Campaign Platform

As part of my continuing campaign, I’m happy to announce that I will be rolling out my campaign platform.  Though Bloomington is a wonderful city, there are many issues that need to be addressed to help strengthen it and help its citizens.  From economic fallout from the lockdowns during the pandemic to continued layoffs affecting Monroe County workers, our city is facing issues that will need to be addressed during the next coming four years.  These will be the issues I hope to address if elected to the city council to help improve quality of life in the city and maintain its standard of living.

1. Reduce Crime-The city of Bloomington has consistently seen crime rise throughout the 2010s, with violent crime going up since the lockdowns.  The rise in crime puts Bloomingtonians’ and IU students' life and safety at risk.  In addition, it also reduces the chance of potential new residents from moving into the area.  There are few priorities as important as keeping city residents safe for local government which is why this is listed as the first issue.

What’s more, there have been high profile cases further showing how bad crime has gotten in Bloomington.  From the bar shooting in downtown Bloomington to the Target backpack bombing incident to the sewer gunman, Bloomington has seen several high profile cases highlighting the need to reduce crime.  We must address this if we hope to keep Bloomington a safe place to live.

2. Increase Transparency-The city of Bloomington says on its website that it is committed to transparency.  Yet guest columnists for the Herald-Times have noted that the city has documents that are out of date, budget goals that are unclear, and fluctuating numbers due to “cash inflows and outflows…occur(ing) at irregular intervals.”  Similarly, the IDS reports the city council delaying votes with no reason given.

Transparency is important not only for trust in government, but to make sure the government functions.  We don’t know if money is being spent wisely if we don’t know how it’s being spent so that means there could be significant waste that could actually fund projects for which taxes are raised.  At a time when political polarization is increasing, it is important we know why our city councilmen vote the way they do to increase trust between voters and elected officials.

If we want to address issues such as police and special services funding, and other projects, we need to make sure our budget is in order.  As for me, if elected, I promise to post my reason for every vote I take if elected on Facebook within 48 hours of said vote.  I owe that to my voters and constituents.

3. Reprioritize Development-There has been a growth in apartments in Bloomington to help provide homes for people moving into the area.  While these can provide temporary living, they do not allow for property ownership and that reduces both investment and community engagement.  Development should prioritize home ownership and civic engagement to make sure people moving into the area stay involved and maintain their community.  Otherwise, they will stay in their apartments, work remotely, and not become full Bloomingtonians.

4. Be an Ear and a Voice for My Constituents-Regardless of any policies, promises, or platform I may have, the most important part of an elected job is to actually do it well.  My duty is to make sure my constituents' views are represented in the city government and that their needs are met.  Issues will change over time, and I will adapt to that as needed by my potential constituents.  That is my duty, first and foremost.

The city Government has been dominated by the same party for decades and as a result it has been run by the same, out of touch mindset.  It is time for a new mindset, one that will always make itself available to constituents.  That is why my email (brettforbloomington@gmail.com) will always be open, and ready to address constituent needs.

There are many other issues worth considering (annexation chief among them) and policies I did not address at this time.  Many of those will be discussed in future posts as the campaign continues.  Similarly, there are policies worth discussing (increased police pay, building a new jail cell, etc) that I may be interested in or open to if elected.  However, I don’t seek to make promises as I am one voice among six and any policy attempt I make must exist in the existing city framework.

The purpose of this post is not to guarantee policies, but to let people know my values.  If elected, I will make every effort to make these goals a reality on behalf of the citizens, and if something doesn’t work then I will adapt to try again.  That is my guarantee to voters.

Whatever happens, just know that my duty is to my constituents and my city first.  I will make sure their needs are met, that is my promise.  I thank you for your support, and look forward to hitting the campaign trail.