Bill Hosko
Name: Bill Hosko
Public Office Sought: St. Paul Mayor
Campaign Phone: 651-222-4767
Campaign Website: billhosko.org
Twitter Handle: none
Facebook: Bill Hosko, Bill Hosko or Mayor of Saint Paul
Candidate Bio
Saint Paul native, downtown retail art gallery and framing shop owner for 28 years, opened adjoining music venue/café 5 years ago, three stints on the district council boards – 2 downtown, 1 West Side, finished second place in 4 of 5 Ward Two city council races.
In 1999 first to get Mayor Norm Coleman to tackle renovating Union Depot and bringing Amtrak back downtown, in 1994 first to suggest Science Museum building on downtown site they now have rather than across river on Robert and Filmore streets.
In 2008-2010 only person to publicly lobby against installing LRT - as an honor-system and against using the disastrous route we now have through the middle of downtown – common sense thinking went out the window with so many pols and special interest groups. It should have traveled from University Avenue to Jackson Street to backside of Union depot.
Many, more issues over the years involved in with constructive, forward-thinking advice.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Communication/Public Trust – in part: Rebuilding City website to allow ‘Saint Paul’ citizens and business community to publicly discuss and to Vote (up or down) on topics and to openly communicate with leadership and city staff. New trash contract to allow ‘sharing’. Referendums: move city elections to even-numbered years, end ranked-choice voting, for local politicians - term limits and end ability to give themselves pay-raises? Lastly, limit property tax and ‘fee’ increases to rise of inflation?
Crime/Safety – in part: Create comprehensive, updated daily, easy to view, city-wide Crime Map on city website. Restore civility, accountability and the importance of personal responsibility here and respect for other’s rights and other’s property rights. Work with Met Council to restore safety on LRT (end its honor-system) and buses within Saint Paul, and plan future LRT on Riverview Corridor to use Canadian Pacific RR spur instead of West 7th Street (I use mass-transit almost daily here, for 28 years). Otherwise, current plans (including its planned honor-system form of payment) will ruin West 7th as we know it.
Development/Economy – in part: Restore July 4th celebration, restore Taste of Minnesota-style celebration back onto Capitol Mall, seriously reinvigorate Winter Carnival and Art Crawl, install nationally recognized Railroad and Riverboat Museum of Minnesota within massive, money-losing Union Depot, stop ongoing plans to develop a bleak ‘soviet-style’ looking development on the West Publishing Site (Public has been shut out of plans to date) and ensure a Sears site redevelopment is much more than a bleak grid of 4-5 story housing blocks. Instead, let’s have something to attract the region and America to the massive site and along University Avenue’s entire length in Saint Paul – more in September on BillHosko.Org.
How would you characterize the business climate in St. Paul and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Beleaguered for years by local politicians with little or no business experience who are too often supported by local special interest groups more interested in currying favor with City Hall than truly helping our business community.
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, St. Paul?
Ensure corner to corner that this City becomes much safer and cleaner and better maintained, permanently, than it currently is, stop massive amounts of needless spending and limit growth of taxes and ‘fees’ to inflation rise only – via referendum if need be to do it.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in St. Paul (such as minimum wage, sick time, or mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of an ordinance on the many types of businesses in St. Paul and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
‘In Our First 90 Days’, my first initiative as Mayor, all options for bettering this city and its current business model, will be on the table as far as what is working in this city, what is not working in this city and what should we do to fix what is not working. At the end of this period, we will, have a clear path forward.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
See above for some answers. As for housing, we will find ways to rein in massive amounts of needless city hall spending, permanently via referendums if needed, to ensure the ever-increasing costs of owning, renting or doing business here and developing are kept to minimums.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Guaranteed Basic Services: Safety, Maintenance and preventative maintenance of roads (including snow removal), sidewalks, sewer, utilities and parks-green spaces, Rec Centers and Libraries, Efficiencies of services and interactions with public.
What will you do to expand St. Paul’s tax base?
Ensuring (with permanent mechanisms in place) that this City, corner to corner, becomes much safer, much cleaner and much better maintained, as well as creating new or enhancing existing attractions (in part, see above) will ensure many more people will come to visit, year-round with many $$$ to spend. Entrepreneurs will be attracted to this new city-wide, long-term, environment and so will employers.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
As I’ve door-knocked over 65% of this city to date (August 20, 2021) since February 25th of this year, teachers have told me personally they left our public schools being they were not allowed to keep order in the class-room and that students were not expected to respect teachers. Another who recently retired said he was happy to leave because of this.
On too many doorsteps, too many parents have said they took their kids out of our public schools and or wouldn’t let their kids attend public school here, for the same reasons.
Our kids can never do well as long as this type of environment is allowed, at any school here.
Additionally, large-scale mentoring is needed at this time to help hundreds if not thousands of kids and younger adults. It will be provided if I become Mayor. Also, a large-scale WPA-style work program will be looked into in short order to employ teens and younger adults.
Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
‘In Our First 90 Days’, ‘Saint Paul’ citizens and business community members will be welcomed to weigh in on these and many other matters.
What is the role of the Mayor in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in St. Paul?
As I have door-knocked over 65% of this city to date and hopefully will get to nearly 100% by November 2nd – Election Day, I’ve intentionally visited most businesses I have come across. It is clear, that people of all backgrounds and status are responsible for the business community here. I am grateful for their presence. As Mayor, I will do all I can to stop local politician’s efforts (and neglect) to make it ever-harder for too many beleaguered businesses to stay here. Together, we will work to put mechanisms in place to keep future politicians from neglecting our very, important business community here ever again.
What further policies can St. Paul adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Start keeping, and in short order, this entire city safe, secure and well-maintained. In future, medium to small businesses here should never be targeted by politicians again and shut down, while large-scale businesses are allowed to remain open, to sell or serve the very same items medium to small business were selling.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
This being my hometown, and place for my two small businesses – one for 28 years – Hosko Gallery displays my extensive collection of my own Saint Paul-themed artworks (BillHosko.Com), and a place where my decades-long perspective and very real and very in-depth insight about the direction of this city, including ongoing and planned developments and treatment of our business community, Saint Paul is destined to remaining an ever-smaller part of the metro and regional economy.
We remain trapped in an unending version of the Emperor’s New Clothes... A new chapter being added regularly, and jointly by too many ego-driven politicians and special interest groups, before we can ever get to the insightful story’s ending.
As Mayor, a wholly independent, non-partisan one, with no backing from special interest groups wanting dominion over and $$$ from the public, I will, together with the citizens of this city, and members, small and big, of its business community, bring us to the end of this book.
So that we may, in very short order, start a new book and a new chapter for Minnesota’s capital city beginning January 2022. The paal over this city will be blown away and a new era of honesty, openness, thoughtfulness, helpfulness and personal responsibility and creativity will replace it. Together, we will, place Saint Paul back onto a higher track again. Together, we will create a very, exciting and historic new era.
Thank you.
Bill Hosko
Public Office Sought: St. Paul Mayor
Campaign Phone: 651-222-4767
Campaign Website: billhosko.org
Twitter Handle: none
Facebook: Bill Hosko, Bill Hosko or Mayor of Saint Paul
Candidate Bio
Saint Paul native, downtown retail art gallery and framing shop owner for 28 years, opened adjoining music venue/café 5 years ago, three stints on the district council boards – 2 downtown, 1 West Side, finished second place in 4 of 5 Ward Two city council races.
In 1999 first to get Mayor Norm Coleman to tackle renovating Union Depot and bringing Amtrak back downtown, in 1994 first to suggest Science Museum building on downtown site they now have rather than across river on Robert and Filmore streets.
In 2008-2010 only person to publicly lobby against installing LRT - as an honor-system and against using the disastrous route we now have through the middle of downtown – common sense thinking went out the window with so many pols and special interest groups. It should have traveled from University Avenue to Jackson Street to backside of Union depot.
Many, more issues over the years involved in with constructive, forward-thinking advice.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Communication/Public Trust – in part: Rebuilding City website to allow ‘Saint Paul’ citizens and business community to publicly discuss and to Vote (up or down) on topics and to openly communicate with leadership and city staff. New trash contract to allow ‘sharing’. Referendums: move city elections to even-numbered years, end ranked-choice voting, for local politicians - term limits and end ability to give themselves pay-raises? Lastly, limit property tax and ‘fee’ increases to rise of inflation?
Crime/Safety – in part: Create comprehensive, updated daily, easy to view, city-wide Crime Map on city website. Restore civility, accountability and the importance of personal responsibility here and respect for other’s rights and other’s property rights. Work with Met Council to restore safety on LRT (end its honor-system) and buses within Saint Paul, and plan future LRT on Riverview Corridor to use Canadian Pacific RR spur instead of West 7th Street (I use mass-transit almost daily here, for 28 years). Otherwise, current plans (including its planned honor-system form of payment) will ruin West 7th as we know it.
Development/Economy – in part: Restore July 4th celebration, restore Taste of Minnesota-style celebration back onto Capitol Mall, seriously reinvigorate Winter Carnival and Art Crawl, install nationally recognized Railroad and Riverboat Museum of Minnesota within massive, money-losing Union Depot, stop ongoing plans to develop a bleak ‘soviet-style’ looking development on the West Publishing Site (Public has been shut out of plans to date) and ensure a Sears site redevelopment is much more than a bleak grid of 4-5 story housing blocks. Instead, let’s have something to attract the region and America to the massive site and along University Avenue’s entire length in Saint Paul – more in September on BillHosko.Org.
How would you characterize the business climate in St. Paul and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Beleaguered for years by local politicians with little or no business experience who are too often supported by local special interest groups more interested in currying favor with City Hall than truly helping our business community.
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, St. Paul?
Ensure corner to corner that this City becomes much safer and cleaner and better maintained, permanently, than it currently is, stop massive amounts of needless spending and limit growth of taxes and ‘fees’ to inflation rise only – via referendum if need be to do it.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in St. Paul (such as minimum wage, sick time, or mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of an ordinance on the many types of businesses in St. Paul and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
‘In Our First 90 Days’, my first initiative as Mayor, all options for bettering this city and its current business model, will be on the table as far as what is working in this city, what is not working in this city and what should we do to fix what is not working. At the end of this period, we will, have a clear path forward.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
See above for some answers. As for housing, we will find ways to rein in massive amounts of needless city hall spending, permanently via referendums if needed, to ensure the ever-increasing costs of owning, renting or doing business here and developing are kept to minimums.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Guaranteed Basic Services: Safety, Maintenance and preventative maintenance of roads (including snow removal), sidewalks, sewer, utilities and parks-green spaces, Rec Centers and Libraries, Efficiencies of services and interactions with public.
What will you do to expand St. Paul’s tax base?
Ensuring (with permanent mechanisms in place) that this City, corner to corner, becomes much safer, much cleaner and much better maintained, as well as creating new or enhancing existing attractions (in part, see above) will ensure many more people will come to visit, year-round with many $$$ to spend. Entrepreneurs will be attracted to this new city-wide, long-term, environment and so will employers.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
As I’ve door-knocked over 65% of this city to date (August 20, 2021) since February 25th of this year, teachers have told me personally they left our public schools being they were not allowed to keep order in the class-room and that students were not expected to respect teachers. Another who recently retired said he was happy to leave because of this.
On too many doorsteps, too many parents have said they took their kids out of our public schools and or wouldn’t let their kids attend public school here, for the same reasons.
Our kids can never do well as long as this type of environment is allowed, at any school here.
Additionally, large-scale mentoring is needed at this time to help hundreds if not thousands of kids and younger adults. It will be provided if I become Mayor. Also, a large-scale WPA-style work program will be looked into in short order to employ teens and younger adults.
Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
‘In Our First 90 Days’, ‘Saint Paul’ citizens and business community members will be welcomed to weigh in on these and many other matters.
What is the role of the Mayor in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in St. Paul?
As I have door-knocked over 65% of this city to date and hopefully will get to nearly 100% by November 2nd – Election Day, I’ve intentionally visited most businesses I have come across. It is clear, that people of all backgrounds and status are responsible for the business community here. I am grateful for their presence. As Mayor, I will do all I can to stop local politician’s efforts (and neglect) to make it ever-harder for too many beleaguered businesses to stay here. Together, we will work to put mechanisms in place to keep future politicians from neglecting our very, important business community here ever again.
What further policies can St. Paul adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Start keeping, and in short order, this entire city safe, secure and well-maintained. In future, medium to small businesses here should never be targeted by politicians again and shut down, while large-scale businesses are allowed to remain open, to sell or serve the very same items medium to small business were selling.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
This being my hometown, and place for my two small businesses – one for 28 years – Hosko Gallery displays my extensive collection of my own Saint Paul-themed artworks (BillHosko.Com), and a place where my decades-long perspective and very real and very in-depth insight about the direction of this city, including ongoing and planned developments and treatment of our business community, Saint Paul is destined to remaining an ever-smaller part of the metro and regional economy.
We remain trapped in an unending version of the Emperor’s New Clothes... A new chapter being added regularly, and jointly by too many ego-driven politicians and special interest groups, before we can ever get to the insightful story’s ending.
As Mayor, a wholly independent, non-partisan one, with no backing from special interest groups wanting dominion over and $$$ from the public, I will, together with the citizens of this city, and members, small and big, of its business community, bring us to the end of this book.
So that we may, in very short order, start a new book and a new chapter for Minnesota’s capital city beginning January 2022. The paal over this city will be blown away and a new era of honesty, openness, thoughtfulness, helpfulness and personal responsibility and creativity will replace it. Together, we will, place Saint Paul back onto a higher track again. Together, we will create a very, exciting and historic new era.
Thank you.
Bill Hosko