my experience and education to protect the town’s interests, yet am always watchful for government waste and will always strive to keep our local government accountable.
“I believe my many years of financial background, my experience on council and planning commission, my leadership experience and ability to listen to our community members will help to ensure Avon will be well run. We can take our beautiful town to the next level, and I promise to bring new ideas and a fresh perspective to the council.”
