David Wiley

Seven candidates are vying for three seats on the Minot City Council in the city’s June 9 election. Each of the candidates provided comments on their interest in serving and how they would approach city government.

David Wiley, a military veteran and musician, is among those looking for a chance to serve.

What motivates you to want to serve on the city council?

Minot needs council members who put residents first, not special interests or bureaucrats. I’m motivated by the frustration I hear from homeowners and small businesses who feel the city is always inventing new ways to take their money while delivering less. I want to restore accountability, protect taxpayers, and make Minot work for working families again.

What knowledge, interests or personal qualities can you bring to the council?

I bring a no-nonsense approach to government spending, a clear understanding that taxpayers are not an ATM, and the willingness to say no to bad ideas even when they’re popular. I’ve watched how special interests and backroom deals have hurt Minot families, and I have the independence to fight that. Most importantly, I understand that local government should solve local problems without making them worse.

Is city spending too high, too little or about right? What approach would you take?

Way too high. City spending has become disconnected from reality. Flood projects, special assessments, and capital plans keep growing while taxpayers get stuck with the bill. My approach is simple: zero-based budgeting every year. Every line item justifies itself from scratch. No sacred cows. If we can’t pay for it without special assessments or surprise fees, we don’t do it.

How do you feel about shifting general fund property tax expenses to special assessments or user fees?

Absolutely opposed. Special assessments are just property taxes by another name, except they’re even worse because they’re less transparent and hit specific neighborhoods harder. I’ve been clear: nobody should risk losing their home over a city bill they didn’t vote for. Shifting general fund costs to special assessments is a shell game that hurts homeowners and discourages development. Keep money in taxpayers’ pockets.

Is Minot providing adequate public safety? What needs to be changed?

Public safety is adequate but stretched thin. Police and fire do heroic work with aging facilities and growing demands. The real question is whether we’re being smart about where we put new resources. I’d prioritize frontline staffing and equipment over fancy station remodels, and I’d make sure any facility upgrades come from genuine savings elsewhere, not new taxes or assessments.

How would you prioritize infrastructure needs (flood protection, roads, watermain, etc.)?

– Critical maintenance first: water mains, sewer lines, core roads that carry daily traffic.

– Growth enablers second: streets/arterials that open land for housing and business. – Flood protection third: essential but not unlimited, these projects need hard cost-benefit scrutiny.

No project should happen if it requires special assessments. If we can’t pay for it through honest budgeting, we don’t do it. Period.

Should the city continue pursuing a police station remodel and if so, how would you like to see it unfold?

Only if it’s absolutely necessary and we can pay for it without special assessments or property tax hikes. The council needs to show the public exactly what problems the current facility creates for public safety operations and prove those problems justify the cost. I’d want competitive bids, phased construction if possible, and a clear path to fund it through operational savings or general fund — not shifting costs to homeowners.

How do you feel about automated license plate reader technology?

I’m skeptical but open to discussion. Public safety tools are important, but we can’t trade liberty for security without clear limits, oversight, and public debate. Minot needs transparency about data retention, access controls, and use cases before deploying anything like this. No blank checks to technology vendors.

What is your assessment of Minot as a community? Are there ways to make it better, help it thrive or maintain what is good about the community?

Minot has huge potential — a strong base of working families, military presence, energy jobs — but it’s being held back by a city government that treats taxpayers like funding sources instead of customers. To thrive, we need: predictable costs (no special assessments), faster housing development, smarter infrastructure choices, and council members who say no to bad ideas. Keep what’s good by protecting homeowners and making growth actually affordable.

Are there other specific issues you want to address if elected to the council?

Three big ones:

– End special assessments completely. They’re a hidden tax that threatens homeownership.

– Streamline housing development with clear rules, fast approvals, no surprise fees so builders can build what families can afford.

– Honest budgeting. Zero-based every year. No shifting costs between funds to hide spending.

Minot works when government serves residents, not the other way around.