Jake Cordes
Name: Jake Cordes
Public Office Sought: Minnesota Senate District 58
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651.249.8653
Campaign Website: www.jakecordes.com
Twitter handle: @jakecordesmn
Facebook Page: Jake Cordes for State Senate
Candidate Bio
I’ve been a lifelong resident of Farmington. My fiancé and I are going to start a family here, so I want to see our community and our state thrive. I’ve worked for businesses large and small in roles ranging from sales, project management, marketing, and business development. In 2012, I was elected to the Farmington Area School Board. For 8 years I focused on keeping our students safe, making sure parents were partners in education, and making strategic decisions to save taxpayers over $50 million dollars in future property taxes.
In addition to this work on the school board, I have served on the boards of several different local organizations including the Farmington Area Education Foundation, Dew Days Community Celebration Board, Tiger Fan Club, and the Farmington Economic Development Authority.
In 2012 I received my BA in Leadership and Management from the University of St. Thomas.
I want to use the skills I’ve honed over the last decade of private and public sector experience to make sure Minnesota is once again a powerhouse in economic development, a top tier state for education, and a place where everyone can feel safe in their communities.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
My top priorities if elected would be: 1.) to create a strong Minnesota economy through tax relief for families and small businesses, 2.) work with police and peace officers to make sure all communities in our State are safe communities, and 3.) make sure all MN students have access to a top tier education by eliminating unfunded mandates and getting back to teaching the basics so our students can succeed
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?
I would say the business climate is thriving and poised for more growth. The businesses in the East Metro communities provide high quality jobs and allow employees to support families so these families can live and thrive in the area and help us continue to grow.
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?
I think the biggest thing the State can do is get out of the way. We need to stop over-regulating businesses so they have the opportunity to succeed. If we are able to streamline the regulatory process and allow businesses to operate and grow in our state, Minnesota can once again be an engine for business growth in our state and world.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address our state’s critical labor shortage?
First, we should be reminding our high school seniors that vocational careers are important and needed in our world today. And we should be encouraging schools to offer courses that teach the basics of these careers. Our society has done a great injustice to a generation in not highlighting these vocational careers as legitimate options for a long term and successful career.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of a proposal on the many types of businesses in the East Metro and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
The most important thing I could do if elected is listen. I would listen to the men and women who own businesses in our area to understand how any new policy proposal would impact their day-to-day operations and the livelihoods of their employees. I would not vote in the affirmative if a new policy, mandate, or tax would negatively impact a business or the state’s business climate.
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you use to address public safety issues?
We need to defend the police. They are under increased scrutiny and facing more and more challenges. We also need to make sure that law is being enforced fairly, we do not need prosecutors and judges turning a blind eye to low level offenses, because when low level offenses are ignored, criminals become emboldened to commit more serious offenses.
What strategies or policies would you use to address transportation issues? Have your strategies or views changed on transportation since we’ve seen shifts in road use, public transportation use, work from home models, etc. due to the pandemic?
There has obviously been an increase in hybrid work from home models and this has directly impacted transit usage throughout the Metro. But Minnesotans continue to rely on safe roads and bridges to get to work or have our goods transported. Because of that I believe we need to focus transportation funding on maintaining and expanding our roads and bridges. And for those Minnesotans who do rely on mass transit options, we should be funding the most cost efficient and flexible options, buses, and not light rail systems.
What strategies or policies would you use to address housing issues?
There is an incredibly low inventory of affordable houses in Minnesota. I believe we need to remedy that issue by reevaluating regulations surrounding new housing so more new houses can be built and we need to work to lower property taxes. Both of these things will assist in making single-family houses affordable for more families in Minnesota.
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?
Over the last few years we have witnessed far too many wasteful scandals occurring in Minnesota. The latest, the Feeding our Future scandal, saw tens of millions of dollars wasted on real estate purchases, automobiles, and other items…but not feeding children. We need to utilize the Legislative Auditor’s office to provide oversight and identify and stop these sorts of scandals. We also need to work to identify waste and duplicative programs in State agencies. If we can work to streamline government operations we will be able to cut unnecessary spending and restore trust in government. An ineffective government wastes billions, and we can fix that if we are willing to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
What will you do to expand your district’s tax base?
I think the biggest thing a State Senator can do to assist in expanding my District’s tax base would be to work to direct state bonding dollars towards infrastructure projects that expand infrastructure throughout the District. This will create local jobs but will also allow for new businesses and employees to access District 58. I will also work with the cities in my District on ways we can promote ourselves to potential new businesses who may want to locate here.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce, and address the achievement gap?
The first thing we need to do is make sure Districts focus on teaching the basics of reading, math, and science which will prepare our students for post-high school success. It is imperative that our students are career or college ready, and to do that we need to partner with post secondary institutions, and employers to make sure educational expectations in K-12 and post-secondary settings are aligned with employer expectations
What is the role of the State in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses?
As mentioned before, I think the role of the state is to step back and let the business community grow without overbearing them with new regulations. If the business community as a whole is able to grow, minority- and women-owned businesses will grow along with the whole community. We should also be directing potential new business owners to existing state and local programs, like the Open to Business program in Dakota County, who has the purpose of assisting existing or potential business owners to grow or open their doors.
What further policies can the State of Minnesota adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I believe the most important thing the State can do to help the business community recover is to stop enacting new regulations and continue to ease the existing regulations. Businesses are only looking for an opportunity to succeed and help our state grow, and these regulations are choking their ability to expand.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
From an early age, I was taught the importance of community service and that it is our responsibility to work to make our community, state, and nation a better place for future generations. Serving as a State Senator would be a unique opportunity to do that work and make Minnesota a better place. I look forward to serving and working to get Minnesota back on track.
Public Office Sought: Minnesota Senate District 58
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651.249.8653
Campaign Website: www.jakecordes.com
Twitter handle: @jakecordesmn
Facebook Page: Jake Cordes for State Senate
Candidate Bio
I’ve been a lifelong resident of Farmington. My fiancé and I are going to start a family here, so I want to see our community and our state thrive. I’ve worked for businesses large and small in roles ranging from sales, project management, marketing, and business development. In 2012, I was elected to the Farmington Area School Board. For 8 years I focused on keeping our students safe, making sure parents were partners in education, and making strategic decisions to save taxpayers over $50 million dollars in future property taxes.
In addition to this work on the school board, I have served on the boards of several different local organizations including the Farmington Area Education Foundation, Dew Days Community Celebration Board, Tiger Fan Club, and the Farmington Economic Development Authority.
In 2012 I received my BA in Leadership and Management from the University of St. Thomas.
I want to use the skills I’ve honed over the last decade of private and public sector experience to make sure Minnesota is once again a powerhouse in economic development, a top tier state for education, and a place where everyone can feel safe in their communities.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
My top priorities if elected would be: 1.) to create a strong Minnesota economy through tax relief for families and small businesses, 2.) work with police and peace officers to make sure all communities in our State are safe communities, and 3.) make sure all MN students have access to a top tier education by eliminating unfunded mandates and getting back to teaching the basics so our students can succeed
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?
I would say the business climate is thriving and poised for more growth. The businesses in the East Metro communities provide high quality jobs and allow employees to support families so these families can live and thrive in the area and help us continue to grow.
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?
I think the biggest thing the State can do is get out of the way. We need to stop over-regulating businesses so they have the opportunity to succeed. If we are able to streamline the regulatory process and allow businesses to operate and grow in our state, Minnesota can once again be an engine for business growth in our state and world.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address our state’s critical labor shortage?
First, we should be reminding our high school seniors that vocational careers are important and needed in our world today. And we should be encouraging schools to offer courses that teach the basics of these careers. Our society has done a great injustice to a generation in not highlighting these vocational careers as legitimate options for a long term and successful career.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of a proposal on the many types of businesses in the East Metro and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
The most important thing I could do if elected is listen. I would listen to the men and women who own businesses in our area to understand how any new policy proposal would impact their day-to-day operations and the livelihoods of their employees. I would not vote in the affirmative if a new policy, mandate, or tax would negatively impact a business or the state’s business climate.
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you use to address public safety issues?
We need to defend the police. They are under increased scrutiny and facing more and more challenges. We also need to make sure that law is being enforced fairly, we do not need prosecutors and judges turning a blind eye to low level offenses, because when low level offenses are ignored, criminals become emboldened to commit more serious offenses.
What strategies or policies would you use to address transportation issues? Have your strategies or views changed on transportation since we’ve seen shifts in road use, public transportation use, work from home models, etc. due to the pandemic?
There has obviously been an increase in hybrid work from home models and this has directly impacted transit usage throughout the Metro. But Minnesotans continue to rely on safe roads and bridges to get to work or have our goods transported. Because of that I believe we need to focus transportation funding on maintaining and expanding our roads and bridges. And for those Minnesotans who do rely on mass transit options, we should be funding the most cost efficient and flexible options, buses, and not light rail systems.
What strategies or policies would you use to address housing issues?
There is an incredibly low inventory of affordable houses in Minnesota. I believe we need to remedy that issue by reevaluating regulations surrounding new housing so more new houses can be built and we need to work to lower property taxes. Both of these things will assist in making single-family houses affordable for more families in Minnesota.
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?
Over the last few years we have witnessed far too many wasteful scandals occurring in Minnesota. The latest, the Feeding our Future scandal, saw tens of millions of dollars wasted on real estate purchases, automobiles, and other items…but not feeding children. We need to utilize the Legislative Auditor’s office to provide oversight and identify and stop these sorts of scandals. We also need to work to identify waste and duplicative programs in State agencies. If we can work to streamline government operations we will be able to cut unnecessary spending and restore trust in government. An ineffective government wastes billions, and we can fix that if we are willing to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
What will you do to expand your district’s tax base?
I think the biggest thing a State Senator can do to assist in expanding my District’s tax base would be to work to direct state bonding dollars towards infrastructure projects that expand infrastructure throughout the District. This will create local jobs but will also allow for new businesses and employees to access District 58. I will also work with the cities in my District on ways we can promote ourselves to potential new businesses who may want to locate here.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce, and address the achievement gap?
The first thing we need to do is make sure Districts focus on teaching the basics of reading, math, and science which will prepare our students for post-high school success. It is imperative that our students are career or college ready, and to do that we need to partner with post secondary institutions, and employers to make sure educational expectations in K-12 and post-secondary settings are aligned with employer expectations
What is the role of the State in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses?
As mentioned before, I think the role of the state is to step back and let the business community grow without overbearing them with new regulations. If the business community as a whole is able to grow, minority- and women-owned businesses will grow along with the whole community. We should also be directing potential new business owners to existing state and local programs, like the Open to Business program in Dakota County, who has the purpose of assisting existing or potential business owners to grow or open their doors.
What further policies can the State of Minnesota adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I believe the most important thing the State can do to help the business community recover is to stop enacting new regulations and continue to ease the existing regulations. Businesses are only looking for an opportunity to succeed and help our state grow, and these regulations are choking their ability to expand.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
From an early age, I was taught the importance of community service and that it is our responsibility to work to make our community, state, and nation a better place for future generations. Serving as a State Senator would be a unique opportunity to do that work and make Minnesota a better place. I look forward to serving and working to get Minnesota back on track.