Cara Schulz
Name: Cara Schulz
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612.735.4386
Campaign Website: caraschulz.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/caraforburnsville
Candidate Bio
Cara Schulz has proudly served Burnsville since 2016 as a City Council Member, where she was re-elected in 2020. A small business owner of The Flower Pot Holistic Wellness and a USAF veteran, Cara brings a unique blend of leadership, experience, and dedication to her role. During her service, she has been a strong advocate for local businesses, leading initiatives like the Citizens Code Review Task Force, which modernized city regulations to be more business-friendly. Cara also supported a pilot program with the Fire Department to address drug addiction proactively, championed redevelopment to stimulate economic growth, and advocated for the creation of an Arts Commission to enhance tourism and cultural engagement. Known for her socially accepting yet fiscally responsible approach, Cara has consistently fought to remove outdated regulations that hinder business growth.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
Empowering residents and businesses while streamlining government involvement. She believes the most effective solutions for Burnsville’s challenges come directly from the people who live and work here. Cara is committed to actively involving residents in their own governance, ensuring that their voices are heard and valued.
However, Cara also recognizes that government should not overstep its bounds. She firmly believes that if an individual’s actions aren’t harming others, the government shouldn’t use taxpayer money to monitor or restrict those activities. Her leadership is guided by a balanced approach that respects personal freedom while fostering community engagement.
If you’re into corporate astrology, her CliftonStrengths are Ideation, Individualization, Strategic, Command, and Activator.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
1. Landfill Remediation, Tax Base, and School Funding:
The top priority is addressing the Old Freeway Landfill issue. The landfill, which sits on top of our aquifer and some of the most desirable property in the city. Minnesota EPA appears to support pulling the garbage out, lining it, and putting the garbage back. I support the second remediation option, which relocates the waste and repurposes the site for development, including a potential marina on the Minnesota River. This plan not only safeguards our water supply but substantially increases our tax base, helping to alleviate our school district's budget shortfall and reducing property taxes for Burnsville residents.
2. Community Revitalization:
Revitalizing Burnsville through strategic redevelopment and community empowerment. Build on our growing identity as a health and wellness center and incubate small businesses. Continue to promote redevelopment initiatives funded by the Economic Development Authority (EDA) to attract new businesses, create jobs, and enhance our local economy. Additionally, advocate for neighborhood grants and the establishment of an arts commission to boost tourism and foster community ties. While economic downturns could limit funding, strong partnerships with the Chamber, Experience Burnsville, and School District 191 can sustain these efforts.
3. Community-based Policing Initiatives:
Enhancing community safety through community-based policing. Continue to support the Behavioral Health Unit and the Fire Department's Pilot Program, both of which address mental health and addiction issues through proactive, collaborative strategies. These programs are crucial for public safety and are primarily funded through the Opioid Lawsuit Settlement and grants, ensuring their sustainability even in challenging economic times.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Burnsville?
Biggest Challenge: While the Burnsville Mall is still of concern, redevelopment has begun. The Old Freeway Landfill is Burnsville's most significant challenge. It sits atop our aquifer and occupies some of the city’s most valuable real estate along the Minnesota River. The Minnesota EPA’s current plan is to line the site and leave the waste in place. However, this approach limits the land's potential and leaves only one benefit—protecting our water supply.
Biggest Opportunity: The landfill also presents Burnsville's greatest opportunity. Relocating the waste to a lined landfill, remediating the Old Freeway Landfill property allows the owners to repurpose this prime land for development. This could include creating a marina on the Minnesota River, a unique feature in the Twin Cities. This redevelopment would not only safeguard our water but also significantly expand our tax base, helping to resolve the school district's budget shortfall and reduce property taxes for residents. This approach transforms a liability into a long-term asset for Burnsville.
Please characterize your perspective on the ideal collaboration between government and the business community when it comes to tackling challenges whether they be education, housing, or workforce development. Do you feel the outcomes of the 2023-2024 legislative session positively or negatively impacted that collaboration and our state's business climate?
Burnsville has a proud history of collaboration with its business community, this partnership is crucial for addressing challenges in education, housing, and workforce development. To strengthen this collaboration, we need to involve our business community earlier in the decision-making process and ensure they have a seat at the table during work sessions. While this is already happening, there is room for improvement.
An excellent example of successful collaboration is the Citizen’s Task Force that rewrote the city code—a process that took three years and included input from business leaders. This level of engagement, which only two cities in Minnesota have ever achieved, highlights the value of bringing diverse perspectives into our discussions. I firmly believe that the most effective solutions for Burnsville’s challenges come directly from the people who live and work here, and I am committed to enhancing our collaborative efforts to ensure that all voices are heard and valued.
How would you characterize the business climate in Burnsville and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Burnsville?
Burnsville’s business climate is strong, particularly in the healthcare and retail sectors, which are our largest employers. We also boast a thriving small business community, and more people commute to Burnsville for work than leave it—a testament to our city's appeal.
To attract and retain jobs and new businesses, Burnsville needs a comprehensive approach that leverages our unique identity. We are already a regional destination for health and wellness, with a strong healthcare sector, abundant parks and trails, and a vibrant arts center, which contributes to both mental health and community engagement. These assets can be marketed collectively to position Burnsville as a hub of wellbeing—physical, mental, and spiritual.
The city's role should be to facilitate this synergy by supporting initiatives that highlight and enhance these strengths, working with the Chamber and Experience Burnsville, fostering an environment where businesses can thrive in harmony with our community's values. By promoting Burnsville as a destination for wellbeing and vibrancy, we can attract new ventures and retain existing businesses, ensuring long-term economic stability and growth.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
To address public safety challenges in Burnsville, we are adopting proactive strategies that go beyond traditional responses to emergencies. With a rise in First Responder calls, particularly those related to mental health and drug abuse, it’s essential to address the root causes of these issues.
Behavioral Health Unit Support: Continued and enhanced support for our Police Behavioral Health Unit. This unit collaborates with social workers and county services to respond to mental health calls with the appropriate care and resources. By focusing on de-escalation and follow-up care, the unit ensures that individuals in crisis receive the ongoing support they need, which helps prevent future incidents and improves overall community safety.
Pilot Program for Drug Issues: Another key strategy is supporting the Fire Department’s Pilot Program, which targets drug addiction and overdose prevention. This program takes a proactive approach by conducting home visits to manage medication, connecting at-risk individuals with community services, and providing periodic follow-ups. By addressing these issues at the community level, we aim to reduce the burden on emergency services and create a safer, healthier Burnsville.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
Burnsville has a variety of naturally occurring affordable housing, including apartments, condos, townhomes, and single-family homes. We’ve recently lifted the moratorium on apartment construction, leading to the opening of several new apartment buildings. These include both market-rate and workforce housing, which help meet the diverse needs of our residents.
We also allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), which provide additional affordable housing options within existing neighborhoods. ADUs can offer flexible living spaces for extended families, renters, or those needing more affordable housing, contributing to our overall housing stock without requiring new land development.
As a built-out city with no available greenspace, Burnsville is in a redevelopment phase. Our focus is on revitalizing existing areas to create more housing opportunities. By redeveloping underutilized properties, we can increase housing availability while enhancing the community’s character and infrastructure.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
We are collaborating with the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) to increase public transit options. One key initiative is the MVTA Connect service, a ride-share program that allows residents to book trips via their smartphones, across Burnsville, Apple Valley, Savage, and Rosemount.
We are transitioning from traditional sidewalks to a comprehensive trail system throughout the city. These wider trails include designated lanes for pedestrians, cyclists, and individuals with mobility devices, ensuring safer and more accessible routes for everyone. This approach not only improves safety but also encourages healthier, more active lifestyles by making it easier and safer to walk or bike around Burnsville.
In addition to these initiatives, we are committed to ensuring that our roadways are safe for all users, including drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. By implementing traffic calming measures and enhancing road design, we aim to reduce accidents and improve overall safety.
Cities have addressed many ongoing needs with temporary, federal COVID relief dollars, what are your plans to ensure fiscal stability as these federal, one-time funds run out?
We craft a budget that operates within our tax base and avoids overreliance on one-time federal funds. By aligning our expenditures with ongoing revenue sources, we ensure that our financial practices remain stable and resilient, even as temporary funds diminish.
To supplement our budget and support specific projects or initiatives, we are aggressive in seeking out private grants. These grants can provide additional resources without impacting our core financial stability, allowing us to fund important programs and services while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Burnsville has a AAA Bond rating.
Uber/Lyft wages and proposed childcare subsidies funded by local property taxes are just a few areas where local units of government are wading into policy debates that may be best suited at the state. Please articulate the different scopes of work between state and local government (City/County). Are there specific areas of policy that the city should lead on in lieu of the state or county government?
Cities should lead on policies that directly impact the day-to-day lives of their residents, often more effectively than state or county governments. In Burnsville, we prioritize local control over essential services commonly referred to as "drink, drive, flush."
Managing our water supply, including drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater, is a critical responsibility. Local oversight ensures that we can respond quickly to issues, maintain high-quality standards, and implement conservation measures tailored to our community's specific needs.
Local control over transportation allows us to design and maintain roads, trails, and transit options that best serve our residents. By leading on transportation policy, we can ensure that our infrastructure meets the unique demands of our city, from road safety improvements to the expansion of public transit and trail systems.
Burnsville is also proactive in areas like public safety, housing, and economic development—domains where local leadership can have a significant impact. While collaboration with state and county governments is important, maintaining local control over these core areas ensures that we can address the specific needs of our community with agility and precision. This approach allows us to protect our residents' quality of life and ensure that our city's unique character and priorities are upheld.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612.735.4386
Campaign Website: caraschulz.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/caraforburnsville
Candidate Bio
Cara Schulz has proudly served Burnsville since 2016 as a City Council Member, where she was re-elected in 2020. A small business owner of The Flower Pot Holistic Wellness and a USAF veteran, Cara brings a unique blend of leadership, experience, and dedication to her role. During her service, she has been a strong advocate for local businesses, leading initiatives like the Citizens Code Review Task Force, which modernized city regulations to be more business-friendly. Cara also supported a pilot program with the Fire Department to address drug addiction proactively, championed redevelopment to stimulate economic growth, and advocated for the creation of an Arts Commission to enhance tourism and cultural engagement. Known for her socially accepting yet fiscally responsible approach, Cara has consistently fought to remove outdated regulations that hinder business growth.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
Empowering residents and businesses while streamlining government involvement. She believes the most effective solutions for Burnsville’s challenges come directly from the people who live and work here. Cara is committed to actively involving residents in their own governance, ensuring that their voices are heard and valued.
However, Cara also recognizes that government should not overstep its bounds. She firmly believes that if an individual’s actions aren’t harming others, the government shouldn’t use taxpayer money to monitor or restrict those activities. Her leadership is guided by a balanced approach that respects personal freedom while fostering community engagement.
If you’re into corporate astrology, her CliftonStrengths are Ideation, Individualization, Strategic, Command, and Activator.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
1. Landfill Remediation, Tax Base, and School Funding:
The top priority is addressing the Old Freeway Landfill issue. The landfill, which sits on top of our aquifer and some of the most desirable property in the city. Minnesota EPA appears to support pulling the garbage out, lining it, and putting the garbage back. I support the second remediation option, which relocates the waste and repurposes the site for development, including a potential marina on the Minnesota River. This plan not only safeguards our water supply but substantially increases our tax base, helping to alleviate our school district's budget shortfall and reducing property taxes for Burnsville residents.
2. Community Revitalization:
Revitalizing Burnsville through strategic redevelopment and community empowerment. Build on our growing identity as a health and wellness center and incubate small businesses. Continue to promote redevelopment initiatives funded by the Economic Development Authority (EDA) to attract new businesses, create jobs, and enhance our local economy. Additionally, advocate for neighborhood grants and the establishment of an arts commission to boost tourism and foster community ties. While economic downturns could limit funding, strong partnerships with the Chamber, Experience Burnsville, and School District 191 can sustain these efforts.
3. Community-based Policing Initiatives:
Enhancing community safety through community-based policing. Continue to support the Behavioral Health Unit and the Fire Department's Pilot Program, both of which address mental health and addiction issues through proactive, collaborative strategies. These programs are crucial for public safety and are primarily funded through the Opioid Lawsuit Settlement and grants, ensuring their sustainability even in challenging economic times.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Burnsville?
Biggest Challenge: While the Burnsville Mall is still of concern, redevelopment has begun. The Old Freeway Landfill is Burnsville's most significant challenge. It sits atop our aquifer and occupies some of the city’s most valuable real estate along the Minnesota River. The Minnesota EPA’s current plan is to line the site and leave the waste in place. However, this approach limits the land's potential and leaves only one benefit—protecting our water supply.
Biggest Opportunity: The landfill also presents Burnsville's greatest opportunity. Relocating the waste to a lined landfill, remediating the Old Freeway Landfill property allows the owners to repurpose this prime land for development. This could include creating a marina on the Minnesota River, a unique feature in the Twin Cities. This redevelopment would not only safeguard our water but also significantly expand our tax base, helping to resolve the school district's budget shortfall and reduce property taxes for residents. This approach transforms a liability into a long-term asset for Burnsville.
Please characterize your perspective on the ideal collaboration between government and the business community when it comes to tackling challenges whether they be education, housing, or workforce development. Do you feel the outcomes of the 2023-2024 legislative session positively or negatively impacted that collaboration and our state's business climate?
Burnsville has a proud history of collaboration with its business community, this partnership is crucial for addressing challenges in education, housing, and workforce development. To strengthen this collaboration, we need to involve our business community earlier in the decision-making process and ensure they have a seat at the table during work sessions. While this is already happening, there is room for improvement.
An excellent example of successful collaboration is the Citizen’s Task Force that rewrote the city code—a process that took three years and included input from business leaders. This level of engagement, which only two cities in Minnesota have ever achieved, highlights the value of bringing diverse perspectives into our discussions. I firmly believe that the most effective solutions for Burnsville’s challenges come directly from the people who live and work here, and I am committed to enhancing our collaborative efforts to ensure that all voices are heard and valued.
How would you characterize the business climate in Burnsville and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Burnsville?
Burnsville’s business climate is strong, particularly in the healthcare and retail sectors, which are our largest employers. We also boast a thriving small business community, and more people commute to Burnsville for work than leave it—a testament to our city's appeal.
To attract and retain jobs and new businesses, Burnsville needs a comprehensive approach that leverages our unique identity. We are already a regional destination for health and wellness, with a strong healthcare sector, abundant parks and trails, and a vibrant arts center, which contributes to both mental health and community engagement. These assets can be marketed collectively to position Burnsville as a hub of wellbeing—physical, mental, and spiritual.
The city's role should be to facilitate this synergy by supporting initiatives that highlight and enhance these strengths, working with the Chamber and Experience Burnsville, fostering an environment where businesses can thrive in harmony with our community's values. By promoting Burnsville as a destination for wellbeing and vibrancy, we can attract new ventures and retain existing businesses, ensuring long-term economic stability and growth.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
To address public safety challenges in Burnsville, we are adopting proactive strategies that go beyond traditional responses to emergencies. With a rise in First Responder calls, particularly those related to mental health and drug abuse, it’s essential to address the root causes of these issues.
Behavioral Health Unit Support: Continued and enhanced support for our Police Behavioral Health Unit. This unit collaborates with social workers and county services to respond to mental health calls with the appropriate care and resources. By focusing on de-escalation and follow-up care, the unit ensures that individuals in crisis receive the ongoing support they need, which helps prevent future incidents and improves overall community safety.
Pilot Program for Drug Issues: Another key strategy is supporting the Fire Department’s Pilot Program, which targets drug addiction and overdose prevention. This program takes a proactive approach by conducting home visits to manage medication, connecting at-risk individuals with community services, and providing periodic follow-ups. By addressing these issues at the community level, we aim to reduce the burden on emergency services and create a safer, healthier Burnsville.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
Burnsville has a variety of naturally occurring affordable housing, including apartments, condos, townhomes, and single-family homes. We’ve recently lifted the moratorium on apartment construction, leading to the opening of several new apartment buildings. These include both market-rate and workforce housing, which help meet the diverse needs of our residents.
We also allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), which provide additional affordable housing options within existing neighborhoods. ADUs can offer flexible living spaces for extended families, renters, or those needing more affordable housing, contributing to our overall housing stock without requiring new land development.
As a built-out city with no available greenspace, Burnsville is in a redevelopment phase. Our focus is on revitalizing existing areas to create more housing opportunities. By redeveloping underutilized properties, we can increase housing availability while enhancing the community’s character and infrastructure.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
We are collaborating with the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) to increase public transit options. One key initiative is the MVTA Connect service, a ride-share program that allows residents to book trips via their smartphones, across Burnsville, Apple Valley, Savage, and Rosemount.
We are transitioning from traditional sidewalks to a comprehensive trail system throughout the city. These wider trails include designated lanes for pedestrians, cyclists, and individuals with mobility devices, ensuring safer and more accessible routes for everyone. This approach not only improves safety but also encourages healthier, more active lifestyles by making it easier and safer to walk or bike around Burnsville.
In addition to these initiatives, we are committed to ensuring that our roadways are safe for all users, including drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. By implementing traffic calming measures and enhancing road design, we aim to reduce accidents and improve overall safety.
Cities have addressed many ongoing needs with temporary, federal COVID relief dollars, what are your plans to ensure fiscal stability as these federal, one-time funds run out?
We craft a budget that operates within our tax base and avoids overreliance on one-time federal funds. By aligning our expenditures with ongoing revenue sources, we ensure that our financial practices remain stable and resilient, even as temporary funds diminish.
To supplement our budget and support specific projects or initiatives, we are aggressive in seeking out private grants. These grants can provide additional resources without impacting our core financial stability, allowing us to fund important programs and services while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Burnsville has a AAA Bond rating.
Uber/Lyft wages and proposed childcare subsidies funded by local property taxes are just a few areas where local units of government are wading into policy debates that may be best suited at the state. Please articulate the different scopes of work between state and local government (City/County). Are there specific areas of policy that the city should lead on in lieu of the state or county government?
Cities should lead on policies that directly impact the day-to-day lives of their residents, often more effectively than state or county governments. In Burnsville, we prioritize local control over essential services commonly referred to as "drink, drive, flush."
Managing our water supply, including drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater, is a critical responsibility. Local oversight ensures that we can respond quickly to issues, maintain high-quality standards, and implement conservation measures tailored to our community's specific needs.
Local control over transportation allows us to design and maintain roads, trails, and transit options that best serve our residents. By leading on transportation policy, we can ensure that our infrastructure meets the unique demands of our city, from road safety improvements to the expansion of public transit and trail systems.
Burnsville is also proactive in areas like public safety, housing, and economic development—domains where local leadership can have a significant impact. While collaboration with state and county governments is important, maintaining local control over these core areas ensures that we can address the specific needs of our community with agility and precision. This approach allows us to protect our residents' quality of life and ensure that our city's unique character and priorities are upheld.