Michael Blackburn is challenging incumbent mayor Dan Bell in Taylor Mill’s mayoral election this year.
Blackburn was born in Taylor Mill and has spent most of his life there. He’s an Army veteran and now works as a contractor and real estate investor.
“I’m looking to get the community feel back,” said Blackburn. “A lot of people don’t feel like the community is involved enough in more events that bring the community together.”
Additionally, Blackburn said that while there wasn’t a budgetary crisis, he did think the city’s current budget could be more “fine tuned.” He also came out in favor of term limits for local elected officials. Moreover, he said he hoped to find some land on the north end of the city at the bottom of Taylor Mill Hill for a new park.
“It seems like that part of Taylor Mill gets forgotten too often,” Blackburn said. “So, I’d like to find somewhere where we can acquire some land…. It doesn’t have to be anything like Pride Park, but we could at least have a park for that area of Taylor Mill.”
Finally, he pitched the idea of a cost-sharing mechanism between the city, property owners and other jurisdictions or public agencies, like SD1, to help residents in need fix their properties or upgrade key infrastructure.
“I want to take that disconnect from citizens to government and get rid of it,” Blackburn said. “I want to be more involved with citizens.”
Taylor Mill uses a city commission form of government, meaning the mayor will vote on legislation alongside other city legislators.
The original version of this profile misstated Blackburn’s birth place. The relevant lines have been corrected.