Viewpoint: Weik - ‘I run for our citizens’

With the general election less than a month away, I have had the opportunity to speak with literally thousands of fellow Woodbury residents on a variety of topics. We live in a great city; community pride was certainly reflected in our dialog.

Unquestionably, the one subject that has been the most prevalent is property taxes. Whether you are a liberal, conservative or somewhere in-between, most people agree that now is not the time for property tax increases.

Higher taxation — especially regressive taxes, like property taxes — erodes our collective freedom.

Higher taxation directly translates into more time spent at work, and consequently, less time spent with our spouses, our children, and our neighbors, doing what we enjoy.

If I am elected to the Washington County Board on Nov. 4, I will work hard to ensure Woodbury and Washington County remain affordable, desirable places to live, raise a family and do business with no reduction to core or essential services. I will treat every tax dollar spent as if it were my own.

We live in the best county in the State of Minnesota, located in the beautiful St. Croix River Valley that is rich with history; our state charter was drafted in 1843 in Stillwater (the county seat) that is often called “The Birthplace of Minnesota.”

The valley is dotted with working century farms from Lake Elmo to Marine on St. Croix and many attractions display “National Historic Site” plaques on their exteriors.

The high quality of life here is bolstered by our location, the mix of suburban and rural character, open space, clean parks and lakes. We have great public and private schools, quiet and safe communities, and generous people.

I love the history of this area; my vision for the future includes growing livable-wage jobs with a focus on continued economic growth and responsible development in Woodbury and Washington County. We enjoy a high quality of life that is second to none; I will protect our heritage.

Keeping and augmenting this vision of Washington County requires making prudent decisions regarding our property tax dollars. I pledge to my fellow Woodbury residents that I will be a fiscally responsible and accountable county commissioner if the honor of serving is bestowed upon me.

And thank you to everyone who took the time to vote in the primary election.

I am humbled by the overwhelming support I received in the primary and would consider it an honor and a privilege to represent Woodbury residents on the county board.

I run against no one, I run for our citizens.

I can be reached at (651) 714-1599 (home) or www.weik4commissioner.com.

Weik is a resident of Woodbury and a candidate for Washington County Commissioner, District 5.

Tags: opinion, weik, election, woodbury, taxes, economics