Jimmy Francis
Name: Jimmy Francis
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-321-8348
Campaign Website: www.ilovessp.com
Twitter handle: N/A
Facebook Page: Jimmy Francis for Mayor https://www.facebook.com/share/p/ZwDc1pocZisdBg4b/
Candidate Bio
I am honored to have served as Mayor of South St. Paul since 2016, leading with a proactive, collaborative and supportive approach that has brought significant achievements to our community. Born and raised here, public service for South St. Paul is a family tradition: my great-grandfather was Mayor in 1906, my grandmother served as city treasurer for 25 years, my father is on the civil service commission, and my brother serves in the Police Reserves.
During my tenure, we have successfully expanded the tax base through strategic new developments, fostering growth and prosperity. I am particularly proud of overseeing the complete reconstruction of Concord Street, a $31.5 million project that was fully funded and completed under budget and on time. This initiative not only enhanced our infrastructure and improved connectivity and safety for residents.
As a lifelong resident deeply committed to South St. Paul, my focus remains on upholding the council's vision, ensuring project continuity, and enhancing our community's quality of life. I am dedicated to building on our progress, addressing challenges with foresight, and creating a thriving environment for everyone.
"Forward with Francis," driven by a passion to serve and strengthen our South St. Paul community.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
As a servant leader, I believe the success we have had under my leadership is based on mutual respect for City Staff and our role as elected. It’s important to understand how a Home Rule Charter framework guides decision making in service of the city operations. With my help we have elevated the council mindset to stay up at 50,000 feet looking out 10-20 years and we leave the day-to-day operations to the City Administrator & experienced staff. Because of this, we have been effective in growing our tax base AND encouraging development while retaining dedicated staff who are the experts in city operation. (This is the best for South St. Paul and will help retain and recruit present and future staffing.)
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
Our top three priorities in South St. Paul are clear:
1. Continue Effective and Functional Government
2. Water Protection and Infrastructure Resilience
3. Economic Development
While priorities vary among cities, South St. Paul collaborates closely with our Federal, State, and County partners to steward funds effectively. We have a strong tradition of functional government, and I am committed to maintaining and enhancing our effectiveness in all areas of governance.
Water protection is a critical concern for South St. Paul, particularly regarding our own aquifer threatened by Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).For the past year, I actively participate on the Pigs Eye Landfill Task Force to ensure our city, located downstream from this landfill, has a voice in finding solutions to prevent contamination of our vital water resources in addition to building out our water treatment plant already in progress..
Economic development is key to relieving our residents of a disproportionately high tax burden. South St. Paul, being Special School District #6 where city and school boundaries align, places a significant tax load on households. By fostering development in areas like the new Industrial II Zone (south of 494) and the mixed use efforts in the Hardman Triangle (north of Grand Ave.), we aim to balance this burden with sustainable business growth.
Looking ahead to our 2025 Budget, I have urged city staff to exercise fiscal conservatism and strengthen our infrastructure fund. This proactive approach prepares us to navigate economic uncertainties, ensuring South St. Paul remains self-sufficient even in challenging economic climates.
South St. Paul is poised and prepared for new developments, leveraging our strategic positioning to seize opportunities for sustainable growth.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in South St. Paul?
South St. Paul faces multiple challenges across various departments, including aging infrastructure, compliance with federal water quality standards, the increasing concern of fentanyl abuse, and future staffing needs in all departments. Budget allocation is a significant aspect of these challenges due to their critical importance. Despite these obstacles, we are actively adapting strategies to effectively address each issue. We have included Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget line items to ensure these important issues remain a priority in our budget planning.
Our primary opportunity lies in redevelopment and economic development efforts aimed at attracting new businesses to our city. As a pro-business mayor in office, I remain committed to executing the strategic plan established during 2015-2016 and maintain an optimistic outlook, believing that brighter days are ahead. Increased revenue from economic opportunities will enable us to better support our community's needs and successfully overcome existing challenges.
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?
I strongly believe in reducing government barriers wherever feasible. Through firsthand experience, I've witnessed the benefits of collaborating with the business community, particularly in addressing various challenges and streamlining processes within our business district. A notable success in South St. Paul has been the development of the Yards and Backyards apartments. This collaboration not only attracted a top-notch developer but also achieved remarkable outcomes. We introduced housing options that were previously unavailable, blending modern designs with historic elements to enhance curb appeal and benefit our residents. This development added roughly $60 million in tax valuation and provided new, contemporary apartments for current residents looking to downsize, while also welcoming newcomers to our vibrant city.
Personally, I prioritize maintaining positive relationships with our State and Federal leaders, underscoring our city's pro-business stance and commitment to fostering a forward-thinking community in South St. Paul.
How would you characterize the business climate in South St. Paul and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in South St. Paul?
Over the past 8 years, I have witnessed significant progress in strengthening South St. Paul's relationships with our business community. As a proactive city council, we play a crucial role in supporting our staff to make sound decisions that benefit our community. Ensuring business retention is essential, and part of this involves fostering collaboration rather than creating unnecessary hurdles or burdensome taxes. By engaging in constructive dialogues with business owners about their plans for their land, businesses, and investments, we can facilitate mutually beneficial outcomes.
It's important to recognize that government isn't always infallible, and businesses aren't solely profit-driven entities. Business owners are integral members of our community who take risks, employ our residents, and contribute to various local funding sources. Educating our council about the importance of creating a pro-business environment has been a priority for me. I strive to demonstrate to business owners that my decisions are guided solely by what benefits South St. Paul, encouraging them to maintain good-paying jobs here and reinvest in their facilities. This approach fosters a climate of continued economic growth and prosperity for our city.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Addressing public safety challenges in South St. Paul requires a comprehensive approach. Our police department stands out as a model due to the strong relationships they've cultivated within our community and their respected reputation among peer agencies. Supporting our police chief and his team is paramount. I have consistently advocated for providing them with necessary resources, such as the camera trailers for crime prevention and initiatives like K9 Riley, our therapy dog, ensuring they are equipped not only to combat crime but also to support each other and protect our community.
I am committed to collaborating with our judicial system and partners to address recidivism and advocate for fair treatment in sentencing. Working closely with our schools and School Resource Officers, I will continue to prioritize youth engagement initiatives. Additionally, I will actively seek adequate county funding to support mental health services, recognizing its critical role in crime prevention.
My approach is clear: support those who need assistance, empower our police department with the tools they need, and ensure they know they have unwavering support. Together, we can strengthen public safety and build a safer community for all residents of South St. Paul and our neighboring cities and partners.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
South St. Paul has maintained its reputation as an affordable community with the highest concentration of low-income and subsidized housing in the county. We consistently meet or exceed affordability standards, including naturally occurring affordable housing. While neighboring West St. Paul has seen rapid growth with over 1,000 new units added in the past four years, our approach in South St. Paul has been more measured.
We prioritize understanding how housing developments impact our infrastructure, such as roads and water/sewer systems, ensuring that growth aligns with our city's capacity to sustain it. One area where we aim to improve is in offering diverse housing options like townhomes and condominiums. Efforts are underway to attract developers interested in constructing these types of housing.
Under my leadership in Housing and Redevelopment Authority , we've initiated programs to assist homeowners in maintaining their homes for longer occupancy and to aid seniors in transitioning to alternative living arrangements such as apartments or county-run facilities. These initiatives underscore our commitment to thoughtful urban planning and sustainable growth.
Housing has been a focal point of our community development efforts, reflecting our commitment to smart growth in South St. Paul.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
Our community transportation has fully developed system, so our primary opportunities arise during road redesigns. An example is Concord Street, where we strategically incorporated sidewalks and bike lanes to enhance connectivity and safety with our trail system. Leveraging grants such as "safe routes to school" allows us to expand this network, particularly around educational institutions. One area where cities, including ours, could benefit from support from the Met Council is in improving last-mile connections for transportation. Enhancing options that facilitate the final leg of a journey to homes or workplaces would greatly enhance mobility for residents of all ages and abilities. This initiative aims to improve accessibility across our community.
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?
From the outset, our intention was to allocate these funds towards enhancing public safety. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we relied heavily on our first responders, and as circumstances evolved, it became clear that our decision was crucial for South St. Paul. These funds were specifically designated for municipalities to support COVID-19 relief efforts as needed.
Our meticulous planning and fiscal responsibility have been validated. We managed our city's finances effectively, ensuring that these funds did not unintentionally burden our general fund. Instead, we prioritized public safety initiatives, benefiting the entire community of South St. Paul.
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?
It is not within our city charter to regulate private business practices and wage policies. Local control is essential because each city has its own unique characteristics and needs. Our policies should primarily concentrate on areas that government traditionally oversees, such as public safety, infrastructure, and building codes.
When government extends beyond its intended scope ("mission creep"), especially into matters like income regulation, it can lead to significant division. South St. Paul has historically been a union town with a commitment to fair wages, a tradition that has remained consistent over the past three decades.
Our city faces high property taxes due to our strong support for our Special School District #6 we have in South St Paul that makes us unique. Therefore, increasing property taxes to adjust wages is not a favorable option for our citizens. What is appealing, however, is ensuring our local government focuses on reducing the tax burden by attracting new developments and businesses. By staying within our lane, we can effectively concentrate on our responsibilities as a city. Allowing the market to dictate rideshare rates through private business competition so it can better serve our citizens' needs.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-321-8348
Campaign Website: www.ilovessp.com
Twitter handle: N/A
Facebook Page: Jimmy Francis for Mayor https://www.facebook.com/share/p/ZwDc1pocZisdBg4b/
Candidate Bio
I am honored to have served as Mayor of South St. Paul since 2016, leading with a proactive, collaborative and supportive approach that has brought significant achievements to our community. Born and raised here, public service for South St. Paul is a family tradition: my great-grandfather was Mayor in 1906, my grandmother served as city treasurer for 25 years, my father is on the civil service commission, and my brother serves in the Police Reserves.
During my tenure, we have successfully expanded the tax base through strategic new developments, fostering growth and prosperity. I am particularly proud of overseeing the complete reconstruction of Concord Street, a $31.5 million project that was fully funded and completed under budget and on time. This initiative not only enhanced our infrastructure and improved connectivity and safety for residents.
As a lifelong resident deeply committed to South St. Paul, my focus remains on upholding the council's vision, ensuring project continuity, and enhancing our community's quality of life. I am dedicated to building on our progress, addressing challenges with foresight, and creating a thriving environment for everyone.
"Forward with Francis," driven by a passion to serve and strengthen our South St. Paul community.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
As a servant leader, I believe the success we have had under my leadership is based on mutual respect for City Staff and our role as elected. It’s important to understand how a Home Rule Charter framework guides decision making in service of the city operations. With my help we have elevated the council mindset to stay up at 50,000 feet looking out 10-20 years and we leave the day-to-day operations to the City Administrator & experienced staff. Because of this, we have been effective in growing our tax base AND encouraging development while retaining dedicated staff who are the experts in city operation. (This is the best for South St. Paul and will help retain and recruit present and future staffing.)
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
Our top three priorities in South St. Paul are clear:
1. Continue Effective and Functional Government
2. Water Protection and Infrastructure Resilience
3. Economic Development
While priorities vary among cities, South St. Paul collaborates closely with our Federal, State, and County partners to steward funds effectively. We have a strong tradition of functional government, and I am committed to maintaining and enhancing our effectiveness in all areas of governance.
Water protection is a critical concern for South St. Paul, particularly regarding our own aquifer threatened by Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).For the past year, I actively participate on the Pigs Eye Landfill Task Force to ensure our city, located downstream from this landfill, has a voice in finding solutions to prevent contamination of our vital water resources in addition to building out our water treatment plant already in progress..
Economic development is key to relieving our residents of a disproportionately high tax burden. South St. Paul, being Special School District #6 where city and school boundaries align, places a significant tax load on households. By fostering development in areas like the new Industrial II Zone (south of 494) and the mixed use efforts in the Hardman Triangle (north of Grand Ave.), we aim to balance this burden with sustainable business growth.
Looking ahead to our 2025 Budget, I have urged city staff to exercise fiscal conservatism and strengthen our infrastructure fund. This proactive approach prepares us to navigate economic uncertainties, ensuring South St. Paul remains self-sufficient even in challenging economic climates.
South St. Paul is poised and prepared for new developments, leveraging our strategic positioning to seize opportunities for sustainable growth.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in South St. Paul?
South St. Paul faces multiple challenges across various departments, including aging infrastructure, compliance with federal water quality standards, the increasing concern of fentanyl abuse, and future staffing needs in all departments. Budget allocation is a significant aspect of these challenges due to their critical importance. Despite these obstacles, we are actively adapting strategies to effectively address each issue. We have included Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget line items to ensure these important issues remain a priority in our budget planning.
Our primary opportunity lies in redevelopment and economic development efforts aimed at attracting new businesses to our city. As a pro-business mayor in office, I remain committed to executing the strategic plan established during 2015-2016 and maintain an optimistic outlook, believing that brighter days are ahead. Increased revenue from economic opportunities will enable us to better support our community's needs and successfully overcome existing challenges.
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?
I strongly believe in reducing government barriers wherever feasible. Through firsthand experience, I've witnessed the benefits of collaborating with the business community, particularly in addressing various challenges and streamlining processes within our business district. A notable success in South St. Paul has been the development of the Yards and Backyards apartments. This collaboration not only attracted a top-notch developer but also achieved remarkable outcomes. We introduced housing options that were previously unavailable, blending modern designs with historic elements to enhance curb appeal and benefit our residents. This development added roughly $60 million in tax valuation and provided new, contemporary apartments for current residents looking to downsize, while also welcoming newcomers to our vibrant city.
Personally, I prioritize maintaining positive relationships with our State and Federal leaders, underscoring our city's pro-business stance and commitment to fostering a forward-thinking community in South St. Paul.
How would you characterize the business climate in South St. Paul and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in South St. Paul?
Over the past 8 years, I have witnessed significant progress in strengthening South St. Paul's relationships with our business community. As a proactive city council, we play a crucial role in supporting our staff to make sound decisions that benefit our community. Ensuring business retention is essential, and part of this involves fostering collaboration rather than creating unnecessary hurdles or burdensome taxes. By engaging in constructive dialogues with business owners about their plans for their land, businesses, and investments, we can facilitate mutually beneficial outcomes.
It's important to recognize that government isn't always infallible, and businesses aren't solely profit-driven entities. Business owners are integral members of our community who take risks, employ our residents, and contribute to various local funding sources. Educating our council about the importance of creating a pro-business environment has been a priority for me. I strive to demonstrate to business owners that my decisions are guided solely by what benefits South St. Paul, encouraging them to maintain good-paying jobs here and reinvest in their facilities. This approach fosters a climate of continued economic growth and prosperity for our city.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Addressing public safety challenges in South St. Paul requires a comprehensive approach. Our police department stands out as a model due to the strong relationships they've cultivated within our community and their respected reputation among peer agencies. Supporting our police chief and his team is paramount. I have consistently advocated for providing them with necessary resources, such as the camera trailers for crime prevention and initiatives like K9 Riley, our therapy dog, ensuring they are equipped not only to combat crime but also to support each other and protect our community.
I am committed to collaborating with our judicial system and partners to address recidivism and advocate for fair treatment in sentencing. Working closely with our schools and School Resource Officers, I will continue to prioritize youth engagement initiatives. Additionally, I will actively seek adequate county funding to support mental health services, recognizing its critical role in crime prevention.
My approach is clear: support those who need assistance, empower our police department with the tools they need, and ensure they know they have unwavering support. Together, we can strengthen public safety and build a safer community for all residents of South St. Paul and our neighboring cities and partners.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
South St. Paul has maintained its reputation as an affordable community with the highest concentration of low-income and subsidized housing in the county. We consistently meet or exceed affordability standards, including naturally occurring affordable housing. While neighboring West St. Paul has seen rapid growth with over 1,000 new units added in the past four years, our approach in South St. Paul has been more measured.
We prioritize understanding how housing developments impact our infrastructure, such as roads and water/sewer systems, ensuring that growth aligns with our city's capacity to sustain it. One area where we aim to improve is in offering diverse housing options like townhomes and condominiums. Efforts are underway to attract developers interested in constructing these types of housing.
Under my leadership in Housing and Redevelopment Authority , we've initiated programs to assist homeowners in maintaining their homes for longer occupancy and to aid seniors in transitioning to alternative living arrangements such as apartments or county-run facilities. These initiatives underscore our commitment to thoughtful urban planning and sustainable growth.
Housing has been a focal point of our community development efforts, reflecting our commitment to smart growth in South St. Paul.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
Our community transportation has fully developed system, so our primary opportunities arise during road redesigns. An example is Concord Street, where we strategically incorporated sidewalks and bike lanes to enhance connectivity and safety with our trail system. Leveraging grants such as "safe routes to school" allows us to expand this network, particularly around educational institutions. One area where cities, including ours, could benefit from support from the Met Council is in improving last-mile connections for transportation. Enhancing options that facilitate the final leg of a journey to homes or workplaces would greatly enhance mobility for residents of all ages and abilities. This initiative aims to improve accessibility across our community.
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?
From the outset, our intention was to allocate these funds towards enhancing public safety. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we relied heavily on our first responders, and as circumstances evolved, it became clear that our decision was crucial for South St. Paul. These funds were specifically designated for municipalities to support COVID-19 relief efforts as needed.
Our meticulous planning and fiscal responsibility have been validated. We managed our city's finances effectively, ensuring that these funds did not unintentionally burden our general fund. Instead, we prioritized public safety initiatives, benefiting the entire community of South St. Paul.
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?
It is not within our city charter to regulate private business practices and wage policies. Local control is essential because each city has its own unique characteristics and needs. Our policies should primarily concentrate on areas that government traditionally oversees, such as public safety, infrastructure, and building codes.
When government extends beyond its intended scope ("mission creep"), especially into matters like income regulation, it can lead to significant division. South St. Paul has historically been a union town with a commitment to fair wages, a tradition that has remained consistent over the past three decades.
Our city faces high property taxes due to our strong support for our Special School District #6 we have in South St Paul that makes us unique. Therefore, increasing property taxes to adjust wages is not a favorable option for our citizens. What is appealing, however, is ensuring our local government focuses on reducing the tax burden by attracting new developments and businesses. By staying within our lane, we can effectively concentrate on our responsibilities as a city. Allowing the market to dictate rideshare rates through private business competition so it can better serve our citizens' needs.