Tony Scales
Name: Tony Scales
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-900-4614
Campaign Website: votetonyscales.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page: facebook.com/votetscalesIGH
Candidate Bio
I am a lifelong Inver Grove Heights resident. After graduating from Simley High School, I earned an Engineering degree from North Dakota State University and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.
I've built my career in engineering and facility management, bringing that expertise to 14 years on the Planning Commission and 4 years on the City Council. I have worked to advance economic development, support local businesses while attracting new commercial investment to strengthen our tax base, and promote smart development that balances growth with community character. I've consistently prioritized funding for our first responders and championed improved communication between city government and residents.
Following my parents' example, who ran local small businesses here, I believe in giving back to the community that shaped me. My family has been involved in the Inver Grove Heights community for over 50 years, instilling in me the value of civic engagement.
My wife Kim and I raised our sons here, my brother's family and mother still live here. My deep roots in this community, combined with my professional background and commitment to transparent, collaborative leadership, drive my continued goal to make Inver Grove Heights an even better place to call home.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
My leadership style is rooted in collaboration and serving our community. City councils work best when we bring people together, listen to different perspectives, and find solutions that benefit all of Inver Grove Heights.
I approach this role with an open mind. You elected me to serve your interests, not pursue a personal agenda. That means actively listening to your concerns, being accessible, and making decisions that prioritize what's best for our community. My years in local government reflect my genuine commitment to you and our city.
I believe in open, transparent communication. When we face tough decisions, I work to facilitate productive dialogue, explain the reasoning behind choices, and find common ground. Improving communication between city government and residents isn't just a campaign promise—it's how I lead every day.
My engineering background taught me to think strategically and solve problems methodically. I balance immediate needs with our long-term vision, especially regarding jobs, housing, and development.
Most importantly, I practice inclusive decision-making. Every voice matters. I strive to ensure all residents feel heard and represented, regardless of their background or viewpoint.
My parents taught me to give back and improve our community daily. That principle guides my leadership—working collaboratively, serving transparently, and always putting Inver Grove Heights first.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
1. Economic Development and Job Creation - Building Financial Resilience Supporting existing businesses and attracting new companies becomes critical when outside funding is uncertain. A stronger local tax base from commercial development reduces our dependence on unpredictable state and federal grants. I'll focus on businesses that provide quality jobs and sustainable revenue, using my engineering and management expertise with the help of residents to guide my decision making. This financial independence protects our ability to fund essential services regardless of what happens at higher levels of government.
2. Smart Development and Diverse Housing - Fiscally Responsible Growth My years on the Planning Commission taught me that not all development is equal. With funding uncertainty, we must prioritize projects that strengthen our tax base while providing housing options for all residents. I'll carefully evaluate developments to ensure they generate long-term fiscal benefits rather than straining city resources, balancing growth with our community's character and financial health.
3. Public Safety and Community Communication - Protecting Essential Services Fully supporting our first responders requires creative problem-solving when state funding is uncertain. I'll work to identify efficiencies, explore alternative funding sources, and make disciplined budget decisions that protect police and fire services. Transparent communication about these challenges and trade-offs is essential—residents deserve honest conversations about priorities and the difficult choices we may face together.
What is the biggest challenge facing Inver Grove Heights right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
One of the larger challenges I see is balancing growth with community character and resources. The data center application represents our core challenge—managing significant development pressure while preserving what makes Inver Grove Heights home. Residents are rightly concerned about how large-scale projects impact our infrastructure, environment, neighborhoods, and quality of life. We must ensure any major development truly benefits our community rather than straining our resources.
My time serving on the Planning Commission taught me that growth for growth's sake isn't always good growth. We need developments that provide sustainable tax revenue, quality jobs, and infrastructure improvements without overwhelming our utilities, roads, or public safety services. The challenge is making these complex decisions transparently while honoring diverse resident perspectives—some favor economic growth, others prioritize preservation.
One of the greatest opportunities I see is strategic economic development on our terms. Our location and available land position us perfectly to attract high-quality development that strengthens our financial independence
The opportunity is leveraging interest like strategically negotiating agreements that truly benefit residents through jobs, tax revenue, infrastructure improvements, and community investments. My engineering background helps me evaluate whether projects deliver real value beyond promises.
With smart, resident-focused decisions, we can build economic resilience that funds excellent services, supports our first responders, and creates opportunities for families—all while maintaining the community character that drew us here. That's the Inver Grove Heights I'm committed to building with your support.
How would you characterize the business climate in Inver Grove Heights, 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 in Inver Grove Heights is strategically positioned but underutilized. Our location near major highways, the airport, and the Twin Cities metro gives us significant competitive advantages. We have available land and infrastructure that businesses need. I do not believe we have fully capitalized on these assets to create the robust commercial tax base that would reduce taxes for our residents the way we would all like.
City government's role should be a strategic partnership and my time in local government and in my career have shown me that effective city-business partnerships require:
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
Supporting Our First Responders
With uncertain state and federal funding, maintaining adequate staffing, equipment, and training for our police and firefighters is critical. I'm committed to protecting public safety funding even when making difficult budget decisions elsewhere. We must ensure our first responders have the resources they need.
Community-Police Relations
Public safety depends on trust between residents and law enforcement. I'll continue working to improve communications, so residents feel heard and officers understand community concerns while also feeling they are supported. This includes transparent dialogue about policing practices and community engagement programs.
Immigration and Community Integration
Like many communities, Inver Grove Heights has diverse populations including immigrant families. Public safety means ensuring all residents, regardless of immigration status, feel safe reporting crimes, cooperating with investigations, and accessing emergency services. Fear prevents people from seeking help, which makes everyone less safe. City police should focus on local public safety, not federal immigration enforcement, so all residents trust our first responders.
Proactive Problem-Solving
My approach combines strategic planning with community input. I'll work with our Police Chief and Fire Chief to anticipate challenges, leverage data to deploy resources effectively, and maintain open dialogue with residents about what they're experiencing. Public safety isn't just more officers; it's community partnerships and infrastructure that supports safe neighborhoods.
Growing up here and raising my family in Inver Grove Heights, I understand that feeling safe in your community is fundamental to everything else. That's why protecting and supporting our first responders remains my unwavering commitment, even amid budget pressures.
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?
My Approach to Housing Solutions:
Diverse Housing Options - We need housing that serves all life stages and income levels including starter homes for young families and accessible options for seniors. This requires strategic planning that encourages various housing types rather than only single-family developments.
Leverage Our Location - Our proximity to major employers and transportation corridors makes Inver Grove Heights attractive. We should market this advantage to developers interested in workforce housing.
Workforce Housing Partnerships - Collaborate with businesses that we invite to our city to ensure their employees can afford to live in our community.
On Rent Control Policies:
I approach the idea of rent control with significant caution and do not support controlling what someone can rent their property for. While the intent is to protect renters from unaffordable increases is understandable, rent control often creates unintended consequences that worsen housing shortages such as:
Reduces New Construction - Developers avoid markets with rent control, limiting the new supply we desperately need. Without new units, competition for existing housing intensifies, making affordability worse for those unable to secure rent-controlled units.
Decreases Maintenance and Quality - When rental income is capped, property owners have less incentive and fewer resources to maintain buildings, leading to deteriorating housing stock.
Rather than rent control, I support increasing housing supply through smart development, which naturally moderates prices through market competition. Address affordability by:
The Bottom Line:
Housing affordability requires increasing supply, not restricting prices. We need private investment in housing and that requires market conditions where development makes financial sense.
My engineering training taught me to solve root causes, not just symptoms. The root cause of unaffordable housing is insufficient supply relative to demand. Let's focus city policy on encouraging responsible development that creates the housing options our community needs.
This aligns with my broader priorities: economic development attracts jobs, which require housing for workers, which strengthens our tax base, which funds the services residents expect
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
Transportation infrastructure is fundamental to everything we're trying to accomplish in Inver Grove Heights since economic development, housing accessibility, and public safety all depend on how people move through our community. My engineering background and Planning Commission experience give me practical insight into infrastructure challenges and solutions.
Transportation infrastructure isn't just about convenience, it's public safety. Accident-prone intersections, deteriorating roads, inadequate lighting, and missing sidewalks create real dangers, especially for vulnerable users like children and seniors.
My commitment to supporting first responders includes ensuring they can reach emergencies quickly on well-maintained roads. It includes making our community safe where parents feel comfortable letting kids bike to school or walk to a friend's house.
My Commitment to Residents:
I'll approach transportation infrastructure and safety with the same collaborative, data-driven leadership I bring to all city issues. This means listening to residents about problem areas, holding developers accountable for impacts, and making strategic investments that serve all community members whether they drive, take the bus, bike, or walk.
Growing up here and raising my family in Inver Grove Heights, I've experienced our transportation system as a parent concerned about kids' safety, a commuter navigating daily traffic, and a Planning Commission member evaluating development impacts. That perspective guides my commitment to infrastructure that can work for everyone.
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?
Rising property taxes strain our residents, and I understand as I have owned property and raised my family here. This demands honest conversation and disciplined decision-making.
We are caught between competing pressures such as residents want controlled taxes while expecting quality services, maintained roads, responsive police and fire protection, infrastructure, and parks. Add uncertain state and federal funding plus inflation, and the challenge intensifies.
While I can't control school district or county portions of your tax bill, I'm accountable for the city's levy and that's my focus.
The approach I would take includes the following:
I won't slash infrastructure or public safety for temporary tax relief as that creates bigger, costlier problems in the future. I won't commit to programs without sustainable funding, and I'll explain levy decisions in plain language which I have always tried to do.
I can't promise property tax decreases while maintaining current services. What I promise is efficiency, strategic priorities, economic development diversifying our tax base, transparent communication, and long-term thinking protecting both today's taxpayers and our community's future.
My Commitment to Residents:
I approach levy-setting like my household budget spend: carefully, prioritize essentials, planning ahead. Every vote, I ask: Is this necessary? Most efficient? Does this protect property values? Can we achieve this at lower cost?
Responsible budgeting isn't about popularity; it's protecting our community's financial health while respecting taxpayers' constraints. That's the disciplined approach I bring to every budget discussion, and the commitment I'm asking you to support in my reelection campaign.
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?
While serving on the City Council, I've seen firsthand where local government makes the greatest difference. Three issues stand out most to me where the city, not state or county is best positioned to lead:
1. Local Development and Land Use
City government directly controls zoning, planning approvals, and development agreements. We help decide what gets built, where, and under what conditions. The state sets broad regulations, but we determine what type of businesses locate here, what types of housing fill our neighborhoods, and how commercial growth shapes our community's character.
City government understands our neighborhoods, infrastructure capacity, and residents' priorities better than distant county or state officials.
This local authority lets us balance growth with community character, negotiate developer contributions for infrastructure our residents need, and ensure development serves Inver Grove Heights rather than abstract regional goals.
2. Public Safety and First Responder Support
While the county provides some services and state sets standards, our city directly employs, funds, and deploys our police officers and firefighters. We determine staffing levels, equipment purchases, training priorities, and response protocols based on our community's specific needs.
This local control is critical. Our police chief reports to our city administrator and ultimately our residents. When residents have concerns about public safety, they reach us directly. We can respond immediately to emerging issues in our neighborhoods rather than waiting for county or state bureaucracies.
My commitment to fully supporting first responders requires city level decision making. Budget priorities, community policing approaches, and department policies must reflect what works for Inver Grove Heights specifically.
3. Infrastructure Investment and Maintenance
We control our local roads, utilities, sidewalks, and parks. While we coordinate with Dakota County on major corridors and pursue state grants when available, day-to-day infrastructure decisions happen locally.
My engineering background taught me infrastructure requires ongoing attention, patch that pothole, fix that sidewalk, upgrade that water main before it fails. These aren't glamorous county or state priorities, but they directly affect residents' daily lives and property values.
City government can respond quickly when infrastructure problems emerge. We prioritize projects based on local conditions rather than competing with other communities for limited county or state resources and we're accountable to the residents who drive these roads and use these parks every day.
Why Local Control Matters:
These three areas share common themes: responsiveness, accountability, and local knowledge. City government is closer to residents, understands community-specific needs, and can act decisively without layers of regional bureaucracy.
State and county government have important roles in broader policy and regional coordination, but for development shaping our neighborhoods, police protecting our streets, and infrastructure serving our daily needs—city government leads because we're accountable directly to you, our residents.
That's why your voice in local elections matters so much.
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've learned transparency isn't just publishing budget documents, it's about making financial information accessible and understandable for residents who aren't accountants or policy experts.
Transparency means residents easily understand where tax dollars go, why decisions were made, and how to influence future choices. No surprises, clear explanations, and genuine input opportunities before decisions are finalized, not token hearings after everything's determined.
Some of the items I will advocate for to encourage transparency are:
My Personal Commitment:
I am always available for any resident to discuss city concerns or share priorities. I'll respond personally to emails and calls. I'll explain my votes publicly, especially on controversial decisions since residents deserve to know not just how I voted but why.
Transparency builds trust. When residents understand spending and decision-making, even those who disagree respect the process. Lack of transparency breeds cynicism, something we have seen a lot of recently. We can do better.
My engineering background taught me good data drives good decisions. Informed residents make better voters, provide better input, and hold officials more accountable. Transparency also exposes waste.
Real transparency isn't complicated technology, it's commitment to openness, clear communication, and respecting residents' right to understand their government. It's treating taxpayers with the understanding they are in charge of their city. I work for you.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-900-4614
Campaign Website: votetonyscales.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page: facebook.com/votetscalesIGH
Candidate Bio
I am a lifelong Inver Grove Heights resident. After graduating from Simley High School, I earned an Engineering degree from North Dakota State University and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.
I've built my career in engineering and facility management, bringing that expertise to 14 years on the Planning Commission and 4 years on the City Council. I have worked to advance economic development, support local businesses while attracting new commercial investment to strengthen our tax base, and promote smart development that balances growth with community character. I've consistently prioritized funding for our first responders and championed improved communication between city government and residents.
Following my parents' example, who ran local small businesses here, I believe in giving back to the community that shaped me. My family has been involved in the Inver Grove Heights community for over 50 years, instilling in me the value of civic engagement.
My wife Kim and I raised our sons here, my brother's family and mother still live here. My deep roots in this community, combined with my professional background and commitment to transparent, collaborative leadership, drive my continued goal to make Inver Grove Heights an even better place to call home.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
My leadership style is rooted in collaboration and serving our community. City councils work best when we bring people together, listen to different perspectives, and find solutions that benefit all of Inver Grove Heights.
I approach this role with an open mind. You elected me to serve your interests, not pursue a personal agenda. That means actively listening to your concerns, being accessible, and making decisions that prioritize what's best for our community. My years in local government reflect my genuine commitment to you and our city.
I believe in open, transparent communication. When we face tough decisions, I work to facilitate productive dialogue, explain the reasoning behind choices, and find common ground. Improving communication between city government and residents isn't just a campaign promise—it's how I lead every day.
My engineering background taught me to think strategically and solve problems methodically. I balance immediate needs with our long-term vision, especially regarding jobs, housing, and development.
Most importantly, I practice inclusive decision-making. Every voice matters. I strive to ensure all residents feel heard and represented, regardless of their background or viewpoint.
My parents taught me to give back and improve our community daily. That principle guides my leadership—working collaboratively, serving transparently, and always putting Inver Grove Heights first.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
1. Economic Development and Job Creation - Building Financial Resilience Supporting existing businesses and attracting new companies becomes critical when outside funding is uncertain. A stronger local tax base from commercial development reduces our dependence on unpredictable state and federal grants. I'll focus on businesses that provide quality jobs and sustainable revenue, using my engineering and management expertise with the help of residents to guide my decision making. This financial independence protects our ability to fund essential services regardless of what happens at higher levels of government.
2. Smart Development and Diverse Housing - Fiscally Responsible Growth My years on the Planning Commission taught me that not all development is equal. With funding uncertainty, we must prioritize projects that strengthen our tax base while providing housing options for all residents. I'll carefully evaluate developments to ensure they generate long-term fiscal benefits rather than straining city resources, balancing growth with our community's character and financial health.
3. Public Safety and Community Communication - Protecting Essential Services Fully supporting our first responders requires creative problem-solving when state funding is uncertain. I'll work to identify efficiencies, explore alternative funding sources, and make disciplined budget decisions that protect police and fire services. Transparent communication about these challenges and trade-offs is essential—residents deserve honest conversations about priorities and the difficult choices we may face together.
What is the biggest challenge facing Inver Grove Heights right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
One of the larger challenges I see is balancing growth with community character and resources. The data center application represents our core challenge—managing significant development pressure while preserving what makes Inver Grove Heights home. Residents are rightly concerned about how large-scale projects impact our infrastructure, environment, neighborhoods, and quality of life. We must ensure any major development truly benefits our community rather than straining our resources.
My time serving on the Planning Commission taught me that growth for growth's sake isn't always good growth. We need developments that provide sustainable tax revenue, quality jobs, and infrastructure improvements without overwhelming our utilities, roads, or public safety services. The challenge is making these complex decisions transparently while honoring diverse resident perspectives—some favor economic growth, others prioritize preservation.
One of the greatest opportunities I see is strategic economic development on our terms. Our location and available land position us perfectly to attract high-quality development that strengthens our financial independence
The opportunity is leveraging interest like strategically negotiating agreements that truly benefit residents through jobs, tax revenue, infrastructure improvements, and community investments. My engineering background helps me evaluate whether projects deliver real value beyond promises.
With smart, resident-focused decisions, we can build economic resilience that funds excellent services, supports our first responders, and creates opportunities for families—all while maintaining the community character that drew us here. That's the Inver Grove Heights I'm committed to building with your support.
How would you characterize the business climate in Inver Grove Heights, 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 in Inver Grove Heights is strategically positioned but underutilized. Our location near major highways, the airport, and the Twin Cities metro gives us significant competitive advantages. We have available land and infrastructure that businesses need. I do not believe we have fully capitalized on these assets to create the robust commercial tax base that would reduce taxes for our residents the way we would all like.
City government's role should be a strategic partnership and my time in local government and in my career have shown me that effective city-business partnerships require:
- Proactive Engagement - We can't wait for businesses to find us. City government should actively market our advantages, streamline permitting processes, and make it easy to do business here.
- Selective Attraction - Not every business fits our community. We should target companies that provide quality jobs for residents, generate sustainable tax revenue, and align with our community values. The data center discussion highlights this—we need developments that truly benefit Inver Grove Heights, not just occupy space.
- Workforce Development Collaboration - Partner with local schools, technical colleges, and existing businesses to ensure our residents have pathways to good jobs. This keeps our workforce local and strengthens family stability.
- Infrastructure Investment - Support businesses by maintaining quality roads, utilities, and public safety services they need to succeed. This requires the fiscal discipline I've tried to prioritize during my time on the council.
- Honest Dialogue About Trade-offs - Businesses and residents sometimes have competing interests. City government must facilitate transparent conversations about development impacts—traffic, environmental concerns, housing needs—and negotiate agreements that address shared challenges.
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
Supporting Our First Responders
With uncertain state and federal funding, maintaining adequate staffing, equipment, and training for our police and firefighters is critical. I'm committed to protecting public safety funding even when making difficult budget decisions elsewhere. We must ensure our first responders have the resources they need.
Community-Police Relations
Public safety depends on trust between residents and law enforcement. I'll continue working to improve communications, so residents feel heard and officers understand community concerns while also feeling they are supported. This includes transparent dialogue about policing practices and community engagement programs.
Immigration and Community Integration
Like many communities, Inver Grove Heights has diverse populations including immigrant families. Public safety means ensuring all residents, regardless of immigration status, feel safe reporting crimes, cooperating with investigations, and accessing emergency services. Fear prevents people from seeking help, which makes everyone less safe. City police should focus on local public safety, not federal immigration enforcement, so all residents trust our first responders.
Proactive Problem-Solving
My approach combines strategic planning with community input. I'll work with our Police Chief and Fire Chief to anticipate challenges, leverage data to deploy resources effectively, and maintain open dialogue with residents about what they're experiencing. Public safety isn't just more officers; it's community partnerships and infrastructure that supports safe neighborhoods.
Growing up here and raising my family in Inver Grove Heights, I understand that feeling safe in your community is fundamental to everything else. That's why protecting and supporting our first responders remains my unwavering commitment, even amid budget pressures.
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?
My Approach to Housing Solutions:
Diverse Housing Options - We need housing that serves all life stages and income levels including starter homes for young families and accessible options for seniors. This requires strategic planning that encourages various housing types rather than only single-family developments.
Leverage Our Location - Our proximity to major employers and transportation corridors makes Inver Grove Heights attractive. We should market this advantage to developers interested in workforce housing.
Workforce Housing Partnerships - Collaborate with businesses that we invite to our city to ensure their employees can afford to live in our community.
On Rent Control Policies:
I approach the idea of rent control with significant caution and do not support controlling what someone can rent their property for. While the intent is to protect renters from unaffordable increases is understandable, rent control often creates unintended consequences that worsen housing shortages such as:
Reduces New Construction - Developers avoid markets with rent control, limiting the new supply we desperately need. Without new units, competition for existing housing intensifies, making affordability worse for those unable to secure rent-controlled units.
Decreases Maintenance and Quality - When rental income is capped, property owners have less incentive and fewer resources to maintain buildings, leading to deteriorating housing stock.
Rather than rent control, I support increasing housing supply through smart development, which naturally moderates prices through market competition. Address affordability by:
- Building more housing of all types to ease demand pressure
- Trying to create partnerships with developers for mixed-income projects
- Ensuring zoning allows diverse housing types throughout our community
The Bottom Line:
Housing affordability requires increasing supply, not restricting prices. We need private investment in housing and that requires market conditions where development makes financial sense.
My engineering training taught me to solve root causes, not just symptoms. The root cause of unaffordable housing is insufficient supply relative to demand. Let's focus city policy on encouraging responsible development that creates the housing options our community needs.
This aligns with my broader priorities: economic development attracts jobs, which require housing for workers, which strengthens our tax base, which funds the services residents expect
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
Transportation infrastructure is fundamental to everything we're trying to accomplish in Inver Grove Heights since economic development, housing accessibility, and public safety all depend on how people move through our community. My engineering background and Planning Commission experience give me practical insight into infrastructure challenges and solutions.
- When evaluating projects for infrastructure impact development should pay its own infrastructure costs, not burden existing taxpayers.
- When streets are upgraded, we need to address gaps in our sidewalk network, particularly routes to schools, parks, and transit stops. Every child should be able to walk to school safely. Prioritize repairs where damaged sidewalks create accessibility barriers.
- I support designing roads that safely accommodate all users, not just cars. When we reconstruct streets, we should include pedestrians, cycling, and transit considerations from the start rather than retrofitting later at greater expense.
- Maintain dedicated funding for infrastructure through responsible budgeting. Roads and safety can't be deferred indefinitely without greater costs later and ensure new development funds the infrastructure it requires.
Transportation infrastructure isn't just about convenience, it's public safety. Accident-prone intersections, deteriorating roads, inadequate lighting, and missing sidewalks create real dangers, especially for vulnerable users like children and seniors.
My commitment to supporting first responders includes ensuring they can reach emergencies quickly on well-maintained roads. It includes making our community safe where parents feel comfortable letting kids bike to school or walk to a friend's house.
My Commitment to Residents:
I'll approach transportation infrastructure and safety with the same collaborative, data-driven leadership I bring to all city issues. This means listening to residents about problem areas, holding developers accountable for impacts, and making strategic investments that serve all community members whether they drive, take the bus, bike, or walk.
Growing up here and raising my family in Inver Grove Heights, I've experienced our transportation system as a parent concerned about kids' safety, a commuter navigating daily traffic, and a Planning Commission member evaluating development impacts. That perspective guides my commitment to infrastructure that can work for everyone.
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?
Rising property taxes strain our residents, and I understand as I have owned property and raised my family here. This demands honest conversation and disciplined decision-making.
We are caught between competing pressures such as residents want controlled taxes while expecting quality services, maintained roads, responsive police and fire protection, infrastructure, and parks. Add uncertain state and federal funding plus inflation, and the challenge intensifies.
While I can't control school district or county portions of your tax bill, I'm accountable for the city's levy and that's my focus.
The approach I would take includes the following:
- Examine every department's spending from the ground up rather than automatically increasing budgets. My engineering background emphasizes eliminating waste and optimizing processes.
- Public safety and infrastructure maintenance come first. Focus on fundamentals directly affecting residents' daily lives and property values.
- Deferring road maintenance might reduce this year's levy but costs far more when infrastructure fails. My facility management career taught me preventive investment prevents expensive emergencies leading to a lower cost overall.
- A stronger commercial tax base means homeowners shoulder less burden. Strategic development properly structured can provide property tax relief for residents. This is why smart growth matters.
- When residents request new services, I'll honestly discuss tax impacts. When proposing levy increases, I'll clearly explain what they fund and consequences of not investing.
I won't slash infrastructure or public safety for temporary tax relief as that creates bigger, costlier problems in the future. I won't commit to programs without sustainable funding, and I'll explain levy decisions in plain language which I have always tried to do.
I can't promise property tax decreases while maintaining current services. What I promise is efficiency, strategic priorities, economic development diversifying our tax base, transparent communication, and long-term thinking protecting both today's taxpayers and our community's future.
My Commitment to Residents:
I approach levy-setting like my household budget spend: carefully, prioritize essentials, planning ahead. Every vote, I ask: Is this necessary? Most efficient? Does this protect property values? Can we achieve this at lower cost?
Responsible budgeting isn't about popularity; it's protecting our community's financial health while respecting taxpayers' constraints. That's the disciplined approach I bring to every budget discussion, and the commitment I'm asking you to support in my reelection campaign.
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?
While serving on the City Council, I've seen firsthand where local government makes the greatest difference. Three issues stand out most to me where the city, not state or county is best positioned to lead:
1. Local Development and Land Use
City government directly controls zoning, planning approvals, and development agreements. We help decide what gets built, where, and under what conditions. The state sets broad regulations, but we determine what type of businesses locate here, what types of housing fill our neighborhoods, and how commercial growth shapes our community's character.
City government understands our neighborhoods, infrastructure capacity, and residents' priorities better than distant county or state officials.
This local authority lets us balance growth with community character, negotiate developer contributions for infrastructure our residents need, and ensure development serves Inver Grove Heights rather than abstract regional goals.
2. Public Safety and First Responder Support
While the county provides some services and state sets standards, our city directly employs, funds, and deploys our police officers and firefighters. We determine staffing levels, equipment purchases, training priorities, and response protocols based on our community's specific needs.
This local control is critical. Our police chief reports to our city administrator and ultimately our residents. When residents have concerns about public safety, they reach us directly. We can respond immediately to emerging issues in our neighborhoods rather than waiting for county or state bureaucracies.
My commitment to fully supporting first responders requires city level decision making. Budget priorities, community policing approaches, and department policies must reflect what works for Inver Grove Heights specifically.
3. Infrastructure Investment and Maintenance
We control our local roads, utilities, sidewalks, and parks. While we coordinate with Dakota County on major corridors and pursue state grants when available, day-to-day infrastructure decisions happen locally.
My engineering background taught me infrastructure requires ongoing attention, patch that pothole, fix that sidewalk, upgrade that water main before it fails. These aren't glamorous county or state priorities, but they directly affect residents' daily lives and property values.
City government can respond quickly when infrastructure problems emerge. We prioritize projects based on local conditions rather than competing with other communities for limited county or state resources and we're accountable to the residents who drive these roads and use these parks every day.
Why Local Control Matters:
These three areas share common themes: responsiveness, accountability, and local knowledge. City government is closer to residents, understands community-specific needs, and can act decisively without layers of regional bureaucracy.
State and county government have important roles in broader policy and regional coordination, but for development shaping our neighborhoods, police protecting our streets, and infrastructure serving our daily needs—city government leads because we're accountable directly to you, our residents.
That's why your voice in local elections matters so much.
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've learned transparency isn't just publishing budget documents, it's about making financial information accessible and understandable for residents who aren't accountants or policy experts.
Transparency means residents easily understand where tax dollars go, why decisions were made, and how to influence future choices. No surprises, clear explanations, and genuine input opportunities before decisions are finalized, not token hearings after everything's determined.
Some of the items I will advocate for to encourage transparency are:
- I'll advocate for user-friendly summaries showing major spending categories, changes from previous years, and what tax increases fund. Use charts and everyday language instead of government jargon.
- Clearly report actual costs versus estimates for infrastructure projects. If road work runs over budget, explain why publicly rather than burying it in next year's reports.
- For major city projects we should work to publish complete financial analyses: projected tax revenue, infrastructure costs, developer contributions, along with net fiscal impact. Residents deserve to see whether developments truly benefit our tax base.
- Host informal sessions occasionally throughout the year where residents can engage city leaders.
- When discussing levy increases, state what services they fund and consequences of not investing. When residents request new programs, honestly discuss tax implications. Transparency includes acknowledging difficult choices.
My Personal Commitment:
I am always available for any resident to discuss city concerns or share priorities. I'll respond personally to emails and calls. I'll explain my votes publicly, especially on controversial decisions since residents deserve to know not just how I voted but why.
Transparency builds trust. When residents understand spending and decision-making, even those who disagree respect the process. Lack of transparency breeds cynicism, something we have seen a lot of recently. We can do better.
My engineering background taught me good data drives good decisions. Informed residents make better voters, provide better input, and hold officials more accountable. Transparency also exposes waste.
Real transparency isn't complicated technology, it's commitment to openness, clear communication, and respecting residents' right to understand their government. It's treating taxpayers with the understanding they are in charge of their city. I work for you.