Brendan O'Connor for Mayor!

In a City Hall crowded with policy wonks and insiders, I’ll be the voice of Bozeman’s working class. My boots stay on the ground, my eyes on the everyday realities most leaders never see, and my ear tuned to the people who keep this city running. As mayor, I’ll turn those street-level truths into action so government finally works for the folks who do the real work.

My first priority

Affordable housing

Bozeman doesn’t have a housing shortage, it has an affordability shortage. We need to reform how we use TIF: no more handouts to luxury developments. Instead, tie those public dollars to real affordability. With smart incentives and real enforcement, we can ensure young families, workers, and seniors have access to homes they can actually afford, without selling out the character of our community.

My second priority

Amenities for all

Bozeman has an abundance of bars, overpriced breweries, restaurants, and boutiques, but it lacks entertainment and amenities for the average person. We need to prioritize developing community-focused spaces and activities, places where families, young professionals, and everyone in between can gather, relax, and have fun without breaking the bank. Through public-private partnerships, the city can help locally owned entertainment businesses get off the ground in Bozeman’s suffocating market. It's time to ensure that our city caters to all residents, not just the elite few

My third priority

Opportunity for small business.

To help Bozeman’s small businesses grow, we need to invest in the kinds of amenities that make people stay. Entertainment and recreation options like skating rinks, indoor skateparks, and rec centers don’t just provide fun, they drive citizen retention by giving families and young adults a reason to plant roots here. These year-round spaces act as economic multipliers: they support local contractors, cleaners, repair techs, and other B2B services while drawing consistent foot traffic that benefits nearby restaurants, coffee shops, and retail. When we support these kinds of community anchors, we’re not just creating jobs, we’re creating reasons for people to build their lives in Bozeman and keep their dollars circulating locally

My third priority

Transparency

Bozeman’s government should be easy to follow, but right now it’s not. Official meeting minutes stop after 2022, with nothing listed for 2023, 2024, or 2025. Key votes, like the one approving millions in TIF funding for the Bozeman Yards project, are missing basic details such as who voted for it and when. The public deserves better.I’m not suggesting bad intent this may be the result of staffing issues or outdated systems. But it still creates confusion and disconnect. If elected, I’ll push for plain-language memos on every resolution, with a clear record of how each commissioner voted. I’ll also work to livestream all meetings on platforms like YouTube and Facebook to make them accessible and allow for real-time community engagement.Finally, I’ll call for a full review of the backlog in meeting documentation so we can fix it and prevent it from happening again. Government should not be hard to track.