Johnathon believes in...

Affordable Housing

1. Repurpose abandoned big-box retailers like Herberger’s to be affordable housing rather than developing precious green space in District 1.

2. Create economic stability for our communities.  The increase in new families can help lower the property taxes for all the people in Bloomington by offsetting the cost from property tax that has to shore up student & family decline.  

3. Tie affordable housing to business development to achieve a proper balance the details matter, ensuring the needs of the city are being met as a whole. Words are only as good as there actions.

4. Offer unmatched services, and other amenities not offered by other cities to keep and draw families to Bloomington.

5. Work to not just target affordable housing at 60% AMI, which does not help seniors with fixed incomes or minorities, and marginalized communities.

6. Ensure that we are not just building Affordable housing for the young but seniors as well which will help unfreeze available housing.

Infrastructure

1. Developing affordable internet access for our community.  Look for an opportunity with fiber optic cable to connect the people of Bloomington.

2. We need to ensure that all Bloomington residents have access to all available options of public transportation, and we need to make these investments to aid in unclogging our roads, and connect residents to work, school, and leisure activities.  

3. Investment in police and fire. I will meet with the police and fire chiefs with the aim of learning their needs, and then educate the public on services provided, so all residents can know why Bloomington has one of the best police & fire departments in the country and ensure that it stays that way.

4. Offer financial savings, and access for people using green energy. We can do this through property tax incentives or reduction in permitting fees for installation and allowing homeowners to use fix-up funds for green energy.  

5. Conduct a study on water usage, and adjust water tier to reflect actual usage so as not to hurt families.

6. Real investment in community programs that engage our communities, and promote our Bloomington identity.

7. Ensure that the utility companies are maintaining their infrastructure, and not passing their burdens on to Bloomington residents.

Protect Green Spaces

1. Invest in our golf courses.  Generate revenue by improving management. Stop the sale of Hyland Greens for development, keep Hyland Greens Bloomington owned.

2. Ensure transparency for projects like those suggested for the River Bottoms, and work to preserve this green space for the people who use it most. NO PAVING THE RIVER BOTTOMS.

3. Collaborate with Hennepin County, Three Rivers Park District, and Bloomington Parks and Recreation to maintain the parks, improve the attractiveness and accessibility at our developed parks, and invest in our green space here in Bloomington to increase enjoyment and community utilization.

Livable Wage Jobs

1. Attract new businesses to Bloomington by making investments in services not being provided by other cities.  We have to compete aggressively with other cities to generate opportunities for new business.    
2. Provide tax incentives for hiring Bloomington residents.

3. Work with businesses, and our high schools, Normandale community college, and unions to provide free or discounted training for Bloomington residents.

4. Ensure employers we contract with are paying a livable wage to their employees and providing a safe, honest, respectful work environment, and in compliance with the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage act.

Transparency

1. We need to reexamine the city’s financial relationship to the Mall of America to ensure that the taxpayer is getting as much back from the Mall as we are putting in. Make the cities investments in the Mall public and easily accessible.

2. Make the voting records of all city council members public record on the city’s website and easily searchable.  

3. Be sure the city is compliant, and timely with all FOIA requests, which is not currently the case.  

Fiscal Responsibility

1. No new proposals can be planned without a clear funding mechanism.

2. When we invest in projects in our city we have to ensure we are being sustainable.

3. Increase independence for the Bloomington Commissions.

4. Create new revenue models that benefit Bloomington taxpayers, and sustain our city.

Social Reforms  

1. Meet people where they are in life, and remove barriers to city services, and jobs.

2. Ensure our workforce reflects the communities we serve.

3. Seek, and respect community input.

4. Represent our communities not special or self-interest.  

5. Crate and or partner with mental health services organizations to help kids in our schools, and help  Residents in need around our city. We can challenge ourselves with the New York thrive model that focuses on a six-step process. 1) Change the Culture. 2)  Act Early. 3) Close treatment gaps. 4) Partner with communities. 5) Use data better. 6) Strengthen the government's ability to lead.