At large city council: Aaron Saylor

By Aaron Saylor

We are at a crossroads. In the Cedar Rapids City Council at-large runoff on Dec. 1, we face a choice for the future direction of our city.

We need people on the council with diverse perspectives, reaching out to all members of the community. We need leaders who will actually listen to build a better council and better city. As a member of the next generation work force, I will bring a background different from the other eight elected to the council.

Listening to community members, I hear a need for a council that will lead, give us a voice in city government and move our city forward. The time for sitting around talking about the problems is past. We need our council to stop bickering and work together on the solutions.

Job retention and growth has to be on the front burner. There is no recovery without jobs. We can't stay stuck in the old ideas for economic development and short term recovery. I will use every tool available to put Cedar Rapidians back to work and bring in new business and jobs.

l Local preference. The city needs to take the lead in supporting local businesses. Local businesses employ Cedar Rapidians, pay taxes in Cedar Rapids and donate their time and money to building our community. I will push for a city policy that gives preference to local companies and local workers.

l Keep jobs in Cedar Rapids. I believe that letting more companies leave town is unacceptable. We need to reach out to business owners and executives and convince them to reinvest in Cedar Rapids.

l Improve our community for the long term. Flood-recovery money has begun to trickle in for homeowners, landlords and small businesses, and I will fight to get help to those who are still in need. The federal and state governments are contributing to our rebuilding process, and will continue to as we improve our communication. We can make this one of the best years in the history of Cedar Rapids as we rebuild and make our city a home we can all be proud of. It is by fixing our streets and rebuilding neighborhoods that we make our city one in which families and companies will stay.

l Keep taxes manageable for all Cedar Rapidians. In my professional life, as an investment Realtor, I help investors nationwide make decisions that will make them the most money over the long term. I understand the importance of efficiency and making long-term investments in our city. I have taken the time to review the city budget and to meet with department heads who have made changes to save millions of dollars without cutting services. We need to make smart budget decisions and find real efficiencies so that we can improve our city and keep it affordable for workers and businesses.

My candidacy is an extension of my commitment to make Cedar Rapids a better place to live. After graduating from college, my wife, Jennie, and I moved here to be part of the community she grew up in. I started getting involved immediately.

I serve on the Infill Housing Task Force studying neighborhood revitalization. I also have participated in the Neighborhood Planning Process and the Fifteen in 5 initiative and served as civic co-chair for Access Iowa.

As a council member, I will work to make Cedar Rapids a destination for businesses, families, and events. Please take the time to vote on Dec. 1 so that we can make our city vibrant for years to come.

Aaron Saylor is an investment Realtor seeking an at-large seat on the Cedar Rapids City Council.