The sleepy race for mayor of Kiryat Ono is heating up. The chairman of the opposition in the city, attorney Gil Michals, stated that he will run against Mayor Israel Gal in the 2023 elections. In an interview with Ono News, Michals presents his views and tells in which areas he will work to change.
Gil Tell us a little about yourself
“My name is Gil Michals. Some of you know me. I am the son of the late Dr. Chaim Michals, an orthopedic doctor, and my late daughter is a pharmacist by training. Married to Ofra, interior designer, father of 3 sons. Tal is an art teacher, Dor is an agronomist and Ido is a student of business administration and law at the IDC in Herzliya.
By training I am a lawyer, owner of a private law firm, located in the heart of the historical industrial center of Kiryat Ono.
Most importantly, I have a record of volunteering for the city and its residents. Works voluntarily, without pay for more than 20 years in the city. Acts honestly, with respect and does everything to contribute to the public benefit.
Certain hobbies? Something no one knows about you?
“In my spare time I am a pilot with a commercial license and a gliding instructor (plane without an engine).”
Why choose Gil Michals? What experience and background do you bring with you to the position?
“I bring with me a lot of experience, I believe in the involvement and participation of the public in determining their lifestyles in the city, and no less important, intensive work habits and team work, which are customary in a competitive private market.
I come to this important position with a lot of proven experience. From 2006 to 2008 I served as deputy and acting mayor of Kiryat Ono on a voluntary basis, and I also served as chairman of the Kiryat Ono Development Company.
Between the years 2008-2012 I served as the chairman of the management of the sports and health center in Kiryat Ono – the swimming pool.
Since 2013 I am a member of the city council. Until 2018, I was the chairman of the management of the municipal community center, a member of the sub-committee for planning and construction in the city, as well as a member of the board of directors of the economic company and the sports and health center.
Since 2018, I have served as the chairman of the opposition in the city.”
What is the first thing you are going to take care of if you are elected?
“I am a resident of Kiryat Ono by choice. I love the city and its residents, so it is clear that the first thing is to preserve its residents and guarantee them a quality of life and a good and comfortable life.
It is necessary and possible to do things differently. We must breathe for a moment, despite the urban suffocation, invest thought and means in advance planning, informed vision, resource mobilization and start managing demographic growth in a gradual and controlled manner.
TAMA’s wholesale approvals, and urban renewal, the distribution of permits to contractors to build towers indicates a complete disregard for the fact that inside the new apartments, in the high towers, live people who need a municipal basket of services: education, culture, transportation, welfare, housing culture, classes, leisure and more .
The time has come to recalculate a course and determine a new urban policy, which sees first the residents who already live here, build infrastructure for those who are yet to come and only then take care of the needs of the developers and contractors.
My condition for construction is: air, spaces, infrastructure, parking, educational institutions, cultural center, public transportation and more. And everything is preceded by “crowding” and surely preceded by our packing in an orderly manner in uniform sardine boxes, which boast of height and enrich the municipal coffers.
I do not ignore the problems and as a lawyer I know that stopping and slowing down construction is only possible for a short time. I know that entrepreneurs and contractors, who hold permits signed by the mayor, may be damaged and their lives are not easy in these days of rising interest rates in the economy.
I know and undertake to act vigorously with the cooperation of professionals, to bring back to the table a series of decisions and issues, to reconsider them and to lead them as much as possible to improve and ensure the quality of life.
A political position you identify with?
“I present my candidacy for mayor of Kiryat Ono on behalf of the “Yesh Atid” party and will head the list of “Yesh Atid in Kiryat Ono” for the city council. I am very cohesive, a centrist, I believe in the purity of government.”
Have you made a list yet? Who is on your list?
“We are at the beginning of the race. I promise that we will present a representative, active, magnificent and excellent list when the time comes. We will hold a proper conference and bring to the public a fine team that they will know they can trust.
Nats – What should be done in the field in your opinion?
“You will be surprised, but not much. First of all, decide that we must change direction and this NTA in its format must change. In the project “Fast to the City” that started about a decade ago, it was planned to establish about 130 public transportation routes in Gush Dan. 6 years later, barely 20 lanes were opened. And why? Because most of the municipalities in Gush Dan decided to stop the project in their city since they were found to be deficient in planning.
The opening of the left-wing NTC in Levi Eshkol against the anger of the residents is a mistake, so here is my first election promise.
Immediately after the elections, I undertake to do everything necessary to dismantle this failure from the ground up. It is not easy, it will cost money but it is possible. From my municipal experience and as a lawyer, I know how it can be done and how to finance it without harming other projects that the city so desperately needs.”
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