Steve Gaer for Mayor - Steve's Record

Balanced budget annually
No property tax increases during the two years as Mayor
No property tax increases 7 of the 8 years on the council (voted no on the one property tax increase that went into effect)
Government Finance Officer’s Association awarded WDM with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award
Government Finance Officers Association awarded WDM with a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
Third lowest tax rate out of the top 10 cities in Iowa
AAA Bond Rating from Standard & Poors (one of only 127 cities nationally)

Numerous City of West Des Moines Awards and Recognition (View)
Relocate America named West Des Moines in the Top 100 Places to Live (View)
Business Week named West Des Moines one of its top 10 affordable suburbs
Business Week named West Des Moines as one of the Best Places to Raise your kids
Fortune named West Des Moines one of the Top 100 placed to live and launch a business
ULX Entertainment/Retail Synergies Publication - Jordan Creek Town Center award (View)
Business Record Names West Des Moines "Best City Government for Conducting Business"

Increased communications with residents (e.g., implemented the City’s website, e-mail addresses for all elected officials and City staff and annual Citizen’s Attitude Survey, etc.)
Established West Des Moines Human Rights Commission

Starting in 1998 and each year thereafter the Business Record annual survey has voted WDM both the “Best City to Live In” and “City government most conducive to Business”

Significantly increased the City’s public safety staff (e.g., added 10 new police officers, 14 new full-time fire fighters and 7 new EMS employees) (Letter from Police Chief)
Fastest growing city in Iowa
Significantly increased budget and facilities for the City's Human Services Department
Record levels of residential and commercial development (2008 was record year with $490 million)
Increased cooperation with surrounding cities, school districts and counties (e.g., Westcom, WestHelp, joint school park site with Waukee School District, etc.)
One of only four cities in the nation with all three public safety departments (police, fire and EMS) nationally accredited.
Since 2000, West Des Moines invested $180 million in infrastructure

Library
Nature Lodge and the majority of Raccoon River Park’s development (e.g., softball fields, recreation trail, beach, boat ramp, etc.)
Westown Parkway bridge, Mills Civic Parkway interchange and interchanges at both 50th and 60th Streets
Record annual investment in maintenance of existing streets and sewers
Paved more than 18 miles of recreation trails
Added over 600 acres of new City park land
Constructed the new Valley View Aquatic Center
Railroad Avenue Street reconstructed

Wells Fargo built both a 420,000 square foot office building south of University Ave. and a 960,000 square foot corporate campus south of Mills Civic Parkway
General Growth Properties constructed Jordan Creek Town Center (approximately 2,000,000 square feet of shopping, dining and entertainment)
West Glen Town Center
Villages of Ponderosa
Mercy and Iowa Methodist completing new hospitals (both in excess of $100 million)
AVIVA is building North American Headquarters in West Des Moines (360,000 square feet)