Workforce Development
I believe that one of Duluth’s greatest assets is our workforce. Moreover, I believe the most effective economic development strategy is to invest in the skills and talents of the people who already live and work here, providing potential employers with a sustainable, comparative advantage in economic development.
I’ve helped initiate a strategy group charged with creating a comprehensive workforce system in Duluth. This group, made up of leaders in business, education, and human resources, recognizes the importance of one centralized skill development model for our area. This new system will identify the skill needs of local employers and then develop specific plans designed to meet their needs, all the way down to creating personalized training plans for employees.
We should move away from trying to lure the “big fish,” and move toward investing in our overall economic infrastructure, where the benefit is shared by all employers and employees alike.
The City should become a solid and reliable partner in support of those efforts by providing quality services and a fast and efficient process in city hall. Solving retiree health care, a new zoning code, and continued reinvestment in our core city will demonstrate to potential employers that Duluth has turned a corner.
Retiree Health Care
The New York Times recently published an article about our situation, and portrayed Duluth as a community struggling to come to terms with the issue. It’s time to write another story - a successful model for others to learn from our political will, vision, and focus on the common good.
I helped create the Retiree Health Care Task Force and took decisive action to focus on the complexities of the issue to come up with tangible solutions. The Task Force was comprised of five citizens with the knowledge, experience, and understanding to create a plan that had credibility and respect from across the political spectrum. I support the recommendations of the Task Force and as your mayor I will work to implement them - quickly.
Prioritizing Core Services
Providing the core services Duluthians deserve is not inexpensive, but I believe we can think beyond tax increases and budget cuts to accomplish those goals. There are many other services the city provides that benefit our entire region, such as the zoo, the library, animal control, trail systems, and golf courses. It's unfair that the taxpayers of Duluth are the only ones paying for these regional assets. We need to work with other municipalities to develop a system that more equitably shares the cost of providing those services. One specific solution is to turn the zoo over to the Lake Superior Zoological Society and develop a partnership with the state to provide a quality, memorable zoo experience.
Another obvious solution is to increase our tax base, as opposed to increasing taxes. As your Mayor, I will update and streamline the zoning and permitting process to make it easier to do business in Duluth. I want people to jump at the chance to bring new businesses - and jobs - to the city, instead of being forced to jump through endless hoops.
Public Safety
I will commit fully to our community policing program, giving our residents the tools and support they need to do their job well. Half measures and an underfunded police force should not be an option, and under a Ness administration it won’t be.
Crime isn’t exclusive to any one neighborhood in Duluth, and we need to give each the necessary attention. I believe that community policing is one of the most effective ways to deter crime through pro-active police work. We also need to ensure that funding our police force remains a top priority in every city budget.
Streets & Infrastructure
We all know it. We all see it. Our streets are in deplorable condition as a result of 70 years of neglect and short-sighted lack of investment. Over the past 15 years, the city has made steady, but very slow progress into fixing our street infrastructure. The first bonds issued for the street improvement program will soon be reaching maturity and additional resources will then be available – and we must use it all.
As your Mayor, I will double the investment in our street improvement program by 2011.
Environmental Sustainability
I have always believed that environmental sustainability is vital for any community to thrive. That is why I initiated the Cities for Climate Protection program in Duluth which committed the city to evaluate its operations to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency.
The result has been a reduction in carbon emissions and energy consumption in city operations—the program has already paid for the initial investment and is now saving the taxpayers thousands of dollars a year.
Housing
Though we’ve seen a boom in the development of high-end housing, working families face an aging housing stock and fewer attractive choices. As a city, I believe we need to encourage more investment in family-friendly housing for all income levels in our traditional neighborhoods—and make it as painless as possible for our homeowners to get permits and make improvements.
Zoning Code
The completion of the Comprehensive Plan was a great victory of Duluth—but it means nothing unless we adopt a new, modern zoning code. It’s an opportunity for Duluth to create a unified zoning and development code that will result in reinvestment of our core city. I would ensure the resources were available to make this important investment in our city’s future. We cannot afford further delays.
Making Government Work – for All Duluthians
Innovation and service will be the hallmarks of a Ness administration. By exploring how we can improve service through innovation, we will create a new spirit of cooperation in city government. I have a proven track record of working with diverse interests - the Retiree Health Care Task Force was an example of how, when politics are removed from an issue, we can achieve measurable results.
As your mayor, I will not be beholden to any one voting bloc, which gives me a unique ability to work for the good of all Duluthians.
