Mathias
Skytte

Completely free services tend to be misused. This means that people are less diligent in reporting absences, travel, etc., as there are no consequences. However, I believe the fee should be the same for everyone and lower than it is today.

Physical books create different memories in the brain – where on the page something was read, whether it was at the top or bottom, at the beginning or end. This helps children memorize in a different way. Our children already get enough screen time outside of school, so screen time in school should be limited. Additionally, physical books are more economically sustainable over time.

With eight years of experience as chairman of the board for Vaasa region’s arenas, I fully agree. We should invest in various types of sports facilities as well as fitness and recreational opportunities for people of all ages. These bring people together, create social connections, and build lifelong networks. Vaasa has many great facilities, but operational costs are high, which affects rental prices. The city should provide a bit more subsidies.

Culture is important, but not at any cost. High culture, such as the city orchestra, receives significant annual funding, while young people are often overlooked. Vaasa lacks venues and activities that appeal to youth. Keltsu and Club 25 were valued meeting places that unfortunately no longer exist. We need to invest in similar initiatives, and the Wärtsilä area could provide suitable spaces.

Vaasa already has participatory budgeting. To some extent, this is good, but we also have 55 city council members elected through democratic elections. It is always possible to contact them if something is not right. I have always listened to suggestions and criticism and forwarded them when justified.

The City should invest in public transportation. I personally use public transportation to manage my daily routine since we only have one car. Overall, my experience is positive, and the prices are reasonable today. One area for development could be collaboration with various organizers, for example, free public transportation to and from Vaasa Sport and VPS matches. It might also be worth trying out some late-night routes to see if there is interest and demand

Vaasa is one of the municipalities in Finland with a high population density per square kilometer. In other words, it is difficult to build wind power in Vaasa. However, we should ensure that industries consider and install solar panels where possible, in combination with various energy storage systems. This possibility is, however, limited by national laws and regulations. We should continue to work on these.

Perhaps to some extent, but I find it hard to envision a pleasant environment with a jumble of detached houses and high-rise buildings. However, at the national level, legislation should be changed so that those who file complaints just to cause trouble and delay are held accountable for unfounded complaints. In Vaasa, the development of too many areas is hindered precisely because of this.

In Vaasa, we already have anonymous recruitment, and based on the feedback I have received, it works well.

Overall, I call for strict budgets and an attitude that one euro of tax money is twice as valuable as one\'s own euro. In Finland, we waste tax money generously on irrelevant projects, various unions that have outlived their time, and politically affiliated actors. These should be consistently eliminated.