Chris Tolbert - Saint Paul Ward 3
Name: Chris Tolbert
Public Office Sought: Saint Paul City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-720-3785
Website: www.christolbertmn.com
Twitter Handle: @christolbertstp
Facebook: Chris Tolbert for City Council
Candidate Bio
Born and raised in St. Paul, Chris Tolbert attended St. Paul Public Schools. Chris studied political science at St. John’s University and earned a law degree from Hamline University. Chris’ legal background, and knowledge of his community, has served him as an elected official. His record is one of proven results that have improved lives.
Twice-elected to the St. Paul City Council, Chris has overseen $700 million budget and 3,200 city employees. He is committed to increasing diversity and expanding opportunity for all, as well as founding initiatives including Full Stack St. Paul and Right Track.
Chris is a leader on workforce issues, called to serve on dozens of city, county, and regional workforce development efforts including: Chairman of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, St. Paul Library Board, Workforce Investment Board of Ramsey County, Metropolitan Workforce Council Board, Transit Advisory Board of the Metropolitan Council, Riverview Corridor PAC, Visit St. Paul, to name a few.
Chris takes every opportunity to be involved. He is proud to know the members of his community. Chris is a proven leader and hopes to continue to work for the people of Ward 3.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Saint Paul?
We have been working hard as a City to improve the already good business climate in St. Paul. New businesses are opening consistently, and existing businesses are expanding and as a City, we began the ‘Open for Business’ initiative to help business owners, and anyone thinking of opening a business in our city, connect to existing resources to help their business thrive. Obviously we can always be working to ensure that businesses are supported in our community, and I will continue that important work on the City Council.
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, Saint Paul?
As co-chair of the Innovation Cabinet, which began under Mayor Chris Coleman’s administration, I believe that as a City we can help businesses in many ways. Often we can help connect businesses to existing resources, as well as connect people to mentors and other business owners to facilitate growth and opportunity.
Full Stack St. Paul, a public private partnership with the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, is continuing the work of the Innovation Cabinet, and I’ve been able to see this important work continue. As a City we have opportunities to highlight our businesses in ways that others can’t, and it’s been wonderful to see Full Stack St. Paul highlight our emerging innovative job sector and the important work they’re doing.
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 Saint Paul?
We’ve recently hired a staff member in our Department of Planning and Economic Development to help with these specific issues. I support this position and am excited to see what this City employee will be able to accomplish on these important tasks.
4. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Saint Paul (such as mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Saint Paul and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
When working on ordinances that affect the business community, such as Earned Sick and Safe Time or minimum wage, I made sure as a Councilmember to ensure that we heard from all voices, including those in the business community. While we were discussing these proposals, and before any votes or decisions were made, I met with the President of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as local business owners in my Ward, to hear firsthand how these proposals would impact existing and future businesses. It was important to me that I listened with an open mind from the very beginning.
5. Would you support modifying or repealing the new earned sick and safe time or minimum wage ordinances that apply to the city? If so, how?
I believe that all ordinances passed by the Council should be ones that work for everyone in our community. If an ordinance has unintended consequences, or isn’t working in the way it was intended to, then we as a City Council ought to review the ordinance and make any improvements or modifications that are needed. We need to be flexible as a City, in order to adapt to the changing needs of our businesses and residents
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
Public safety is of upmost importance, as everyone in our City needs to feel safe and secure when in our community. I supported adding resources to our St. Paul Police Department during our last budget, specifically to add investigators and mental health specialists. Victims of crimes shouldn’t be forced to wait for their case to be adequately investigated due to lack of resources, and people suffering a mental health crisis should receive a response that’s understanding of their particular needs in that moment. These are the sorts of efforts that will help ensure safety in our community. Additionally, we tripled the amount of free after school programming in our Rec Centers. Providing a safe place for youth helps give them resources to succeed.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
My priorities are housing, jobs, and transportation. We have an affordable housing crisis and need to both preserve the existing naturally occurring affordable housing that exists in our city, as well as produce more affordable housing. Jobs and workforce development are important in this changing economy, and a large part of why I’ve been involved in Full Stack St. Paul since its inception. Transportation, and transit in particular, is becoming increasingly important to attract and retain economic development.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
As a City with a significant amount of untaxable land, it’s important to retain a balance of property taxable properties throughout our city. All property taxes, whether industrial, commercial, or residential, have different benefits and challenges.
9. What will you do to expand Saint Paul’s tax base?
Attracting additional development, as well as expanding our workforce, will help expand our tax base. As the Ward 3 Councilmember, and sponsor of the rezoning of the Ford site, I’ve been heavily involved in examining how we can best use the opportunity of this site to expand our tax base. We have several large development opportunities, from the soccer stadium to Hillcrest, that provide rare development opportunities to expand our tax base in a built urban environment.
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?
A strong relationship with St. Paul Public Schools and our numerous institutions of higher education is crucial for workforce development. I began Right Track, a program that brings together our public schools, local businesses, and community based organizations to provide employment opportunities and professional skills training for youth in our community. Partnerships like this are exactly the sort of thing that will help ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce.
11. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to public schools in Saint Paul?
St. Paul Public Schools is distinct from the City, however, there are obvious and crucial connections between the two. Residents of our City utilize resources from both and don’t often distinguish between the two, so a very close and effective partnership is crucial to ensure we are best utilizing all of our resources to provide services in the most successful way possible. For example, students use our Rec Centers for after school programming, and our libraries for their studies. Our Parks & Rec Department and Libraries work closely with SPPS to ensure that they are not overlapping their efforts, and provide innovative new initiatives like Library Go, which provides a St. Paul Public Library card to every St. Paul Public Schools student. These sorts of initiatives have proven to be enormously successful.
Other
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
The biggest challenges facing our City are housing, transportation, and jobs. We need to focus on preserving and producing affordable housing. As Chair of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority we have budgeted an unprecedented amount on these efforts, including using new and innovative methods for funding these needs. For transportation, I sponsored the City’s support of the Riverview Corridor and continue to work on expanding transit access throughout the east metro. On jobs and workforce development, I spearheaded the efforts that led to the creation of Full Stack St. Paul, a public private partnership to support the creation of, and expansion of, innovative jobs in our City.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
My top three priorities are the ones above that I also believe to be the biggest challenges facing our City. As a City, we need to focus our efforts on the most pressing needs of our residents and businesses, while continuing to examine existing practices to ensure we’re providing services in the most efficient and effective manner possible.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
When it comes to transportation, one only has to examine transit projects throughout the Twin Cities metro to see that the east metro has seen itself on the short side of funding for years. We need to reverse that trend by ensuring our work on the Riverview Corridor, and other transit corridors (Gold Line, Rush Line, etc.) continues as quickly as possible and receives adequate funding.
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?
As a City, we ought to always be examining all programs and services to ensure that we are delivering them in the most efficient and effective manner possible. If a program or service isn’t providing a quality product for a reasonable cost, then it ought to be looked at to see how the service or program could be working better and what changes need to happen to make that happen.
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
As a St. Paul born and raised resident, I’ve seen the changes that our City has gone through over the past several decades. We’ve grown as a City, and many exciting things are happening as we’re on track to reach a record population. I’m excited for new development in our city, and the many new residents moving in. This provides a wonderful opportunity to make a St. Paul an even more prosperous City that is welcome to everyone.
Public Office Sought: Saint Paul City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-720-3785
Website: www.christolbertmn.com
Twitter Handle: @christolbertstp
Facebook: Chris Tolbert for City Council
Candidate Bio
Born and raised in St. Paul, Chris Tolbert attended St. Paul Public Schools. Chris studied political science at St. John’s University and earned a law degree from Hamline University. Chris’ legal background, and knowledge of his community, has served him as an elected official. His record is one of proven results that have improved lives.
Twice-elected to the St. Paul City Council, Chris has overseen $700 million budget and 3,200 city employees. He is committed to increasing diversity and expanding opportunity for all, as well as founding initiatives including Full Stack St. Paul and Right Track.
Chris is a leader on workforce issues, called to serve on dozens of city, county, and regional workforce development efforts including: Chairman of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, St. Paul Library Board, Workforce Investment Board of Ramsey County, Metropolitan Workforce Council Board, Transit Advisory Board of the Metropolitan Council, Riverview Corridor PAC, Visit St. Paul, to name a few.
Chris takes every opportunity to be involved. He is proud to know the members of his community. Chris is a proven leader and hopes to continue to work for the people of Ward 3.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Saint Paul?
We have been working hard as a City to improve the already good business climate in St. Paul. New businesses are opening consistently, and existing businesses are expanding and as a City, we began the ‘Open for Business’ initiative to help business owners, and anyone thinking of opening a business in our city, connect to existing resources to help their business thrive. Obviously we can always be working to ensure that businesses are supported in our community, and I will continue that important work on the City Council.
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, Saint Paul?
As co-chair of the Innovation Cabinet, which began under Mayor Chris Coleman’s administration, I believe that as a City we can help businesses in many ways. Often we can help connect businesses to existing resources, as well as connect people to mentors and other business owners to facilitate growth and opportunity.
Full Stack St. Paul, a public private partnership with the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, is continuing the work of the Innovation Cabinet, and I’ve been able to see this important work continue. As a City we have opportunities to highlight our businesses in ways that others can’t, and it’s been wonderful to see Full Stack St. Paul highlight our emerging innovative job sector and the important work they’re doing.
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 Saint Paul?
We’ve recently hired a staff member in our Department of Planning and Economic Development to help with these specific issues. I support this position and am excited to see what this City employee will be able to accomplish on these important tasks.
4. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Saint Paul (such as mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Saint Paul and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
When working on ordinances that affect the business community, such as Earned Sick and Safe Time or minimum wage, I made sure as a Councilmember to ensure that we heard from all voices, including those in the business community. While we were discussing these proposals, and before any votes or decisions were made, I met with the President of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as local business owners in my Ward, to hear firsthand how these proposals would impact existing and future businesses. It was important to me that I listened with an open mind from the very beginning.
5. Would you support modifying or repealing the new earned sick and safe time or minimum wage ordinances that apply to the city? If so, how?
I believe that all ordinances passed by the Council should be ones that work for everyone in our community. If an ordinance has unintended consequences, or isn’t working in the way it was intended to, then we as a City Council ought to review the ordinance and make any improvements or modifications that are needed. We need to be flexible as a City, in order to adapt to the changing needs of our businesses and residents
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
Public safety is of upmost importance, as everyone in our City needs to feel safe and secure when in our community. I supported adding resources to our St. Paul Police Department during our last budget, specifically to add investigators and mental health specialists. Victims of crimes shouldn’t be forced to wait for their case to be adequately investigated due to lack of resources, and people suffering a mental health crisis should receive a response that’s understanding of their particular needs in that moment. These are the sorts of efforts that will help ensure safety in our community. Additionally, we tripled the amount of free after school programming in our Rec Centers. Providing a safe place for youth helps give them resources to succeed.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
My priorities are housing, jobs, and transportation. We have an affordable housing crisis and need to both preserve the existing naturally occurring affordable housing that exists in our city, as well as produce more affordable housing. Jobs and workforce development are important in this changing economy, and a large part of why I’ve been involved in Full Stack St. Paul since its inception. Transportation, and transit in particular, is becoming increasingly important to attract and retain economic development.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
As a City with a significant amount of untaxable land, it’s important to retain a balance of property taxable properties throughout our city. All property taxes, whether industrial, commercial, or residential, have different benefits and challenges.
9. What will you do to expand Saint Paul’s tax base?
Attracting additional development, as well as expanding our workforce, will help expand our tax base. As the Ward 3 Councilmember, and sponsor of the rezoning of the Ford site, I’ve been heavily involved in examining how we can best use the opportunity of this site to expand our tax base. We have several large development opportunities, from the soccer stadium to Hillcrest, that provide rare development opportunities to expand our tax base in a built urban environment.
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?
A strong relationship with St. Paul Public Schools and our numerous institutions of higher education is crucial for workforce development. I began Right Track, a program that brings together our public schools, local businesses, and community based organizations to provide employment opportunities and professional skills training for youth in our community. Partnerships like this are exactly the sort of thing that will help ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce.
11. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to public schools in Saint Paul?
St. Paul Public Schools is distinct from the City, however, there are obvious and crucial connections between the two. Residents of our City utilize resources from both and don’t often distinguish between the two, so a very close and effective partnership is crucial to ensure we are best utilizing all of our resources to provide services in the most successful way possible. For example, students use our Rec Centers for after school programming, and our libraries for their studies. Our Parks & Rec Department and Libraries work closely with SPPS to ensure that they are not overlapping their efforts, and provide innovative new initiatives like Library Go, which provides a St. Paul Public Library card to every St. Paul Public Schools student. These sorts of initiatives have proven to be enormously successful.
Other
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
The biggest challenges facing our City are housing, transportation, and jobs. We need to focus on preserving and producing affordable housing. As Chair of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority we have budgeted an unprecedented amount on these efforts, including using new and innovative methods for funding these needs. For transportation, I sponsored the City’s support of the Riverview Corridor and continue to work on expanding transit access throughout the east metro. On jobs and workforce development, I spearheaded the efforts that led to the creation of Full Stack St. Paul, a public private partnership to support the creation of, and expansion of, innovative jobs in our City.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
My top three priorities are the ones above that I also believe to be the biggest challenges facing our City. As a City, we need to focus our efforts on the most pressing needs of our residents and businesses, while continuing to examine existing practices to ensure we’re providing services in the most efficient and effective manner possible.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
When it comes to transportation, one only has to examine transit projects throughout the Twin Cities metro to see that the east metro has seen itself on the short side of funding for years. We need to reverse that trend by ensuring our work on the Riverview Corridor, and other transit corridors (Gold Line, Rush Line, etc.) continues as quickly as possible and receives adequate funding.
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?
As a City, we ought to always be examining all programs and services to ensure that we are delivering them in the most efficient and effective manner possible. If a program or service isn’t providing a quality product for a reasonable cost, then it ought to be looked at to see how the service or program could be working better and what changes need to happen to make that happen.
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
As a St. Paul born and raised resident, I’ve seen the changes that our City has gone through over the past several decades. We’ve grown as a City, and many exciting things are happening as we’re on track to reach a record population. I’m excited for new development in our city, and the many new residents moving in. This provides a wonderful opportunity to make a St. Paul an even more prosperous City that is welcome to everyone.