Viewpoints on trust

The Gazette Editorial Board asked Cedar Rapids City Council candidates to respond to the following question: Do you think voter mistrust of City Hall's spending decisions is a valid issue in the Nov. 5 election? Why or why not?

l Ralph Russell, at large candidate:

I have heard many comments over the past three months from people in Cedar Rapids regarding the lack of trust of the City Council. This mistrust stems from two things: the perceived misuse of flood-recovery money and the amount of money spent on the hotel and convention center.

The conflict becomes one of less than adequate public debate and communication regarding the intended use of the local-option sales tax money. Citizens were left to draw their own conclusions on how the money should be used. This ending result is mistrust by citizens because the money was not used, as they would have liked.

The amount of money spent on the hotel and convention center was huge. City Council was faced with deciding between renovating and expanding the hotel and convention center or running the risk of having a vacant 20-story former hotel in the heart of our downtown. The options were not good. I feel the correct decision was made and the City made good use of federal and state grant programs. We need to invest in our future and the recent project was well conceived.

The jury is still out on whether revenues will sustain operating costs. More debate and better communication will resolve the mistrust issue.

l Jerry McGrane, at large candidate:

There seems to always be mistrust about City Hall in every city. Money isn't always spent the way each person would like it to be. However, at times, citizens do not have all the information that goes into making city decisions. I think with this form of government, communication and cooperation are getting better but both could be improved.

l Chuck Swore, at large incumbent:

I believe that all issues have some validity during an election, but some are more relevant than others. It is unfortunate, however, that some have characterized this as an issue of mistrust of the current council's spending, when the real issue is simply that some do not agree with the priorities the current council has set or a few of the projects that have been undertaken. Reasonable people should be able to disagree without resorting to name calling or accusations of wrongdoing.

I understand that it is not only the right, but the duty of citizens to question and often criticize their elected officials but I would like to see those who have until now offered only criticism begin to participate in the process and offer some alternative solutions. My door has always been open to those wishing to express differing pints of view and I have made it one of my top priorities to seek out those who disagree with me to make sure that I have all of the information and considered as many points of view as possible before making any decision.

l Susie Weinacht, at large candidate:

Trust in government is an issue at every level. Building trust requires two ingredients: good communication and transparency. I am committed to improving the performance of Cedar Rapids government on both counts.

That said, I think that the City has generally strong financial management in place. At this point, there aren't many cities that enjoy our AAA bond rating. It's our practice to use independent auditors to confirm the accuracy of financial reports.

The challenge for the future is finding ways to maintain that strong rating while investing in our own community, keeping spending and taxes in line. Employing innovative new tools and methods, while improving overall communication, seems to be the best path forward.

l Anthony Brown, at large candidate:

Any time trust, or the misplace of trust, is brought up, it should always be taken, and addressed, as a valid issue. As servant leaders to the community, electeds and those of us seeking to be elected, we should not tell people what they are going to like, and expect them to like it at the same time. The community should tell us what they like and we work toward achieving those goals.

Will this make everyone happy? No, there will always be dissent when is comes to spending. Yet we have to be willing to trust, listen and work together to build consensus and ensure trust.

l Leland Freie, at large candidate:

Trust between a city and its citizens will always be an issue. Issues involving trust depends on who you're talking to. It takes one example of a policy that appears questionable and the result is a wildfire whose ashes linger for a long time. Right or wrong, it doesn't seem to matter, it's human nature.

Any ballot language can be broadened or expanded. It's up to the citizens to question, challenge and hold accountable those who spend the money. The broken-down hydro-electirc plant and the back and forth decisions, these are complicated issues that need scrutiny regardless of where we sit. It's our responsibility as citizens to be informed and ask questions. Transparency and where the money goes is a two-way street that needs policy makers and informed citizens.

l Kris Gulick, District 1 candidate:

Whenever I see a public-opinion poll about most trusted professions, the Certified Public Accountant is always near the top. I've seen several reasons written about why CPAs are viewed so favorably and I think this applies to how citizens view me as a City Council member. “CPAs are frequently viewed as having a great deal of competence with the ability to remain unbiased and constrain emotion from affecting decisions. They also project independence and fiduciary responsibility.” Those are words that I believe define my conduct and record on the City Council.

While some citizens may not have agreed with my decisions, they told me I was acting in a very objective way in my decision-making process.

Trust can be helped by full understanding of an issue. Through my quarterly district meetings and my neighborhood “Council Conversations,” I provide additional information on city issues to thousands of residents so they can better understand how I made a decision. Communication is an important part of council members' duties and, combined with objective decision-making, builds trust.

l Ajai Dittmar, District 1 candidate:

Yes, mistrust of City Hall's spending is a valid issue. City Hall needs to be reminded that there will always be dissenting opinions regarding public projects.

Not giving the public the option to vote on these expensive projects disenfranchises the people. Until we get our bond referendum voting privileges back, there will be mistrust of City Hall's spending.

This council does not listen to its citizens, who have twice rejected the local-option sales tax (extension) because of mistrust of their decisions.

I will always vote for or against projects, and their funding, based on citizen input, unlike the current council.

l Clark Rieke, District 1 candidate:

I think two factors combined to cause defeat of the second vote for the LOST extension for flood protection: Too many potential yes voters thought this vote would pass easily so they did not bother to vote. Also, I did surveys and more than 75 percent of respondents were against the closing of Second Avenue for PCI's new clinic. Some voters offended by the closing of Second Avenue used the LOST vote as an opportunity to show no confidence.

These two motivational factors caused the turnout of no voters to be just enough higher than the yes voters.

Personally, I separate out the lack of confidence issue, and I will compromise and vote for the LOST extension while I campaign hard in hope that voters will put new members on the council who will hold themselves accountable and get both a levee built and the roads repaired.

l Alan Modracek, District 3 candidate:

When I first decided to run for City Council, everyone had the same question: “Why?” The answer is simple: The current City Council has lost the trust of our community. We have repeatedly witnessed the budget being poorly managed. We see essential street repairs being ignored while we renovate a hotel - a real slap in the face of local franchise owners currently operating hotels in Cedar Rapids, as their local tax dollars are being used to compete against them. Not every dollar is wasted, of course.

There are new bike lanes downtown, but we need to do more to encourage people living and working in Cedar Rapids to bike more often. Instead of spending money on statues, we should be doing more to recruit new investors to bring in more manufacturing jobs. Above all else, we need to spend within our budget. Under our current City Council, our city debt hit an all-time high, years after the flood. It's easy to point fingers about the problems, so here is one common-sense solution: I will use the city website to list the cost of every project, in real dollars, so you can hold me accountable for how your hard-earned money is spent.

l Pat Shey, District 3 incumbent:

Trust is always an election issue. I see that public trust as Raining Rose, Geonetric, CRST, RuffaloCODY, Raining Rose, Intermec, PCI, and True North are investing hundreds of millions in our city and employees. I see trust when non-profits like United Way, CSPS, Four Oaks and Theatre Cedar Rapids reinvest in our core; I see it in the downtown where citizens borrowed millions to rebuild; with the Paramount, the library, TCR, the hotel and convention center, the planned casino, downtown housing, and the many new restaurants. I see the trust in the New Bo, Medical District, Kingston Village, and Westdale Mall plans. I see the trust as Wellington Heights and Ellis master plan for redevelopment, and the residents feel a sense of pride and purpose again.

I see trust in Four Oaks' landmark investment in our youth and housing in Wellington Heights; one Four Oaks official told me that they would never have begun such a program unless they had the trust in this city council. I see it in those who choose core neighborhoods as a place to rebuild their lives.

We had a choice five years ago: Be timid, and risk disinvestment, unemployment, stagnation, and flight. We chose to act boldly. We had tough choices to make, but we made fiscally responsible choices; our tax levy rate has been flat for the last five years, while maintaining the highest credit rating possible.

l Robin Kash, District 3 candidate:

The City Council and City Hall are entrusted with using our tax dollars lawfully, wisely and for the common good. Trust of elected officials is always at issue.

Among this Council's trustbusters, let me mention two. One is its handling of the relocation of the Physicians' Clinic of Iowa. Millions were spent toward relocation of services for some of the best-paid people in Cedar Rapids as an incentive to prevent a threatened move to Hiawatha. Second Avenue was closed despite overwhelming public protest. The development agreement included PCI's addition of 150 jobs. We have yet to hear whether that has happened. A historic church was demolished. The result: 14 parking spaces. Federal health officials once lauded Cedar Rapids for its relatively low cost of health care fostered by a spirit of cooperation among health care providers. That cooperation is sadly gone. The project was misconceived and mismanaged beginning to end.

The hotel-convention center complex was originally slated to cost $65 million, covered by a $35 million federal EDA grant, $15 million in state funds, and $15 million in local bonds. We ended up with facilities costing over $140 million, including a new parking ramp across First Avenue. A resulting blemish on the City's AAA bond rating is the City's ownership of the hotel.

I'll seek to restore lost trust.