Tony Scales
Name: Tony Scales
Public Office Sought: Inver Grove Heights City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-450-7677
Website: www.tonyjscales.com
Facebook: Tony Scales for Inver Grove Heights
Candidate Bio
Growing up in Inver Grove Heights my entire life, I have watched our city go through many ups and downs including spending over 10 years on the Planning Commission. Through the commission I have seen and heard from many of our citizens what makes Inver Grove Heights great and where we have our challenges giving me a unique insight on how to help Inver Grove Heights to be an even better place to live.
My parents felt it was very important to be involved in the community where you live. I gained experience and insight watching my parents build successful businesses, developed both residential and commercial areas in Inver Grove Heights which gave me the work ethic I have today.
In my professional career, I’ve worked with major corporations to help grow and lead facility engineering and maintenance operations by providing efficient and cost-effective solutions which I will bring to the City Council.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Inver Grove Heights?
I believe the business climate is currently less robust than we all would like as we have lost many local businesses and lost out on development opportunities in the past few years and as a member of the City Council I will work to bring in new business opportunity to Inver Grove Heights by working with the city staff to make the process developers and citizens need to go through more streamlined and business friendly. I have talked with local developers and business owners who expressed their concerns the city does not do enough to attract and keep businesses in our community. This will be a major push of mine as a member of the City Council.
2. What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, Inver Grove Heights?
I believe the city’s main role in this function is to provide an environment where developers and businesses feel they are welcome and that the city will work with them as a partner to grow Inver Grove Heights. Many developers and business leaders I have spoken with identify this as one area we can certainly do better as they feel; the City of Inver Grove Heights can be difficult to work with and is not helpful in the process of development. I believe we can improve this to attract new business by listening to business leaders and I would suggest the City of Inver Grove Heights set up a regular Town Hall style gathering where citizens and business leaders can come to discuss ways to improve the business climate, ask their city leaders questions, and express their concerns in this area.
3. Would you support hiring a business advocate as a member of the city senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in Inver Grove Heights?
I would support having someone who’s sole function is to grow and retain business which would be a benefit to the city, as well as, provide a liaison to help bridge the gap between the City and its business leaders.
5. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in Inver Grove Heights? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Inver Grove Heights 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?
I am open to the idea of studying this issue but would not support Inver Grove Heights pursuing this alone. I believe to increase the minimum wage it is best to do this across a larger region. If done in one area it can drive business and people to other neighboring communities giving the opposite result of what is desired.
6. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Inver Grove Heights (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 Inver Grove Heights and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I believe city government is best suited not to enter into these areas, and I do not currently support any specific employment related proposals.
Public safety
7. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
Public safety is a great concern for me and I feel the best way to address any current public safety concerns and possible future ones is to work to develop strong relationships between the citizens of Inver Grove Heights and local law enforcement. By building these strong bonds we can hopefully work together to make Inver Grove Heights a safe and active community where everyone feels safe and valued.
Budget
8. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
My priorities for the city budget is making sure that every dollar spent goes to improve the lives of the citizens of this community and is done in a cost-efficient way. My experience in managing large budgets and projects I am been able to make the tough decisions needed at times, and when something doesn’t line up with the goals of the citizens of Inver Grove Heights, I will not support it.
9. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
Both work hand in hand. A strong commercial and residential base are both important for the city to be successful. I will work to minimize the increase in property taxes, find ways to lower the commercial property taxes to encourage more business and jobs to Inver Grove Heights.
10. What will you do to expand Inver Grove Heights’ tax base?
Inver Grove Heights has struggled with this for quite some with finding the best way to increase our tax base. I believe with the current struggle the city has attracting business partners the best way to increase the tax base is by growing the city’s residential base with the addition of all levels of housing. By doing this, the city will be in a better position to support additional retail and commercial activities which will come with the increase in residential activity.
Workforce development
11. How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
I would encourage the city actively seeks out the input from members of the local school board and meet at least yearly with representatives of Inver Hills Community College. This would insure that the city is inline with the needs of our K-12 and post-secondary institutions.
12. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to Inver Grove Heights Public Schools?
I believe the role of the City Council is to work to provide all levels of housing opportunities to the current residents and to attract new residents to a school district and city that is known for economic fiscal responsibility with excellent opportunities for students.
Other
13. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
The biggest challenge I see currently for Inver Grove Heights is economic development. We as a city need to evaluate our existing and future planned developments and realign our goals where we see our future going. Sometimes I believe we spend too much time stuck in our old ways of thinking leading us as a city to miss out many opportunities.
Specific areas I would like to see addressed for growth are:
14. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
15. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
(No answer)
16. 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?
At this time, I do not believe there are specific services that should be cut back or eliminated but we should better ensure that the citizens are getting the best value from the currently offered services.
17. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Anyone who watches or attends the City of Inver Grove Heights Planning Commission meeting you may be aware one of my favorite saying is “I’m Just a Simple Man”. I will always work to bring cost effective, reasonable, common sense solutions to the citizens of Inver Grove Heights, and work with all those involved in a fair and honest way. I have seen how many of our city processes and plans have gotten overly complicated. I will work to simplify them in a way that continues to make not only the City of Inver Grove Heights a great place to live, but also a great place to work and do business in. As a member of the Planning Commission, I have come to believe we need to reevaluate our criteria for variances within the city as residents spend a lot of time going through a complicated process to use their land in a reasonable manner.
Thank you and I look forward to the opportunity to work for you.
Public Office Sought: Inver Grove Heights City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-450-7677
Website: www.tonyjscales.com
Facebook: Tony Scales for Inver Grove Heights
Candidate Bio
Growing up in Inver Grove Heights my entire life, I have watched our city go through many ups and downs including spending over 10 years on the Planning Commission. Through the commission I have seen and heard from many of our citizens what makes Inver Grove Heights great and where we have our challenges giving me a unique insight on how to help Inver Grove Heights to be an even better place to live.
My parents felt it was very important to be involved in the community where you live. I gained experience and insight watching my parents build successful businesses, developed both residential and commercial areas in Inver Grove Heights which gave me the work ethic I have today.
In my professional career, I’ve worked with major corporations to help grow and lead facility engineering and maintenance operations by providing efficient and cost-effective solutions which I will bring to the City Council.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Inver Grove Heights?
I believe the business climate is currently less robust than we all would like as we have lost many local businesses and lost out on development opportunities in the past few years and as a member of the City Council I will work to bring in new business opportunity to Inver Grove Heights by working with the city staff to make the process developers and citizens need to go through more streamlined and business friendly. I have talked with local developers and business owners who expressed their concerns the city does not do enough to attract and keep businesses in our community. This will be a major push of mine as a member of the City Council.
2. What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, Inver Grove Heights?
I believe the city’s main role in this function is to provide an environment where developers and businesses feel they are welcome and that the city will work with them as a partner to grow Inver Grove Heights. Many developers and business leaders I have spoken with identify this as one area we can certainly do better as they feel; the City of Inver Grove Heights can be difficult to work with and is not helpful in the process of development. I believe we can improve this to attract new business by listening to business leaders and I would suggest the City of Inver Grove Heights set up a regular Town Hall style gathering where citizens and business leaders can come to discuss ways to improve the business climate, ask their city leaders questions, and express their concerns in this area.
3. Would you support hiring a business advocate as a member of the city senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in Inver Grove Heights?
I would support having someone who’s sole function is to grow and retain business which would be a benefit to the city, as well as, provide a liaison to help bridge the gap between the City and its business leaders.
5. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in Inver Grove Heights? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Inver Grove Heights 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?
I am open to the idea of studying this issue but would not support Inver Grove Heights pursuing this alone. I believe to increase the minimum wage it is best to do this across a larger region. If done in one area it can drive business and people to other neighboring communities giving the opposite result of what is desired.
6. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Inver Grove Heights (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 Inver Grove Heights and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I believe city government is best suited not to enter into these areas, and I do not currently support any specific employment related proposals.
Public safety
7. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
Public safety is a great concern for me and I feel the best way to address any current public safety concerns and possible future ones is to work to develop strong relationships between the citizens of Inver Grove Heights and local law enforcement. By building these strong bonds we can hopefully work together to make Inver Grove Heights a safe and active community where everyone feels safe and valued.
Budget
8. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
My priorities for the city budget is making sure that every dollar spent goes to improve the lives of the citizens of this community and is done in a cost-efficient way. My experience in managing large budgets and projects I am been able to make the tough decisions needed at times, and when something doesn’t line up with the goals of the citizens of Inver Grove Heights, I will not support it.
9. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
Both work hand in hand. A strong commercial and residential base are both important for the city to be successful. I will work to minimize the increase in property taxes, find ways to lower the commercial property taxes to encourage more business and jobs to Inver Grove Heights.
10. What will you do to expand Inver Grove Heights’ tax base?
Inver Grove Heights has struggled with this for quite some with finding the best way to increase our tax base. I believe with the current struggle the city has attracting business partners the best way to increase the tax base is by growing the city’s residential base with the addition of all levels of housing. By doing this, the city will be in a better position to support additional retail and commercial activities which will come with the increase in residential activity.
Workforce development
11. How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
I would encourage the city actively seeks out the input from members of the local school board and meet at least yearly with representatives of Inver Hills Community College. This would insure that the city is inline with the needs of our K-12 and post-secondary institutions.
12. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to Inver Grove Heights Public Schools?
I believe the role of the City Council is to work to provide all levels of housing opportunities to the current residents and to attract new residents to a school district and city that is known for economic fiscal responsibility with excellent opportunities for students.
Other
13. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
The biggest challenge I see currently for Inver Grove Heights is economic development. We as a city need to evaluate our existing and future planned developments and realign our goals where we see our future going. Sometimes I believe we spend too much time stuck in our old ways of thinking leading us as a city to miss out many opportunities.
Specific areas I would like to see addressed for growth are:
- Argenta Hills Development
- Redevelopment of Arbor Point
- Robert Street Corridor
14. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
- Working to promote a healthy and active business climate
- Better communication between the City of Inver Grove Heights and its citizens.
- Working to expand the availability of all levels of housing
15. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
(No answer)
16. 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?
At this time, I do not believe there are specific services that should be cut back or eliminated but we should better ensure that the citizens are getting the best value from the currently offered services.
17. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Anyone who watches or attends the City of Inver Grove Heights Planning Commission meeting you may be aware one of my favorite saying is “I’m Just a Simple Man”. I will always work to bring cost effective, reasonable, common sense solutions to the citizens of Inver Grove Heights, and work with all those involved in a fair and honest way. I have seen how many of our city processes and plans have gotten overly complicated. I will work to simplify them in a way that continues to make not only the City of Inver Grove Heights a great place to live, but also a great place to work and do business in. As a member of the Planning Commission, I have come to believe we need to reevaluate our criteria for variances within the city as residents spend a lot of time going through a complicated process to use their land in a reasonable manner.
Thank you and I look forward to the opportunity to work for you.