Here's why:

COMMON SENSE:  Sometimes I wonder if this isn't the most important reason of all.  All too often I watch various levels of government and shake my head in disbelief.  Where has the common sense of our leadership gone?  I have and use common sense in all my decisions and I can't say it enough: "COMMON SENSE!" This community is full of very smart people with a health share of common sense and I will continue to use their input to assist my decision making.

A PERSON OF THE PEOPLE: I am an average blue collar small business owner working to make ends meet like most of you.  I know how it is to get your hands dirty and sweat for a living because I do it every day, just like most of you.  I will continue to listen very carefully to YOU, the electorate, in my decision making process.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY:  My track record on money issues is without debate.  Since 2002 the city tax rate has either decreased or remained the same, with the exception to 2007 and numerous times in 2008 and 2009, in which I was the LONE vote against the higher rate of taxation.  I have and will continue to ask the hard questions and vote against any and all wasteful spending.  I view the wise spending of your hard earned money as my greatest responsibility.  I am one of only two current council members to be certified by the state in estimated property market values and limited market values.  As I said before, I work hard for my money, too.  I don't plan to waste it and I won't waste yours either.

The 2009-2010 budget is completely out of control considering the foreclosure rates, job losses, home value depreciation, and anticipated federal/state tax increases looming. Look, paying $500 a year on a $200,000 house then paying $500 on a $150,000 house is a large increase in the rate of taxation. We pay to water flowers, free movies in the park, over-charged the taxpayers $250,000 and created a new bank account instead of returning it! We also charge the taxpayers over $1 million a year in building rental charges for future building you may never see and we charge over $1 million per year for recreations deficits while other public safety areas are compromised.  Strong leadership prioritizes services and the tax dollars available.

PROVEN EXPERIENCE: My 8 years of council experience has created a track record of conservative spending. My proven record shows I have the ability to unite the community on hard issues.  The Dean Lake project is a perfect example.  I worked on that project with council authority while the community was divided and by the time I was done the community was united behind a long worked-out environmentally friendly master developer's agreement.  I will continue to believe we get there best, when we get there united.

COMMON SENSE:  Yes, I know I said that already, but I'm serious.  We look at Washington, D.C. and don't see much common sense there.  We sometime wonder where the common sense has gone in our own Minnesota state government.  And even right here in the Shakopee City Hall, at times common sense doesn't seem very common at all.

INTEGRITY:  I learned "integrity" as a child from my  loving mother and father.   I was taught to be honest and always stand on my morals and values.  Over the years I was lucky to have many within our community touch my life in ways they will never know.  These individuals steered my life through difficult times and have made me a better person. Some are school personal, some police, some local businesses, and some residents.  I think about this all the time and strive to help others in our community by offering my services to those most in need through either my church or the many non-profits and county programs I'm involved in.  Quite simply, it's our duty to help one another.

CHALLENGE THE ISSUES: I will continue to press our staff and consultants on the issues at hand.  I am not known for holding back, from asking the hard questions, and I prefer these questions be asked in an open public forum so the bosses (that's YOU, the taxpayers) are informed on the issues straight from the horse's mouth so to speak.  I will continue to table items which do not have the answers to hard questions until we GET those answer.  The peoples' business is too important to make decisions without information and I believe the taxpayers expect no less.

PROPERTY RIGHTS: I will continue to fight for the rights of property owners.  NEVER should a family be pushed out into the streets because a government thinks it could make better use of your property for crass economic gain. I have a hard time with government taxing properties for 50 years and then turning around and taking these properties against the property owner's will because some money men think they can make more money from it.  It's un-American.  I will not support this.  I will only consider taking property when its a community need, (sewer or road type project) and no other options exist.  I will then require a reasonable relocation package with a fair market value reimbursement. It must be the right thing to do and be done fairly for me to consider it.

Don't be surprised if the 101 First Avenue project uses tax dollars to take commercial properties off the tax rolls so your home can make up the loss with higher taxes. Oh, and Marshall Road would need widening, too, so there goes the rest of our commercial base, not to mention the small town feel and the historic areas all funded by you in this economic time when 69 sits empty as a 4-lane divided with no railroad tracks, no stoplights, no school crossings, all the way to 169. 

You could probably bet the County paid big bucks to have consultants tell us to put 50,000 cars past our schools, uproot our commercial tax base, and destroy our historic town.  I have mentioned many, many times that we should be using 69 from 101 to 169 and further out Brickyard to 78.  This would entice new businesses on 69 from 101 to 169, increasing our tax base at NO extra cost to the tax payer.  But in addition to adding traffic capacity, my plan would allow North/South traffic a choice; they could go directly to Shakopee destinations or go directly to Highway 169, helping us avoid unnecessary traffic gridlock.

I am onboard to fix 101 because it's needed, however the repairs need to stay within existing right-of-way.  This would allow the adding of a center left turn lane, combined with using 69 to its full 4-lane divided design capacity all the way to 169.  This would more than prepare us for the future and cost almost nothing.  Again, this would not only allow us to retain our current businesses, but entice new business to the area.

Up until now, my suggestions have been met with nothing by blank stares.  I'm hoping I won't get "blank stares" from you.  I'm hoping I'll get your vote. 

COMMON SENSE:  Have I mentioned that, yet?  Good!  Thought so.  I'm humbly asking for YOUR vote on Tuesday, November 3.  Keep me working for YOU as your Shakopee City mayor.

Thank you,