VALPARAISO | A day after he announced his candidacy for Indiana attorney general, Mayor Jon Costas was listening to residents' ideas about where the city should go in the next four years and beyond.

About 25 people attended the forum, sponsored by The Times, at the Christopher Center at Valparaiso University. Costas said he will still be heavily involved in the city regardless of whether he wins the Republican nomination for attorney general at the June convention.

He said he wants to finish writing the new strategic plan in the next three months. He said having a plan, as the city did when he first took office, makes it easier to get state and federal funding for projects. Valparaiso received about $20 million in outside funding in the past four years.

"I've got some ideas about what should happen in the next four years, but only some ideas," he said. "Leadership begins with listening."

Dennis Byron said he had concerns about the mix of rental and single-family homes in the city, and he would like to see more residential development downtown. Byron urged the city to provide incentives to accomplish the latter. He also urged the city to use its county economic development income tax money to bring jobs that will keep young people in the community.

A resident of the area that was part of the west side annexation two years ago, Don Bull, said the city needs to provide more pathways to connect that area to the high school, the new YMCA at Cumberland Crossing and other things so residents won't feel so separated from the rest of the city.

"I support the redevelopment of the older commercial areas, but we are getting overdeveloped with new commercial," Bull said. "The city also needs to look at its long-term TIF (tax increment financing) district commitments. I'd like to see some tax money going back into the schools and into property tax relief."

Affordable housing for young professionals, help for senior citizens to maintain their homes and remain independent and a fine arts theater were other suggestions along with expanding the type of businesses in the downtown to include clothing stores and office supplies to appeal to a broader range of customers.

Residents asked about the future of the downtown YMCA building and the Porter Hospital Valparaiso Campus. Costas didn't have an answer for the Y, but he said VU is interested in the hospital site and might demolish the building and redevelop the site.

Asked what they would like to see "if money were no object," suggestions included bringing the South Shore commuter rail service to the city, more bike trails, a 12,000- to 15,000-seat arena, easier access to the existing South Shore stations, underground parking downtown, sidewalk repair and construction, and a community pool.