Fern A. Smith
Name: Fern A. Smith
Public Office Sought: Minnesota State House of Representatives - District 51B
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-987-7499
Campaign website: FernforHouse.org
Twitter handle: @Fern for House
Facebook page: Fern for House
Candidate Bio
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from North Central University. I earned a Master’s Degree from Crown College in Intercultural Leadership and am an ordained minister.
I worked as Medical Receptionist for 13 years before going on disability and retiring in 2013. I owned a housecleaning business for many years. I worked part-time at a group home teaching Independent Living Skills and one of my first jobs was working as an Assistant Activity Director and later as the Activity Director at a group home.
I have been involved in grass roots politics since the Reagan era attending caucus, serving as a delegate, a caucus convener and secretary. I served as an election judge in Bloomington for 10 years before moving to Lakeville and Eagan. I served as an election judge for this year’s Presidential Primary in Dakota County. Although I have not held any public office I have been in leadership roles at my church as Team Leader for Altar Prayer Ministry, Life Group Leader, Prayer Minister in the Prayer and Care Department and was on the Mission Board for six years. I served on the Resolutions Committee at Cedar Valley for the past two years and helped teach classes.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Affordable Services and Accessible Healthcare Insurance for individuals and small businesses and readily accessible healthcare for our veterans (Small businesses to have an option to pool resources to keep insurance cost down in the industry and have similar rates to corporations)
Economy – Get people back to work as soon as possible and restore Pre-Covid-19 healthy business climate.
Education - Provide quality education with appropriate standards and well-funded schools. I support school choice, voucher system and the rights of parents to know what their children are being taught. We need less government control. I support local control and parents having more input regarding their children’s education.
How would you characterize the business climate in the East Metro and what role do businesses play in supporting quality of life issues in East Metro communities?
The business climate in the East Metro is good. St Paul has a diverse business climate in various areas of St. Paul. It includes corporations, medical, small immigrant businesses and national franchises. Businesses support quality of life with restaurants and shopping within walking distance of homes and a variety of places to visit and work.
What role do you think the State should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to and retain existing businesses in the East Metro?
Work to legislate to keep taxes low while still maintaining services and quality of life that we enjoy now.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals (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 the east metro and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I am presently not supporting any specific employment-related proposals but I am open to discussion on improvements that would enhance the ability for people to have a living wage for themselves and their families. This is an employer/employee relationship that could possibly be improved but also depends on the size of the business and their revenues.
What is your strategy to address public safety, transportation, and housing issues?
Public Safety - Work with City Council to provide safe crosswalks, intersections and access to schools.
Transportation - Encourage Metro Transit to have more bus lines, work with Chamber and local businesses for transit needs and bring back to legislators for funding.
Housing - There is quite a bit of affordable house in Eagan at this time.
What are your priorities for the State’s budget? Are there any services currently provided by the State that you believe should be expanded, cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
As far as the budget goes I would look to cut areas of spending that are overlapping or wasteful.
What will you do to expand your district’s tax base?
I would work with the City Council to contact and attract more businesses to the district. Work on legislation to remove unnecessary regulations and work with the county to keep taxes low. I would also work to provide transit to the area.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
I support charter schools and school voucher system as alternative learning. I also support Vo-tech or on the job training that will help students enter a trade school, professional path or participate in an internship in college.
What is the role of the State in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses?
As an African American Woman and previous business owner we could set up a mentoring program, establish a website resource with business plan templates, sources for starting a business etc. A grant program for startup funds could be possible to encourage minority and women owned businesses.
What further policies can the State of Minnesota adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I think it prudent to open all businesses and curtail regulating. In addition to the current funding, when the MN House & Senate goes back into session they will be working on some additional COVID-19 relief.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I am a concerned citizen who desires to make life better for everyone. I want to know what your concerns are no matter what your background or affiliation. I have always been involved in grassroots politics, going to caucuses, serving as a delegate and as an election judge for many years. I show up because I want to be heard and I want to hear you. I want to know your needs and hear your perspectives. I will work hard for the people, not special interests groups to make a better life for all of us without sacrificing values, beliefs or constitutional rights.
Public Office Sought: Minnesota State House of Representatives - District 51B
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-987-7499
Campaign website: FernforHouse.org
Twitter handle: @Fern for House
Facebook page: Fern for House
Candidate Bio
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from North Central University. I earned a Master’s Degree from Crown College in Intercultural Leadership and am an ordained minister.
I worked as Medical Receptionist for 13 years before going on disability and retiring in 2013. I owned a housecleaning business for many years. I worked part-time at a group home teaching Independent Living Skills and one of my first jobs was working as an Assistant Activity Director and later as the Activity Director at a group home.
I have been involved in grass roots politics since the Reagan era attending caucus, serving as a delegate, a caucus convener and secretary. I served as an election judge in Bloomington for 10 years before moving to Lakeville and Eagan. I served as an election judge for this year’s Presidential Primary in Dakota County. Although I have not held any public office I have been in leadership roles at my church as Team Leader for Altar Prayer Ministry, Life Group Leader, Prayer Minister in the Prayer and Care Department and was on the Mission Board for six years. I served on the Resolutions Committee at Cedar Valley for the past two years and helped teach classes.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Affordable Services and Accessible Healthcare Insurance for individuals and small businesses and readily accessible healthcare for our veterans (Small businesses to have an option to pool resources to keep insurance cost down in the industry and have similar rates to corporations)
Economy – Get people back to work as soon as possible and restore Pre-Covid-19 healthy business climate.
Education - Provide quality education with appropriate standards and well-funded schools. I support school choice, voucher system and the rights of parents to know what their children are being taught. We need less government control. I support local control and parents having more input regarding their children’s education.
How would you characterize the business climate in the East Metro and what role do businesses play in supporting quality of life issues in East Metro communities?
The business climate in the East Metro is good. St Paul has a diverse business climate in various areas of St. Paul. It includes corporations, medical, small immigrant businesses and national franchises. Businesses support quality of life with restaurants and shopping within walking distance of homes and a variety of places to visit and work.
What role do you think the State should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to and retain existing businesses in the East Metro?
Work to legislate to keep taxes low while still maintaining services and quality of life that we enjoy now.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals (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 the east metro and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I am presently not supporting any specific employment-related proposals but I am open to discussion on improvements that would enhance the ability for people to have a living wage for themselves and their families. This is an employer/employee relationship that could possibly be improved but also depends on the size of the business and their revenues.
What is your strategy to address public safety, transportation, and housing issues?
Public Safety - Work with City Council to provide safe crosswalks, intersections and access to schools.
Transportation - Encourage Metro Transit to have more bus lines, work with Chamber and local businesses for transit needs and bring back to legislators for funding.
Housing - There is quite a bit of affordable house in Eagan at this time.
What are your priorities for the State’s budget? Are there any services currently provided by the State that you believe should be expanded, cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
As far as the budget goes I would look to cut areas of spending that are overlapping or wasteful.
What will you do to expand your district’s tax base?
I would work with the City Council to contact and attract more businesses to the district. Work on legislation to remove unnecessary regulations and work with the county to keep taxes low. I would also work to provide transit to the area.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
I support charter schools and school voucher system as alternative learning. I also support Vo-tech or on the job training that will help students enter a trade school, professional path or participate in an internship in college.
What is the role of the State in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses?
As an African American Woman and previous business owner we could set up a mentoring program, establish a website resource with business plan templates, sources for starting a business etc. A grant program for startup funds could be possible to encourage minority and women owned businesses.
What further policies can the State of Minnesota adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I think it prudent to open all businesses and curtail regulating. In addition to the current funding, when the MN House & Senate goes back into session they will be working on some additional COVID-19 relief.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I am a concerned citizen who desires to make life better for everyone. I want to know what your concerns are no matter what your background or affiliation. I have always been involved in grassroots politics, going to caucuses, serving as a delegate and as an election judge for many years. I show up because I want to be heard and I want to hear you. I want to know your needs and hear your perspectives. I will work hard for the people, not special interests groups to make a better life for all of us without sacrificing values, beliefs or constitutional rights.