Hoffman will seek mayor's seat
By Lynn Zerschling Journal staff writer | Posted: Thursday, August 16, 2007
Sioux City Councilman Brent Hoffman said Wednesday he will be a consensus builder if elected mayor in the fall election.
"I do have a good background in leadership and in management experience," Hoffman, 44, of 3905 Sylvian Way, said in announcing he will seek the mayor's post.
He cited his 20-year career in the Air Force, where he oversaw multimillion-dollar budgets and supervised hundreds of people. He was elected to the council in 2005 and has two years to go on his term. Before his election, he served on the city's Fiscal Management Committee.
"I do think this is a unique election," Hoffman said, noting that voters will directly elect the mayor for the first time in 53 years, taking the selection out of the hands of the council.
"I do think people will look for something different -- for someone who is a person of character; a person who can bring people together and build consensus," he stated. "It is a position of leadership that only one person on the council has."
He admitted he evaluated whether he should run for office because of family concerns.
In addition to friends who encouraged him to run, Hoffman said, "My wife, who has been through her own struggles recently, has prodded me along to do this. In fact, she feels so strongly about it, she will serve as my campaign manager."
Earlier this year, Mary Jo Hoffman was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer and has undergone radiation and chemotherapy at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. The treatments succeeded in reducing the size of the tumor so she can undergo surgery next week at the Mayo Clinic.
Hoffman said his wife is the one with the political know-how, having worked for a number of years for Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, in his Washington, D.C., office.
Hoffman is a registered independent. City races are nonpartisan.
As mayor, Hoffman said he would continue to lead the city in a positive direction, focusing on economic development while being a fiscal conservative on spending.
"There's been a great deal of progress in Sioux City," he said, citing the 300-plus people who will work in the new Northwest Airlines reservation center, new economic development projects and the slight increase in population vs. declines of past years.
Having said that, Hoffman acknowledged, "Our city still has problems. We still have to have a better economy and increase job growth. We have to do something about the burdensome property tax rates."
Statewide property tax reform is the responsibility of the Iowa Legislature, he emphasized.
As mayor, he said, he would strive "to build a shared vision" of the community with his council colleagues and citizens.
Hoffman was the top vote getter when he ran for City Council two years ago in his first try for public office. In 2006 and again this year, he walked through each of the city's 28 precincts to meet with residents and pledged to continue those visits if elected mayor.
On those walks Hoffman met 1,300 citizens. He credited city staffers for handling 220 "action items" resulting from concerns voiced by residents, ranging from potholes to vicious dogs.
"That's where I learned what citizens' concerns are and the issues they face," he said. "That's been the most rewarding part of this job."
He added, "I opted not to take the city benefits" offered to council members. "That saves the city $18,000 a year."
In addition to owning Hoffman Real Estate Investments, he is a registered contractor. He graduated in 1981 from Anthon-Oto High School. While in the Air Force he earned his undergraduate degree from Newman University in Wichita, Kan. He obtained his master's degree in business administration from the University of South Dakota while stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City.
As an Air Force major, he was stationed in the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists flew a plane into the building. The family, including Silas, 6, and Lydia, 4, belongs to Heartland Community Baptist Church.
"I do have a good background in leadership and in management experience," Hoffman, 44, of 3905 Sylvian Way, said in announcing he will seek the mayor's post.
He cited his 20-year career in the Air Force, where he oversaw multimillion-dollar budgets and supervised hundreds of people. He was elected to the council in 2005 and has two years to go on his term. Before his election, he served on the city's Fiscal Management Committee.
"I do think this is a unique election," Hoffman said, noting that voters will directly elect the mayor for the first time in 53 years, taking the selection out of the hands of the council.
"I do think people will look for something different -- for someone who is a person of character; a person who can bring people together and build consensus," he stated. "It is a position of leadership that only one person on the council has."
He admitted he evaluated whether he should run for office because of family concerns.
In addition to friends who encouraged him to run, Hoffman said, "My wife, who has been through her own struggles recently, has prodded me along to do this. In fact, she feels so strongly about it, she will serve as my campaign manager."
Earlier this year, Mary Jo Hoffman was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer and has undergone radiation and chemotherapy at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. The treatments succeeded in reducing the size of the tumor so she can undergo surgery next week at the Mayo Clinic.
Hoffman said his wife is the one with the political know-how, having worked for a number of years for Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, in his Washington, D.C., office.
Hoffman is a registered independent. City races are nonpartisan.
As mayor, Hoffman said he would continue to lead the city in a positive direction, focusing on economic development while being a fiscal conservative on spending.
"There's been a great deal of progress in Sioux City," he said, citing the 300-plus people who will work in the new Northwest Airlines reservation center, new economic development projects and the slight increase in population vs. declines of past years.
Having said that, Hoffman acknowledged, "Our city still has problems. We still have to have a better economy and increase job growth. We have to do something about the burdensome property tax rates."
Statewide property tax reform is the responsibility of the Iowa Legislature, he emphasized.
As mayor, he said, he would strive "to build a shared vision" of the community with his council colleagues and citizens.
Hoffman was the top vote getter when he ran for City Council two years ago in his first try for public office. In 2006 and again this year, he walked through each of the city's 28 precincts to meet with residents and pledged to continue those visits if elected mayor.
On those walks Hoffman met 1,300 citizens. He credited city staffers for handling 220 "action items" resulting from concerns voiced by residents, ranging from potholes to vicious dogs.
"That's where I learned what citizens' concerns are and the issues they face," he said. "That's been the most rewarding part of this job."
He added, "I opted not to take the city benefits" offered to council members. "That saves the city $18,000 a year."
In addition to owning Hoffman Real Estate Investments, he is a registered contractor. He graduated in 1981 from Anthon-Oto High School. While in the Air Force he earned his undergraduate degree from Newman University in Wichita, Kan. He obtained his master's degree in business administration from the University of South Dakota while stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City.
As an Air Force major, he was stationed in the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists flew a plane into the building. The family, including Silas, 6, and Lydia, 4, belongs to Heartland Community Baptist Church.
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A Mary Jo supporter wrote on Aug 21, 2007 1:51 PM:
Interesting wrote on Aug 16, 2007 7:00 PM:
Wrong wrote on Aug 16, 2007 5:01 PM:
Donut on a Stick wrote on Aug 16, 2007 12:43 PM:
Oh Boy !! wrote on Aug 16, 2007 12:07 PM: