David Radziej
Name: David Radziej
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-787-0527
Campaign Website: RunningRad.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page:
Candidate Bio
I am David Radziej - pronounced RodGee. I am running to bring civility back to the city council. In 2022, I was selected to serve on the Arden Hills City Council. Having served on the Economic Development Council since 2012, on the Finance Council since 2014, and chair, plus various Ad-hoc planning groups for redeveloping Rice Creek Commons/TCAAP, No stranger to city government or the TCAAP development.
My wife, Kathy, and I have lived in the Arden Hills area for 32 years, raising our four children here. Our home is near the Crepeau Nature Preserve. I attended Mankato State, earning degrees in finance, construction management, and international business.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
My open and approachable discussion style bodes well for neighbors/residents to approach me with concerns and general discussions on city issues. I will listen to all residents as they explain their firsthand experiences with any particular issue.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
*Redeveloping Rice Creek Commons while protecting the current Arden Hills taxpayers.
*Building a new Fire Station at the Pine Tree Drive location.
*Continue working with Ramey County Sheriff Officers to protect all citizens and support the need for more mental health crisis counselors.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Arden Hills?
*Redeveloping Rice Creek Commons while protecting the current Arden Hills taxpayers. The project has enormous potential and as easy as it sounds there are a lot of moving parts with just as many opinions on how it should move forward.
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?
Currently reading a book called, The Partisan Divide – Congress in Crisis cowritten by Tom Davis, Martin Frost and Richard Cohen. Very interesting read on our government today and how it got there.
How would you characterize the business climate in Arden Hills and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Arden Hills?
The Businesses along Lexington Ave are recovering from the road construction project that seemed to have no end. The residents I believe appreciated the final build as it did increase a safer flow of traffic for all of us.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Just watching the news lets you know that crisis counselors are needed more today then ever. I am committed to working with Ramey County Sheriff Officers to protect all citizens and support the need for more mental health crisis counselors.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
In 2022 the council reviewed the Met Council’s affordable housing study. At that time, approximately 40% of the houses in Arden Hills were already considered affordable. Arden Hills had 3,277 housing units, 1,298 of which fell within the category of “Affordable Housing” as per Met Council’s definition - housing that is affordable to households that earn 80% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI). In 2021 80% of the AMI for a family of four was $89,400, meaning that with financial assistance, it was calculated that a family in such a situation could afford a house worth up to $355,600.
Affordable housing can occur naturally based on a number of factors. But new affordable housing is generally paid for with public subsidies and /or tax breaks provided by Federal, State or Local governments, which can result in increases in our property taxes for local taxpayers.
Housing units that are affordable at 30% of AMI or under are considered “deeply affordable”. An easy way to understand the context of affordable housing is by looking at neighboring cities. You may not know that 15% of Arden Hills total housing units are considered “deeply affordable” to households with incomes that are 30% of the AMI. At that time (2021), in comparison, 4% of St. Anthony’s housing stock were also considered “deeply affordable”, 6% of Shoreview, 8% of Vadnais Heights, 8% of Roseville, 10% of New Brighten, 19% of Mounds View and 22% of Little Canada.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
I voted for a 10-year maintenance and repair plan to ensure smart spending on current roads and planning for future traffic increases, especially in the TCAAP area.
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?
Even as appreciative as I am of the Federal relief dollars, I don’t see the city taking the lead to replenish funds as they run out.
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?
I believe in local control – allowing citizens to control many of these issues.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-787-0527
Campaign Website: RunningRad.com
Twitter handle:
Facebook Page:
Candidate Bio
I am David Radziej - pronounced RodGee. I am running to bring civility back to the city council. In 2022, I was selected to serve on the Arden Hills City Council. Having served on the Economic Development Council since 2012, on the Finance Council since 2014, and chair, plus various Ad-hoc planning groups for redeveloping Rice Creek Commons/TCAAP, No stranger to city government or the TCAAP development.
My wife, Kathy, and I have lived in the Arden Hills area for 32 years, raising our four children here. Our home is near the Crepeau Nature Preserve. I attended Mankato State, earning degrees in finance, construction management, and international business.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
My open and approachable discussion style bodes well for neighbors/residents to approach me with concerns and general discussions on city issues. I will listen to all residents as they explain their firsthand experiences with any particular issue.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
*Redeveloping Rice Creek Commons while protecting the current Arden Hills taxpayers.
*Building a new Fire Station at the Pine Tree Drive location.
*Continue working with Ramey County Sheriff Officers to protect all citizens and support the need for more mental health crisis counselors.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Arden Hills?
*Redeveloping Rice Creek Commons while protecting the current Arden Hills taxpayers. The project has enormous potential and as easy as it sounds there are a lot of moving parts with just as many opinions on how it should move forward.
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?
Currently reading a book called, The Partisan Divide – Congress in Crisis cowritten by Tom Davis, Martin Frost and Richard Cohen. Very interesting read on our government today and how it got there.
How would you characterize the business climate in Arden Hills and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Arden Hills?
The Businesses along Lexington Ave are recovering from the road construction project that seemed to have no end. The residents I believe appreciated the final build as it did increase a safer flow of traffic for all of us.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Just watching the news lets you know that crisis counselors are needed more today then ever. I am committed to working with Ramey County Sheriff Officers to protect all citizens and support the need for more mental health crisis counselors.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
In 2022 the council reviewed the Met Council’s affordable housing study. At that time, approximately 40% of the houses in Arden Hills were already considered affordable. Arden Hills had 3,277 housing units, 1,298 of which fell within the category of “Affordable Housing” as per Met Council’s definition - housing that is affordable to households that earn 80% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI). In 2021 80% of the AMI for a family of four was $89,400, meaning that with financial assistance, it was calculated that a family in such a situation could afford a house worth up to $355,600.
Affordable housing can occur naturally based on a number of factors. But new affordable housing is generally paid for with public subsidies and /or tax breaks provided by Federal, State or Local governments, which can result in increases in our property taxes for local taxpayers.
Housing units that are affordable at 30% of AMI or under are considered “deeply affordable”. An easy way to understand the context of affordable housing is by looking at neighboring cities. You may not know that 15% of Arden Hills total housing units are considered “deeply affordable” to households with incomes that are 30% of the AMI. At that time (2021), in comparison, 4% of St. Anthony’s housing stock were also considered “deeply affordable”, 6% of Shoreview, 8% of Vadnais Heights, 8% of Roseville, 10% of New Brighten, 19% of Mounds View and 22% of Little Canada.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
I voted for a 10-year maintenance and repair plan to ensure smart spending on current roads and planning for future traffic increases, especially in the TCAAP area.
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?
Even as appreciative as I am of the Federal relief dollars, I don’t see the city taking the lead to replenish funds as they run out.
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?
I believe in local control – allowing citizens to control many of these issues.