Candidate is a proponent of connectivity

Election 2011

EDITOR'S NOTE

Traverse City voters on Nov. 8 will determine the city commission's makeup for the next two years. Two candidates are vying for mayor, while seven commission hopefuls are competing for three open seats.

The Record-Eagle will profile each candidate, available at Record-Eagle.com/election as they are published.

TIM WERNER

Age: 43

Occupation: Scientist and engineer

Previous government experience: None

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Werner

October 19, 2011

Candidate is a proponent of connectivity

BY ART BUKOWSKI abukowski@record-eagle.com The Record Eagle Wed Oct 19, 2011, 07:22 AM EDT

TRAVERSE CITY — Tim Werner wants to make it easier to get from here to there.

Werner, a scientist and engineer by trade, hopes to land a spot on the Traverse City Commission. The Pennsylvania native has lived in the city for about 11 years, and he believes the community could be stronger if it's tied together better.

"What I'm a proponent of is connectivity," he said. "That's connectivity between the neighborhoods, businesses and the natural environment."

Werner wants to see physical improvements to promote better transportation — more and better sidewalks, street upgrades and other items — but also initiatives that encourage people to freely move around town.

"It's more than, 'OK, you put a tunnel, you put a bridge,'" he said. "How do you make it so people feel connected?"

Werner obtained his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan, and he's worked at multiple firms in addition to consulting and teaching. He believes his professional background will help him analyze city issues.

"It's that approach to issues facing the city: Be level-headed, gather the information available — but don't overstudy things — and make a decisive decision based on the information available," he said. "That's how my background influences me."

Some commissioners recently floated the idea of altering the city's two tax increment financing (TIF) districts that "capture" nearly $2 million in taxes each year. A portion of city, county and other local taxes on properties within the districts are set aside and earmarked for improvements within those districts; some believe the money should be allowed to flow outside of the districts for other needs.

Werner isn't in favor of knee-capping the TIF districts, in large part because about half of the taxes captured are those levied by the county, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse Area District Library and other non-city entities. That money would revert back to those entities if the TIF plans were abolished.

"We can get $1 million, or we can get $2 million to use in our TIF districts and work more collaboratively on how best to use that $2 million," he said. "It's not perfect, but it's a very good tool, and I think we could use the tool better."

He'd instead like to get neighborhood groups involved in how money is spent downtown and use successful practices established in the downtown area elsewhere.

"I would like to build on what we've done best, and I think that one of the things we've done quite well is the downtown," he said. "It doesn't mean that well, they've had their time, now it's time to move elsewhere. I just think we learn from our experiences there ... and take what we can from there and apply it to the neighborhoods, apply it to the corridors like Eighth Street, 14th Street, West Front Street."

Werner also doesn't mind spending taxpayer money on worthwhile private projects.

"Public spending should be public investment, and as an investment there should be return on that investment," he said.

"It has to be done smart ... I'm all for public spending if it's benefitting the public, and it's great if it's benefitting a private development as well, but the public is the overall (concern)."