"You have to give them the proper funding and tools"

Michael believes protecting public safety should never come at the cost of placing additional strain on families. Smart budgeting. Responsible leadership. A safer Davenport—without higher taxes.

Responsible Spending-Funding London Fire/EMS

Due to decisions made by both current and previous city leadership, London’s Fire and EMS Department was placed under financial strain—leading to multiple attempts to raise taxes on citizens to cover the shortfall.

One of my first actions on City Council was to address this issue head-on. I introduced Resolution 123-24, which appropriated funds from the General Fund—a fund that had consistently shown a surplus year after year—to fully support the Fire/EMS Department. This ensured the department was properly funded without burdening taxpayers with an increase.

"Responsible Spending-giving them the tools they need"

Part of responsible spending is stretching every tax dollar—and one of the best ways to do that is by pursuing grants or low-interest loans. Many of these funding opportunities for local governments are time-sensitive, often allowing only a short application window.

Under the previous process, here’s how it worked:

  1. The person or department wanting to apply had to submit a request to the appropriate committee.

  2. The committee had to review and approve it before sending it to Council.

  3. Council then had to consider the request over three meetings—unless the “three-reading rule” was suspended—which typically took about 45 days.

  4. Even after Council approval, unless an emergency clause was attached, the decision didn’t take effect for another 30 days.

Best case scenario, the process took about 75 days—far too long for grants with only a 30-day application window. As a result, our administration missed out on valuable opportunities simply because we couldn’t meet the deadline to even apply.

To fix this, I proposed legislation allowing the Mayor, Safety Service Director, and department heads to apply for grants at any point during the calendar year—provided they had Council’s standing approval for that year—rather than having to seek permission for each individual grant.

This change opened the door for our city to pursue more grants, including many that previously went unattempted due to time constraints. It’s a simple, practical step that gives us a better chance at securing outside funding without adding to the tax burden on our citizens.

Investing Wisely in Our Community’s Safety

Responsible spending is important to all of us, and I understand the concerns many have about how our tax dollars are used.

In London, the reality was that our “temporary” police facility, established in the late 1980s, had long outlived its intended purpose. Officers have been working in cramped, outdated conditions, which has made it increasingly difficult to serve the public efficiently and safely. This has led to slower response times, reduced effectiveness, and higher long-term costs due to constant maintenance and inefficiency.

I want to be clear: investing in a new police facility was never about spending for the sake of spending. It was about addressing real, ongoing problems that were costing us more in the long run. When the initial proposal involved a tax increase, voters made their voices heard and rejected it. That decision was respected.

Instead of giving up or pushing for higher taxes, the Chief of Police, with some support of the administration worked to secure a $5 million federal appropriation for the new public safety facility. With the total project cost at $9 million, we still faced a $4 million gap. Through collaboration, creative problem-solving, and careful legislation, we were able to bridge that gap—without raising taxes.

This project is a testament to what we can achieve when we listen to the community, respect your concerns, and work together for practical solutions. The new $9 million public safety facility, set for completion in Summer/Fall 2026, is being built without any new taxes. We reached out to other government agencies and thought outside the box to make this happen.

I am proud to have played a part, albeit a small one, in this process, always putting the needs of my ward and our city first. I will  continue to be a wise steward of our community’s resources and make investments that truly benefit Davenport for years to come.

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