We can keep building a thriving community for the future that is the envy of every city in Iowa. We can be a community that is true to tradition and open to change, with arts, culture, business, diversity, and life that draws people from all corners of our country and beyond.

When you look out over the next 10 years in Dubuque, what do you see?

Here’s what I see. I see a city with opportunity—a city that’s alive. A city that is an example for others to follow and that draws people in like a magnet.

EVERYBODY IN!

We’re stronger because we’ve withstood challenges and become better for it. When I was a kid, Dubuque had the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 23%. The national headline read: “Will the last one leaving Dubuque turn out the lights?”

You know what Dubuque did? We rose to the challenge. We dreamed big. We looked not outside of our community but to each other to create innovative solutions to meet the moment in history and bring our city back to life.

That’s the legacy we stand on and the legacy I’m committed to continuing with every one of you at the table. With innovation, with responsibility, with vision.

Dubuque has shown over and over that we succeed and we thrive when we create innovative solutions TOGETHER.

For many of us, this past year challenged us in ways that we never imagined. For many, it was a year that amplified our differences and disagreements; that fed into our fears instead of our hopes; that made very real challenges even more difficult — from business & workforce, to housing and childcare and more.

I want you to know that I see you, I hear you, and I believe in the spirit of Dubuque as problem solvers. Our differences are what make us a rich and vibrant community.

We may not always have control of what happens in our state or our nation, but we can make a real impact in our own backyard. Together, we can lead the way through unity, through innovation, through healing.

As we celebrate our successes, we must also address our challenges.  Too many of our neighbors live under the weight of poverty and struggle to access opportunities to thrive.

At the same time, too many of our community’s businesses struggle to find and retain the workforce we need for our future.  I believe we have what it takes right here at home to solve these challenges.

When I look to the years ahead, I see a city where no matter what party you vote for, where you worship, no matter your age, your race, your interests or passions … this is home.

At home we take care of each other. At home we’re proud to call each other neighbors. We’re stronger together. And we are at our best when we build a community where everybody has a seat at the table.

Dubuque has done a lot of hard work in creating a solution-driven vision tailored to our own community. From Imagine Dubuque to our Climate Action Plan to our Equitable Poverty Reduction & Prevention Plan. 

Now, it’s time to get to work making our plans a reality and dreaming big again together. From amplifying arts and culture to greening our downtown to connecting the city with trails and pathways… I know that together we can continue to build upon the legacy of big visions and smart investments.

We can realize solutions to the challenges ahead of us when we welcome EVERYBODY IN!

As your Mayor, I will lead with balance and careful thought.  I believe leaders must have the vision to make improvements in our community that not only benefit us now, but for generations to come, all while keeping our city’s financial future secure.

I’m a proud Dubuquer at 43 years old. This is my home. And this is going to be home for, God willing, many decades to come. I want to make sure Dubuque is a community where my kids can make a life. Where anyone’s kids – if they choose to stay, or go off to explore careers and higher education – can come back home and make a life here. 

I’m committed to that because my future, the future of my kids, the future of my parents’ grandkids, is entwined with the strength of this community. 

Dubuque has succeeded because we value people, planning and partnerships. This recipe for success has brought us incredible growth, enhanced our quality of life, and made our community a destination. 

Dubuque reimagined itself and led the way through America’s River, through our reinvigorated Main Street with one of a kind small businesses, our vibrant Millwork District, our centers of technology and industry, and this amazing Bee Branch. We have so much to be proud of.

At the same time, there is still much work to do. I believe it’s time for Dubuque to invest in the future by electing leaders of my generation. And empowering the generations behind me to be leaders in our community. 

Every one of us who call Dubuque home, who look out over this beautiful city and want to build a true Masterpiece on the Mississippi for ourselves, our children, and our children’s children. 

It’s time to say together, EVERYBODY IN!