Submitted by MIKE CORBETT
Since we launched this campaign more than seven months ago, I have been stressing how important this election is. Decisions are being made now that will affect the way Noblesville develops for generations to come. It’s important that we get it right. For that to happen, the citizens must be much more engaged than they’ve been permitted to be for the past several years. The trash fee, the Nickel Plate, Seminary Park, The Levinson are all examples of city hall making deals in the dark and including the people afterwards. It’s time to swing open the doors of city hall, welcome the public back in, and unleash the power of the people so Noblesville can finally start achieving its potential.
My five key principles have been consistent throughout the campaign:
- Transparency – Closed door meetings and backroom deals must stop. Good governance seeks to discern the will of the people and turn it into action.
- Historic Preservation as Economic Development – It’s not enough to say you love downtown. You have to understand what makes it appealing and work to preserve that sense of place as you grow. Economic pressures lean toward “modernization” but that’s not what makes Noblesville special. We must stop tearing down buildings and build on our strengths.
- Respect for the Taxpayer – Fees and referenda are putting financial pressure on homeowners. Our taxes went up again this year and will again next year as the new referendum kicks in. We must ignite our economic development efforts to recruit new businesses to town and reduce the tax burden on homeowners.
- Small-town values – We aren’t a small city anymore, but to maintain our quality of life we must recommit to values that make Noblesville special: Strong neighborhoods, strong locally-owned businesses and a thriving downtown. Strong values support mental health and help make us a welcoming community where people look out for each other.
- Infrastructure – Maintaining our roads, bridges and other infrastructure is just the start. We must look ahead to what Noblesville needs to thrive in the future. I am committed to diversifying our transportation system, creating a trail system that relieves pressure on our roads while encouraging healthy lifestyles and improving our sense of community.
Of course, none of these matter unless you can execute them. I believe I offer a winning combination: A vision for the future with a decades-long background of achievement that ensures I can get it done. I have more business management experience than any of my competitors, some of whom have virtually none. We can use some business sense in City Hall and I offer my services to you as your next mayor.
I have run this campaign under a strict budget. When your funds are limited you have to get creative. That’s the way I’ve always run my businesses and it’s how I will run our city. It’s a culture that stresses thrift and resourcefulness and it’s been sorely lacking in our city for years. Under a Corbett administration you can rest assured that I will squeeze every bit of value out of your tax dollars so that you, the taxpayer, don’t have to keep carrying an increasingly heavy tax burden.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised by the establishment in order to maintain the status quo. I’m asking voters to demand better. I’m asking for your vote because now is the time that we, the people, must regain control of our city.
Please vote Corbett for Mayor so we can finally unleash the awesome potential of Noblesville … together.