There may be a time to study issues, but now is not that time. We have enough clear thinking people in our community to make the bold decisions necessary to recover and grow...and it is those people I call on now to join this cause.

First we need a new game plan to repair our image. Years ago there was a cartoon in the DM register. It showed a sleeping man under a tree with the caption “Des Moines.” It also showed a young runner going by as the man slept. The caption over the runner was “Cedar Rapids.” Our town was known as a leader in job creation, culture and innovation. Today, our current city government is looked on quite differently. I've talked with many local citizens who feel we have lost our stride and sadly, many outsiders feel the same way. If you had no faith in a CEO or board of directors would you make an investment in that company? The pockets of Cedar Rapids taxpayer’s are not deep enough to fund this flood recovery alone. We need both the State and federal government to have confidence again in Cedar Rapids. If you have pride in our community and believe we have to repair our image, then I ask you to please join me.

Second, in 2009 we've been hit with a stock market collapse and the highest unemployment rates in 25 years. We need a new game plan for job creation and economic development. We've been here before. Back in the 1980’s we lost companies that we thought were permanent fixtures to our skyline. The Wilson packing plant smoke stack stands as a reminder of that bygone era. Leaders stepped up and recruited new companies and jobs to Cedar Rapids. Strong leadership lead to shovels turning dirt. Companies, like Genecor, PMX, and Cedar River paper located here which meant good jobs and a growing tax base. Today we face a similar situation: Souvenir Pen, Cryovac and Swiss Valley Farms are closing their doors. Just as the smoke stack at the old packing plant stands as a reminder, the familiar Swiss Valley Sign along 380 is a new reminder. We need to step up just as previous leaders did and bring more jobs and companies to Cedar Rapids. We need to rebuild our commercial and industrial tax base. IBM is locating over 1,000 jobs in Dubuque, Google is creating jobs in Council bluffs. What about Cedar Rapids? If you believe as I do, that we have to create more jobs and put a greater focus on economic development, then please join me.

Finally we need a new game plan that puts city government on the side of the taxpayer. We must break the culture of delay that has taken hold of City Hall. Delay cost us jobs as well as the opportunity to rebuild in some situations. Too many homes sit abandoned because of delay, and too many small businesses remain paralyzed waiting on City Hall to act decisively. The library and fire station stand as monuments to delay. Instead of working aggressively to move these basic services forward, we’ve been given a six month plan to study a costly new city hall.