Mayoral Candidates Focus on Economic Development

It probably doesn’t come as much surprise that the main topics of discussion between Port Washington residents and mayoral candidates revolve around business, industry and economic development.

Businesses don’t have it easy surviving in downtown Port, with a tourism-related burst in the summer and then a slow down during the cold of winter. On the industrial side of things, disappearances of job-creating factories yet to be replaced have residents concerned.

Then, there’s the city budget, which the council was able to balance this year without eliminating government services — but might encounter more of a struggle next year if cuts to state aid continue.

Despite these concerns, the four candidates in the Feb. 21 mayoral primary election are able to offer a positive outlook on the city’s progress.

"It's evident we're doing many good things right now, and clearly we can build on those things to help move those things forward,” Tom Mlada said during a forum last week.

Three of the four candidates attended the forum, but Ricky Ranz was unable to make it after being hospitalized for diabetic complications. Ranz responded to the forum questions in an e-mail after the debate. 

The state of the economy

"We may think we have trouble in Port Washington — but, believe me, we don't have real trouble in Port Washington. We have a very healthy (economy)," candidate John Sigwart said, adding that the city should play a bigger role in marketing the community — something that Mlada and candidate Jim Vollmar also agreed on.

“The biggest thing the city can do is market the city,” Vollmar said, pointing to a business study done by the Taurean Group about the revitalization of downtown Port Washington.

“I think Main Street needs to use (the report) … the citizens need to use it, the city needs to use it,” Vollmar said. “(The report) says to pull customers to the downtown and capture them in other purchases ... make it a tourist destination versus a gateway to other destinations. … These ideas should be the focus of every city meeting.”

Vollmar also said the city should have a unified marketing strategy, meaning that all the businesses should have set, consistent hours, and that officials should practice “selective business recruitment.”

Vollmar was the only candidate who specifically pointed to the city’s involvement in recruiting specific businesses. The other candidates’ ideas seemed to focus more on marketing and supporting businesses who chose to launch here.

“The city should assist with what they can, make suggestions for business adventures, but really should be helping keep everything on track towards a bright future,” Ranz said.

Sigwart said he believes the best thing for the city to do is to market itself, and to make sure that the vacant buildings in Port are well-known to those looking to open a business.

“It isn't the city's job to hand pick those businesses per se, but its the community's job to support the businesses that come,” Mlada said. “We all have a responsibility living in this city to get to know the businesses and the owners, and support those locally.”

Supporting local includes industrial focus

And showing support to those owners is what Ranz suggested as a strategy to refocus on industrial growth in Port, as well.

“Industry is very important to Port,” Ranz said. “We took a big hit when Trak and Simplicity left, a hit we still are feeling. Once again, it is the city’s responsibility to go out to our existing industries and get to know them. Take tours, learn what they do, and find out how we, as the city, impact them positively and negatively.”

While manufacturing jobs are scarce nationwide, Sigwart said Port does have some nice but underused buildings that could attract new companies. He suggested that city officials work with the University of Wisconsin Extension to develop a plan for industrial development.

Vollmar pointed to the importance of keeping existing factories around, considering the tens of thousands of dollars they contribute to the city’s tax fund — a contribution that will be ever more valuable as state aid declines.

The balance between taxes and services

The city has an $8 million budget, and residents’ taxes contribute only $2.8 million to that, Vollmar explained. The rest comes from other sources, including state aid and business taxes — so those are things to worry about.

“After conversations with city personnel … the city staff is already doing a lot to hold the line on expenses and services. When you really think about per capita here ... it's extraordinary,” Mlada said, adding he would also encourage officials to continue to seek out grant opportunities.

Sigwart agreed that the tax-to-services ratio is great in the city, but hopes growth in population can help grow the pot.

“I think we need to encourage the growth of our tax base,” he said. “We have reasonable taxes here ... and if you don't think so talk to people in the North Shore.”

If it does come down to being unable to balance the budget, Ranz said he hopes the city can do it in a way that residents will be OK with it.

“Compromise is the best solution I can come up with,” Ranz said. “Fees and prices might have to go up a little to keep all our services we want, but the city can look and see what spending can be trimmed to limit that fee increase.”

The two top vote-getters, who will face each other in the April 3 general election, will participate in a second forum moderated by Patch and the Port Washington Main Street Program. That forum will start at 7 p.m. March 22 in the Port Washington Police Department community room.