Staff writer Rosalie Wind sits down with Blacksburg Town Council candidate Michael Sutphin to discuss the race.  Also, he listens to show tunes.

But that isn’t all he does. Michael Sutphin, the 25 year-old Blacksburg Town Council candidate from Knoxville, Tenn., graduated from Virginia Tech in 2002.  Currently, Sutphin works in the Department of Agriculture and Life Sciences, writing press releases, news articles, and the research magazine articles. Still holding ties to Virginia Tech students, he currently takes seminar classes at Tech.

As an undergraduate student at Virginia Tech, Sutphin wrote for The Collegiate Times and served as the President of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Alliance (LGBTA), where he helped create SafeWatch, a grassroots campaign across campus where one can report harassment or any general campus climate concerns. Additionally, Sutphin presides as the Vice President of the New River Valley Young Democrats and is an involved and progressive community activist within the Town of Blacksburg.

In our interview, Sutphin elaborated on his ideas about revitalizing downtown Blacksburg, promoting the Smart Growth concept, improving public and alternative transportation, and sustainability practices after the town council election on November 3rd.

Revitalizing Downtown

Sutphin proposes an incentive ordinance to help new downtown businesses. If implemented, entrepreneurs would pay taxes and after a year of business, get the money back. The following year, new businesses receive roughly fifty percent of taxes back. This encourages business sales and the overall quality of downtown, independent stores. Sutphin voiced his hopes to extend and actively recruit small businesses, exponentially expanding downtown.

This incentive package supports entrepreneurs to pursue their business.  For example, the council is searching for an independent pharmacist to set up shop downtown so we do not give money to bigger, consumer-hungry chain stores.

Smart Growth

Emphasizing the importance of long range planning and public health when considering land issues, Sutphin plans to protect our neighborhoods, achieving affordable housing for people of all incomes, and ensuring that new developments protect businesses within Blacksburg. He defines “Smart Growth” as meeting the needs of our current generation without compromising those of the future.

Public and Alternative Transportation

There is an importance for new and improved ways of transportation. If elected, Sutphin lists hybrid electric Blacksburg Transit buses, expanding sidewalks and bikeways, and promoting the use of low-emission forms of getting around town as his initiatives.

Sustainability

Following suit with the “Cool Cities” initiative, Sutphin plans to reduce our carbon emissions in the following years. He hopes we can lead by example, using green technology in new buildings such as the new Rescue Squad facility. Sutphin will restore the Stroubles Creek Watershed, promote a bike route around downtown with his “Share the Road” mentality, and even extend Blacksburg common trails like the popular Huckleberry Trail.

Recently endorsed by The Roanoke Times, Sutphin serves as a viable candidate for Blacksburg Town Council. He has experience as a Virginia Tech student as well as a permanent Blacksburg resident, and a genuine concern for the Blacksburg’s overall progression.