By almost any measure, Iowa City is exceptionally progressive. We were the first city statewide to measure the community’s environmental footprint, mandate affordable housing, and maintain civilian oversight of police operations. We have lobbied for TIF reform. We have expanded historic preservation, bike trails, and community gardens. We have launched multiple diversity initiatives.We fund public art, a full-time human rights coordinator, and an emergency wet homeless shelter. We support dozens of nonprofits doing incredible work throughout the community.
At the same time, we recognize it will take effective leadership to manage the budget pressures municipalities across Iowa will soon face. Recent tax legislation will hurt Iowa City alone by more than $50 million in the coming decade.
The looming fiscal challenge is real and it is serious. We are meeting it with strategic planning and smart government to protect the tax base necessary to pay for the countless services Iowa City provides. The results are starting to show.
Just five years ago an unruly bar zone, our downtown is now a vibrant mix that includes cafes, boutiques, art venues, and creative economy employers. It attracts retirees, young entrepreneurs, families, artists, and residents of all ages. Our live music scene is booming.
We have invested in other commercial areas — from Towncrest to the Sycamore Mall to Riverside Drive — and they are resurgent. We have turned around fragile neighborhoods such as Miller-Orchard through critical enhancements to the housing stock. We have transformed aging parks such as North Market Square and established new parks, such as the Terry Trueblood Recreation Area.
Every corner of Iowa City has seen major investments in public infrastructure, from streets to ADA compliance to wastewater facilities to historic structures to recycling centers.
We have maintained the city’s credit rating — the highest in the state — and reduced our tax levy four years in a row, all while providing more services to a growing population.
These accomplishments are the result of careful planning, prudent budgeting, and operational efficiencies. They reflect a balance between investment in our future and adherence to our values.
A group of City Council candidates threatens this balance. They call themselves the “Core Four” and seek a majority on the council. One of them is suing the city. Another says our community is not “just” and wants to issue public debt to fund his pet causes. All of them are unabashedly running as a slate.
If this slate wins, the next mayor will likely be Councilor Jim Throgmorton. We will return to the anti-growth, micromanaging City Hall of eras past. We will lose the critical progress made by recent councils with the help of talented professional staff. We will jeopardize the city’s long-term ability to fund important social services for our most vulnerable populations.
Iowa Citians — progressive and moderate alike — can avoid this. I am supporting candidates marked by common sense and humility who can move this great city forward. In District C, Scott McDonough is a house remodeler and a nonprofit leader. In District A, Rick Dobyns is a family physician and an important West Side voice. In the at-large race, Michelle Payne is the hardest-working, best-prepared councilor I know, and Realtor Tim Conroy represents a new generation of community servants. Each would bring a thoughtful approach to the council. Each would be an independent thinker. Each understands that balance is essential.
The election is Nov. 3. Your vote matters.
Mayor Matt Hayek joined the City Council in 2008 and is completing his final term.