Lindsay Ferris Martin - Saint Paul Ward 2
Name: Lindsay Ferris Martin
Public Office Sought: Saint Paul City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 92-239-6858 (text friendly)
Website: https://lindsayferrismartinforcitycouncilward2.business.site/
Facebook: Lindsay Ferris Martin St Paul City Council Ward 2
Candidate Bio
My roots run strong on the West Side. I’ve been a resident since May 2009. I fell in love with Downtown St. Paul, so much so it had to be the spot of my wedding in 2010, and of course it was a natural decision for me as a place I would start and raise my family.
I'm an entrepreneur and social media consultant for small businesses. My background includes marketing in radio, television, print, and digital platforms. My experience in public relations is highlighted in successful campaigns both on the national and local levels. I am experienced in community engagement, entrepreneurship, and small business start-up consulting. I love the small business community so much, I left the ad agency world to be an advocate for the business owner and to better connect them with those who impact their business directly.
My hidden benefit is my blatant passion for my community, business engagement and synergy to complete the full circle of livability, efficiency and profitability in Ward 2.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Saint Paul?
The climate of business in St. Paul is bright, but not without some lingering clouds. What that means is there is a lot of potential for healthy and sustainable business opportunities here in St. Paul. However, when the voice of the business owner is disregarded within the city (that should and needs to support it), the struggle for the business, it’s survival and the opportunity for growth can feel scary and uncertain. There is room for more confidence in our current business climate.
2. 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, Saint Paul?
The city should be taking a supportive role with the entities and community members that best know what the businesses in St. Paul need. We have great organizations already embedded into downtown (such as Visit St. Paul and the Chamber) that know specifically what we need in order to attract and retain jobs in St. Paul. What organizations like this need is a genuine and active alliance with their city. Often times when city members get too involved with their own agenda, it gets in the way of businesses being able to conduct their business in the best way that allows them to sustain, flourish and develop. Personal city agendas can also stifle business development. If we don’t listen closely to what the business owner actually needs, new jobs can’t be developed and often times businesses are forced to downsize or close.
When it comes to soliciting new businesses in St. Paul, we first need to do our due diligence and make sure our current business community is happy, able to sustain and flourish (see an example of how we need to do a better job of supporting current businesses below). Once our current business culture is confident, then we look to solicit new businesses and leverage the positive community in the attraction. We need to boast a vibrant community that can support new businesses so they can feel confident that success is possible and their community will be there every step of the way. As far as sustaining businesses in St. Paul, those owners know exactly what resources and tools they need to be empowered. It is their voice that needs to be leveraged. The city needs to be there to help lift it up and follow through.
3. Would you support hiring a business advocate as a member of the city senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in Saint Paul?
Absolutely! The great news is they have a like-minded friend (a business advocate) already trying to help them leverage their voice and needs (me). Having left the ad agency to be a direct advocate for small business owners, I saw very early on the great need for the business owner to have someone on their side.
As mentioned, it is the business owner who knows exactly what they need in order to sustain and grow and it is their voice that should be the strongest. They should have the representation they deserve, although, their current elected rep should already be that person (and proven to be that person).
4. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Saint Paul (such as mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Saint Paul and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
As of right now, I am unfamiliar with any employment-related proposals as I’m not in the office. But my first line of thinking is, less government interference the better. Businesses know what they need in order to operate successfully and in a way that attracts qualified staff.
If something would come up, I would hold meetings and engage those who are affected by the proposal, the employer, employee, community or organization. Then, pair the engagement and feedback with research and understanding the impact of the decision. This is needed now more than ever. Often times decisions are made without true consideration for what will happen next or who it really affects.
I do know the issue with minimum wage and a tip credit proposal has come up semi-recently. I met with a gentleman after he spoke with his council member. I stayed in touch with him and got to understand his work and his point of view. He was speaking on behalf of both employers and employees. I did my research and felt that he and his group along with businesses in his ward made valid points regarding this issue. They were speaking to what works best for their business to sustain and grow and what the employees needed to thrive. He worked hard with a councilmember (that was not his own) and they came up with a brilliant solution. But when it came down to it, their voices were not heard.
Engagement, listening, research, and understanding who benefits along with the how and why is paramount in making the best decisions for the community. This process encompasses the very basics of the council member role but seems to be skipped over quite often. It requires putting personal agendas aside and a lot of heavy work, of which some are not willing to do.
5. Would you support modifying or repealing the new earned sick and safe time or minimum wage ordinances that apply to the city? If so, how?
First and foremost, I don’t believe just because Minneapolis does something, St. Paul has to immediately follow suit. I’d like to start seeing St. Paul as an innovative and free-thinking city that considers how St. Paul will benefit first and foremost. It seems in many instances if the Minneapolis Council passes something, St. Paul feels the need to follow closely behind. But what is good for Minneapolis isn’t always the best fit for our unique St. Paul needs.
When it comes to starting a business in St Paul, it’s not only the initial start-up nerves that may have an entrepreneur changing their mind to even open but the hurdles they have to endure to get going which could stop them in their tracks altogether. When we look at the impact a business has on the livability for its community and its employees we also have to balance that with the ability to set up our businesses for success and sustainability. Small business owners are often leveraging everything they have to add value and jobs to our community. As we impose more restrictions and ordinances onto our business owners, their profit margin goes down, they have to raise prices that are out of reach for the community they are in, and ultimately trying to bring value to.
It appears to me there is room for amending the current ordinances. And for that, I’d rely heavily on our business organizations and owners engagements to develop a solution that benefits their business and the employees they care for and the community they love. We need to remind ourselves that sometimes the best answer comes when the city steps back and allows businesses to operate under what they know works best for them and their employees.
One aspect of business is competition. Good employees go where the good employers are. Those with good compensation packages and benefits. If a business wants to attract top talent, we should allow the businesses the best way to attract that talent.
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
I love this question! I love it because I’ve gotten to know all too well the real public safety issues that plague our city.
I have sat in on 24-plus community safety meetings, attended dozens of events held by our police department and first responders. I’ve organized community events that have brought our community together to combat safety issues. What I’ve been smacked in the face with over the last year is the reality of reduction in our safety resources and the effect that has played on our community. I’ve been woken to the reality that there is a huge gap in enforcement of the law and that we’d rather give criminals the benefit of the doubt than protect victims of crimes. It is with that we see an escalation of criminals knowing exactly what they can get away with. It is with lack of enforcement (not to be confused by the police department doing their job, moreover the judicial system in lack of prosecution), that we’ve seen an increase with drugs on our street, crimes motivated by drugs, homeless encampments propelled by drug addictions and overdoses escalating to a crippling level in St. Paul.
It’s time we consider a correction with compassion approach to our escalating crime and drug problems. If we’re not getting to the real root of the problem, public safety will never truly be resolved.
Violent crimes, problem properties, repeat criminal offenders, theft (home and auto), public urination and defecation, hypodermic needles in our playgrounds, homeless wandering the streets under intense influence of drugs walking around like zombies and the encampments all have an increasing obvious connections to a very scary and real drug problem that is going unnoticed in St. Paul (unnoticed by everyone except for those who see it every day all day - the SPPD).
I would like to see a more cohesive synergy between the city and SPPD and first responders to create a unique and progressive strategy to combat our most disturbing and growing public safety issues in a way that can set an example for the whole state.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Restructure. Restraint. And Evaluation of benefits to the community.
Just like any monetary investment or financial responsibility we need to look into what’s being spent where, why, how and look at the full circle impact on the community. Does the budget benefit the community? Does the budget provide the resources needed for our community to thrive? Does the budget show the opportunity for investments to come back with a positive return? Where is nonsense spending? And how to stop that and reallocate to the places that the city should be investing their money (for the sake of the community). The truth may lead to an ugly evaluation, but we may need to look into the ugly to come out on the right end and in the best interest of the community. Some might have issues with this, especially if their platform is centered on self-serving agendas. But we have to remember our position/our role, is not ours, it belongs to the community. We work for the community. Our budget needs to reflect that. With evaluation comes the hard questions like: in what ways can the city step away from certain resources or spending where we really shouldn’t have been involved in the first place? I believe the government and our city should not be the answer to every problem that pops-up. This is where strong community engagement and solutions to empower the people will come in.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
Common sense says one affects the other. But even more, common sense says raising property taxes and lowering the city’s services to both residential and commercial properties should never happen. To piggy-back off of the above question and city budgeting, we have to know that no one likes a property tax increase, and if the city is lobbying for a tax increase, they need to come in strong with strategic benefits to the community. But with the last tax increase, we’ve seen a decrease in city services. If you can’t justify the value in the increase, then we need to take a stronger look at the budget and figure out how to better leverage spending or stop the hemorrhage in other places of the budget.
9. What will you do to expand Saint Paul’s tax base?
Although what seems like an obvious answer to this question would be more business development we can’t just quick throw that on the table as the be-all-answer and solution. It’s a band-aid approach and maybe even whimsical.
As mentioned above regarding the city ordinance for sick and safe time, the city is getting too involved in the day to day operations of businesses. We’ve made it more and more difficult for businesses to open up in the city. We’re making it even more difficult for businesses to stay open. We’re crippling the community the businesses need by ignoring major public safety issues.
For example and as of very recently, we had an instance where one of our very large businesses on the West Side begged the city to help clean up the unhealthy and dangerous environment surrounding their campus, littered with needles and human feces. A message from the city to this corporation was “it’s not our responsibility and we’re not going to clean it up.” While trying to prepare for a very important visit from the corporate’s executive leadership, it was up to the business themselves to clean up the mess the city is actually responsible for (at the very least the city should have expressed their shame and figured out a way to help). It’s hard to say the answer to the tax base relies on business development when even our large businesses are not being heard at the city level.
An overall review and maybe even an overhaul of the city’s budget is needed before I feel comfortable answering this question. This might be a conversation worth engaging the neighbors and the community to see where we can empower individuals, organizations, and businesses and look to reallocate services to best utilize taxes.
Workforce development
10. How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
At any age, one tool we can give students (and even adults) is the gift of financial intelligence. Without financial intelligence, a person won’t understand their worth or the value they bring to the table. We can suggest increasing the minimum wage all day long, but what happens when we throw money at people without the intelligence and education of what to do to build personal wealth or how to leverage one salary for the next opportunity that comes up? We live in a world where the new workforce is deciding to YOLO (live their best life). They are foregoing homeownership (which builds a bridge between the wealth gap) for rent (where there is no asset to leverage later). They are foregoing the notion of saving for retirement and live by the philosophy of having enough in their account to do what they want to do at that time. When they run out, they’ll join the workforce again.
We also need to re-evaluate what the educated workforce will look like next year and the years to come. A stronger need for multi-lingual education is needed as the younger workforce will tell you travel is attractive to them in job descriptions and for businesses, diversity and serving a diverse community, is important.
We need to know that if we’re looking at bringing in new businesses in our city in the next few years we need to empower entrepreneurship and innovative thinking. But not in the traditional way, but the way the entrepreneur will need to think: what can I offer my demographic/my customers that solves a problem, creates a profit and offers a unique level of services. Community Entrepreneurship.
We need to know that in the next few years it’s going to be harder to find people in the trades business. This is an outlet that empowers the non-traditional student who thrives not in a classroom or in an office. The trades business is also a great opportunity for anyone to become their own boss and run their own business with low overhead and start-up costs.
We need to know and predict what St. Paul will need in the next coming years to stay attractive to tourists, businesses and the community.
With all of that, the very basics we should be focusing on after financial intelligence for all ages are: education that focuses on teamwork, that is real-life-future-focused, tools and resources that encourage complex thinking and tech skills and fundamentals that prepares students for college or career. One way to accomplish the later is real-life mentorship (0utside of a school counselor). And finally, looking at education curriculum that is well-rounded. There is no one magic solution for tomorrow’s workforce but emphasis on: STEM, history, and communications have proven invaluable.
I greatly look forward to working with the right groups and organizations that would be paramount in making sure our children, no matter what Ward, are empowered to succeed and will help spread the passion for a skilled St. Paul workforce.
11. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to public schools in Saint Paul?
K-12 education is not a privilege, it is a right, and therefore should be set up for success no matter which part of St. Paul you live in. In a lot of ways the environment that surrounds the school can either lift up or plague the education and resources that become available to the school. I believe the role of City Council is to empower the communities to lift up the environment of the school so important resources can be leveraged at the schools who are struggling.
As we know, education isn’t just about what comes out of the book. In many times education only becomes intelligence when it is consumed and absorbed by an open mind receiving it from a welcomed source/resource and an environment one feels safe in. It is our responsibility as a city council to make sure the environment for learning is set up for success, safety and fulfillment.
Other
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
St. Paul is a great city with lots of wonderful traditions. But a lot of what makes it great is getting lost in a needed transition that seems to be mimicking what Minneapolis is doing. But we’re not Minneapolis. Sure we may suffer from some of the same ailments, but we can’t approach them the same way.
One way we need to approach our evolving St. Paul is by leveraging the voice of the community, neighbors, organizations, and businesses. We need to empower and step back. We need to engage, listen, do the meaningful work of our community. But we also need to realize that sometimes all the city needs to do is empower the people and they will thrive without constant man-handling and intervention from the city.
Because St. Paul is unique in history and tradition, we need to look to preserve what makes us special while finding ways to adapt to what is needed to come.
But before any more development or density occurs we need to make sure our current infrastructure is on point. And it is not.
Preserving before Growth. Empowerment (of the community) and Evaluating (what we put out comes back to benefit our community). Safety with Correction. Service vs. Splurge. These are the basics of the challenges we’re facing. All of which tie into topics discussed above.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Bringing back the voice and power of the community to City Hall.
Safety and Livability.
Making sure our resources and city implementations bring value back to the community.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
This is a robust topic as safe public transportation is clearly needed for those in our community. With poor road engineering and lack of parking options, we need to find a solution that addresses these problems and doesn’t add to them. That means we have to correlate our solution with the current push for density in St. Paul. You can’t add more people to a city without a well thought out plan that again compliments your current community and that allows for growth and development.
Some will say more bike paths are the answer. I’ve seen cities do it terribly wrong and I’ve seen cities do it pleasantly right. Right now it seems we might need to be more strategic about the implementation of these paths. Again diverting to what the public voice regarding this situation is paramount along with the feedback of first responders. There have been cities that well-intended to allow for more bikes and pedestrians but at the same time made it far more difficult for first responders to arrive safely and quickly to calls.
15. Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Or, are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
Clearly, the topic of trash can’t go unspoken for. The community has stepped up and voiced their opinion on the process and implementation of this service. Which leads to the discussion of plowing services in the winter. These services need a huge reevaluation and not at the cost of the community.
We do need a strategic reevaluation of city ordinances regarding problem properties, livability and safety ordinances, and ordinances that affect the way our businesses are able to operate.
Upon strategic evaluations, we can best determine shared services and such.
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I decided to run for City Council because too many of us were frustrated with the level of service and communication coming from our current elected representation. Our voices were not being heard and the overall need of the community was muted for self-serving political agendas.
I’m running to be the voice of our community. I operate with no self-serving agenda but the overall love for my community. I, like my neighbors and fellow business owners, look forward to having our opinion and voices factored into city decision making and in a way where the benefit of the people and the community come first.
Anyone can do the easy work. Anyone can do what’s warm and fluffy and feel they really accomplished something. What we need, is the work to be done that can’t be avoided any longer. The work that requires heavy lifting and creativity.
Safety, livability, prosperity, and a smooth running community comes from the power of the residents and businesses. Never just one person and their agenda. There's nothing more maddening then wasting people's hard earned money and wasting time. Something I think city officials often forget about. I’m not that city official.
Public Office Sought: Saint Paul City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 92-239-6858 (text friendly)
Website: https://lindsayferrismartinforcitycouncilward2.business.site/
Facebook: Lindsay Ferris Martin St Paul City Council Ward 2
Candidate Bio
My roots run strong on the West Side. I’ve been a resident since May 2009. I fell in love with Downtown St. Paul, so much so it had to be the spot of my wedding in 2010, and of course it was a natural decision for me as a place I would start and raise my family.
I'm an entrepreneur and social media consultant for small businesses. My background includes marketing in radio, television, print, and digital platforms. My experience in public relations is highlighted in successful campaigns both on the national and local levels. I am experienced in community engagement, entrepreneurship, and small business start-up consulting. I love the small business community so much, I left the ad agency world to be an advocate for the business owner and to better connect them with those who impact their business directly.
My hidden benefit is my blatant passion for my community, business engagement and synergy to complete the full circle of livability, efficiency and profitability in Ward 2.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Saint Paul?
The climate of business in St. Paul is bright, but not without some lingering clouds. What that means is there is a lot of potential for healthy and sustainable business opportunities here in St. Paul. However, when the voice of the business owner is disregarded within the city (that should and needs to support it), the struggle for the business, it’s survival and the opportunity for growth can feel scary and uncertain. There is room for more confidence in our current business climate.
2. 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, Saint Paul?
The city should be taking a supportive role with the entities and community members that best know what the businesses in St. Paul need. We have great organizations already embedded into downtown (such as Visit St. Paul and the Chamber) that know specifically what we need in order to attract and retain jobs in St. Paul. What organizations like this need is a genuine and active alliance with their city. Often times when city members get too involved with their own agenda, it gets in the way of businesses being able to conduct their business in the best way that allows them to sustain, flourish and develop. Personal city agendas can also stifle business development. If we don’t listen closely to what the business owner actually needs, new jobs can’t be developed and often times businesses are forced to downsize or close.
When it comes to soliciting new businesses in St. Paul, we first need to do our due diligence and make sure our current business community is happy, able to sustain and flourish (see an example of how we need to do a better job of supporting current businesses below). Once our current business culture is confident, then we look to solicit new businesses and leverage the positive community in the attraction. We need to boast a vibrant community that can support new businesses so they can feel confident that success is possible and their community will be there every step of the way. As far as sustaining businesses in St. Paul, those owners know exactly what resources and tools they need to be empowered. It is their voice that needs to be leveraged. The city needs to be there to help lift it up and follow through.
3. Would you support hiring a business advocate as a member of the city senior staff, to concentrate on business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; and business impact of proposed regulations on the business climate in Saint Paul?
Absolutely! The great news is they have a like-minded friend (a business advocate) already trying to help them leverage their voice and needs (me). Having left the ad agency to be a direct advocate for small business owners, I saw very early on the great need for the business owner to have someone on their side.
As mentioned, it is the business owner who knows exactly what they need in order to sustain and grow and it is their voice that should be the strongest. They should have the representation they deserve, although, their current elected rep should already be that person (and proven to be that person).
4. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Saint Paul (such as mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Saint Paul and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
As of right now, I am unfamiliar with any employment-related proposals as I’m not in the office. But my first line of thinking is, less government interference the better. Businesses know what they need in order to operate successfully and in a way that attracts qualified staff.
If something would come up, I would hold meetings and engage those who are affected by the proposal, the employer, employee, community or organization. Then, pair the engagement and feedback with research and understanding the impact of the decision. This is needed now more than ever. Often times decisions are made without true consideration for what will happen next or who it really affects.
I do know the issue with minimum wage and a tip credit proposal has come up semi-recently. I met with a gentleman after he spoke with his council member. I stayed in touch with him and got to understand his work and his point of view. He was speaking on behalf of both employers and employees. I did my research and felt that he and his group along with businesses in his ward made valid points regarding this issue. They were speaking to what works best for their business to sustain and grow and what the employees needed to thrive. He worked hard with a councilmember (that was not his own) and they came up with a brilliant solution. But when it came down to it, their voices were not heard.
Engagement, listening, research, and understanding who benefits along with the how and why is paramount in making the best decisions for the community. This process encompasses the very basics of the council member role but seems to be skipped over quite often. It requires putting personal agendas aside and a lot of heavy work, of which some are not willing to do.
5. Would you support modifying or repealing the new earned sick and safe time or minimum wage ordinances that apply to the city? If so, how?
First and foremost, I don’t believe just because Minneapolis does something, St. Paul has to immediately follow suit. I’d like to start seeing St. Paul as an innovative and free-thinking city that considers how St. Paul will benefit first and foremost. It seems in many instances if the Minneapolis Council passes something, St. Paul feels the need to follow closely behind. But what is good for Minneapolis isn’t always the best fit for our unique St. Paul needs.
When it comes to starting a business in St Paul, it’s not only the initial start-up nerves that may have an entrepreneur changing their mind to even open but the hurdles they have to endure to get going which could stop them in their tracks altogether. When we look at the impact a business has on the livability for its community and its employees we also have to balance that with the ability to set up our businesses for success and sustainability. Small business owners are often leveraging everything they have to add value and jobs to our community. As we impose more restrictions and ordinances onto our business owners, their profit margin goes down, they have to raise prices that are out of reach for the community they are in, and ultimately trying to bring value to.
It appears to me there is room for amending the current ordinances. And for that, I’d rely heavily on our business organizations and owners engagements to develop a solution that benefits their business and the employees they care for and the community they love. We need to remind ourselves that sometimes the best answer comes when the city steps back and allows businesses to operate under what they know works best for them and their employees.
One aspect of business is competition. Good employees go where the good employers are. Those with good compensation packages and benefits. If a business wants to attract top talent, we should allow the businesses the best way to attract that talent.
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
I love this question! I love it because I’ve gotten to know all too well the real public safety issues that plague our city.
I have sat in on 24-plus community safety meetings, attended dozens of events held by our police department and first responders. I’ve organized community events that have brought our community together to combat safety issues. What I’ve been smacked in the face with over the last year is the reality of reduction in our safety resources and the effect that has played on our community. I’ve been woken to the reality that there is a huge gap in enforcement of the law and that we’d rather give criminals the benefit of the doubt than protect victims of crimes. It is with that we see an escalation of criminals knowing exactly what they can get away with. It is with lack of enforcement (not to be confused by the police department doing their job, moreover the judicial system in lack of prosecution), that we’ve seen an increase with drugs on our street, crimes motivated by drugs, homeless encampments propelled by drug addictions and overdoses escalating to a crippling level in St. Paul.
It’s time we consider a correction with compassion approach to our escalating crime and drug problems. If we’re not getting to the real root of the problem, public safety will never truly be resolved.
Violent crimes, problem properties, repeat criminal offenders, theft (home and auto), public urination and defecation, hypodermic needles in our playgrounds, homeless wandering the streets under intense influence of drugs walking around like zombies and the encampments all have an increasing obvious connections to a very scary and real drug problem that is going unnoticed in St. Paul (unnoticed by everyone except for those who see it every day all day - the SPPD).
I would like to see a more cohesive synergy between the city and SPPD and first responders to create a unique and progressive strategy to combat our most disturbing and growing public safety issues in a way that can set an example for the whole state.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Restructure. Restraint. And Evaluation of benefits to the community.
Just like any monetary investment or financial responsibility we need to look into what’s being spent where, why, how and look at the full circle impact on the community. Does the budget benefit the community? Does the budget provide the resources needed for our community to thrive? Does the budget show the opportunity for investments to come back with a positive return? Where is nonsense spending? And how to stop that and reallocate to the places that the city should be investing their money (for the sake of the community). The truth may lead to an ugly evaluation, but we may need to look into the ugly to come out on the right end and in the best interest of the community. Some might have issues with this, especially if their platform is centered on self-serving agendas. But we have to remember our position/our role, is not ours, it belongs to the community. We work for the community. Our budget needs to reflect that. With evaluation comes the hard questions like: in what ways can the city step away from certain resources or spending where we really shouldn’t have been involved in the first place? I believe the government and our city should not be the answer to every problem that pops-up. This is where strong community engagement and solutions to empower the people will come in.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
Common sense says one affects the other. But even more, common sense says raising property taxes and lowering the city’s services to both residential and commercial properties should never happen. To piggy-back off of the above question and city budgeting, we have to know that no one likes a property tax increase, and if the city is lobbying for a tax increase, they need to come in strong with strategic benefits to the community. But with the last tax increase, we’ve seen a decrease in city services. If you can’t justify the value in the increase, then we need to take a stronger look at the budget and figure out how to better leverage spending or stop the hemorrhage in other places of the budget.
9. What will you do to expand Saint Paul’s tax base?
Although what seems like an obvious answer to this question would be more business development we can’t just quick throw that on the table as the be-all-answer and solution. It’s a band-aid approach and maybe even whimsical.
As mentioned above regarding the city ordinance for sick and safe time, the city is getting too involved in the day to day operations of businesses. We’ve made it more and more difficult for businesses to open up in the city. We’re making it even more difficult for businesses to stay open. We’re crippling the community the businesses need by ignoring major public safety issues.
For example and as of very recently, we had an instance where one of our very large businesses on the West Side begged the city to help clean up the unhealthy and dangerous environment surrounding their campus, littered with needles and human feces. A message from the city to this corporation was “it’s not our responsibility and we’re not going to clean it up.” While trying to prepare for a very important visit from the corporate’s executive leadership, it was up to the business themselves to clean up the mess the city is actually responsible for (at the very least the city should have expressed their shame and figured out a way to help). It’s hard to say the answer to the tax base relies on business development when even our large businesses are not being heard at the city level.
An overall review and maybe even an overhaul of the city’s budget is needed before I feel comfortable answering this question. This might be a conversation worth engaging the neighbors and the community to see where we can empower individuals, organizations, and businesses and look to reallocate services to best utilize taxes.
Workforce development
10. How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
At any age, one tool we can give students (and even adults) is the gift of financial intelligence. Without financial intelligence, a person won’t understand their worth or the value they bring to the table. We can suggest increasing the minimum wage all day long, but what happens when we throw money at people without the intelligence and education of what to do to build personal wealth or how to leverage one salary for the next opportunity that comes up? We live in a world where the new workforce is deciding to YOLO (live their best life). They are foregoing homeownership (which builds a bridge between the wealth gap) for rent (where there is no asset to leverage later). They are foregoing the notion of saving for retirement and live by the philosophy of having enough in their account to do what they want to do at that time. When they run out, they’ll join the workforce again.
We also need to re-evaluate what the educated workforce will look like next year and the years to come. A stronger need for multi-lingual education is needed as the younger workforce will tell you travel is attractive to them in job descriptions and for businesses, diversity and serving a diverse community, is important.
We need to know that if we’re looking at bringing in new businesses in our city in the next few years we need to empower entrepreneurship and innovative thinking. But not in the traditional way, but the way the entrepreneur will need to think: what can I offer my demographic/my customers that solves a problem, creates a profit and offers a unique level of services. Community Entrepreneurship.
We need to know that in the next few years it’s going to be harder to find people in the trades business. This is an outlet that empowers the non-traditional student who thrives not in a classroom or in an office. The trades business is also a great opportunity for anyone to become their own boss and run their own business with low overhead and start-up costs.
We need to know and predict what St. Paul will need in the next coming years to stay attractive to tourists, businesses and the community.
With all of that, the very basics we should be focusing on after financial intelligence for all ages are: education that focuses on teamwork, that is real-life-future-focused, tools and resources that encourage complex thinking and tech skills and fundamentals that prepares students for college or career. One way to accomplish the later is real-life mentorship (0utside of a school counselor). And finally, looking at education curriculum that is well-rounded. There is no one magic solution for tomorrow’s workforce but emphasis on: STEM, history, and communications have proven invaluable.
I greatly look forward to working with the right groups and organizations that would be paramount in making sure our children, no matter what Ward, are empowered to succeed and will help spread the passion for a skilled St. Paul workforce.
11. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to public schools in Saint Paul?
K-12 education is not a privilege, it is a right, and therefore should be set up for success no matter which part of St. Paul you live in. In a lot of ways the environment that surrounds the school can either lift up or plague the education and resources that become available to the school. I believe the role of City Council is to empower the communities to lift up the environment of the school so important resources can be leveraged at the schools who are struggling.
As we know, education isn’t just about what comes out of the book. In many times education only becomes intelligence when it is consumed and absorbed by an open mind receiving it from a welcomed source/resource and an environment one feels safe in. It is our responsibility as a city council to make sure the environment for learning is set up for success, safety and fulfillment.
Other
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
St. Paul is a great city with lots of wonderful traditions. But a lot of what makes it great is getting lost in a needed transition that seems to be mimicking what Minneapolis is doing. But we’re not Minneapolis. Sure we may suffer from some of the same ailments, but we can’t approach them the same way.
One way we need to approach our evolving St. Paul is by leveraging the voice of the community, neighbors, organizations, and businesses. We need to empower and step back. We need to engage, listen, do the meaningful work of our community. But we also need to realize that sometimes all the city needs to do is empower the people and they will thrive without constant man-handling and intervention from the city.
Because St. Paul is unique in history and tradition, we need to look to preserve what makes us special while finding ways to adapt to what is needed to come.
But before any more development or density occurs we need to make sure our current infrastructure is on point. And it is not.
Preserving before Growth. Empowerment (of the community) and Evaluating (what we put out comes back to benefit our community). Safety with Correction. Service vs. Splurge. These are the basics of the challenges we’re facing. All of which tie into topics discussed above.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Bringing back the voice and power of the community to City Hall.
Safety and Livability.
Making sure our resources and city implementations bring value back to the community.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
This is a robust topic as safe public transportation is clearly needed for those in our community. With poor road engineering and lack of parking options, we need to find a solution that addresses these problems and doesn’t add to them. That means we have to correlate our solution with the current push for density in St. Paul. You can’t add more people to a city without a well thought out plan that again compliments your current community and that allows for growth and development.
Some will say more bike paths are the answer. I’ve seen cities do it terribly wrong and I’ve seen cities do it pleasantly right. Right now it seems we might need to be more strategic about the implementation of these paths. Again diverting to what the public voice regarding this situation is paramount along with the feedback of first responders. There have been cities that well-intended to allow for more bikes and pedestrians but at the same time made it far more difficult for first responders to arrive safely and quickly to calls.
15. Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Or, are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
Clearly, the topic of trash can’t go unspoken for. The community has stepped up and voiced their opinion on the process and implementation of this service. Which leads to the discussion of plowing services in the winter. These services need a huge reevaluation and not at the cost of the community.
We do need a strategic reevaluation of city ordinances regarding problem properties, livability and safety ordinances, and ordinances that affect the way our businesses are able to operate.
Upon strategic evaluations, we can best determine shared services and such.
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
I decided to run for City Council because too many of us were frustrated with the level of service and communication coming from our current elected representation. Our voices were not being heard and the overall need of the community was muted for self-serving political agendas.
I’m running to be the voice of our community. I operate with no self-serving agenda but the overall love for my community. I, like my neighbors and fellow business owners, look forward to having our opinion and voices factored into city decision making and in a way where the benefit of the people and the community come first.
Anyone can do the easy work. Anyone can do what’s warm and fluffy and feel they really accomplished something. What we need, is the work to be done that can’t be avoided any longer. The work that requires heavy lifting and creativity.
Safety, livability, prosperity, and a smooth running community comes from the power of the residents and businesses. Never just one person and their agenda. There's nothing more maddening then wasting people's hard earned money and wasting time. Something I think city officials often forget about. I’m not that city official.