Practical priorities for accountable city government.

Managing Taxpayer Funds Responsibly

Responsible stewardship means planning past the next budget cycle. Toby wants long-term infrastructure planning — ensuring our streets, utilities, and public facilities are stable and ready for the future — and careful scrutiny of every big-ticket commitment before the city signs.

“I want to see us prepare for our future… Are we setting things up for the next generation and our kids?”

Making Housing Affordable

Rent in Mankato is very high, and Toby believes the city can do something about it without repeating other cities' mistakes. He opposes St. Paul-style rent control — it backfired there — and instead wants to grow the housing supply: make developer licensing easier so more homes get built, and streamline the licensing department to lower costs for landlords, which lowers rents for renters.

“Rent prices in Mankato are very high. We can work on that — we can do better as a city.”

Ensuring Government Efficiency

Hand in hand with fiscal responsibility, Toby wants tax dollars spent more efficiently. That means reducing government waste across every department, reviewing and streamlining city processes so government works faster and costs less, and holding city hall accountable to the people who pay for it.

Supporting Local Business

Toby has owned and operated a Mankato small business for roughly eleven years — he's lived the regulatory burden firsthand. He'd support local businesses through smart deregulation: fewer hoops, lower costs, and a lighter, faster city licensing process, so entrepreneurs can spend their time serving customers instead of filling out forms.

Technology & Public Safety

Toby wants the city council to thoroughly research public-safety technologies — like Flock surveillance cameras — and controversial projects like data centers before any approval. His science background means decisions get made on evidence, not sales pitches: no rushed commitments with taxpayer money.