Pietrangelo looking to bring business experience to town council

Tony Pietrangelo

Tony Pietrangelo ran a business in Amherstburg for three decades and now wants to bring that experience to town council.

Pietrangelo is running for a councillor position in the Oct. 26 municipal election. The retired restaurant owner believes he brings a lot to the table.

“I’ve been in business in Amherstburg for 30 years or more,” he said. “Now I’m retired and I see my tax dollars going up. What my taxes are going towards I’m not happy about. I’ve come to the conclusion the town needs business people on council.”

Pietrangelo, who owned the former Maria’s Restaurant, currently sits on the town’s accessibility advisory committee and the parks and recreation advisory committee. He said he wants answers to issues of concern in Amherstburg.

“I’m not a politician. I don’t have the answers. I have questions,” he said.

With industries leaving town, Pietrangelo said more needs to be done to attract more industries and business in general.

“We say we welcome businesses. We keep pushing them away,” he contended. “We keep putting roadblocks in front of them and they go somewhere else. We need people on council that can strategically negotiate with businesses that want to move into our town.”

Pietrangelo wants to find out more why the population is growing even though industries have left. He added small businesses need to be supported, noting they are the lifeblood of the community. 

“We’ve got to keep supporting them,” he said.

Amherstburg has to attract jobs of the future and use its location near the Canada-U.S. border to do so.

“Amherstburg is located very strategically,” said Pietrangelo. “We should use that to our advantage and we’re not.”

Determining what needs and wants actually are is key, he added, and the Town of Amherstburg is “overspending in areas where we shouldn’t be overspending.” He cited the new fire hall as an example of that.

“The town owns too many buildings that need repair,” said Pietrangelo, who suggested some be sold off with the proceeds used on infrastructure. He also questioned the amount of parkland the town has, suggesting “maybe get rid of some of that parkland and use that for infrastructure as well.”

Ensuring a maintenance fund is in place to cover costs is also important, he added.

Open Air Weekends are “a benefit for Amherstburg,” Pietrangelo believes. He added from the businesses he has spoken to, they were “OK with it.”

“I just want what is best for Amherstburg,” he said. “Our location is beautiful. We have to build on it. This is the Florida of Canada.”

The town should also build on its heritage aspects and take advantage of the history that is here. 

Pietrangelo added he wants to “bring everyone together” and help as many people he can if he is elected to town council. 

Candidates have until Aug. 21 at 2 p.m. to file for a council or school board position.

Pietrangelo looking to bring business experience to town council

By Ron Giofu