Kelly Fenton
Name: Kelly Fenton
Public Office Sought: Minnesota House of Representatives District 47B
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-283-3011
Campaign website: www.FentonforHouse.com
Twitter handle: @kellyfentonmn
Facebook page: Fenton for House
Candidate Bio
As a resident of Woodbury for 20 years, my husband and I raised our family here and want our community to continue thriving for everyone. I’m a former educator, school administrator, and Teach for America trainer, and I bring first hand experience in balancing budgets, workforce development and quality education.
I was fortunate to serve Woodbury in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2015-2019. During that time, I was the Assistant House Majority Leader, Vice Chair of the Commerce and Regulatory Reform Committee, and served on many other committees. We found bipartisan solutions to the biggest problems in our state: public safety, healthcare, child protection, water quality, better roads, growing the economy and more. If chosen to serve again, I will use my experience to hit the ground running for Woodbury.
Currently, I serve on the Board of Directors for Canvas Health, a nonprofit organization providing mental health and substance use care in the East Metro.
I received a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Marquette University and a Master of Education from the University of Houston. Additionally, I am a graduate of University of Virginia’s State Legislative Leadership Foundation and the Bowhay Institute of Legislative Leadership Development.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
My top priorities are to preserve public safety and keep every family safe in Woodbury, ensure every child has a quality education that puts parents and students first and keeps our best teachers in the classrooms, and use the $9+ billion budget surplus to provide tax relief for hardworking families and small businesses.
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?
Woodbury is a fast-growing community with a thriving small business climate. We are also known as the healthcare hub of the East Metro. These businesses support countless job opportunities for families and their children, with many family-supporting career options available in Woodbury and across the east Metro. These jobs, combined with our excellent schools are key factors in why Woodbury is one of the top places to live not just in Minnesota, but in the country.
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?
It’s no secret Minnesota’s business climate is not nearly as competitive as our neighboring states. While our strong workforce helps offset that to a degree, we still need to do more to make our state more competitive. Our $9+ billion surplus gives us an opportunity to stop the harmful UI tax hikes — a necessary and obvious first step that should have been taken care of months ago, as well as additional tax relief for other Main Street businesses. We need to cut red tape and streamline regulations so that businesses have clear timelines, fair expectations, and won’t be bogged down by unnecessary hurdles from the government.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address our state’s critical labor shortage?
To grow the workforce, I’d like to see targeted tax incentives for worker training and employee development, particularly for smaller businesses that have a harder time filling job openings.
We should work with schools in the East Metro, as well as colleges and universities throughout Minnesota, to develop partnerships with businesses that align students with in-demand careers through apprenticeships and other hands-on opportunities. It is important for our high schools to consider bringing back vocational and career-ready skills training programs.
In addition, we need to ensure our public programs help people get back into good-paying jobs that support themselves and their families.
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?
First and foremost, I’d reach out to employers in Woodbury to understand how any proposal would impact their business. Any employee related proposal would need to be weighed through the lens of how it would impact both employers and employees, and whether it would help or hurt Minnesota’s business environment. I oppose new mandates and higher taxes on Minnesota businesses - too many of these are punitive in nature and ignore the realities and challenges that Main Street faces today.
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?
Above all, we need to support the excellent work of Woodbury Police. They keep us safe in the face of increasingly serious challenges. We need to look at crime through the eyes of victims, families, and our community, and bring justice back to the criminal justice system. This means real consequences for violent crimes and repeat offenders. We need to make sure that prosecutors and judges are applying the law fairly and firmly. And we also need to invest more in mental health and substance abuse treatment, to ensure that offenders with chronic issues are held accountable and get a real chance at rehabilitation.
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?
During my time in the legislature, I was proud that Republicans and Governor Dayton increased transportation funding for roads and bridges without a gas tax increase. I support dedicating the remaining portion of the existing auto parts sales tax to roads and bridges. The pandemic brought long-term shifts like remote or hybrid work that have changed the conversation around commuting. Transit ridership levels remain well below pre-pandemic levels, so we need to focus on the most cost-effective solutions for those who rely on transit. Therefore I support buses over fixed rail. Roads and bridges remain the heart of our transportation system, and Minnesotans overwhelmingly support investments in roads and bridges, so that is where our focus should be.
What strategies or policies would you use to address housing issues?
Minnesota has an absolutely suffocating regulatory environment for housing. We need to re-examine taxes, land use policies and everything in between to figure out how we can spur more housing, particularly single-family homes that are affordable for young families. Every Minnesotan deserves a chance at the American dream of home ownership.
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?
We should always look to make government more efficient and effective-where there are services that can be combined or streamlined, we should jump at that opportunity. While I served at the legislature, I carried the bill for Washington County to streamline two agencies into one, the Community Development Agency, and this has proven to be very successful and cost-effective.
Across all agencies, we need to make sure waste and fraud like the recent meal program scandal never happen again. Too many times, we’ve seen scandals that waste hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars swept under the rug with no one held accountable. I’d like to see the Legislative Auditor’s role expanded to include civil and criminal investigations so we can have real, independent oversight and accountability of state bureaucracies.
As an example, our Department of Human Services (DHS) has grown too large. It’s an ungovernable agency with too big of a scope, too many employees and not enough oversight. This results in more opportunities for fraud and poor service for people who need help from the programs managed by DHS. There have been bipartisan calls to break up DHS into smaller, more manageable entities. As we do this, we need to install new fraud prevention tools, streamline program services, and eliminate overlap between DHS and other agencies. This could save billions.
What will you do to expand your district’s tax base?
Woodbury’s strong housing market and burgeoning business community are signs of a healthy economy and strong tax base. One way a state representative can help is by securing infrastructure funding like state bonds to support local job creation opportunities. If state action is needed, I would consult with our city leaders on how best to handle issues in a way that aligns with the goals they set for Woodbury. The city is currently working on promoting a business environment to attract office showrooms, warehouse distribution, and light industrial businesses, which are currently underrepresented in the city’s tax base. Our county Community Development Agency would also be a great resource to work with at the local level.
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?
Developing a strong workforce starts with a strong education. After a year or more of distance learning, we need to get back to basics in classroom education: improving reading, writing, and math scores will help close the achievement gap and leave all kids better prepared for the long run. It’s important that we allow families in every zip code to send their kids to the school that best fits their needs and delivers the best outcomes.
We can develop more career-readiness options by aligning secondary education, technical schools, and businesses to make sure kids are learning skills that could place them on a solid career track beginning in high school.
What is the role of the State in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses?
I believe in better economic opportunities for Minnesotans from every background, and that minority- and women-owned businesses will benefit from making our state a better place to do business overall. We should also make sure existing state programs that give preference to minority- and women-owned businesses are serving their purpose and use state business development services to help these entrepreneurs cut through red tape.
We can support organizations like the Neighborhood Development Center that have strong track records of helping new immigrants and other first-time small business owners manage their books and run their businesses more effectively. These are low-cost, high-reward investments that strengthen communities and our state’s economy.
What further policies can the State of Minnesota adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
First and foremost, stop the UI tax hikes. We also should evaluate which business sectors are still struggling and identify ways to either ease regulations (example: lifting government’s container and growler restrictions for breweries to give them more revenue options) or potential targeted property tax relief programs for those who are still struggling because of government-imposed shutdowns and regulations.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I have been a longtime advocate for mental health resources, and I plan to continue to do so when elected.
Public Office Sought: Minnesota House of Representatives District 47B
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-283-3011
Campaign website: www.FentonforHouse.com
Twitter handle: @kellyfentonmn
Facebook page: Fenton for House
Candidate Bio
As a resident of Woodbury for 20 years, my husband and I raised our family here and want our community to continue thriving for everyone. I’m a former educator, school administrator, and Teach for America trainer, and I bring first hand experience in balancing budgets, workforce development and quality education.
I was fortunate to serve Woodbury in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2015-2019. During that time, I was the Assistant House Majority Leader, Vice Chair of the Commerce and Regulatory Reform Committee, and served on many other committees. We found bipartisan solutions to the biggest problems in our state: public safety, healthcare, child protection, water quality, better roads, growing the economy and more. If chosen to serve again, I will use my experience to hit the ground running for Woodbury.
Currently, I serve on the Board of Directors for Canvas Health, a nonprofit organization providing mental health and substance use care in the East Metro.
I received a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Marquette University and a Master of Education from the University of Houston. Additionally, I am a graduate of University of Virginia’s State Legislative Leadership Foundation and the Bowhay Institute of Legislative Leadership Development.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
My top priorities are to preserve public safety and keep every family safe in Woodbury, ensure every child has a quality education that puts parents and students first and keeps our best teachers in the classrooms, and use the $9+ billion budget surplus to provide tax relief for hardworking families and small businesses.
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?
Woodbury is a fast-growing community with a thriving small business climate. We are also known as the healthcare hub of the East Metro. These businesses support countless job opportunities for families and their children, with many family-supporting career options available in Woodbury and across the east Metro. These jobs, combined with our excellent schools are key factors in why Woodbury is one of the top places to live not just in Minnesota, but in the country.
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?
It’s no secret Minnesota’s business climate is not nearly as competitive as our neighboring states. While our strong workforce helps offset that to a degree, we still need to do more to make our state more competitive. Our $9+ billion surplus gives us an opportunity to stop the harmful UI tax hikes — a necessary and obvious first step that should have been taken care of months ago, as well as additional tax relief for other Main Street businesses. We need to cut red tape and streamline regulations so that businesses have clear timelines, fair expectations, and won’t be bogged down by unnecessary hurdles from the government.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address our state’s critical labor shortage?
To grow the workforce, I’d like to see targeted tax incentives for worker training and employee development, particularly for smaller businesses that have a harder time filling job openings.
We should work with schools in the East Metro, as well as colleges and universities throughout Minnesota, to develop partnerships with businesses that align students with in-demand careers through apprenticeships and other hands-on opportunities. It is important for our high schools to consider bringing back vocational and career-ready skills training programs.
In addition, we need to ensure our public programs help people get back into good-paying jobs that support themselves and their families.
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?
First and foremost, I’d reach out to employers in Woodbury to understand how any proposal would impact their business. Any employee related proposal would need to be weighed through the lens of how it would impact both employers and employees, and whether it would help or hurt Minnesota’s business environment. I oppose new mandates and higher taxes on Minnesota businesses - too many of these are punitive in nature and ignore the realities and challenges that Main Street faces today.
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?
Above all, we need to support the excellent work of Woodbury Police. They keep us safe in the face of increasingly serious challenges. We need to look at crime through the eyes of victims, families, and our community, and bring justice back to the criminal justice system. This means real consequences for violent crimes and repeat offenders. We need to make sure that prosecutors and judges are applying the law fairly and firmly. And we also need to invest more in mental health and substance abuse treatment, to ensure that offenders with chronic issues are held accountable and get a real chance at rehabilitation.
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?
During my time in the legislature, I was proud that Republicans and Governor Dayton increased transportation funding for roads and bridges without a gas tax increase. I support dedicating the remaining portion of the existing auto parts sales tax to roads and bridges. The pandemic brought long-term shifts like remote or hybrid work that have changed the conversation around commuting. Transit ridership levels remain well below pre-pandemic levels, so we need to focus on the most cost-effective solutions for those who rely on transit. Therefore I support buses over fixed rail. Roads and bridges remain the heart of our transportation system, and Minnesotans overwhelmingly support investments in roads and bridges, so that is where our focus should be.
What strategies or policies would you use to address housing issues?
Minnesota has an absolutely suffocating regulatory environment for housing. We need to re-examine taxes, land use policies and everything in between to figure out how we can spur more housing, particularly single-family homes that are affordable for young families. Every Minnesotan deserves a chance at the American dream of home ownership.
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?
We should always look to make government more efficient and effective-where there are services that can be combined or streamlined, we should jump at that opportunity. While I served at the legislature, I carried the bill for Washington County to streamline two agencies into one, the Community Development Agency, and this has proven to be very successful and cost-effective.
Across all agencies, we need to make sure waste and fraud like the recent meal program scandal never happen again. Too many times, we’ve seen scandals that waste hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars swept under the rug with no one held accountable. I’d like to see the Legislative Auditor’s role expanded to include civil and criminal investigations so we can have real, independent oversight and accountability of state bureaucracies.
As an example, our Department of Human Services (DHS) has grown too large. It’s an ungovernable agency with too big of a scope, too many employees and not enough oversight. This results in more opportunities for fraud and poor service for people who need help from the programs managed by DHS. There have been bipartisan calls to break up DHS into smaller, more manageable entities. As we do this, we need to install new fraud prevention tools, streamline program services, and eliminate overlap between DHS and other agencies. This could save billions.
What will you do to expand your district’s tax base?
Woodbury’s strong housing market and burgeoning business community are signs of a healthy economy and strong tax base. One way a state representative can help is by securing infrastructure funding like state bonds to support local job creation opportunities. If state action is needed, I would consult with our city leaders on how best to handle issues in a way that aligns with the goals they set for Woodbury. The city is currently working on promoting a business environment to attract office showrooms, warehouse distribution, and light industrial businesses, which are currently underrepresented in the city’s tax base. Our county Community Development Agency would also be a great resource to work with at the local level.
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?
Developing a strong workforce starts with a strong education. After a year or more of distance learning, we need to get back to basics in classroom education: improving reading, writing, and math scores will help close the achievement gap and leave all kids better prepared for the long run. It’s important that we allow families in every zip code to send their kids to the school that best fits their needs and delivers the best outcomes.
We can develop more career-readiness options by aligning secondary education, technical schools, and businesses to make sure kids are learning skills that could place them on a solid career track beginning in high school.
What is the role of the State in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses?
I believe in better economic opportunities for Minnesotans from every background, and that minority- and women-owned businesses will benefit from making our state a better place to do business overall. We should also make sure existing state programs that give preference to minority- and women-owned businesses are serving their purpose and use state business development services to help these entrepreneurs cut through red tape.
We can support organizations like the Neighborhood Development Center that have strong track records of helping new immigrants and other first-time small business owners manage their books and run their businesses more effectively. These are low-cost, high-reward investments that strengthen communities and our state’s economy.
What further policies can the State of Minnesota adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
First and foremost, stop the UI tax hikes. We also should evaluate which business sectors are still struggling and identify ways to either ease regulations (example: lifting government’s container and growler restrictions for breweries to give them more revenue options) or potential targeted property tax relief programs for those who are still struggling because of government-imposed shutdowns and regulations.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I have been a longtime advocate for mental health resources, and I plan to continue to do so when elected.