Joe Balsanek
Name:Joe Balsanek
Public Office Sought: Hastings City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651 592 7254
Website: n/a
Twitter handle: n/a
Facebook page: Joe Balsanek Sr
Candidate Bio
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
How would you characterize the business climate in Hastings and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses, and retain existing businesses in Hastings?
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Hastings (such as minimum wage, sick time, or mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of an ordinance on the many types of businesses in Hastings and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you propose to address public safety issues facing your community?
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
What strategies or policies would you propose to address transportation issues facing your community? Have your strategies or views changed on transportation since we’ve seen shifts in road use, public transportation use, work from home models, etc. due to the pandemic?
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
What will you do to expand Hastings tax base?
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Hastings?
What further policies can Hastings adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Public Office Sought: Hastings City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651 592 7254
Website: n/a
Twitter handle: n/a
Facebook page: Joe Balsanek Sr
Candidate Bio
- Former member of the Hastings City Council for twelve (12) years from 2009 to 2020
- Past Commander of the Hastings American Legion, two years from 2018 to 2020
- Twelve (12) year member of the Board of Directors of the Dakota County Communication 911 Center (the DCC)
- Retired, Twenty two (22) year member of the Air Force/Minnesota Air National Guard
- Owner, Designs Plus, working in the fine arts and aesthetic design for over forty (40) years
- Career educator, Hamline University, Assistant Professor and Inver Hills Community College, Professor, 1973 to 2000
- Married to wife Betsy for 53 years with three (3) adult children and six (6) grandchildren
- I was, and would be, again the only senior citizen (age 75) on the City Council
- I was, and would be, the only military veteran on the City Counci
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
- Reduce the city’s tax rate. While I was on the City Council we reduced the city tax rate from 8% to 4%, broadening the tax base with new and renovated development
- Create and promote new and existing business and development
- Create and promote affordable, market-rate and senior housing
How would you characterize the business climate in Hastings and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
- The business climate here has been hurt by the COVID pandemic. Federal and state funding to businesses has helped offset lost revenue.
- Locally, the Hastings Development and Redevelopment Authority (HEDRA) which I helped create has provided specific grants and low-interest loans to Hastings’ businesses
- All this has helped keep our city’s businesses viable, providing stable employment for entry level and livable wage opportunities. Our local businesses provide the pulse for the community
What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses, and retain existing businesses in Hastings?
- When I first began to serve on the City Council fourteen (14) years ago, we created the Hastings Economic Development and Redevelopment Authority (HEDRA). This commission has, ever since, provided millions of dollars in the form of grants and low interest loans to new and existing Hastings businesses
- When I arrived on the City Council in 2009 there were only two businesses given the opportunity to use Tax Increment Financing (TIF). We shifted that TIF policy over my twelve years to make Hastings more attractive to new and existing development.
- I’m proud to say I served on the HEDRA Commission for five years.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
- Assist developers to take advantage of the many federal, state and county agencies that address employment opportunities.
- That’s part of the job of the city’ Economic Developer Director
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Hastings (such as minimum wage, sick time, or mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of an ordinance on the many types of businesses in Hastings and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
- As a City Council member I always encouraged our local businesses to provide decent quality entry-level and livable-wage jobs.
- My policy has always been to provide a decent business environment AND a quality jobs for our residents.
- A good example is the policies that encompass development and job growth in the Hastings Business Park that I helped create
- Businesses and developments come in all shapes and sizes. It’s important not fit square pegs into round holes.
- We need to treat each business and developer individually, appreciating their unique qualities
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you propose to address public safety issues facing your community?
- After I was elected to the City Council we created a new hiring policy and process for our Police Department. With that the city set a new tone and sent a message the Hastings is a safe and civil community
- While on the City Council I interviewed and voted for two Police Chiefs who became highly respected and recognized throughout the State of Minnesota
- And while I was on the City Council Hastings became the first metro police department to implement the use of body cameras and policy on how and when footage is to be used
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
- While on the City Council we implemented a plan that was put into effect by our Economic Development Director
- The key to the policy is advance a balance of affordable, market rate, and senior housing
- As a result we were able to attract the Art Space housing development for affordable housing
What strategies or policies would you propose to address transportation issues facing your community? Have your strategies or views changed on transportation since we’ve seen shifts in road use, public transportation use, work from home models, etc. due to the pandemic?
- Coordination between Dakota County and Hastings is the key to providing regular-use public transportation
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
- Every year for my twelve years on the City Council our city’s tax was reduced because of healthy growth in housing and business developments I want to continue that trend
- While on the City Council we were one of only a handful of cities that received special statewide recognition and an award from the governor for our fiscal responsibility
What will you do to expand Hastings tax base?
- The key is to foster and implement a healthy balance of both business and housing
- We want businesses offering healthy wages and benefits whenever possible
- We need a healthy variety of affordable, market-rate and senior housing
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
- We have excellent opportunities within the Hastings area that offer post-secondary educational training and intellectual growth.
- Inver Hills Community College and Dakota County Technical College are both within ten miles of Hastings
- For some reason the joint meetings of the city Council and local school board were discontinued. I want to start those, again
Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
- As our staff and departments stand now I see no need to cut or eliminate services
- Right now the city and school district share a maintenance facility which reduces overhead for both entities
- I would like to have our police and fire departments expand community services to foster and educate our community
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Hastings?
- The city already has a nondiscrimination policy for business that recognizes inclusion
What further policies can Hastings adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
- As stated, previously, HEDRA and our Economic Development Director have provided millions of dollars in financial support to our business community
- We need to express the need for more financial support from the county, state and federal governments
- I have had and still have a good relationship with our county, state and federal representatives and their staff members
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
- Public service, especially elected office is a serious endeavor. When elected you are responsible to represent your constituents thoughtfully.
- Everyone, at some point in their lives should serve in public office because we are a representative and collaborative government
- This is not a popularity contest!