Matt Walsh
Age: 69
Occupation: Currently Mayor of Council Bluffs; prior to that, 28 years as a bank Vice President of Commercial Lending
Email: Mattwalshformayor@gmail.com
I am a fifth generation resident of Council Bluffs. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Finance from Creighton University. I worked as a bank Vice President for 28 years. I served 18 years on the Council Bluffs City Council and most recently served an additional 12 years as Mayor. I'm committed to giving back to my community and subsequently I’ve served in a leadership role on 23 different nonprofit boards in the metro area. I’ve also been the chairperson in charge of 8 other major community fundraising efforts.
In my role as your Mayor, I identified and secured over $70 million in state funding that we used to rebuild the city’s flood levee system; saving our citizens an equal amount of property tax dollars and eliminating the real threat of them paying expensive flood insurance premiums. I helped pass a bond issue to build our new police station. In the last five years we reduced the City’s tax levy $0.57. We modernized 7 city parks and built two new city parks. I successfully guided the city through the recovery processes associated with three natural disasters (2 floods and COVID). I’ve also served as the President of the Iowa League of Cities and President of the Iowa Mayors Association and I am a member of the Iowa League of Cities Hall of Fame.
| Question 1:
Population Growth & Economic Vitality Many residents and business leaders believe that growing the population of Council Bluffs is critical to near- and long-term economic vitality, workforce sustainability, and community vibrancy. Others are more cautious or uncertain about the need for growth, citing a desire to keep the community the way it is.
"I’ve heard citizens state that ever increasing property taxes are literally driving them from their homes. They are living on fixed incomes and the combination of rising property assessments coupled with the rising cost of living is exceeding any cost of living adjustments that they see in their social security check. I have also heard other residents say that they love Council Bluffs and they want it to remain just as it currently is. I take pride in that, because after 30 years in office I have had direct involvement in the town that Council Bluffs has become. While both comments have validity, there is one overriding truth relative to financing government operations: Citizens want services and they also want tax reductions. The only way to accomplish both of these tasks is to continuously increase the overall number of contributing property taxpayers. A broader tax base where each taxpayer contributes their fair share toward covering the city’s fixed operating costs will help to reduce the individual burden of every taxpayer. As far as urgency in population growth, it may be too late. Iowa’s population has increased in each of the last 12 years, but never by more than 1%. Iowa’s labor force participation rate has continued to slip since COVID and today is 67.4%. That means that many younger and older workers are not actively seeking employment. Said another way, 32.7% of Iowans are too young, too old, unwilling, or unable to work. The Iowa population composition is skewed towards elderly residents and subsequently more elderly workers are leaving the workforce than young workers entering to replace them. Not to mention the stress on the labor market of the deportation of undocumented workers, which impacts a variety of sectors, especially agriculture and food production." |
| Question 2:
Attracting and Retaining Workers and Families Building and maintaining a strong workforce, particularly young professionals and families, is important to ensuring a strong future workforce and a vibrant local economy.
"Iowa has had exceptionally low levels of unemployment. Iowans are loyal employees--staying with an employer for 12 years on average, which is three times longer than the national average. I believe that a detrimental factor to growing Iowa’s workforce involves the State’s reluctance to increase the minimum wage above $7.25 an hour. Paying workers poverty wages won’t incentivize in-migration of a skilled workforce. Our Regents institutions provide residents an excellent education, but Iowa is the seventh highest nationally of net out migration as relates to our educated young people (Brain Drain). It is not a rosy picture for employers who decide to locate their business in Council Bluffs in regards to workforce attraction and retention. Traditionally a bedroom community, Council Bluffs for the first time during my lifetime has become a net importer of workforce. Each day around nineteen thousand individuals leave Council Bluffs for their employment, while more than twenty thousand workers migrate into Council Bluffs to work. This workforce migration is what sustains our local economy. There are complicating workforce factors when relying on migrating workers, one of which is those workers are continuously looking for employment closer to home. Rather than risk constant dilution in our workforce, we need to entice these workers to move closer to work, into our city and make it their residence. There is a bright spot due to Council Bluffs Community School District’s dual degree initiative or ‘Plus One Pathways’ where students earn a high school diploma plus a second credential such as an industry recognized certificate or an Associate’s Degree--it is a game-changer for our local workforce. The workforce focus at Iowa Western on industry-recognized certifications will help develop the work skills of our local population and typically more community college educated graduates live and work locally." |
| Question 3:
Role of City Government in Economic Development Economic development is increasingly competitive across the Omaha/Council Bluffs metro, the Midwest, and the nation. Communities are vying for limited business investment, talent, and development opportunities. While these efforts are often driven by private and nonprofit partners, city government plays a vital role in creating the conditions for success through policies, infrastructure, incentives, and collaboration.
"The staff of the City of Council Bluffs works hand in hand with our economic development professionals at Advance Southwest Iowa to recruit new business and industry to Council Bluffs. Because I was a commercial banker for 28 years, I am well-versed in the language of real estate developers and negotiation. Council Bluffs has a very knowledgeable staff that add value to the economic development process. They understand the challenges to building infrastructure, they are well-versed in code compliance, storm water management, and building permits. We have city planners and civil engineers that can provide professional guidance on how to make a project happen while meeting City codes. Our two main incentives for negotiation are known as "Urban Revitalization" (tiered percentages of tax abatement) or "Urban Renewal" (tax increment financing--percentages of tax rebates on taxes paid). Each project is unique in its location, infrastructure, and needs. If it is a business that the City thinks will bring desirable employment and/or significant property tax base, we negotiate incentive terms that help the business close their initial financing gap. Regardless of whether it is Urban Revitalization or Urban Renewal, it should be understood that the "incentive" is coming entirely from taxes that are generated on the new value of the project, not money from our current tax payers. In short, without the increase in tax base from the completed project, there is no incentive available for us to offer. In the shorter term, the new businesses are paying some new property taxes that were previously not there. In the long-run, when the negotiated term of the incentive runs out, the City benefits from full valuation and therefore full property tax collection, which broadens the overall city tax base." |
Question 4:
Fiscal Responsibility & City Budgeting Developing and managing the city budget is one of the most important responsibilities of elected officials. A responsible budget must reflect community priorities, comply with legal and financial constraints, and respond to changing economic conditions. Understanding how city revenues are generated, and how those funds can and cannot be used, is critical to making sound decisions.
What experience do you have with budgeting, particularly in government, business, or nonprofit settings? Share your understanding of how a city budget works, including major sources of revenue and how city services are paid for. How would you approach developing and monitoring the city’s budget? What city services or projects would you prioritize?
"I have extensive budgeting experience. Budgeting is the key road map to successful business planning. I was a commercial banker for 28 years where I worked hand in hand with metropolitan area business owners, helping them prepare annual pro forma budgets and then at year-end comparing the actual results to their projections.
Additionally, I can read Income Statements and Balance Sheets. Budgeting involves analyzing business trends, inflation factors, impacts to the regional economy, anticipating vendor pricing, and wage and benefit projections. Budgets are not a science; they are an art. At any time during the year, you should be able to compare actual revenues and expenses to your budget projects so that you can evaluate whether you are on the right track. If variances are significant, then course corrections can be made where appropriate.
In my first full year as Mayor, the finance director retired and at the last minute, his replacement decided she didn’t want the job. I successfully prepared the entire $130 million City budget that year. That experience was a trial by fire that taught me a lot about municipal budgeting and prioritization under fiscal constraint.
We always prioritize public safety and infrastructure. Funding sources are limited and some define how they may be spent. For example, Road Use Tax is available exclusively for road maintenance materials, equipment, and personnel. On the other hand, the Police and Fire Departments are primarily funded through the General Fund, which is mainly comprised of property tax; yet another reason we need to grow our property tax base--so we can continue to provide a high-level of public safety."
| Question 5:
Downtown & Corridor Redevelopment Vibrant, well-designed corridors and a thriving downtown are key to a city’s identity, perception, and long-term economic momentum. In Council Bluffs, areas such as First Avenue, West Broadway, the riverfront, and the historic downtown, among others, serve as gateways to the community and focal points for housing, business, entertainment, and civic life. Redevelopment of these areas is central to attracting new investment, residents, and visitors.
"Our mission is to continuously improve the quality of life and attractiveness of the city of Council Bluffs. Arriving at an authentic ‘Sense of Place’ involves a multi-faceted process that requires a deeper understanding of how people will perceive and experience the built environment. That environment needs to become enriched in a way that makes it feel authentic, welcoming, and unique. It should present an atmosphere that promotes human interaction and instills a sense of belonging. Most successful ‘public spaces’ provide diverse opportunities for people to live, work, play, and gather. Attention to streetscapes, landscaping, compatible land uses, and quality building materials are all important components. When done effectively, real estate developers will have confidence that once the plan has been developed, that it will be implemented as designed. Developers will seize on the opportunity to become part of the ‘vibe’, while also having their investment protected by ensuring that neighboring properties will be held to a similar standard of quality. Quite often the City helps create the design concepts related to the planned environment. It also will help fund the infrastructure components; streets, sewers, lighting, and plantings. The cost of those components then get repaid through a tax increment financing (TIF) rebate agreement. If new private construction is involved, then economic development incentives will likely be requested. As long as the math works to the long term benefit to the City, it is worth the time and investment. Attention to design in the key areas of the riverfront, FIRST AVE/West Broadway, and downtown is important--especially in creating attractive environments for future residential development. We need the housing and the property tax base, but quality development does not spring up out of nowhere; we need to create those conditions for success through thoughtful design consideration for all residents." |
Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil Questionnaire
1. Why do you want to serve in this office?
"I have lived in Council Bluffs my entire life. I am a passionate community volunteer. I have served in elected office for thirty years. I take great pride when I hear our citizens say that they like our city just the way that it is, because I have played a role in creating that hometown feel that so many of us love.
Council Bluffs has a ‘Strong Mayor’ form of city government. In most Iowa cities, the mayor’s job is ceremonial. They cut the ribbons and read proclamations. Our mayor is responsible for managing the day-to-day business affairs of the City. Subsequently, the Mayor must possess extensive business management experience to undertake the required duties of the job. For the last twelve years, I have demonstrated that I have both the business background and the management skills to successfully serve Council Bluffs residents. No other candidate can honestly make a similar statement because none of
them have ever managed more than just a small handful of coworkers.
Throughout my employment career I have diligently prepared myself for the duties related to this job and I believe that I have demonstrated business acumen that has served our citizens well. As additional proof, in 2025 while the regional ‘Cost of Living Adjustment’ has increased 2.5%, city property taxes only increased 1.5%; or said another way, $12 annually per one hundred thousand dollars of property valuation.
One of the Mayor’s numerous duties is to lay out a vision for the future. While navigating the path forward, thoughtful consideration must be paid to potential effects that change can have on our community such as the long term financial cost, the degree of social disruption, and difficulties of cultural integration."
2. What should voters expect if you’re elected?
"Voters should expect the continuation of the full array of City services that our residents have come to expect; paired with governmental financial stability. I worked as a bank Vice President for 26 years. Over that time, I oversaw a loan portfolio of hundreds of millions of dollars. I originated loans that funded many successful community projects and I learned to mitigate the various forms of business risk.
In order to sustained tax base growth we need a mayor that can speak the language of real estate developers. Currently we have 798 new multi-family housing units around town under construction with another 1,426 housing units in the planning and approval stage.
The City chose to invest our federal ARPA funding toward developing affordable housing in the East Manawa subdivision. The City will oversee the construction of another 700 mixed income housing units in that development.
There are only three viable financial solutions as the City works to address rising costs: 1) We can increase residents' property taxes; 2) We can reduce the amount of services that the City provides; or 3) The preferable funding solution is that we can continue to grow the overall tax base of the city.
A broader number of property tax payers contributing their fair share toward covering the City’s operating cost can help reduce the shared financial burden on individual taxpayers.
Council Bluffs has added more than one and one-half billion dollars of new commercial property valuation to the city and we currently are working on multiple other projects involving tens of billions of dollars in new capital investment. We have created tremendous positive momentum."
3. What’s the most important issue facing voters?
"The most basic issue facing voters is whether they will decide to turn the management of the City’s operations over to someone that hasn’t demonstrated that they have the capability to perform a job of this caliber or level of responsibility.
It is one thing for an unelected candidate to make promises without proof of concept. It is another thing to balance promised solutions in a tight budgeting process under fiscal constraint while still funding basic community needs.
Once elected Mayor, they will need to balance a budget with their promises without stressing the financial capacity of the property taxpayers."
4. What's something else you plan to focus on?
"There are many important issues that face City administration on a regular basis. Issues that always are of primary importance involve the safety and security of our local residents.
Our City Fire Department carries an ISO rating of #1 meaning that they are one of only 380 top tier fire departments in the country. The department also responds to over 12,000 ambulance calls each year. We make sure they get the right equipment when they need it and we recently added another med unit and ambulance to respond to life saving calls.
Since 2021, reports of crime have steadily decreased each year over year. 2024 was the most recently completed year and crime data showed that the number of ‘property crimes’ decreased by 357. This correlates to a 39% reduction in those reported crimes (compared to 2021 motor vehicle theft was down by 220 occurrences, burglary went down 128 occurrences , and arson down by 9 occurrences).
The reported number of ‘Crimes against Persons’ (assault, sex crimes, robbery, kidnapping and homicide) surprisingly very minimal variance between years over the last five years. Data showed a total of reported crime of 334 which represents an increase in 2024 of just 3 additional crime occurrences when compared to the four year annual average, representing less than a 1% annual increase. We continue to invest in equipment and personnel for our Police Department so that they have what they need and are fully-staffed."
5. Is the city going in the right direction?
"Without a doubt I believe that the city continues to move in the right direction. Council Bluffs is truly a great place to live. We have worked to make the town welcoming and attractive. We have added two new parks and modernized seven older parks. The local economy is strong. Our housing stock continues to improve at a time other communities find that housing starts are stagnant. Commercial development is on an amazing growth path. Residents should feel that the community is safe as crime occurrences have steadily declined over the last four years.
Since I was elected Mayor the city has received at least 45 different regional and national recognition honors; including recognition as an ‘All-America City’, a ‘Top 100 Places to Live in America’, Iowa’s ‘Technology City of the Year’, a ‘Freedom Award’ from the US Secretary of Defense, ‘Iowa Thriving Community’ from Iowa Economic Development Authority, and ‘Certificate of Achievement for Excellence’ from Government Finance Officers Association.
There certainly are additional improvements that need to occur. We need to do a better job addressing the homeless issue (which is a nationwide problem); we are currently meeting that challenge head-on with the Police Department's Homeless Outreach Program (HOP). We need to grow the property tax base so that we can spread the tax burden to stabilize tax increases."
6. What is your position on the streetcar? Is that position firm or flexible?
"I think people mistake the principle benefit of a modern streetcar system, which is that it serves as an economic development tool. I have visited multiple cities that have a modern streetcar system in place and without exception each city’s housing and economic development has blossomed along their streetcar line. You can see that exact scenario play out across the River in Omaha. Already they have experienced more than $1 billion in new economic development downtown, which is amazing since their streetcar won’t be
operational until 2027. Once that initial development occurs then the transportation component of the streetcar becomes more relevant as a people move along the corridor.
I certainly comprehend that the associated expenses related to streetcar are costly. We have yet to identify the entirety of those costs and whether we can justify the expenditure or not. In Kansas City, the Federal Transit Authority paid 50% of the track installation costs and 80% of the cost to build a bridge across the Missouri River. Even if we would be successful in securing a federal grant we still would need to secure additional non tax revenue funding sources to help cover the build out costs. The funding model would be that any infrastructure or operations costs would be supported by the increase in property taxes generated by adjacent development--not our current tax payers.
All of that said, any ambitious endeavor such as a modern streetcar extension takes time to study in order to determine if it's a viable project and if it generates the housing and property tax that we need. I would not be doing my job as Mayor if I did not combine laying out an optimistic vision for a vibrant future with proceeding cautiously through warranted due diligence. "
7. What’s a realistic timeframe to make housing no longer the city’s top priority?
"Housing will continue to be an important issue for years to come. I don’t think we can build enough housing units to ever catch-up with demand, so we must continually explore new housing opportunities.
Last year, we spent federal COVID/ARPA funds toward incentivizing housing construction. Some of that COVID money was combined with an Iowa West Foundation grant which we then used as developer incentive. Additional COVID/ARPA funds were used by the City to buy approximately 90 acres of farm ground located on East Manawa Dr. The land will be used toward the creation of approximately 1,400 new affordable housing starts. We plan to layer in both State and Federal funding to help improve many family’s opportunity to purchase a home of their own."
8. If you could have the state adopt or change one policy, what would you want?
"I could provide a list of legislative changes that I would like to see made but since you asked for a single policy that should be changed I would choose to stop the Legislature from repeatedly preempting the Iowa Constitutional rights that were given to its cities through Iowa Home Rule. In 1968, Iowa voters passed an amendment to the Iowa Constitution which grants city governments broad authority to address local issues as they strive to improve their residents' lives; in any manner that is consistent with State statutes (State statutes can preempt local decision making). Basically, the constitutional amendment recognizes that each Iowa community is unique and has local elected officials that should best understand the needs of their local constituents and that these officials should enact laws accordingly.
With our State government currently being controlled by one single political party, the Iowa Legislature has consistently removed local government’s ability to make even the minutest of local decisions. We often find that "one size fits all" legislation does not work fairly for every size and/or location of cities across the state."
9. What else should voters know about you?
"I am a fifth generation resident of Council Bluffs. I earned a Finance degree from Creighton University. I was a Vice President of commercial banking for 28 years. I served for 18 years on the Council Bluffs City Council and then an additional 12 years as Mayor. I believe in giving back to my community and subsequently I’ve served in a leadership roles on 23 area nonprofit boards and I’ve also been the chairperson over 8 major community fundraising efforts.
As your Mayor, I identified and secured over $70 million in State funding to rebuild the city’s storm levee system saving our citizens' property tax dollars and eliminating the threat of expensive flood insurance premiums for thousands of households. I modernized 7 city parks and built two new parks, I successfully guided the city through the recovery processes associated with three natural disasters (2 floods and COVID). I’ve also served as the President of the Iowa League of Cities and President of the Iowa Mayors Association.
Having experienced leadership at the helm is vital to the future of Council Bluffs. The job of Council Bluffs Mayor is administrative in nature. You run the day to day business affairs of the city. On a daily basis, I oversee a business that has an annual budget of $159 million and employs more than 500 people. It is a critically-important job that should only be taken on by qualified and experienced candidates.
The Mayor must know accounting, employment law, contract law, economic development and business law. The Mayor is the City’s public information officer representing its messaging in all public forums. I have successfully completed each of these job functions. "
10. In a sentence, why are you the right choice?
Things continue to rapidly improved in Council Bluffs and now isn’t the right time to turn the reins over to inexperienced leadership.