Issues

Leadership

The mayor position needs someone with proven leadership and who possesses creative thinking skills that allow the problem solving of complex issues.  Knowing the “root cause” of a problem can bring understanding to the problem with a better possibility of achieving a workable solution that benefits the taxpayer. Present leadership has acted on issues to the detriment of the taxpayer public. With my experience in environmental and project management, I believe I can bring professional oversight to some of the problems confronting the city of New Brighton. I am running to promote the best interest of the taxpayer.

Financial Accountability to the Taxpayers

Taxpayers need to know how and where their tax dollars are being spent. If you attend council meetings where budgets are proposed and you leave with more questions than answers, you are not getting full disclosure. If taxpayers do not understand how their tax dollars are spent it is difficult to hold anyone accountable. We need more effective financial reporting at a level the taxpayers can relate to.

Leadership Responsibility

Keeping informed of changing conditions is a responsibility of our city leaders. I feel that keeping informed is necessary if you want to honor your fiduciary responsibility of keeping the trust of acting in the taxpayers’ best interest. I will keep informed on critical issues that will impact our city. Quality decisions require gathering as many facts as possible. Attentive listening is a skill. When city leaders stop listening to the taxpayers, there is a critical breakdown in communication. This breakdown in communication shows an arrogant lack of respect for our taxpayers.

Cities adjacent to New Brighton are willing to share the taxpayers’ economic pain by holding tax increases to 0%. When your employer asks you to reduce your budget it is not prudent to suggest cutting services. If you are unable to increase productivity and reduce expenses, you can be assured your replacement will. The public sector seems to want to take the easy path of simply reaching into the taxpayers’ pockets for more money. The city’s leadership has failed to realize that a growing number of taxpayers have empty pockets.

The Northwest Quadrant

Large long-term project planning will always encounter changing conditions and issues that need to be addressed with multiple possible solutions. Knowing how to manage rapid change is an important advantage. Redevelopment can be beneficial for a city, but to move ahead without adequate research and “Due Diligence” indicates poor planning. Choosing to use eminent domain under the guise of blighted property, taxpaying businesses were threatened with seizure by use of eminent domain. The courts have ruled this process is improper use of eminent domain.

The city of New Brighton lobbied the State Legislature to continue this process for completion of the N. W. Quadrant. The state allowed this, which led to further expensive mistakes.  Mile posts should be established for financial accounting to avoid potential liability and a very unpleasant surprise in 2025 or sooner. If the city is now on a very successful path, why not give the taxpayers a financial accounting? This project needs some new management oversight. Taxpayers do not need any more unpleasant surprises from this redevelopment project. Understanding the root cause of problems can lead to positive solutions.