Heidi Hughes
Name: Heidi Hughes
Public Office Sought: White Bear Lake City Council Ward 2
Campaign Phone: 651-402-9380
Campaign Website:
Twitter Handle:
Facebook: Heidi Hughes for City Council
Candidate Bio
Born in California, raised outside Seattle, I moved to Washington, DC, after graduating from the University of Washington to embark on a career in policy. I worked for campaign organizations, advocacy groups, and enjoyed working tax and social services issues for my representative in the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn, while Dunn served on Ways and Means. It was there that I was able to work for my friends and neighbors from home, representing their needs, and learning the importance of solid communication between voters and elected members.
My husband, Matt, and I moved to White Bear Lake in 2009, after buying our home near downtown. I am a stay-at-home mom with a part time job in sales; Matt is a consultant. We have four children, ages 6-12, who attend Frassati Catholic Academy, where I also serve on the School Advisory Council. We are parishioners at St. Mary of the Lake.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
This is such a beautiful and friendly area. We have felt so welcome and love raising our family here. I want to be part of preserving that neighborhood feel, while recognizing the growth and the attraction of the city. It’s important everyone in the city feels heard, especially those in Ward 2, near downtown, the lake and the new high school. Finally, with the life changes created by Covid-19, I want to work to ensure the stewardship of our city dollars, making sure to help those most vulnerable, accessing state and federal grants and programs to keep down our spending, while keeping a strong eye on the future in case of continued financial hardships.
How would you characterize the business climate in White Bear Lake and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
We enjoy living and raising our kids in White Bear Lake, intentionally moving here to enjoy the walkability, small town feel, and vibrant downtown. There is a close and active business community, working together for things like Manitou Days and Marketfest during the summer and holidays, creating a warm, welcoming retail environment.
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, White Bear Lake?
The City and the downtown businesses work together to create fun community events which increase traffic for the downtown. The City should continue this relationship, and I look forward to listening to new ideas for new businesses. The retail corridor is important to the small town community feel.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in White Bear Lake (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 White Bear Lake and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I don’t have any plans to micro manage the way businesses should operate. Small business is a lynch pin of our community and I think there are plenty of state and federal laws that keep bad operators in check. I don’t believe we need an additional tier of regulations.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
The City has a 2040 plan which is changed and addressed every few years with conversations with many stakeholders in the community. I think that growth and planning should follow along the lines of the plan.
I think the City of White Bear police department is top notch and I look forward to working with them to ensure their continued excellent operation.
The Rush Line transit proposal is a federal government cash grab, and comes with all the strings attached that one should expect – including the destruction of our small town community feel and increased spending waste. Nevertheless, mass transit is important, to get people from our community to downtown St. Paul or Minneapolis, and other areas in the greater area. The Rush Line won’t do that, but the money Ramsey County will tax from its citizens could be used to increase circulators to both the Vadnais Heights park and ride and the Maplewood park and ride. Rush Line money, because it is federal, is prohibited from doing that.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
The City needs to be selective and strategic as we move forward through Covid-19. We have spent many resources, and will continue to need to support our top priorities. We need to be prepared for a smaller tax base and take care to save and prioritize for that future.
What will you do to expand White Bear Lake’s tax base?
I believe an open economy, free from over regulation and red tape, ensures a thriving community, both for our residents and our businesses.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Our city has a relationship with Century College and a close partnership with the White Bear Area Schools. I look forward to watching the work created by the school bond passed in 2019.
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?
White Bear Lake is a great city, having started as a lake vacation community for St. Paulites coming by train. This is a well-established community that has been thriving for decades.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in White Bear Lake?
The City is working with Many Faces, the school district and others to hold open meetings to reach out to everyone in our community. No one should feel marginalized or unequal. Nevertheless, I don’t want to be elected to City Council because I’m a woman, but because I’m the better candidate.
What further policies can White Bear Lake adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
The City should continue to look to the state and federal programs that are already available and ensure the citizens of White Bear are aware of opportunities and help. In addition, we should follow other city’s best practices and learn from others who are working to do the same thing. We can all learn from each other.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Public Office Sought: White Bear Lake City Council Ward 2
Campaign Phone: 651-402-9380
Campaign Website:
Twitter Handle:
Facebook: Heidi Hughes for City Council
Candidate Bio
Born in California, raised outside Seattle, I moved to Washington, DC, after graduating from the University of Washington to embark on a career in policy. I worked for campaign organizations, advocacy groups, and enjoyed working tax and social services issues for my representative in the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn, while Dunn served on Ways and Means. It was there that I was able to work for my friends and neighbors from home, representing their needs, and learning the importance of solid communication between voters and elected members.
My husband, Matt, and I moved to White Bear Lake in 2009, after buying our home near downtown. I am a stay-at-home mom with a part time job in sales; Matt is a consultant. We have four children, ages 6-12, who attend Frassati Catholic Academy, where I also serve on the School Advisory Council. We are parishioners at St. Mary of the Lake.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
This is such a beautiful and friendly area. We have felt so welcome and love raising our family here. I want to be part of preserving that neighborhood feel, while recognizing the growth and the attraction of the city. It’s important everyone in the city feels heard, especially those in Ward 2, near downtown, the lake and the new high school. Finally, with the life changes created by Covid-19, I want to work to ensure the stewardship of our city dollars, making sure to help those most vulnerable, accessing state and federal grants and programs to keep down our spending, while keeping a strong eye on the future in case of continued financial hardships.
How would you characterize the business climate in White Bear Lake and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
We enjoy living and raising our kids in White Bear Lake, intentionally moving here to enjoy the walkability, small town feel, and vibrant downtown. There is a close and active business community, working together for things like Manitou Days and Marketfest during the summer and holidays, creating a warm, welcoming retail environment.
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, White Bear Lake?
The City and the downtown businesses work together to create fun community events which increase traffic for the downtown. The City should continue this relationship, and I look forward to listening to new ideas for new businesses. The retail corridor is important to the small town community feel.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in White Bear Lake (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 White Bear Lake and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
I don’t have any plans to micro manage the way businesses should operate. Small business is a lynch pin of our community and I think there are plenty of state and federal laws that keep bad operators in check. I don’t believe we need an additional tier of regulations.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
The City has a 2040 plan which is changed and addressed every few years with conversations with many stakeholders in the community. I think that growth and planning should follow along the lines of the plan.
I think the City of White Bear police department is top notch and I look forward to working with them to ensure their continued excellent operation.
The Rush Line transit proposal is a federal government cash grab, and comes with all the strings attached that one should expect – including the destruction of our small town community feel and increased spending waste. Nevertheless, mass transit is important, to get people from our community to downtown St. Paul or Minneapolis, and other areas in the greater area. The Rush Line won’t do that, but the money Ramsey County will tax from its citizens could be used to increase circulators to both the Vadnais Heights park and ride and the Maplewood park and ride. Rush Line money, because it is federal, is prohibited from doing that.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
The City needs to be selective and strategic as we move forward through Covid-19. We have spent many resources, and will continue to need to support our top priorities. We need to be prepared for a smaller tax base and take care to save and prioritize for that future.
What will you do to expand White Bear Lake’s tax base?
I believe an open economy, free from over regulation and red tape, ensures a thriving community, both for our residents and our businesses.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
Our city has a relationship with Century College and a close partnership with the White Bear Area Schools. I look forward to watching the work created by the school bond passed in 2019.
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?
White Bear Lake is a great city, having started as a lake vacation community for St. Paulites coming by train. This is a well-established community that has been thriving for decades.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in White Bear Lake?
The City is working with Many Faces, the school district and others to hold open meetings to reach out to everyone in our community. No one should feel marginalized or unequal. Nevertheless, I don’t want to be elected to City Council because I’m a woman, but because I’m the better candidate.
What further policies can White Bear Lake adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
The City should continue to look to the state and federal programs that are already available and ensure the citizens of White Bear are aware of opportunities and help. In addition, we should follow other city’s best practices and learn from others who are working to do the same thing. We can all learn from each other.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?