Richard Glasgow
Name: Richard Glasgow
Public Office Sought: Lakeland Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-472-4390
Candidate Bio
I have been on the City Council for 10 years, 2 years as current Mayor and 2 years on the planning commission. I have lived in Lakeland for most of my life.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Lakeland?
As editor of our monthly newsletter we now allow Lakeland's businesses to advertise at no cost. Each month we profile a Lakeland business. We view our businesses as an asset finally.
2. What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and how would your administration actively solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, Lakeland?
Our newsletter is a great example of the support of our businesses. We have a TIFF district which was vital in the remodeling of the Lakeland Village Mall.
3. Will you commit to hiring a business advocate as a member of your senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in Lakeland?
We are a small city with a small staff but we support the efforts of Washington Co. in this effort.
4. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in Lakeland? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Lakeland and do you support proposals to mitigate the effects on businesses like a tip credit, a youth wage, a training wage, and/or a phase-in?
Those issues are for larger cities, Lakeland's population is only 1,700
5. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Lakeland (such as mandatory sick time or scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Lakeland and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
N/A
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
We contract with Washington County Sheriff's office for extra Deputies. Because of the extra patrols we have a safe community to raise our children.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
We have a Million plus road project coming up in the next two years. Last year we lower the Cities Budget by $100,000 (10%) for the first time in the history of Lakeland and we are planning on holding that for at least 5 years. This year we are looking at a zero increase in Property Taxes.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
We are in the process of lowering our Property Taxes which benefits both commercial and residential properties.
9. What will you do to expand Lakeland’s tax base?
Lakeland has very little land to expand the Tax Base.
Workforce development
10. How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
11. What do you see as the mayor’s role with regard to public schools in Lakeland?
We have the Afton-Lakeland School K thru 6th grade. It is where I went to school. They had a large construction project last summer and I was engaged to see the project went smoothly.
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
Keeping lowering property taxes without sacrificing services.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Remodeling our Historic city hall to have a community meeting area finally. Communication with residents. Of course keeping the city budget low.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
Maintaining our city roads.
15. Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Or, are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
We have always looked at sharing services with the other 4 cities of the Lower St. Croix River Valley.
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
The comment I hear more than any other "We moved here because of the rural friendly atmosphere." A comment from our insurance trust was "We can't believe in the transformation of Lakeland in the last year. Doing all that and lowering property taxes too is unheard of."
Public Office Sought: Lakeland Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-472-4390
Candidate Bio
I have been on the City Council for 10 years, 2 years as current Mayor and 2 years on the planning commission. I have lived in Lakeland for most of my life.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Lakeland?
As editor of our monthly newsletter we now allow Lakeland's businesses to advertise at no cost. Each month we profile a Lakeland business. We view our businesses as an asset finally.
2. What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and how would your administration actively solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, Lakeland?
Our newsletter is a great example of the support of our businesses. We have a TIFF district which was vital in the remodeling of the Lakeland Village Mall.
3. Will you commit to hiring a business advocate as a member of your senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in Lakeland?
We are a small city with a small staff but we support the efforts of Washington Co. in this effort.
4. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in Lakeland? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Lakeland and do you support proposals to mitigate the effects on businesses like a tip credit, a youth wage, a training wage, and/or a phase-in?
Those issues are for larger cities, Lakeland's population is only 1,700
5. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Lakeland (such as mandatory sick time or scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Lakeland and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
N/A
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
We contract with Washington County Sheriff's office for extra Deputies. Because of the extra patrols we have a safe community to raise our children.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
We have a Million plus road project coming up in the next two years. Last year we lower the Cities Budget by $100,000 (10%) for the first time in the history of Lakeland and we are planning on holding that for at least 5 years. This year we are looking at a zero increase in Property Taxes.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
We are in the process of lowering our Property Taxes which benefits both commercial and residential properties.
9. What will you do to expand Lakeland’s tax base?
Lakeland has very little land to expand the Tax Base.
Workforce development
10. How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
11. What do you see as the mayor’s role with regard to public schools in Lakeland?
We have the Afton-Lakeland School K thru 6th grade. It is where I went to school. They had a large construction project last summer and I was engaged to see the project went smoothly.
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
Keeping lowering property taxes without sacrificing services.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Remodeling our Historic city hall to have a community meeting area finally. Communication with residents. Of course keeping the city budget low.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
Maintaining our city roads.
15. Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Or, are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
We have always looked at sharing services with the other 4 cities of the Lower St. Croix River Valley.
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
The comment I hear more than any other "We moved here because of the rural friendly atmosphere." A comment from our insurance trust was "We can't believe in the transformation of Lakeland in the last year. Doing all that and lowering property taxes too is unheard of."