Iowa City Candidate Profiles: Jim Throgmorton

Retired UI planning professor James Throgmorton is running unopposed for Iowa City District C seat that Regenia Bailey currently holds. Throgmorton said among his priorities are attracting new investments, creating networks for innovation and creativity, and responding effectively to competition from nearby cities,

1. Where are you from originally and what is your tie to Iowa City?

I was raised in Louisville, Kentucky, and have lived in Germany, France, Kansas City, Los Angeles, and Chicago prior to moving here in 1986 to teach urban planning at the U of Iowa.

2. How old are you and how long have you lived in Iowa City for?

I'm almost 67 and have lived in Iowa City since 1986.

3. What is your profession?

Retired professor of urban and regional planning.

4. What motivated you to run for city council?

My sense is that we will be facing several difficult challenges over the coming years, and I believe I have a combination of experience, skills, vision (and time as a retired person) that can help us deal with those challenges well.

5. What would your priorities be as a council member?

I have consistently stressed four general challenges that we need to deal with effectively. First, to ensure that Iowa City provides good jobs and has a strong tax base. Second, to sustain Iowa City as a safe and welcoming place for all. Third, to promote long-term sustainability. And fourth, to resolve public conflicts skillfully. Each of these sounds simple, banal even, but the closer one looks the more complicated these challenges are.

My campaign web site (www.throg4ic.org) and Facebook fan page ("Jim Throgmorton for City Council") contain detailed position papers about how I think Iowa City should respond to each of these challenges.

6. Why do you think you are qualified to be on the city council? What voters in Iowa City do you think you will appeal to and why?

I served on the City Council from late 1993 through 1995, and learned a great deal about how to do the job well. I'm also proud of the work our Council did back then, including authorizing the construction of our new drinking water plant (with many features that enhanced its contribution to long-term sustainability).

I taught urban planning for 24 years and have studied city development my whole adult life. I've lived in Iowa City for 25 years, the first five in the Longfellow neighborhood, the next four in the Twain neighborhood, and the last 16 in the Northside. I've served on a variety of community organizations. And I wrote monthly columns for the Press-Citizen from 2008 through the first half of this year. In brief, I know this place pretty well, I understand the issues it faces, and I can deal effectively with other leaders in the community.

7. Which issues do you feel will be the most important in the upcoming election?

One key issue is how Iowa City should respond to economic competition from Coralville, especially through its very aggressive use of Tax Increment Financing. Another key issue is one that has not emerged as a topic in the candidate forums held this October, namely: troublesome behaviors and fears associated with the interaction of race, class, and crime in the southeastern part of our city. This topic deserves thoughtful exploration by the candidates and the public, but (much to my surprise) the forums did not focus any attention on it.

Background of the profile series:

Iowa City Patch sent the current Iowa City Council candidates a list of the same seven questions to provide people with a greater understanding of the individuals who are running in the Nov. 8 election for the Iowa City Council.

The seven council members serve four year terms, with four seats up in November (effective 2012) for one District A, one District C and two At-large slots on the council. The remaining three slots are up in 2013 (effective 2014).  City elections are held every two years.