Why am I running?
I am running for BET because I believe we need more elected officials dedicated to the central importance of collective problem solving. As individuals, there is little we can do to address shared priorities like ending homelessness, reducing violent crime, or our caring for our environment. But together we can create a safer, more cohesive city we can all be proud of.
That will require bold leadership and innovative thinking in the face of the grave challenges facing us today. Right now, Minneapolis is staring down a triple threat of major funding challenges:
Rising costs due to demographic change and the price of maintaining a strong public workforce.
An eroding tax base due to regional and economic trends impacting downtown.
The threat of a federal government intent on attacking cities like Minneapolis that work to make a better life for everyone.
These challenges will make it harder to maintain the infrastructure, parks, and other services that have long made Minneapolis the standout city that it is today. To meet this difficult moment, we need leaders who believe in the importance of forward-thinking investment more than they want to win votes by promising tax cuts that never materialize anyway. We need a BET that will find new paths for innovation, not accept a declining status quo.
What will I do in Office?
Defend public goods
The first and more important job of the BET is to ensure that city services are adequately funded. Other candidates run on tax cuts that they won’t deliver. That’s not my style. I think we must be judicious with every dollar of taxpayer money. But we also need to think long-term about what happens to cities that choose short-term savings over long-term strength and stability. Minneapolis became what it is because of the pioneering efforts of early leaders who built bridges, transit, and an unparalleled parks system. I want to help restore that sense of collective purpose to city leadership.
As a member of the BET, I will strive to ensure that we protect the city services that support our quality of life and keep Minneapolis vibrant. But I will also be vocal about failed programs and wasteful spending. No one cares more about the effective use of public money.
Good communication
One of the most frustrating parts of being a taxpayer today is that opacity of the system. Where does the money go and who does it serve?
As your elected member of the BET, I will do my best to communicate about where I see the city’s greatest challenges, successes, and opportunities for productive public investment. Likewise, I will call attention to failed programs and strategies that are not making the highest use of our precious resources.
Innovative funding
The BET is primarily responsible for setting property tax levy limits, but it also reviews city bonds and works tangentially on many other aspects of our public investments. I believe Minneapolis has a great many untapped resources at its disposal — from under-utilized land to new public enterprises — and I want to help create true public wealth.
As a member of the BET, I will use the power and platform of the office to develop these potential paths and create more value for Minneapolis taxpayers. Things I am interested in exploring include Land Value Taxation, which would raise more money from speculative landowners, and public enterprises like social housing, which has led to the creation of hundreds of units of high-quality housing at minimal ongoing cost in Maryland and other places.