Politics & Government

Farmington Incumbent Says City Council Faces Tough Decisions

Greg Cowley said he decided to run for re-election because he feels he can make those decisions.

Farmington city council member Greg Cowley says while officials have already faced challenging times, tougher decisions lie down the road. 

Elected to his first term in 2011, Cowley is on the Nov. 5 ballot with four other candidates for three council posts. Rather than raising taxes to make up for reduced revenues, he favors a "growth strategy" to increase the city's property tax base.

Cowley said from the time he was elected, he pushed for a 5-year budget forecast. He said the city faces $250,000 to $1 million in potential deficits over the next three years, and he wants to look at more ways to share services with the City of Farmington Hills.

"Making the dispatch decision (to contract with Farmington Hills) was the first of many tough decisions," he said. "It's a solution that's working for the citizens and the public safety department."

Greg and his wife, Maureen, have been Farmington residents for 14 years. 

Why he decided to run
"The biggest reason is that I got two years into it, and I got a full picture of what the city faces," he said. "There's tougher decisions coming ... I think I'm capable of making those decisions."

Community connections
John Cowley & Sons, his family's restaurant, has supported the Catholic Central Dads Club and the Mercy High School Dads Club, raffling off a trip to Ireland annually for both schools. Cowley is also an active member at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church and is a past member and president of the Farmington Downtown Development Authority. 

Employment
In addition to working with his family's downtown Farmington restaurant, Cowley is employed by ComData. 

Campaign information
Cowley says he doesn't have a website or a Facebook page, and he doesn't plan to spend money on signs. He invites anyone with questions to stop by John Cowley & Sons.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Farmington-Farmington Hills