Key issues for Mike include:
- Action on creating affordable housing in Iowa City
We have a problem in Iowa City: our housing costs are the highest in Iowa, and there is very little housing that many new homebuyers— folks just getting started—can afford to buy. Buying your home is an amazing boost for the community. Pride of ownership shows, and this leads to attractive, stable neighborhoods and a real sense of belonging. There are several options ranging from inclusionary zoning to land trusts to targeted tax rollbacks that Iowa City should explore to help create more affordable housing. This is win-win if we do it right, and an issue Mike is deeply committed to working on.
- Historic preservation, which when coupled with creative infill development can go hand-in-hand with affordable housing
Our older neighborhoods, such as College Green, Northside, Goosetown, and Longfellow, help give Iowa City much of its distinctive character. We must commit to stabilizing and preserving these neighborhoods that do so much to lend Iowa City its charm. Targeted tax rollbacks, where new owner-occupiers in certain parts of town pay tax only on the land, not on their structures, can be a big incentive to entice new residents into our core neighborhoods. Historic preservation efforts not only can help stabilize these areas, they are proven economic development engines. Historic preservation is as important on the near-Northside as it is on Summit Street, and we need to promote it wherever we can.
- Funding for additional police officers and constructing and staffing a new firehouse for Northeast Iowa City
These are issues of equitable protection. Compared to similar sized towns, our police force is badly understaffed. In terms of fire/first-responder action, a six-minute response time for first responders is considered the maximum, yet parts of the northeast side have response times pushing 10 minutes. Building a new firehouse isn’t the issue; Iowa City can raise the necessary funds without too much trouble. However, staffing a firehouse and hiring new police officers is more problematic because it’s an ongoing commitment. It’s going to require the City Council to look carefully at budget priorities, and consider where our tax dollars go. We need to examine the benefits vs. costs of all our financial decisions in light of the needs of our fire and police protection. Are the returns of TIFs always worth the considerable up-front costs?
