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Mayor Roger Reinert is doing something that looks almost reckless by Duluth political standards: he’s keeping his promises. Not just one, not just in vague terms, but the big one. The one about holding the line on the city’s tax levy.
That kind of campaign rhetoric usually has the shelf life of a banana. Candidates stand at forums, nodding gravely, promising discipline. Then they get sworn in, discover how warm it feels to spend other people’s money, and suddenly they’re singing the “mandates and funding cuts” blues louder than a cover band.
Reinert didn’t do that. Two years in, two budgets down, and now with his 2026 plan unveiled, he’s shown courage that deserves more than polite golf claps. He’s trimmed fat, ignored the chorus of whiners, and stayed true to his word.
And here’s where the political risk comes in.
Mayors don’t usually win elections by cutting. They win them by spending. Build a new playground, get your picture in the paper. Throw money at a project with the word “innovation” in the title, collect applause from nonprofits. Shovel grants into a “public-private partnership,” and bask in the glow of a ribbon-cutting ceremony. That’s the game. You don’t get reelected by telling departments to do more with less.
Reinert is betting that Duluth voters are different. That they’re tired of being treated like an ATM with a guilt complex. That after years of levy increases, excuses, and finger-pointing, people might actually reward someone for saying no.
That’s a huge gamble. Politicians love to talk about “courage,” but very few actually risk their careers on it. Reinert has. Because every cut makes enemies. Departments grumble. Advocates accuse you of not caring. Some councilors mutter about “disinvestment.” And the temptation is always there to fold, to pass the buck, to raise taxes just a little and blame the state for not sending enough.
He hasn’t done that. He’s walked right into the fire. And if Duluth voters back him for it, it would mark a shift not just for city hall, but for politics around here in general.
Now, Duluth Public Schools deserves a quick mention. They did pass a $186 million general fund budget for 2025–26, up about $15 million thanks to state funding, while cutting about $5 million in staff and programs. That’s not nothing. That’s a little stick tap on the shin pad.
But here’s the reality: one haircut doesn’t rebuild trust. This district is still living under the shadow of the Red Plan, still carrying referendum defeats that went down like Vikings playoff games — ugly and lopsided. Voters simply don’t believe the promises anymore. Every levy hike is greeted with suspicion, every “for the kids” pitch with an eye roll.
And that’s where the contrast with Reinert sharpens. He’s building trust by doing exactly what he said he’d do. No smokescreens, no sob stories, no excuses. He’s taking the political risk, and so far he’s winning the respect of the only people who matter — the taxpayers footing the bill.
Reinert’s approach is old-school. You work within your means, you don’t whine, and you keep your word. That doesn’t get you glossy brochures or standing ovations from think tanks. But it gets you something more important: credibility.
That’s the real currency in politics. And Reinert is spending it wisely.
Make no mistake — this is a dangerous political road for him. Mayors who cut too deeply risk alienating city staff, unions, and advocacy groups. They risk headlines about “austerity” and “undermining services.” They risk losing support from the very networks that politicians usually depend on for survival. Reinert is walking without that net. And if voters don’t reward him, he could end up another one-term cautionary tale about trying to govern with discipline.
But here’s the bet: Duluthians are sick of the excuses. They’re sick of levy hikes passed off as inevitabilities. They’re sick of being told to feel guilty if they say no. And they’re ready to support someone who treats their money respectfully.
That’s Reinert’s gamble. That’s his political risk. And that’s what makes his stand worth more than just a pat on the back. He’s not just balancing numbers; he’s testing whether Duluth wants leadership that tells the truth, even when it’s hard.
So give the schools their stick tap for trimming $5 million. But save the standing ovation for Reinert. He’s taking the heat, risking his political capital, and proving that a campaign promise doesn’t have to be disposable.
In this town, that’s rarer than a snow-free April.
