Lone candidate for council seat says TIF is an issue in Port

There will be only one new name on the ballot for Port Washington alderman next week — Deb Postl, who is the lone candidate seeking the District 1 seat.

Incumbent Ald. Mike Ehrlich is not seeking re-election, and the other incumbents — Mike Gasper, District 3; Jonathan Pleitner, District 5; and John Sigwart, District 7 — are running unopposed in the April 2 election.

Postl, 63, of 406 Briarwood La., will be the lone woman on the Common Council.

She will also be among the aldermen who are leery of the city’s reliance on tax incremental financing, particularly developer’s incentives.

“I have very strong feelings about the use of TIF funding for private development,” Postl said. “I can see using it for blighted areas and areas that need to be developed, that are stagnant.”

Those include areas like the former trailer park property on South Spring Street, which is slated for senior housing and is earmarked for development in a pay-as-you-go TIF, she said.

“But for prime lakefront area with private development, I do not think it’s the right thing.”

Postl said the city should do more extensive analyses of TIF projects and closely examine the benefits of approving a smaller project outside the district and getting the tax revenue immediately instead of creating TIF districts and waiting 20 or more years to reap the additional taxes.

Postl is also concerned about the city’s recent move to narrow streets when they are rebuilt and adding sidewalks, saying that may not be the best move for all areas.

She said she’s particularly concerned about downtown, the Upper Lake Park and bluff areas where large groups of bicyclists ride down the city streets.

“By continuing to narrow the streets, you’re pushing the bicyclists to the curb,” she said. “If the roads are narrower and they have to share the road, they are going to be discouraged from spending time in the city.”

She would also like to improve communication between city government and residents so citizens know what’s happening in the community and officials get input from constituents on issues.

Postl, a retired customer service supervisor for We Energies, hasn’t run for office before but she and her husband Joe ran the community garden for two years.

She said she’s running for office because she believes everyone has a duty to serve. She’s spent the months since announcing her candidacy meeting with officials so she has a base of knowledge when she’s sworn in on April 16.