As Hercules comes out of a turbulent year, Hercules Patch asked some residents what they expect, hope and fear for 2012.

Here's what Hercules Mayor Dan Romero said. Share your own predictions in the comments or see the note at the end of this article if you'd like your thoughts published as a separate article.

Where you think Hercules will be by the end of 2012?

Hercules will hopefully have a better outlook for what we can do with our assets, which are our properties. I hope to have a deal finished with Sycamore North that will be fair to all residents. We cannot give the property away to any developer. The Bayfront/ITC agreement will be finished and we will have a clearer outlook of state and federal grants to fund the project. Hopefully, we will be able to start the continuation of John Muir to the Bayfront, marking the beginning of the Bayfront/ITC Project.

By the end of 2012 I hope that we will be getting the 7 cents per dollar instead of the 3.5 cents per dollar that we are currently getting on our property taxes. The dialogue between the city and the county needs to start in order to understand why the county is receiving more Hercules’ tax dollars than the city is currently receiving. These are property tax dollars generated in our city, so the county will have to explain why they are taking a larger portion our tax dollars than we receive. This return of lost property taxes will close the budget deficit, giving our residents a better and more honest outlook of what the city’s budget should be.  

Where do you hope Hercules will be? 

I hope we will sell the Sycamore North property. By the end of 2012, we should have a deal with Bayfront/ITC secured and we will have the funds to balance the city budget as well as a solid plan to bring the city into the future.

Where do you fear Hercules might be?

The state winning their takeover of the Hercules Redevelopment Agency could be damaging to the city. Not being able to close the budget deficit is critical to this city’s future. But it will not be because we didn’t try. This city was handed a terrible mess from past administrations, reduction of staff could diminish employee confidence, but what I see is city management and staff working 100 percent to make the city better in the future. This work attitude prompts me to work harder for the residents. If we don’t end up meeting our goals it will not be because we didn’t try hard enough. This hard-working mind set will get us through our financial problems. Hercules in the future will always be better due to the valuable lessons that we are learning now. 

Post your reaction in the comments below. If you'd like your 2012 Hercules predictions published as a separate article, please send your answers to the above questions to laila.kearney@patch.com. Include your first and last name and a photo of yourself that clearly shows your face.