Greetings from the mayor - We can make it through anything together
- I had already known for quite a while that the National Coalition Party wanted Anna-Kaisa Ikonen to be part of the Parliament and to make her a minister. In that sense, I knew to expect that they would select me. My first few months as the mayor have been pretty much as expected. For a long time, I have had various important positions of trust in the city, so I was well aware of the things to come, says the Mayor.
- The first budget for my mandate is currently under preparation. Next year will not see many cuts and I hope there will also be no need for major savings the following year. But we should be prepared for worse times in the next few years. However, there is no intention to make savings by cutting investments, those will continue as planned, Kummola estimates.
You must be quick to succeed
The mayor is pleased with the reputation and success of Tampere.
- Of course, it is very nice to lead a city that has won the title for Finland’s most attractive municipality several years in a row. I prefer to lead this city than some municipality with a declining population and no light at the end of the tunnel.
- Tampere is clearly on a roll. While it’s something we can be satisfied with and proud of, we must not be lulled into believing it will always be that way. We must run fast to stay where we are. It is undeniably a lot of work, but there is some comfort in knowing we are not doing it alone.
Kummola makes reference to the tram and arena projects as the key factors for the city’s success. They have created a positive buzz in the area and increased the popularity of the city. Advancing these as well as many other important issues, has required a strong political consensus.
- Many cities envy us of how well we have managed to make unanimous decisions between political groups. It is an important success factor. In many cities, there is no consensus, even on major policies. It slows down their development.
The best place to live
Kummola will continue in his position as the Mayor until the end of May 2025. After his term, he hopes we will have been able to keep the city on its positive track.
- Children are our future. This is something we must keep in mind in all our decision-making. Education is by far the largest sector in the city. When things are going well there, the whole city is doing well.
- We must be able to keep highly educated people in the Tampere region and also have to attract experts from abroad to settle here with their families.
- We have a good and beautiful city. Nature and rural areas are near, and plenty of culture and events are offered. Back when I moved from Turku to Tampere, I spent a year thinking that I might return someday. After that I realised I will never move away from here, Kalervo Kummola assures.
Would you like to hear, ask about or discuss current issues in Tampere?
Participate in the Tampere evenings, open for all, Mayor Kalervo Kummola and the city’s other decision-makers present topical issues, answer Tampere residents’ questions and participate in discussions.
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