Brad Hart for Cedar Rapids mayor: Our great city is on the right track

I have had the great honor of serving as your mayor since 2018. During that time, I have witnessed first-hand the generosity, ingenuity and resiliency of Cedar Rapidians. I brought to the mayor’s office almost 40 years of experience as a business attorney and 30 years of serving this community in volunteer leadership roles.

Together we’ve navigated through a pandemic and worked to recover from a devastating derecho. Despite those grave challenges, over the last four years we’ve held the line on the city’s tax levy rate, continued to improve and fix our streets, built key sections of our flood control system, and issued more than one billion dollars to grow our economy and our tax base.

In addition, we’ve helped create family-supporting jobs by attracting new businesses and by working with our existing small businesses. We’ve significantly increased affordable housing units, and are committed to helping people finish rebuilding their derecho damaged homes. I’m also proud of our police and fire departments for their hard work directly with our citizens as they support and protect our city.

During the next four years, with my experienced leadership, we will keep the momentum moving forward - momentum that allowed Cedar Rapids to grow its population at almost twice the rate of Des Moines. We will ensure derecho relief is finished and “ReLeaf” our city as we recover from the loss of 65 percent of our tree canopy. We’ll continue our ongoing street improvements, add to our flood control system and grow our tax base with quality jobs to help make Cedar Rapids the best place in Iowa to live, work and play.

I’m proud that more than 65 percent of our residents believe our great city is on the right track. It would be my honor to continue serving you. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together over the past four years, and I humbly ask for your vote on Nov. 2.

Brad Hart is a candidate for Cedar Rapids mayor.