Thank you to Kimberly, Hazelle and Derek for helping out at the Isanti Business Expo. Had a number of good conversations and signed more people up for the blog. Had a few good ideas share with us as well.
About Me
- George
- I have served the City of Isanti as Mayor since 2007. We have accomplished great things together and I look forward to building on our success. United, we move forward to a better future. You may contact me at 763-442-8749 or e-mail me at george@georgewimmer.com.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Isanti Business Expo
I will be at the Isanti Business Expo this Saturday 10am to 4pm at the Isanti Intermediate School. If you have any questions, concerns or great ideas about Isanti - please come and lets have a chat.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
3 Level Government Town Hall Meeting
Senator Olseen, Representative Eastlund and Commissioner Duff have accepted our invitation to a 3 level government Town Hall meeting this summer or early fall. Once we have it scheduled I will let you know. I want to thank each for being willing to give our residents this unique opportunity.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Churchill on my Mind
Some see private enterprise as a predatory target to be shot, others as a cow to be milked, but few are those who see it as a sturdy horse pulling the wagon
We contend that for a nation to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.
You can always count on Americans to do the right thing—after they’ve tried everything else.
Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality that guarantees all the others.
If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.
If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future.
I like a man who grins when he fights.
I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.
I have never developed indigestion from eating my words.
I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.
Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.
Everyone has his day and some days last longer than others.
For my part, I consider that it will be found much better by all parties to leave the past to history, especially as I propose to write that history myself.
Great and good are seldom the same man.
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.
I am certainly not one of those who need to be prodded. In fact, if anything, I am the prod.
I am easily satisfied with the very best.
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen.
An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.
Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.
In those days he was wiser than he is now; he used to frequently take my advice.
In war, you can only be killed once, but in politics, many times.
It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.
It is a fine thing to be honest, but it is also very important to be right.
It is no use saying, 'We are doing our best.' You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary.
Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.
Never, never, never give up.
No part of the education of a politician is more indispensable than the fighting of elections.
One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Never run away from anything. Never!
Perhaps it is better to be irresponsible and right, than to be responsible and wrong.
Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught.
Quotes from Winston Churchill
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Possible Town Hall Meeting
In an ongoing blog conversation the idea of a Town Hall meeting has come up. I would be very willing to conduct such a Town Hall meeting but I would like to expand it to include all levels. I will be asking our State Senator Olseen, State Representative Eastlund and County Commissioner Duff to conduct such a meeting at Isanti City Hall this summer. This will give the unique opportunity to have all 3 levels of government in one room at the same time to answer you questions....
It might be difficult to arrange with conflicting schedules but I do believe it would be a milestone event and I hope all will participate.
Total Major Revenues & Cost
Top 5 Major Revenue Sources
Top 8 Major City Cost
Total Major Cost
Total Major Revenue
The total major revenue sources for our City project to 2015 and major cost structure to 2012. I want to share a number of the financial projections I have put together for the City. These are the numbers I look at each day and what drives my decision making process. The total cumulative major revenues sources which peak in 2010 then drop off dramatically in 2011 and still do not recover by 2015. This is why I always say it may look like there is extra money to spend when there really is not any. The total cost chart shows the increasing cost to 2010 but then bends down in 2011 and 2012. This lowering of the cost curve is based on needed cuts in spending I will be asking the Council to approve this year. These changes need to be made in order to still provide our current service level.
A quick note that these are only the major revenues and cost. There are many more smaller line items that make up both sides of the City budget.
This projection is also why in the last few years I have been driving the City to cut spending on numerous items so we could conserve our cash on hand. It is also why we will be working very hard this year to lower our structural cost as well as finding ways to grow our tax base.
We must use the pincer movement of lowering cost and growing our tax base to ensure a highly efficient City government and our long term success. We can not be to short sighted and not invest in economic growth to provide the jobs and tax base we need to be a long term success.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Governor's LGA Cuts
If the Govenor's LGA cuts are made into law Isanti will have been cut from an original $524,262 to $93,824. This represents an 82% cut in LGA and is equal to 13% of our total City General Fund Budget.
Monday, February 15, 2010
LGA Cuts
Governor cuts $250 million more in Local Government Aid (LGA).... Isanti is predicted to lose roughly $500,000 in LGA and property taxes due to value reductions...... Isanti's total General Fund Budget is $3,354,073.... 15% gone.....Tough times are getting tougher...
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Minnesota's Credit Outlook Lowered
The State's credit rating outlook has been dropped due to no budget reserves and one time accounting gimmicks. Our recent credit rating increase was due in part to our strong budget control and fund reserves. Here is the story.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Why Raising Isanti Taxes is Wrong
In 2004 Isanti total property taxes - school district, county and city - were $2,756 more per $250k commercial property value than East Bethel. We have worked hard since my election in 2004 to lower our taxes to where we are today. Even though by 2009 we have succeeded in lowering this amount by 46% there is still a $1,491 gap. As you can see the City portion of property taxes are a straight line downward since my election to try to make us more competitive.
There are some saying we need to reverse course as a City and raise taxes to make up for lost LGA and property tax values. This would condemn our City to a future of commercial decay.
I will be sharing more information in the future....
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