Bob Cardinal
Name: Bob Cardinal
Public Office Sought: Maplewood Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-398-1457
Website:
Twitter handle:
Facebook page:
Candidate Bio
Born and educated in Maplewood, MN. Lived in Maplewood at present residence address
since 1998.
Served on Maplewood city Planning Commission six and one-half years, from February 1985
until October 1991.
Elected Maplewood Mayor in November 1999 and took office in December 1999; serving
until re-elected in November 2001. Served as Maplewood Mayor until January 2006.
Elected to Maplewood City Council in 2011 and served until January 2016.
Presently, serve on Maplewood Historical Preservation Commission since March 2016.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Top 5:
How would you characterize the business climate in Maplewood and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Poor – business climate currently. City needs to support all businesses with local community identification. Businesses will reciprocate to Maplewood community to improve quality of life issues.
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, Maplewood?
As Mayor and a business guy, I would understand how to help. Maplewood City website could help develop in this growth.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Maplewood (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 Maplewood and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
Let the market take care of itself. For example, St. John’s Hospital received no assistance when relocating to Maplewood. A change to a positive trusting city needs to happen to initiate this change.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
Community policing should be reviewed and be considered. Citizen liability in neighborhoods being the main obstacle. Housing balance is fine. Transportation is adequate for most citizens.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
b. Also, lower fees and slow collection of Real Estate taxes
2. Also, COVID driving up a few expenses.
3. For Maplewood, to offset shortfall, would need to increase Real Estate taxes by 10% to 20%. Legally, the current City Council can raise taxes, but
economically, should have total constraints. Zero (0%) increase.
a. Maplewood (& Ramsey Co) already high.
b. An increase of 10%-20% likely hits a broad array of tax payers and income levels. Hard to impose an increase of this level. Therefore, would hit middle income folks, not just the “rich.”
c. Some taxpayers may not be able to pay if unemployed, ill, on low level, fixed income, (retirees), etc.
4. Will need to shift priories or make cuts, likely furloughing employees. If average employee all in cost is $100,000 per year, may need to furlough some of the city’s employees.
5. Feds have some $$ - However, adding to deficit on trillion-dollar increments.
6. Minnesota facing big shortfall, so not much help from other levels of government.
What will you do to expand Maplewood’s tax base?
Be a positive force for the city. I would restore trust to Maplewood.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
All our children (5 graduated from) and one is a senior at North High School. District #622. I attended Kellogg High School, District 623 and graduated from Century (former Lakewood) College. Trusted with background in two School Districts.
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?
Open the Nature Center, like getting fireworks back in Maplewood.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Maplewood?
As Mayor I will foster and support all businesses in Maplewood. City Council will follow this lead.
What further policies can Maplewood adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Make Maplewood special. This means Maplewood’s borders and all east side of St. Paul.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Maplewood needs to Restore Trust. Previous elections in Maplewood have resulted in erosion of trust by the citizens In Maplewood City government.
Public Office Sought: Maplewood Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-398-1457
Website:
Twitter handle:
Facebook page:
Candidate Bio
Born and educated in Maplewood, MN. Lived in Maplewood at present residence address
since 1998.
Served on Maplewood city Planning Commission six and one-half years, from February 1985
until October 1991.
Elected Maplewood Mayor in November 1999 and took office in December 1999; serving
until re-elected in November 2001. Served as Maplewood Mayor until January 2006.
Elected to Maplewood City Council in 2011 and served until January 2016.
Presently, serve on Maplewood Historical Preservation Commission since March 2016.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Top 5:
- Safety
- Continuous improvement (remove corruption)
- Fiscally responsible
- Roads
- Property clean up
How would you characterize the business climate in Maplewood and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
Poor – business climate currently. City needs to support all businesses with local community identification. Businesses will reciprocate to Maplewood community to improve quality of life issues.
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, Maplewood?
As Mayor and a business guy, I would understand how to help. Maplewood City website could help develop in this growth.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Maplewood (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 Maplewood and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
Let the market take care of itself. For example, St. John’s Hospital received no assistance when relocating to Maplewood. A change to a positive trusting city needs to happen to initiate this change.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
Community policing should be reviewed and be considered. Citizen liability in neighborhoods being the main obstacle. Housing balance is fine. Transportation is adequate for most citizens.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
- There will be a major revenue decline in 2020 from budget levels due to COVID-19. Drivers:
b. Also, lower fees and slow collection of Real Estate taxes
2. Also, COVID driving up a few expenses.
3. For Maplewood, to offset shortfall, would need to increase Real Estate taxes by 10% to 20%. Legally, the current City Council can raise taxes, but
economically, should have total constraints. Zero (0%) increase.
a. Maplewood (& Ramsey Co) already high.
b. An increase of 10%-20% likely hits a broad array of tax payers and income levels. Hard to impose an increase of this level. Therefore, would hit middle income folks, not just the “rich.”
c. Some taxpayers may not be able to pay if unemployed, ill, on low level, fixed income, (retirees), etc.
4. Will need to shift priories or make cuts, likely furloughing employees. If average employee all in cost is $100,000 per year, may need to furlough some of the city’s employees.
5. Feds have some $$ - However, adding to deficit on trillion-dollar increments.
6. Minnesota facing big shortfall, so not much help from other levels of government.
What will you do to expand Maplewood’s tax base?
Be a positive force for the city. I would restore trust to Maplewood.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
All our children (5 graduated from) and one is a senior at North High School. District #622. I attended Kellogg High School, District 623 and graduated from Century (former Lakewood) College. Trusted with background in two School Districts.
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?
Open the Nature Center, like getting fireworks back in Maplewood.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Maplewood?
As Mayor I will foster and support all businesses in Maplewood. City Council will follow this lead.
What further policies can Maplewood adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Make Maplewood special. This means Maplewood’s borders and all east side of St. Paul.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Maplewood needs to Restore Trust. Previous elections in Maplewood have resulted in erosion of trust by the citizens In Maplewood City government.