Joe Scrocca
Name: Joe Scrocca
Public Office Sought: Vadnais Heights Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612-450-1255
Campaign Website:
Facebook Page: Joe Scrocca for Mayor: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085151980837
Candidate Bio
I am a proud husband and father of three young children, a recently retired active duty Army colonel and a combat veteran. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and am a former Assistant Professor of American Politics at the United States Military Academy at West Point. I’m a firm believer in the concept of Servant Leadership – that leaders exist to serve others. I’ve served our nation around the country and around the world for the past 28 years. Now I teach high school JROTC, the focus of which is on motivating young people to be better citizens. I teach young people about their responsibilities as citizens and the importance of integrity, respect and accountability. I want to be a role model for my children and my students by being an active member of my community and government. I have a proven record of outstanding leadership in a variety of positions of increasing responsibility and have seen how building strong teams, listening, and collaboration are the keys to success in any endeavor. I want to bring those beliefs to our city government.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
My top three priorities are ensuring public safety; delivering top-notch services, to include roads, parks, and education that provide the quality-of-life our citizens deserve; and retaining and attracting the businesses our community needs and wants.
How would you characterize the business climate in Vadnais Heights and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
A thriving business sector is key to the success of any community. It provides the jobs our citizens require, the goods and services we want, and the tax revenue our city needs to provide the quality-of-life services our citizens deserve. Our city must continue to attract businesses that provide good jobs and revenue, but also fit in with our community ideals and want to be an active part of the community.
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, Vadnais Heights?
City government plays an important role in attracting business to the community. This is one of my top priorities. It helps provide good jobs and tax revenue our city needs to provide the services our citizens want. As in all things, this requires compromise and balancing the needs of business and the needs of the city and its citizens. As mayor, I would be willing to listen to any proposal that would bring the right businesses to our community, but believe that businesses, like citizens, also have an obligation to the community and any agreements reached must be mutually beneficial.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
A good partnership between the city and the business sector would, in the short term, help with large-scale recruitment efforts. In the mid-term the city can work with local business to develop apprenticeship programs that will help transition local labor to long-term employment, and in the long-term, the city must continue to invest in itself and the services people want in order to retain talent here in Vadnais Heights.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in Vadnais Heights (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 Vadnais Heights and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
Given the variety of businesses in our city I do not believe in one-size-fits-all ordinances like these. This would only serve to drive the businesses we need out of our community into neighboring areas. Given the current labor shortage, I believe the tight labor market will ensure that the businesses that want to retain the best talent will offer the benefits employees want in order to retain them.
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you propose to address public safety issues facing your community?
Public safety is my top priority. As a husband and the father of three young children there is nothing I won’t do to protect them. As mayor, there should be nothing our city won’t do to protect our citizens. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department works hard to enforce laws and protect our community. We as citizens must do our part as well. We must strive to reinvigorate the neighborhood watch programs throughout our city so neighbors are looking out for neighbors, and acting as the eyes and ears for the police when they are not available in person.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
While the city has promoted and maintains a wide variety of housing, from single-family detached homes, to multifamily homes, to townhouses and duplexes – we must promote more investment in affordable housing to ensure our citizens do not experience cost burden brought on by the increase in housing costs coupled with overall inflation over the past few years.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address transportation issues facing your community? 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?
As the Vadnais Heights Comprehensive Plan 2024 indicates, several major roadways passing through Vadnais Heights are expected to be near or over capacity by 2040, which will increase congestion, especially during high-peak transit hours. Over the next decade improvements will be needed and the city must continue to plan and budget for these upgrades, along with improvements to transit service and the networks of sidewalks and trails.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
I don’t think anyone would have predicted the unprecedented inflation citizens and the city are experiencing right now. The prices for fuel, goods and services have gone up for all of us, including the city. That being said, measures must be taken to prioritize and control spending to ensure the city’s budget is fiscally sound, that city employees are paid a competitive rate, and that services can be delivered without interruption.
What will you do to expand Vadnais Heights’s tax base?
This issue is linked to strategic development, attracting business to our community, housing, education, public safety, and transportation. Vadnais Heights must remain a community people want to live in and move to in order to expand our tax base. We cannot lose sight of that. We must continue to prioritize investment in improvements and services that will benefit the business sector and overall quality of life for our citizens.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
We are lucky here in Vadnais Heights to have access to great school districts. As an educator, I understand the importance of taking care of our teachers, staff and administrators. If they are appreciated and taken care of they will take good care of our children. If the city continues to invest in itself and works on retaining and attracting the right businesses to our community, it will help ensure we retain the educated work force our community needs to thrive.
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?
Given the current budget status the city must reprioritize services to ensure the essential services citizens need and want are available without interruption. The city must continue to engage with this business and others to ensure the timely delivery of the essential service our citizens need.
What is the role of the Mayor in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Vadnais Heights?
It’s the mayor’s responsibility to ensure equity for all members of the community and that systemic barriers to minority and/or women owned business are eliminated. As such, the city should analyze the current business sector with an eye toward taking a leading role in working with the chamber of commerce and other business development organizations to engage with women and minority entrepreneurs who live here or may benefit our community by moving here and who may need assistance, funding or guidance starting their own businesses.
What further policies can Vadnais Heights adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Inflation and the reduced labor markets are the largest bi-products of the COVID pandemic effecting the business community. The city should continue to explore any opportunities to apply for any COVID-19 recovery state or federal funding or grants available.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I would be proud and honored to be elected mayor of Vadnais Heights. I’ve lived and worked all over the world and am overjoyed to have found a community as special as Vadnais Heights in which to set down roots for my family. Now I want to give back to that community and I cannot think of a better way to do that than as your next mayor.
Public Office Sought: Vadnais Heights Mayor
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612-450-1255
Campaign Website:
Facebook Page: Joe Scrocca for Mayor: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085151980837
Candidate Bio
I am a proud husband and father of three young children, a recently retired active duty Army colonel and a combat veteran. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and am a former Assistant Professor of American Politics at the United States Military Academy at West Point. I’m a firm believer in the concept of Servant Leadership – that leaders exist to serve others. I’ve served our nation around the country and around the world for the past 28 years. Now I teach high school JROTC, the focus of which is on motivating young people to be better citizens. I teach young people about their responsibilities as citizens and the importance of integrity, respect and accountability. I want to be a role model for my children and my students by being an active member of my community and government. I have a proven record of outstanding leadership in a variety of positions of increasing responsibility and have seen how building strong teams, listening, and collaboration are the keys to success in any endeavor. I want to bring those beliefs to our city government.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
My top three priorities are ensuring public safety; delivering top-notch services, to include roads, parks, and education that provide the quality-of-life our citizens deserve; and retaining and attracting the businesses our community needs and wants.
How would you characterize the business climate in Vadnais Heights and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
A thriving business sector is key to the success of any community. It provides the jobs our citizens require, the goods and services we want, and the tax revenue our city needs to provide the quality-of-life services our citizens deserve. Our city must continue to attract businesses that provide good jobs and revenue, but also fit in with our community ideals and want to be an active part of the community.
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, Vadnais Heights?
City government plays an important role in attracting business to the community. This is one of my top priorities. It helps provide good jobs and tax revenue our city needs to provide the services our citizens want. As in all things, this requires compromise and balancing the needs of business and the needs of the city and its citizens. As mayor, I would be willing to listen to any proposal that would bring the right businesses to our community, but believe that businesses, like citizens, also have an obligation to the community and any agreements reached must be mutually beneficial.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address the labor shortage?
A good partnership between the city and the business sector would, in the short term, help with large-scale recruitment efforts. In the mid-term the city can work with local business to develop apprenticeship programs that will help transition local labor to long-term employment, and in the long-term, the city must continue to invest in itself and the services people want in order to retain talent here in Vadnais Heights.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals in Vadnais Heights (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 Vadnais Heights and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
Given the variety of businesses in our city I do not believe in one-size-fits-all ordinances like these. This would only serve to drive the businesses we need out of our community into neighboring areas. Given the current labor shortage, I believe the tight labor market will ensure that the businesses that want to retain the best talent will offer the benefits employees want in order to retain them.
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you propose to address public safety issues facing your community?
Public safety is my top priority. As a husband and the father of three young children there is nothing I won’t do to protect them. As mayor, there should be nothing our city won’t do to protect our citizens. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department works hard to enforce laws and protect our community. We as citizens must do our part as well. We must strive to reinvigorate the neighborhood watch programs throughout our city so neighbors are looking out for neighbors, and acting as the eyes and ears for the police when they are not available in person.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address housing issues facing your community?
While the city has promoted and maintains a wide variety of housing, from single-family detached homes, to multifamily homes, to townhouses and duplexes – we must promote more investment in affordable housing to ensure our citizens do not experience cost burden brought on by the increase in housing costs coupled with overall inflation over the past few years.
What strategies or policies would you propose to address transportation issues facing your community? 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?
As the Vadnais Heights Comprehensive Plan 2024 indicates, several major roadways passing through Vadnais Heights are expected to be near or over capacity by 2040, which will increase congestion, especially during high-peak transit hours. Over the next decade improvements will be needed and the city must continue to plan and budget for these upgrades, along with improvements to transit service and the networks of sidewalks and trails.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
I don’t think anyone would have predicted the unprecedented inflation citizens and the city are experiencing right now. The prices for fuel, goods and services have gone up for all of us, including the city. That being said, measures must be taken to prioritize and control spending to ensure the city’s budget is fiscally sound, that city employees are paid a competitive rate, and that services can be delivered without interruption.
What will you do to expand Vadnais Heights’s tax base?
This issue is linked to strategic development, attracting business to our community, housing, education, public safety, and transportation. Vadnais Heights must remain a community people want to live in and move to in order to expand our tax base. We cannot lose sight of that. We must continue to prioritize investment in improvements and services that will benefit the business sector and overall quality of life for our citizens.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
We are lucky here in Vadnais Heights to have access to great school districts. As an educator, I understand the importance of taking care of our teachers, staff and administrators. If they are appreciated and taken care of they will take good care of our children. If the city continues to invest in itself and works on retaining and attracting the right businesses to our community, it will help ensure we retain the educated work force our community needs to thrive.
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?
Given the current budget status the city must reprioritize services to ensure the essential services citizens need and want are available without interruption. The city must continue to engage with this business and others to ensure the timely delivery of the essential service our citizens need.
What is the role of the Mayor in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in Vadnais Heights?
It’s the mayor’s responsibility to ensure equity for all members of the community and that systemic barriers to minority and/or women owned business are eliminated. As such, the city should analyze the current business sector with an eye toward taking a leading role in working with the chamber of commerce and other business development organizations to engage with women and minority entrepreneurs who live here or may benefit our community by moving here and who may need assistance, funding or guidance starting their own businesses.
What further policies can Vadnais Heights adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Inflation and the reduced labor markets are the largest bi-products of the COVID pandemic effecting the business community. The city should continue to explore any opportunities to apply for any COVID-19 recovery state or federal funding or grants available.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I would be proud and honored to be elected mayor of Vadnais Heights. I’ve lived and worked all over the world and am overjoyed to have found a community as special as Vadnais Heights in which to set down roots for my family. Now I want to give back to that community and I cannot think of a better way to do that than as your next mayor.