Show Notes: Doug Schulze: Rich Residents, Poor Revenues: The Reality of Leading Wealthy Cities

Episode 227 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity

Overview

What's it really like to manage a city where billionaires live behind gated estates, yet the city budget barely covers the basics? In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Doug Schulze, a city manager with over 30 years of experience across Minnesota, Washington, and California. From driving a Zamboni in Sandstone, MN, to balancing the books in Medina, WA (home to Gates and Bezos), Doug's career reveals the realities, challenges, and hidden truths of municipal leadership.

This conversation dives into the misconceptions about "wealthy cities," the pressures of leading through growth and crisis, and the weight of making bold decisions even when they cost you your job.

Connect with Doug Schulze

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dougschulze/

About Our Sponsors

Tyler TechnologiesWe're also proud to be sponsored by Tyler Technologies, the largest software company in the nation dedicated exclusively to the public sector. From financial management and utility billing to citizen engagement and digital government solutions, Tyler helps communities operate more efficiently, transparently, and effectively.

Learn more at Tyler Technologies

Zencity This episode is made possible by Zencity, a trusted partner to hundreds of local governments worldwide. Zencity helps leaders cut through the noise of the "same ten people" by gathering real-time resident feedback across every neighborhood and demographic. With Zencity's AI-powered tools, decisions can be made with clarity and confidence.

Learn more at Zencity.io

Connect with Seth Winterhalter:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs like the Municipal Leadership Development Program (MLDC).

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

Seth's Upcoming Keynotes:

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 23-26 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

ELGL 2025 Conference | Camp Govlife October 1-3 | Santa Rose, CA Details at ELGL

2025 City Clerks New Law and Elections Seminar November 12-14 | Los Angeles, CA Details at CalCities

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 3-5 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA