Taxes & Spending

Taxes are a method of paying for government. The real question is what East Bethel is choosing to fund, why those costs are growing, and whether residents are receiving value in return.

My Fiscal Approach

I am not going to invent a campaign-season levy number before reviewing the full budget. I am committing to a disciplined process: define the problem, compare alternatives, identify the long-term cost, and measure the result. Major recurring expenses should have to earn their place in the budget.

Where I Would Start

• Review the city’s largest recurring contracts and their renewal terms.
• Identify the main drivers of levy growth.
• Review debt service, capital obligations, equipment replacement, and major CIP commitments.
• Evaluate whether staffing additions are tied to measurable workload or service needs.
• Separate essential baseline services from discretionary additions so the Council can see where choices actually exist.

Contracts Should Be Tied to Outcomes

The Anoka County Sheriff dedicated-service agreement is a clear example. The question is not simply what the contract costs or how many hours it purchases. The Council should be able to evaluate deployment, response, neighborhood and business patrol, traffic activity, and other outcomes against the priorities East Bethel actually wants from the service.

A Public Fiscal Scorecard

I support publishing a simple annual scorecard showing property-tax levy growth, operating spending, debt service, capital spending, fund balances, major contract costs, and growth in the commercial and industrial tax base. Residents should be able to see what is changing and why.

Grow the Tax Base, Not Just the Tax Rate

One of the best long-term ways to reduce pressure on residential taxpayers is to add more commercial and industrial taxable value. That means concentrating higher-value growth where infrastructure and Highway 65 can support it while avoiding development that creates more long-term public cost than tax base.

What Success Looks Like

A city budget where residents can see what is driving costs, major contracts are periodically tested against outcomes, capital decisions are tied to a long-term plan, and a stronger commercial and industrial tax base carries more of the burden over time.

Read the Financial & Contract Review plan.