It's time to stop the bleeding in Polson

Let's cut the pleasantries, Polson. 

I’m Phillip Marlow Thelen, and I’m 47 years old. I’ve spent 29 years as a general contractor, building this town up — literally. My business is headquartered right here, and I've called Polson home for 18 years. Before that? Rural Minnesota, the kind of place that knows common sense, not whatever lunacy is coming out of crazy Tim Walz’s urban constituency.

And unlike the out-of-towners who just moved in, I’ve got skin in the game: my son, Carter, has been attending Polson Schools since kindergarten. I’m not just building houses here; I’m raising a family here.

Now I'm running for mayor, and frankly, it’s time to stop the bleeding.

My opponent is a registered Democrat and an out-of-towner — a classic recipe for high taxes and big government overreach. Polson needs a mayor who believes in small government and low taxes, not someone who thinks their job is to spend your money and dictate how you live your life. I’m running to keep business independent and with the absolute minimum regulation possible. Period.

I currently serve on the Local Government Study Review Commission, and I've seen the problem up close: Polson is being run by an unelected city manager who is dictating regulation and governance to the citizens. That is an absolute outrage. The city manager’s job is not to run this town; it's to execute the will of the elected City Commission. I will ensure the Commission is in charge and holds that position accountable. When I’m mayor, the citizens of Polson will run Polson, not some bureaucrat who didn't face a single vote.

And don’t think for a minute I’m going to stand by while outside interests or California liberals — who want to turn this great place into their next socialist experiment — take over. My goal is simple: Keep Polson thriving, keep it beautiful, and keep it Polson.

Here’s the straight talk on the challenges we face:

Failing Infrastructure: Our roads and pipes are a mess. Stop wasting money on pet projects and start fixing what’s broken. It's time for real repairs, not just talk.

Save Our Downtown: The Polson Farmer's Market is a downtown tradition and a small-business lifeline. It needs to stay where it belongs. I will make sure it does.

Fairness for All: Every single person in Polson, regardless of their wealth, their social standing or their affiliations, deserves fair and equal treatment from this city. No more special deals, no more back-room handshakes. Just a level playing field.

If you’re tired of the usual excuses, the tax hikes, and the big government types trying to tell you how to live, then I’m your candidate. I don't owe anyone a thing but the people of Polson.

Vote Phillip Marlow Thelen for mayor. Let's put a backbone back into this city government.

Phil Thelen is a Polson mayoral candidate.