Adam Bossert
Name: Adam Bossert
Public Office Sought: South Saint Paul City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 425-530-1554
Website: AdamRBossert.com
Twitter Handle: @bossert_r
Facebook Page: Campaign to Elect Adam R. Bossert
Candidate Bio
Personal: I am 29 years old and have been a resident of SSP for 2 years. My girlfriend and I bought our house here less than a year after moving from WA because we loved the charm and vibrancy of SSP. On weekends you can find us in our garden, brewing beer in our driveway, or at Kaposia Dog Park with our 3 dogs Dorie, Remi, and Eleanor.
Education: BA Criminal Justice, minor Political Science: Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Occupation: Financial Advisor, U.S. Bancorp Investments 2014-present.
Desire for running: I am seeking to represent the people of SSP fairly and equally as a member of city council. I hope to be able to provide regular avenues for feedback and ideas to help make SSP the best place to live and work in Minnesota. I see a promising future for SSP and for everyone who chooses to call our city home.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in South Saint Paul?
Up and coming with plenty of potential. We have a great core of family owned and run businesses as well as larger entities. There is space and need for additional businesses and we are well positioned geographically and economically to attract development and investment as a south and east metro location. As a newer member of the SSP community, it has been great to discover what our city currently offers, and exciting to realize we have so much potential to grow and expand.
2. What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, South Saint Paul?
I believe SSP should have a role in providing attractive wages and desirable living and working conditions to not only attract workers and create jobs, but encourage those working within SSP to live in the community as well. Working with our small business owners to provide an environment to help them thrive and expand while offering assistance to provide attractive benefits to employees is key to the growth of commerce in SSP. I would look at options such as minimum wage increases, paid sick time, small business tax credits and/or incentives, and other avenues that surrounding cities have put into place to keep SSP competitive while encouraging collaboration from both business owners and workers.
3. Would you support hiring a business advocate as a member of the city senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in South Saint Paul?
I think this role could be an integral part of the cities long term planning endeavors. Having a dedicated individual as a conduit between city council and our business public would help us to better understand the needs of our business community as well as those seeking to invest in a new location. As a citizen of SSP, I would appreciate a position like this to help us expand and work for current business in an efficient manor.
4. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in South Saint Paul? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in South Saint Paul and do you support proposals to mitigate the effects on businesses like a tip credit, a youth wage, a training wage, and/or a phase-in?
Yes. Through my work in Financial Planning and Financial Advising I have seen the effects that wage stagnation have had over the last 50+ years. The majority of working Americans have less than $50k saved for retirement and over 1/3 have no retirement savings at all. Through my experience working with low and middle income families and individuals, I have come to realize this is not for a lack of desire to save, but a lack of ability to do so after paying bills and supporting families. I am, however, also sensitive to the impact that a dramatic and rapid increase in wage costs can have on small businesses. I would support a gradual increase to $15/hr and even look at inflation increases after hitting that mark as well. Working with businesses to ease the added costs would be crucial, but with a holistic, long-term approach, an increase would help businesses and the city through increased consumer spending and hopefully more people wanting to live and work in SSP.
5. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in South Saint Paul (such as mandatory sick time or scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in South Saint Paul and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I believe in businesses treating their employees ethically and fairly. My hope would be that in supporting mandatory sick time and scheduling notice proposals would be that there wouldn’t be much change needed from businesses. No business no matter the size should take advantage of their workers just to survive. Pulling everyone up together pays more dividends in the long run and I would support proposals that fostered putting employees first.
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
Public Safety is paramount to a productive and thriving city. Through my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, I found that engagement is the key to creating a safe community. Citizens that are engaged and invested in their community and have a stake in public safety are less likely to engage in illegal activity. I believe in a community approach that pairs partnerships with Police, Fire, EMS, community outreach organizations and charities with accountability for everyone. Encouraging Police, Fire, and EMS to live in SSP and be a known presence in the community can also be a deterrent and breed understanding and respect.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Education, business development, and community development. I have touched on business development above and will focus on education and community development here.
According to niche.com, SSP schools rank just outside the top 40% in Minnesota and lists only half of students as proficient in math and reading. As a product of public school, I know we can provide the best possible education to every child within SSP through our public school district. Raising wages for teachers to keep and recruit top talent, increasing the number of support staff to ensure every child has the opportunity to excel in their own way, as well as broadening the range of classes offered to encourage exploration of multiple topics are a few of the ways I would like to see more of the city’s budget used.
I want to continue the path that the city is on in developing community space. I believe the more attractive and useful a city is to the people that live there, the better the city will be. I think this is integral to all Minnesotans and encompasses the values that we hold important. As we seek to attract new business and investment, I want us to remain mindful of the natural beauty we enjoy and offer as much as possible to the citizens in ways to relax and enjoy nature. This means keeping the environment high on our priority list to ensure our community spaces remain viable for generations to come.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
I believe that everyone involved in a city is equally responsible for the growth and success of the city. Finding a balance between commercial and residential property taxes can be tricky. We need to be able to encourage individuals and families as well as businesses to take ownership of the long term vision of SSP. I want to work with residents and be mindful of income and affordability while still being able to support through investment the growth this city wants and desires. On the business side it would mean working with businesses to be long-term stake holders in our community so that we can attract new businesses and partner with them to stay for many years to come.
9. What will you do to expand South Saint Pauls tax base?
I think the best options initially would be through development of attractive and affordable housing for young families as well as through business development acquisition. By providing additional housing development and securing business investment, we would be able to increase our overall tax base without asking current residents or businesses to contribute more than we already do.
Workforce development
10. How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Where I went to university in Pullman, WA, there was a problem getting doctors to come and work and live in rural Washington and Idaho. The county and the state put policies into place that would pay off a certain amount of a doctor’s student loan debt after working within the rural health care system for a period of time. With the rising costs of college and the amount of debt that most students graduate college with, I think this would be a great avenue to explore to hire and retain top talent so that they aren’t forced to leave for possible better opportunities elsewhere. Especially with our educators, this could be a huge factor in ensuring our schools have the best of the best teaching our next generations.
11. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to South Saint Paul Public Schools?
I see the City Council as an integral part of our public schools. Having a community that is engaged and responsible for the growth of our next generation is paramount as a more educated society benefits everyone. Listening to our educators and school board to understand the needs of all children and to provide as much support as possible through facilities, curriculum, staff, and options after high school graduation falls squarely on the shoulders of the city council.
Other
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
The biggest challenge I see is economic development. I believe SSP is full of potential and opportunity and I would like to see us capitalize on the areas we have the ability to see the most success. Specifically, I would like to focus on the Concord Avenue Corridor and encourage additional development and use of the Southview and Marie downtown areas.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
As outlined above, my priority is to help SSP grow to become one of the most desirable communities in Minnesota and the country. I plan to focus on education, economic development, and continued development of the Concord Avenue corridor and the downtown district.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
Coming from Seattle, a city that has run into huge traffic and congestion problems due to rapid expansion, I know the value of planning ahead in this area. I believe SSP and the surrounding area are underserved in terms of transportation. I would like to see, and would support, light rail transportation initiatives that connected SSP to St. Paul, Woodbury, and Bloomington directly.
I also would like to review our current roadways for safety and effectiveness. In order to maintain a safe community, additions of speed control devices and other traffic control devices may be necessary as our city grows and changes.
15. Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Or, are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
N/A
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I am running because I want to represent the citizens of South Saint Paul without an agenda or affiliation to anyone. I want to help this city grow in a way that takes its citizens into account and provides them with the things they need and see important to them.
Public Office Sought: South Saint Paul City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 425-530-1554
Website: AdamRBossert.com
Twitter Handle: @bossert_r
Facebook Page: Campaign to Elect Adam R. Bossert
Candidate Bio
Personal: I am 29 years old and have been a resident of SSP for 2 years. My girlfriend and I bought our house here less than a year after moving from WA because we loved the charm and vibrancy of SSP. On weekends you can find us in our garden, brewing beer in our driveway, or at Kaposia Dog Park with our 3 dogs Dorie, Remi, and Eleanor.
Education: BA Criminal Justice, minor Political Science: Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Occupation: Financial Advisor, U.S. Bancorp Investments 2014-present.
Desire for running: I am seeking to represent the people of SSP fairly and equally as a member of city council. I hope to be able to provide regular avenues for feedback and ideas to help make SSP the best place to live and work in Minnesota. I see a promising future for SSP and for everyone who chooses to call our city home.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in South Saint Paul?
Up and coming with plenty of potential. We have a great core of family owned and run businesses as well as larger entities. There is space and need for additional businesses and we are well positioned geographically and economically to attract development and investment as a south and east metro location. As a newer member of the SSP community, it has been great to discover what our city currently offers, and exciting to realize we have so much potential to grow and expand.
2. What role do you think the City should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to, and retain existing businesses in, South Saint Paul?
I believe SSP should have a role in providing attractive wages and desirable living and working conditions to not only attract workers and create jobs, but encourage those working within SSP to live in the community as well. Working with our small business owners to provide an environment to help them thrive and expand while offering assistance to provide attractive benefits to employees is key to the growth of commerce in SSP. I would look at options such as minimum wage increases, paid sick time, small business tax credits and/or incentives, and other avenues that surrounding cities have put into place to keep SSP competitive while encouraging collaboration from both business owners and workers.
3. Would you support hiring a business advocate as a member of the city senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in South Saint Paul?
I think this role could be an integral part of the cities long term planning endeavors. Having a dedicated individual as a conduit between city council and our business public would help us to better understand the needs of our business community as well as those seeking to invest in a new location. As a citizen of SSP, I would appreciate a position like this to help us expand and work for current business in an efficient manor.
4. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in South Saint Paul? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in South Saint Paul and do you support proposals to mitigate the effects on businesses like a tip credit, a youth wage, a training wage, and/or a phase-in?
Yes. Through my work in Financial Planning and Financial Advising I have seen the effects that wage stagnation have had over the last 50+ years. The majority of working Americans have less than $50k saved for retirement and over 1/3 have no retirement savings at all. Through my experience working with low and middle income families and individuals, I have come to realize this is not for a lack of desire to save, but a lack of ability to do so after paying bills and supporting families. I am, however, also sensitive to the impact that a dramatic and rapid increase in wage costs can have on small businesses. I would support a gradual increase to $15/hr and even look at inflation increases after hitting that mark as well. Working with businesses to ease the added costs would be crucial, but with a holistic, long-term approach, an increase would help businesses and the city through increased consumer spending and hopefully more people wanting to live and work in SSP.
5. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in South Saint Paul (such as mandatory sick time or scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in South Saint Paul and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I believe in businesses treating their employees ethically and fairly. My hope would be that in supporting mandatory sick time and scheduling notice proposals would be that there wouldn’t be much change needed from businesses. No business no matter the size should take advantage of their workers just to survive. Pulling everyone up together pays more dividends in the long run and I would support proposals that fostered putting employees first.
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
Public Safety is paramount to a productive and thriving city. Through my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, I found that engagement is the key to creating a safe community. Citizens that are engaged and invested in their community and have a stake in public safety are less likely to engage in illegal activity. I believe in a community approach that pairs partnerships with Police, Fire, EMS, community outreach organizations and charities with accountability for everyone. Encouraging Police, Fire, and EMS to live in SSP and be a known presence in the community can also be a deterrent and breed understanding and respect.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Education, business development, and community development. I have touched on business development above and will focus on education and community development here.
According to niche.com, SSP schools rank just outside the top 40% in Minnesota and lists only half of students as proficient in math and reading. As a product of public school, I know we can provide the best possible education to every child within SSP through our public school district. Raising wages for teachers to keep and recruit top talent, increasing the number of support staff to ensure every child has the opportunity to excel in their own way, as well as broadening the range of classes offered to encourage exploration of multiple topics are a few of the ways I would like to see more of the city’s budget used.
I want to continue the path that the city is on in developing community space. I believe the more attractive and useful a city is to the people that live there, the better the city will be. I think this is integral to all Minnesotans and encompasses the values that we hold important. As we seek to attract new business and investment, I want us to remain mindful of the natural beauty we enjoy and offer as much as possible to the citizens in ways to relax and enjoy nature. This means keeping the environment high on our priority list to ensure our community spaces remain viable for generations to come.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
I believe that everyone involved in a city is equally responsible for the growth and success of the city. Finding a balance between commercial and residential property taxes can be tricky. We need to be able to encourage individuals and families as well as businesses to take ownership of the long term vision of SSP. I want to work with residents and be mindful of income and affordability while still being able to support through investment the growth this city wants and desires. On the business side it would mean working with businesses to be long-term stake holders in our community so that we can attract new businesses and partner with them to stay for many years to come.
9. What will you do to expand South Saint Pauls tax base?
I think the best options initially would be through development of attractive and affordable housing for young families as well as through business development acquisition. By providing additional housing development and securing business investment, we would be able to increase our overall tax base without asking current residents or businesses to contribute more than we already do.
Workforce development
10. How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Where I went to university in Pullman, WA, there was a problem getting doctors to come and work and live in rural Washington and Idaho. The county and the state put policies into place that would pay off a certain amount of a doctor’s student loan debt after working within the rural health care system for a period of time. With the rising costs of college and the amount of debt that most students graduate college with, I think this would be a great avenue to explore to hire and retain top talent so that they aren’t forced to leave for possible better opportunities elsewhere. Especially with our educators, this could be a huge factor in ensuring our schools have the best of the best teaching our next generations.
11. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to South Saint Paul Public Schools?
I see the City Council as an integral part of our public schools. Having a community that is engaged and responsible for the growth of our next generation is paramount as a more educated society benefits everyone. Listening to our educators and school board to understand the needs of all children and to provide as much support as possible through facilities, curriculum, staff, and options after high school graduation falls squarely on the shoulders of the city council.
Other
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
The biggest challenge I see is economic development. I believe SSP is full of potential and opportunity and I would like to see us capitalize on the areas we have the ability to see the most success. Specifically, I would like to focus on the Concord Avenue Corridor and encourage additional development and use of the Southview and Marie downtown areas.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
As outlined above, my priority is to help SSP grow to become one of the most desirable communities in Minnesota and the country. I plan to focus on education, economic development, and continued development of the Concord Avenue corridor and the downtown district.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
Coming from Seattle, a city that has run into huge traffic and congestion problems due to rapid expansion, I know the value of planning ahead in this area. I believe SSP and the surrounding area are underserved in terms of transportation. I would like to see, and would support, light rail transportation initiatives that connected SSP to St. Paul, Woodbury, and Bloomington directly.
I also would like to review our current roadways for safety and effectiveness. In order to maintain a safe community, additions of speed control devices and other traffic control devices may be necessary as our city grows and changes.
15. Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Or, are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
N/A
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I am running because I want to represent the citizens of South Saint Paul without an agenda or affiliation to anyone. I want to help this city grow in a way that takes its citizens into account and provides them with the things they need and see important to them.