The small suburb of Columbia Heights, in the northern Twin Cities metro, has saddled its residents with a shocking 40% increase in property taxes in just the last five years. Libertarian candidate Bob Odden is running to stop the fiscal recklessness, making a second run against incumbent Mayor Gary Peterson.
The city has enacted several large bonding measures, claiming that more new facilities are needed to make the city more liveable, but Mr. Odden understands that the steep tax increases have caused the opposite. The 40% property tax hike is driving up rents, increasing the costs of running a business, and adding to home foreclosures. His goal is to stop further bonding measures, such as those used to build a new $4 million gymnasium and $14 million Safety Center. He estimates that each $1 million in bonding has led to a 1% increase in property taxes.
Unfortunately, Mr. Odden cannot undo the tax increases. The bonding debt and resulting taxes will persist for another 20 to 30 years until the bonds have been paid off. However, he would undertake “zero-based budgeting” where the city re-evaluates its operating budget line by line. He’ll seek to find items which can be cut to provide some tax relief to struggling homeowners.
He also criticizes the new pedestrian bridge over Central Avenue at 49th Avenue. This unnecessary bridge replacement cost $3 million, but the total cost could be more than double that when including administrative expenses. The old bridge was demolished because it wasn’t architecturally pleasing, even though it was structurally sound. Although much of the funding came from the state and federal levels, Mr. Odden knows all this money comes straight out of taxpayers’ pockets, no matter which level of government funds it.
He strongly opposes the city’s attempts to force homeowners to beg for permission from city bureaucrats to sell their own homes. The proposed RIBS ordinance, supported by incumbent Mayor Peterson and twice attempted by the City Council, was a misguided attempt to stem foreclosures. So far it has failed to pass. Not only would it have restricted a homeowner’s right to sell their own private property, it would’ve removed the grandfather exclusion. This would have forced homeowners to bring their homes up to current building codes prior to sale. For example, owners of older homes would’ve been required to upgrade their electrical service from 60 Amperes to 100 Amperes, even though their homes are not wired for it. As codes have changed greatly over the years and continue to change, this burdensome mandate would’ve cost homeowners thousands of dollars for numerous modifications.
As a longtime resident, Mr. Odden knows that many of his neighbors are struggling, in part due to increasing burdens placed on them by city officials. His goals are to stop the tax increases, seek ways to cut spending and taxes, and fight against intrusive mandates by the city government. His pledge to residents is the same as his campaign motto: Keep Columbia Heights Affordable and Neighborly.
Please support Bob Odden for Columbia Heights Mayor.
His website is www.oddenformayor.com, and his email is bobodden@hotmail.com.
Concerned about the relentless expansion of government control and the erosion of individual liberty? Consider joining and becoming active in the Libertarian Party of Minnesota. Libertarians stand in support of liberty on all issues, all the time. Libertarianism is a philosophical and political movement promoting individual freedom, voluntary interaction, genuine free markets, and peace.