Community Meetings

The first Community meeting is tonight at 7pm at Isanti City Hall. This is your chance to have your voice heard. The second meeting is Friday noon at Isanti City Hall.

Accurate Coverage of State of the City

Link to State of the City Address

 http://isanticountynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9769&Itemid=59 

Interesting Cambridge Isanti Comparison

Industrial/Commercial development has to be done right...... even with the commercial development in Cambridge their Property Tax Rate is over 15% higher than Isanti's rate. When I was elected Cambridge's Property Tax Rate was lower than Isanti.... the past few years they have steadily increased their taxes as we have lowered.... just an interesting fact to ponder....

Presenting Doug Woog with Jersey

Mayor Wimmer, Coach Woog and Local Mite Hockey Team at Lindell Rink in Isanti

Isanti's own Steve & Steph Lindell's winning rink in the Backyard Rinks 2011 Competition 

Interesting

The City can not hold a referendum on spending money on the Community Center even if it wanted too. A City may only place certain specified items on the ballot and a community center is not one...

NLX light rail is Dead

http://abcnewspapers.com/2011/02/18/county-changes-course-on-nlx/

Pedestrian Bridge Project Needs to End

I asked the Council last night to end the Pedestrian Bridge project but lost the vote 4-1. When this project started I had promised I would only do it if we received all the federal trail funding and that no City Taxpayer money would be used to build this project. All the Federal funding did not come and there would not be enough park fund money to cover the $370,000 plus city portion which means taxpayer money would need to be used.

I also believe we live in a different time. The rules around park funds is that it can only be used for new park land or equipment but the interest we make off this money can be used. The interest income form this money is over $126,000 and can be used to make up for the lack of state funding Isanti is owed which would allow us to balance our budget without having to raise taxes.

The second part of this is that there is a $22,000, cost to the City, under ground power line going through Blue Bird park that the Park fund could pay for if it were not bankrupted by the Pedestrian Bridge. Now the $22,000 has to come from taxpayers.

3rd part revolves around $60,000 plus loan from the City General Fund, taxpayer money again, that would have to be issued to the park fund to pay for the bridge.

4th issue is if we do the pedestrian bridge the city will not be able to do any park and recreation activities for at least 5 years according to my best calculations....

Lastly if we cancel the Bridge project the City can sell the House and property we bought for right of way adding another $100,000 plus to the City....

$308,000 worth of reasons to cancel this bridge.... At a time we are looking at cutting services this project makes no sense

State of the City Help

I am giving the State of the City tomorrow at tbe Chamber Luncheon. The Chamber does not have a projector and one is needed for tomorrow. If you have one and willing to let us use it please contact me at 763-442-8749

Community Center Referendum

There is a great deal of passion regarding the Community Center and I think the best way to settle it might be by letting the Voters of Isanti decide if they want to spend the funds necessary to refurbish this building and pay the taxes required to do so.... This is what should have happened for the new Isanti City Hall that was built in 2005... I am looking to see if we can place such a thing on the 2012 general election ballot... What do you think?

Bad News

It is looking more and more that the East 65 expansion debt that the previous Mayor and Council burden us with is going to trigger higher water and sewer charges.... We tried to refinance but the State has made that to costly... we are still looking at other options but the options are quickly disappearing.... I especially hate this as I voted against this costly expansion and the taking of property from a private landowner.....

Senior Dining

I am speaking at senior Dining tomorrow. Always a great group and fun time.... They ask some of the hardest questions....

February 1st City Council Update

We approved our 3 year Police Union contract last night. The contract extends a 2nd year of zero pay increase on top of last years zero pay increase. There is a 1.5% increase in 2012 and a 2% increase in 2013. The major change was moving our Police Union employees off of the Gold health care plan that will save the City considerably over time. This move increases the cost sharing of health with our employees while maintaining a good health care plan. This shift has been a long term goal that we were finally able to achieve to ensure as efficient an operation as possible.

We recognized the great work by Officers Barrows and Gau at the Meeting last night. 

22 Acres of new Park Land

We added 22 acres of beautiful wooded land, through negotiation with landowner at zero cost, that Isanti Brook flows through and abuts the Rum River. We will develop a walking trail and small walking bridge over the Brook. This is a beautiful section of the City and will be kept in its natural state for generations to come... 

5,000 Player Soccer Tournament Coming

5,000 player soccer tournament spread over 5 weeks with 15,000 to 20,000 spectators will be coming to Isanti at the end of April... Great chance to show case our wonderful City... more information to come...

Homestead Tax Credit

State Legislature should either end the Homestead Credit or pay for it. These hypocrites take credit for tax break but cities, schools and counties now pay it. There is great talk about ending unfunded mandates and cutting aid to cities.... this new legislator needs to live up to the hype and be honest about the Homestead Tax Credit....

Township and City Tax Base of Isanti County

      I thought it might be interesting to share what percentage of the County's overall tax base each township and city represents. I have listed the townships first followed by the cities - you will see the name then the percentage of the total tax capacity for each entity.... It gives a better understanding of how much tax capacity is in each community and whose taxpayers are paying the bills.... All of us pay County taxes and those of us in the cities pay our own city taxes for city services such as police, planning and other services the county provides to township residents at no additional charge. I try to make this point when the County ask the City for more money from us when at the same time they do not ask the townships for similar contributions.

 Athens 5.53% 

 Bradford 8.93%

 Camb Twn 6.98% 

 Dalbo 2.11% 

 Isanti Twn 6.32% 

 Maple Ridge 2.58% 

 North Branch 3.35%

 Oxford 2.89% 

 Spencer Brook 5.02%

 Springvale 4.14% 

 Stanchfield 6.49% 

 Stanford 6.49%

 Wyanett 7.22% 

 City of Cambridge 21.07%

 City of Isanti 11.41%

 City of St Francis 0.03%

 City of Braham 2.52%  

The Cities of Cambridge and Isanti contribute roughly a third of all taxes to the County.

2011 Goal Setting

the Council's 2011 Goal Setting will be at Isanti City Hall 8:00 to 12:00 Monday the 24th.... Incredibly serious issues will be discussed.... I have linked the Agenda so if you are interested the meeting is open to the public...

http://www.cityofisanti.us/images/stories/minutes_agendas/cc_agenda/2011/01-24-11_city_council_goal_setting_agenda.pdf

Community Center Reality 2

The City of Isanti has subsidized the Community Center in the Amount of $61,808 the past 5 years... many who use it are not City residents.... is it fair that our tax payers subsidize this facility for other communities.... We will be discussing this Monday at Goal setting...

North Branch Home Invasion

Link to Isanti County News Story


http://isanticountynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9595&Itemid=1

The State Proposes to Cut $285,308

$285,308 is being proposed to be cut by the Senate Finance Committee from Isanti's Local Government Aid and Market Value Homestead Credit (MVHC). Cambridge looks to be cut over $550,000 from their promised funds. The cuts themselves are terrible but the hypocrisy of both political parties regarding the MVHC makes me angry. The State gives the homestead credit on taxes but no longer pays for it... they have forced the Cities, Counties and School Districts to pay for a tax break they take credit for.... This is a huge unfunded mandate that hurts local government but makes state legislators look good.... I hope our legislators will either fix this or at least be honest about it.....