'Don' is serious this time (mention + pic)

SERIOUS STUFF: Mark Servian who brought the city the Riff Raff statue announces his candidacy for Hamilton City Council.
PETER DRURY/The Waikato Times

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/3752954/Don-is-serious-this-time/

29 May 2010

He brought Hamilton its famous Riff Raff statue and now he wants to make a mark in city politics.

Mark Servian, 43, who led the drive to install the Rocky Horror Picture Show character's statue on Victoria St, yesterday announced his candidacy for Hamilton City Council in this year's local body elections.

Mr Servian, a political activist, Green Party co-ordinator and artist, told a small but vocal band of supporters at the statue he would stand in the east ward, where he must oust either Gordon Chesterman, Daphne Bell, Pippa Mahood, Peter Bos, Roger Hennebry or Glenda Saunders to claim a seat at the council table.

He estimated he needed about 7000 votes to gain a seat in what will be his ninth tilt at public office. Mr Servian's previous attempts – including one for mayor in 1992, when he ran as mafia boss "Don Serviano" – were under the banner of the McGillicuddy Serious Party, but he said this campaign and candidacy was a genuine and serious attempt to represent Hamiltonians. His last candidacy was in 1996.

He believed he had "a very high chance" of being elected, and wanted to be a voice for the arts, with which he has had a long involvement, and the environment.

Mr Servian said he was standing as an independent candidate, and not on a Green Party ticket. "There are a lot of people supporting me generally and logistically who are not Green Party members."

His policies were "informed by my background and as an environmentalist, and equally as having got Riff Raff here", and he gave the two areas equal weight. "Those are the communities I'm seeking to represent."

He offered voters "imagination, initiative and integrity," and wanted to champion the "volunteer economy" and "make the city more liveable, and build community".

Mr Servian said he supported Mayor Bob Simcock's view that "voting blocs" were not desirable for councils. And though he also supported the council's events fund, "and a lot of things this council is doing", he opposed rate-payers' money being used to fund the V8 Supercars street race weekend, describing it as "corporate welfare".

"I can tolerate other people's fun, even if it annoys me, but when we all start paying for it, it's another matter altogether," he said.

Mr Servian has two high-profile supporters, former Greens MP Nandor Tanczos and trans-Atlantic rower Rob Hamill backing his candidacy.