3rd District Commissioner Race

There has been a lot of talk and rumor about the 3rd District Commissioner position. Commissioner Pagel’s announcement not to seek re-election has energized our district. I have been inundated with questions regarding this position. I am honored by the outpouring of support and confidence that I would be able to have a positive impact on County Government. We have made great progress in the City of Isanti in 2007 and I am working hard to continue our success.

With all our success Isanti still faces perhaps the toughest two to three years in our history. We face the ever growing mortgage crisis, failed developers leaving devastation in their wake and lower City revenues due to unpaid property taxes and utility fees. The reforms that have been put in place along with the reforms yet to come and the tremendous commercial growth all hinge on continuing the plan we started in 2007.

We have turned a corner as a City but as hard as it was to make the great progress in the past year it can slip away just as fast. I can not in good conscience leave the City of Isanti. I made a promise to do the best with my limited abilities to lead our City out of the mistakes of the past and into a brighter future. We are succeeding better than any of us could have hoped in such a short time. There is a lot of work yet to be done and our job will only be tougher.

You and I did not create the local, state and national mortgage crisis or the looming economic recession but only together can we continue our success. 15 plus new businesses and relocations in 2007, property tax cut, leveling off of City spending, fully funded new water treatment plant, new police lieutenant and patrol officer, dramatic decrease in crime, Long Term Financial Plan, developer fees that actual pay the cost of development, Council rules and procedures, nuisance ordinance reform and so on and so on…..I can not promise there will be no hardships to bear in the future, I can promise I will not leave you this November to shoulder them alone.

I will not equivocate; I will not run for the 3rd District Commissioner position this fall. We have hard work to do and I intend to continue doing just that.