Bruce Anderson
Name: Bruce Anderson
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612-670-4250
Campaign Website: Nope
Twitter handle: What’s Twitter?
Facebook Page: Not in a million years
Candidate Bio
Hello. I was on the Forest Lake Planning Commission for about a year until I couldn’t stand it any longer and resigned. The commission was full of power and ego people who relished in telling property owners and businesses they could not do things. I think property owners should do whatever they want if three criteria are met: 1) you can’t hurt the environment, 2) you can’t harm your neighbors, 3) you can’t do something unsightly or immoral. I have lived in Forest Lake for 20 years and seen the same revolving cycle of wasting taxpayers money. I have been a Paramedic for 32 years after a career in business and majored in Economics at the University of Minnesota.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
NO EGO, NO POWER TRIP. FRIENDLY TO ALL. COMMON SENSE. You could say like Sheriff Andy Taylor of The Andy Griffith Show. (If you are under 50 look it up on YouTube) . Also, I’m a church guy and I want all our local churches to thrive. I would meet with all the pastors regularly to see how the city could help them. Every study you can find states communities with a lot of healthy churches are the best communities.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
What is the biggest challenge facing Forest Lake right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
The biggest challenge to elect someone like me! I don’t do any social media, I don’t suck up, I don’t campaign. I need voters to READ ABOUT THE ISSUES and use word of mouth, and not vote for lawn signs. Imagine Germany in 1933 and a guy named Hitler had a bunch of signs and people voted for him because they saw his name on a lot of signs! Crazy. Amazingly, I received almost a thousand votes last election. If those thousand voters would tell friends and neighbors about my platform I could win! The biggest opportunity is obviously to lower property taxes and for the football team to go to state.
How would you characterize the business climate in Forest Lake, and what role should city government play in partnering with the business community to attract jobs, develop the workforce, and address shared challenges?
The business climate is okay. We have a lot of nice small businesses and services that help with small town charm. What the city lacks is business on main street. Our old downtown needs a lot of work to get that "Stillwater" main street feel. Where the city has failed is in attracting big business. Large employers with hundreds of jobs. The city needs a fine balance to keep the small town feel but big employer revenue. I love reading about small towns that land a Toyota plant or similar. I'd love a Hy-Vee but only if Cub and Bruce's are somehow guaranteed to survive. The current mayor has brought cannabis to Forest Lake. First to make it clear, I think our veterans who need these products absolutely should have access to this, they are the best people on the planet. But I’m not proud about cannabis products in my neighborhood, my kids and grandkids live here. I would have instead flown to Chick Fil A and Caines headquarters on my own dime to convince one of them to come to Forest Lake! Which brings you to my campaign slogan: I CHOOSE CHICKEN!
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability, and how do you view the role of rent control policies in that process?
There are too many apartments and multi-family units being built in Forest Lake! Housing costs are based on building supply costs and interest rates. The federal government has to address this. I’m not for putting up cheap housing that is not quality stuff. Maybe if the city would stop charging construction companies so much in fees?
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
I like roundabouts. Bike paths should be everywhere, especially in any new development. We need more enforcement of motorists passing in turn lanes and shoulders. It’s getting ridiculous.
Residential property owners across the region are feeling significant strain from rising property tax bills. How would you approach balancing fiscal responsibility with the demand for services when setting the city levy?
Stop spending money on non-essentials. I went to the 20 million dollar city hall to register for mayor. I was the only car in the parking lot. I repeat, from my previous answers, make some city run profit businesses like municipal liquor stores, bring in BIG business to help the tax base. Face it, property taxes are the cruelest of all taxes. Putting retired seniors, and I guess every homeowner out of their homes due to rising property taxes is a shame to all legislators at every level.
What are the two or three issues where you believe city government is best positioned to lead — and why the city rather than the state or county?
What does real taxpayer transparency look like to you, and what specific steps would you take to achieve it — both in terms of financial reporting and public engagement?
I guess it means opening the books to the public. Why not? I don’t have steps, it should be a blanket policy. Bottom line: Has your life gotten better the past two years? My lake is still extremely weedy, my taxes rise every year, I can’t build a garage, KFC replaced by another bank. I CHOOSE CHICKEN!
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612-670-4250
Campaign Website: Nope
Twitter handle: What’s Twitter?
Facebook Page: Not in a million years
Candidate Bio
Hello. I was on the Forest Lake Planning Commission for about a year until I couldn’t stand it any longer and resigned. The commission was full of power and ego people who relished in telling property owners and businesses they could not do things. I think property owners should do whatever they want if three criteria are met: 1) you can’t hurt the environment, 2) you can’t harm your neighbors, 3) you can’t do something unsightly or immoral. I have lived in Forest Lake for 20 years and seen the same revolving cycle of wasting taxpayers money. I have been a Paramedic for 32 years after a career in business and majored in Economics at the University of Minnesota.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
NO EGO, NO POWER TRIP. FRIENDLY TO ALL. COMMON SENSE. You could say like Sheriff Andy Taylor of The Andy Griffith Show. (If you are under 50 look it up on YouTube) . Also, I’m a church guy and I want all our local churches to thrive. I would meet with all the pastors regularly to see how the city could help them. Every study you can find states communities with a lot of healthy churches are the best communities.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
- Abolish the Planning Commission and replace it with a streamlined process where decisions are made quickly and fairly. No more ego interference. As part of this, I would eliminate ⅓ to ½ of all the city ordinances which interfere with the freedom to own property.
- Stop wasting money and start earning money. The money the city spent hiring a new city administrator was ridiculous. We’re not New York or L.A. You don’t need to waste money on a consulting firm. Hire a sharp kid right out of college. That’s just one example. Let’s make a city that MAKES MONEY to LOWER OUR TAXES. Municipal Liquor stores, and start the first city owned Insurance Company to provide Auto and Home insurance to Forest Lake residents. You all know how insurance rates are sky high and keep going. They claim storm damage forces them to raise rates. Progressive Insurance had a net income of $6.86 BILLION for the year ending June 30, 2024. Forest Lake Insurance would be sold by local insurance agents already doing business in town. These are just a couple of examples.
- Get the weeds under control in Forest Lake. I’m tired of hearing people describe our lake as “weedy”. The weed cutter is a waste of time. What we need is to bring in a lake restoration company to give us a plan to make this lake a great recreational lake and then start the fight with the DNR.
What is the biggest challenge facing Forest Lake right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
The biggest challenge to elect someone like me! I don’t do any social media, I don’t suck up, I don’t campaign. I need voters to READ ABOUT THE ISSUES and use word of mouth, and not vote for lawn signs. Imagine Germany in 1933 and a guy named Hitler had a bunch of signs and people voted for him because they saw his name on a lot of signs! Crazy. Amazingly, I received almost a thousand votes last election. If those thousand voters would tell friends and neighbors about my platform I could win! The biggest opportunity is obviously to lower property taxes and for the football team to go to state.
How would you characterize the business climate in Forest Lake, and what role should city government play in partnering with the business community to attract jobs, develop the workforce, and address shared challenges?
The business climate is okay. We have a lot of nice small businesses and services that help with small town charm. What the city lacks is business on main street. Our old downtown needs a lot of work to get that "Stillwater" main street feel. Where the city has failed is in attracting big business. Large employers with hundreds of jobs. The city needs a fine balance to keep the small town feel but big employer revenue. I love reading about small towns that land a Toyota plant or similar. I'd love a Hy-Vee but only if Cub and Bruce's are somehow guaranteed to survive. The current mayor has brought cannabis to Forest Lake. First to make it clear, I think our veterans who need these products absolutely should have access to this, they are the best people on the planet. But I’m not proud about cannabis products in my neighborhood, my kids and grandkids live here. I would have instead flown to Chick Fil A and Caines headquarters on my own dime to convince one of them to come to Forest Lake! Which brings you to my campaign slogan: I CHOOSE CHICKEN!
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
- Have a “Must Comply” law. When you are pulled over you must put your hands on the steering wheel, answer questions appropriately without abusive language or face very stiff fines. I’d put up signs as you enter Forest Lake, “Forest Lake, A Must Comply City”.
- I’d jack up the enforcement and penalties for selling drugs in our city so the drug dealers would just leave.
- I’d have laws enforced against foul language printed or oral anywhere where children are present. The students protesting this past year holding very large neon signs with the big F word should have been arrested for public obscenity.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability, and how do you view the role of rent control policies in that process?
There are too many apartments and multi-family units being built in Forest Lake! Housing costs are based on building supply costs and interest rates. The federal government has to address this. I’m not for putting up cheap housing that is not quality stuff. Maybe if the city would stop charging construction companies so much in fees?
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
I like roundabouts. Bike paths should be everywhere, especially in any new development. We need more enforcement of motorists passing in turn lanes and shoulders. It’s getting ridiculous.
Residential property owners across the region are feeling significant strain from rising property tax bills. How would you approach balancing fiscal responsibility with the demand for services when setting the city levy?
Stop spending money on non-essentials. I went to the 20 million dollar city hall to register for mayor. I was the only car in the parking lot. I repeat, from my previous answers, make some city run profit businesses like municipal liquor stores, bring in BIG business to help the tax base. Face it, property taxes are the cruelest of all taxes. Putting retired seniors, and I guess every homeowner out of their homes due to rising property taxes is a shame to all legislators at every level.
What are the two or three issues where you believe city government is best positioned to lead — and why the city rather than the state or county?
What does real taxpayer transparency look like to you, and what specific steps would you take to achieve it — both in terms of financial reporting and public engagement?
I guess it means opening the books to the public. Why not? I don’t have steps, it should be a blanket policy. Bottom line: Has your life gotten better the past two years? My lake is still extremely weedy, my taxes rise every year, I can’t build a garage, KFC replaced by another bank. I CHOOSE CHICKEN!