My name is Kathie Westlund and I reside on the southeast side of town, Ms. Nakasian’s district. I oppose the proposed 0.5% tax as spending is uncontrolled. My property taxes went up 10.9% for 2020, 1.9% 2019 and a whopping 20.% for 2018. My PERA/SSI COL increase is 2.0% and 1.9%. You suggest purchasing more park property north of the city however lack resources to 1)remove down trees from the city owned potential park property located east of my yard and 2)neglect mowing and Yellow Parsnip control for areas around the ponds off Jefferson Pkwy./Prairie. Please stop overspending and keep within a preset budget. Don’t spend what you don’t have. Regarding the Fieldstone survey: it was mailed 12/31/2019; the first is a holiday so mail moves then; I received mine 01/02/2020 and there was nothing on the envelope to indicate there was a relationship to Northfield. 5578 mailed; 749 returned; 13.67% results does not sound significant. Use of monthly utility bill or KYMN would be best.

I support the sales tax increase for an indoor tennis/pickle ball facilty and ice arena. The middle school and high school boys and girls teams have lacked indoor space. The Colleges' boys and girls teams lack indoor space. All of these groups are driving to Owatonna, Lakeville, Rochester, Gustavus and paying for court time and lessons. I have been apart of a parent group that has made arrangements for 2-3 dozen kids to travel out of town for the past 2-3 years for lessons and drills. Between the College teams, Middle School teams, High School teams, our community and surrounding communities we would have no problem filling the courts and using the profit for other projects. Pickle ball is growing very fast and racquet sports in general offer life long participation making that user group unique.