Joel Hartung running for Steinbach City Council.
After careful thought and research Joel Hartung has announced he will run for council following in the foot steps of his grandfathers who served a combined 5 terms in his home town of Vulcan Alberta.
What started months ago as a mission to educate the public on the planned expenditures of the City of Steinbach has turned into an exciting passion which Joel wishes to pursue further.
Hartung has recently been instrumental in raising awareness about current council’s long term plans which includes decreasing city’s reserves and increasing debt load as well as increasing greatly the length in which the City borrows money for expenditures.
Hartung has enjoyed the feedback he has received from the work in which a small group of thirty something’s sparked Steinbach’s population to get involved and make their voices heard. “I feel as Steinbach moves forward there can be a better balance of investigating what the tax payers need, want and require. Councils Jobs is to make tough decisions and the toughest decision is dissecting where the fiscally responsible line lies between those needs & wants.
Hartung believes moving forward that the City should take a more active role in healthcare and public safety. Recruiting Doctors, Nurses and Health Care professionals to our region he believes is an area in which the town needs to take some ownership. As well as working with local RCMP and Fire Department to make sure they have the tools to protect and serve the general public.
He plans also to review the growth rate of Steinbach with other Manitoba hotspots to make sure the City is doing everything possible, to encourage not only commercial and business development but also residential. “Steinbach is an amazing place to live, and the hub for the entire region. We need to attract families to live within city limits so their tax dollars help pay, not only for infrastructure but also the extra clubs and programs our growing city would like to provide. Most importantly Living in Steinbach needs to be affordable for the average Canadian Family as well as”
Hartung comments that arguing that Steinbach needs to raise taxes just because other communities have is unreasonable and that we should not be a community that sets the trend with high taxes. “People buy products like groceries, computers and vehicles where they feel is the best combination of price and service. The city needs to take this same approach, offering the best combination of reasonable property taxes and local services and amenities to stimulate growth.”
Hartung holds the position of Store Manager at CT Loewen Building Center in Steinbach. He has been married for 12 years and has two sons of the age of 5 and 7. “I was born in Southern Alberta but I choose to live in Steinbach. This is a great city with a great history. I love and appreciate the principals this area was founded on and I hope the city can move forward while still respecting the past”
You can contact him at joel@votehartung.com with questions, concerns or to volunteer with his campaign.
His website, votehartung.com, is scheduled for launch September 17th.
