A Voice for All Residents

I am running for city council in order to be a transparent and accessible representative for the residents of Blaine. I plan to make sure that as a council member I am quick to respond to emails and phone calls to ensure that I am accountable to my constituents, as well as aware of the needs of the community. I would also like to actively use the city newsletter to draw attention to upcoming decisions as well as clarify why decisions were made. Additionally, I plan to advocate for increased community input before zoning decisions are approved, specifically through community meetings.

 I want to make sure that residents are at the center of all decisions being made by the city council. I am not a career politician nor do I intend to use a city council position to start a political career, my background as an engineer is about solving technical and business problems. I would like to use those skills to serve our community and to be a voice for all residents.

Invest in Residents and Neighborhoods

Blaine has seen tremendous growth over the last several decades yet portions of Blaine have seen little reinvestment. There are areas in the city that have been developing quicker than others, and I would like to work on ensuring that all areas are receiving the attention and finances they need to maintain high-quality infrastructure. We need to invest in the improvement of roads, and parks, as well as redevelopment opportunities; not only new development opportunities. I plan to advocate for the use of revenue from new developments, and other sources, to improve and preserve all neighborhoods. We need to invest in our residents and our infrastructure to make our city an enjoyable place for everyone to call home.

Reduce financial dependence on residents 

Blaine needs to utilize outside sources of revenue that would not be a tax burden to its citizens. The city would be able to spend more per resident if they were taking advantage of other financial opportunities besides taxing residents. By utilizing these resources, we will be able to spend more per resident, which means being able to put more of the Blaine budget towards keeping our neighborhoods safe and well-maintained. 

How can we do this? 

One opportunity is through grant money. Blaine is currently not accessing local, state, and federal grants. When compared to other Minnesota cities, Blaine is in the middle third of property taxes collected per resident, but is in the bottom 5% in utilizing local, state, and federal grants as ways to bring money to the city budget. I would like to advocate that Blaine should start to access these grants in order to start spending more on residents.

Another opportunity is through visitors. Blaine has many visitors, and amenities that could be capitalized on for the benefit of the average Blaine resident; soccer tournaments at the Blaine complex are an example of an event that brings many people into our city. I believe that Blaine needs to ensure that these visitors and other agencies are helping fund Blaine in the same way that they are helping fund other cities through ticket fees and hotel taxes.