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Q: Why are you running for Mayor and how does your experience qualify you for the position? A: I am running for the sake of my ancestors and my children. Rochester is on the wrong track. I want to keep Rochester on her natural trajectory of incremental and stable growth. I believe the reliance on bureaucratic elites and highly paid consultants is leading Rochester toward minneapolization. I don’t want Rochester to repeat the mistakes that lead once prosperous cities into decline. I will provide local, organic leadership that is focused on the citizens’ voices. My practical
knowledge and experience bring a rational, common-sense approach to problem solving. As the only home-grown candidate, I have a deep commitment to the city that my ancestors helped build. A key component of Rochester’s future prosperity is growing and evolving while preserving the culture and best practices that delivered our original success. Nobody goes to Zurich to see Portland. Rochester leaders could benefit from this lesson. Q: What are your top two priorities or issues as a candidate for Mayor of Rochester? A: My top priority is public safety. This is the most important job of City Hall. The level of crime in Rochester has been too high for decades. We now face increased violence in our schools, under-enforcement of our laws and under-prosecution of crime.. Under my leadership, Police and Fire will have the full support of City Hall. Saying Rochester’s crime level is lower than Minneapolis is a very poor measure of success. My second priority is the runaway spending and volatile growth related to DMC. As a de facto second layer of government, DMC is pushing projects and agendas that do not have the support of the citizens. Vulgar amounts of money are being spent on “new shiny thing” projects that have little or no added value for citizens. Wasteful spending and unneeded bureaucrats are bloating the city budget and increasing the tax levy. This is not a template for success. Finally, divisive partisan social agendas and other contested ideas should not be allowed to become government policy. If all citizens are to have faith in City Hall, we must leave controversy to non-governmental entities. Q: How can city government improve to best serve its citizens and area businesses? A: I do not think the success of local businesses should depend on government programs or entitlements. This creates an artificial market that is not fair or sustainable. Alternatively, cutting excessive and redundant regulation can smooth the path to business formation and success. Reducing bureaucracy at City Hall and placing more trust in citizens and business owners to act responsibly will create more opportunity. The goal should be to have as many business and property owners as possible. City Hall can better serve her citizens and businesses by allowing them to keep more of their money. The objective should be to have the government focus on their prescribed duties and not look to take on new initiatives best left to free choice and the private sector. City Hall will serve citizens best when using cost benefit analysis and not partisan agendas. BRITT NOSER
Advantage Magazine | 19
October 2022
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