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Alex Szucs
Registered Voter Party:
Republican
Incumbent:
Yes
Previous experience in elected office:
Belmont City Council (2021-Present)
Age:
~30
Occupation:
Director of finance for a chemical manufacturing company
Description:
Szucs (pronounced Zooks) says that he has been pushing the city council for cost reductions that lower taxes. He believes that “Belmont has that small town charm that brings people here.” He wants to protect historic structures while targeting “new development that BENEFITS Belmont.” His key priority is infrastructure improvement. In a candidate forum hosted by the Gaston Business Association he said that “community” is what motivates him. He defended the moratorium on development as a “pause so we can grow in the right way.” He says, “We don’t need density to be successful.” He went on to say the City Council had turned down propositions for warehouses that were unlikely to lead to additional jobs. He has also voted for development such as Lakeview Farms because the developer absorbed a significant portion of the infrastructure expenses which had positive effects for Belmont.
Other personal:
Szucs is a Belmont native. He is an avid golfer and fisherman and is married to his high school sweetheart. He has a bachelor's from Appalachian State University and is a registered Republican.
The Gaston Business Association Questionnaire
Please provide a short introduction (50 words or less) highlighting your background and achievements.
I am a Gaston County native that has a huge passion for our Belmont community and history. I am currently serving a first term to Belmont's City Council. I also serve as chairman of the Historic Belmont Foundation and currently sit on the Gaston Cleveland Lincoln County transportation board. For employment, I am an associate director of finance for a chemical manufacturing company.
What inspired you to run for city/town council, and what specific qualities or experiences make you well-suited for this role?
This community gave so much to me growing up as a kid. This is where I met my wife and where we decided to move back to after college and start our own family. My wife and I have one son, Fields, and intend to stay here and provide him the same wonderful community we both had growing up. Belmont has that small town charm that brings people here. I think it is extremely important that we maintain that by protecting our historic structures and targeting new development that BENEFITS Belmont. I am working in finance for a large chemical manufacture which has given me the financial mindset when looking at the budget. The past four years I have been on council I have been heavily involved in pushing for cost reductions to achieve tax decreases.
What are your top priorities for your city/town (specifically pertaining to the business community), and how do you plan to address them if elected?
My top priorities as it pertains to businesses are related to question 4 of this questionnaire, the top issue being transportation and infrastructure. Improving our roads and water/sewer will be key in supporting our current and future businesses. While on council, we have made it our strategy to recruit new manufacturing and retail businesses. We also hyperfocus on our community events to ensure they benefit our small businesses. Without our local businesses, Belmont loses its greatest asset, our small town community. That is why we make sure our business owners have a seat at the table when discussing and planning Belmont's events and future.
Please select one of the following local issues, and provide a brief description of your stance on the topic: Economic Development, Public Safety, Transportation & Infrastructure, or Education.
My top priority for our city includes infrastructure improvements. We have to improve both our roads and sewer/water systems in order to recruit and bring new businesses. Without these necessities, economic opportunities will look elsewhere until we can adequately provide the necessary municipal functions for them to operate their businesses here. While I have been on council, I have been a part of the group to spearhead a city wide sewer capacity study. We have been able to secure millions of dollars from the state to help with these improvements to avoid increasing taxes. A few months ago, along with other council members, I proposed a building moratorium on the southern peninsula until we have the upgraded infrastructure to support the area. We as a city are in a position where the demand and attractiveness of building here is high, however we have to prioritize the issues we face today by improving our roads and sewer/water infrastructure.