Karen Goldner

Karen Goldner has her website up and running and has formerly announced that she is running for the 2nd City Council District.

There are currently only two people who have filed to run for the 2nd City Council Seat:

Incumbent Don Schmidt, Republican and Karen Goldner, Democrat.

I live in the 2nd City Council District.

Assuming no one else enters this race there is no doubt in my mind who I will be voting for; I will be voting for Karen Goldner "hands down."

There are several things I like about Karen Goldner:

1. She has a lot of energy and has invested a lot of her time working for the Community.

2. She and I had a long discussion about economic development and she is one of the few people
I have talked to in Fort Wayne that I think truly understands economic development...

3. She has a strong background and relevent work experience.

You can learn more at her website:
<http://www.citizensforgoldner.com/>

She is running against Republican Don Schmidt. Don has been a City Councilman since 1971. I was four years old in 1971. Don Schmidt has been a City Councilman in Fort Wayne for 36 years as of November of 2007. That is way, way too long.

I do not like many of the policies of The City of Fort Wayne over the last 36 years including:

1. Constant annexation of everything they can annex.

2. The City Budget grows faster then the rate of inflation each and every year.

3. The City has accumulated HUGE liabilities that are not yet paid for including pension
liabilities.

4. The City has used its power of Eminent Domain repeatedly over the last few years. They are
currently trying to take property from Aqua Source. In fact, Fort Wayne is trying to seize
the utility that is currently providing water to my house.

5. This one is the most important to me. I am the President of my neighborhood association
and I have been for a little over three years. My neighborhood (Valley Place) and our
neighbors to the south (Mardego Hills) were annexed into Fort Wayne in the great Helmke
(Pine Valley) annexation of 2003. We had a deal with the County on the way the property
between the two neighborhoods would be developed. The property was to be used for
"small office buildings."

Today there is a "RediMed" and a large Vetrinary Clinic on that property. We spent time
talking to the Planning Commission about the project and they unanimously sided with the
Developer...

Note: The Fort Wayne Planning Commission will approve ALMOST any project
that ANY Developer brings to them.

I will NEVER forget the member of the Fort Wayne Planning Commission who
told my neighbor that Coldwater road was not a gravel road anymore and that
she needed to get used to that fact. It was rude and uncalled for...

Our last chance was our City Council representatives. At the time Valley Place was
represented by Tom Didier. At the time Mardego Hills was represented by Don Schmidt.

I met with both men and we discussed the project. Tom Didier was helpful and courteous
and concerned. Don Schmidt told me that the project was going to happen and there was
nothing that the neighborhoods could do about it. I thought he was arrogant and very
unsympathetic to the desires of his constituents.

This is something I have never forgotten...

I believe in smaller government. Nothing about the actions of The City of Fort Wayne over the last 36 years has led me to believe that Don Schmidt beleives in smaller government...

He talks like he does; however, Fort Wayne just grows and grows.

It is time for some "new blood."

Mike Sylvester
President Valley Place Homeowners Association