Lori Saroya
Name: Lori Saroya
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612-327-6700
Campaign Website: https://votesaroya.com
Instagram handle: https://www.instagram.com/votesaroya
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/VoteSaroya
Candidate Bio
I am honored to serve as the Ward 1 councilmember since January 2023. My husband and I have been married for 20 years and we have three children, ages 13, 8, and 4. We have lived in Blaine for 19 years and are fully invested in Blaine’s future.
I am the daughter of immigrants who came to the United States in the late 1960s. My family settled in rural Iowa and instilled in me the importance of community, education, and a strong work ethic. I attended St. Catherine University and earned my Juris Doctor from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
I am committed to service and community. In addition to being a Blaine Charter Commissioner for 7 years, I served on the St. Paul Human Rights Commission, Minnesota Judicial Branch Committee, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Board of Directors, and the Alumni Board of Mitchell Hamline School of Law. I am the recipient of the Governor's Distinguished Community Service Award.
As a nonprofit leader and strategic consultant, I have spent my entire career empowering communities to learn, grow and succeed together. I am committed to building a safe and inclusive Blaine where the interests of residents always come first.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I lead with ethics, integrity, and character. That means speaking the truth and standing up for what is right, even when it’s hard. I am an advocate for Ward 1 and the strongest voice for Ward 1 residents.
I decided to get involved in local politics in 2020, amid the pandemic, when many people were struggling and some had lost their jobs. A neighbor told me that it was her son’s birthday and she could not afford a cake. I got her a cake, but it felt very unsatisfying. Her son would need another birthday cake next year and the following years. How many other mothers in my community needed help? And how do we make systemic change to empower people in our community instead of putting out fires only for them to reappear?
My background is in strategic development and those skills, along with my resident-first and results-oriented approach, have been instrumental in challenging how we do business at city hall. When the city changed the rules on public input, closed the public comment email, and tried to eliminate open forum, I was the only councilmember to stand up for residents’ free speech rights.
I passed a moratorium on carwashes. I voted against every massive apartment building and storage facility in people’s backyards. I asked for improvements to our infrastructure, better water, and safer roads, including securing federal funding for Highway 65.
While my opponent is almost entirely funded by developers who seek to saturate Ward 1 with massive apartment buildings, storage facilities, tobacco shops, and carwashes in our backyards, I understand that the decisions we make on the city council have a direct impact on people’s wellbeing and quality of life. I take my votes very seriously and do not just go based on staff recommendations. Instead, I spend hours doing additional research, meeting with residents, contacting people who have specific area expertise, asking other cities in similar situations, and doing the diligence that should be expected from a councilmember.
I work for Ward 1 residents and my vote will always reflect that. I have consistently challenged unscrupulous developers and the status quo, whether it's charging residents massive assessment fees for city street and curb repairs, spending $12 million on turf fields that contain PFAs chemicals, or wasteful of taxpayer funds. I am working tirelessly to bring values of ethics, integrity, and fairness to the Blaine city council.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
My priorities:
Our state legislature passed many bills during the last session that directly benefit Blaine residents, including state funding for Highway 65, homeowner assistance, and free lunch programs.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Blaine?
The biggest challenges facing Blaine are conflicts of interest, lack of transparency, and wasteful spending in city government. I am fully invested in creating a future that safeguards our taxpayer money and puts residents’ interests first.
I spend hours listening to the community, visiting projects on-site, learning from subject matter experts, and asking the tough questions. My background in strategic planning, along with raising a young family, requires me to ensure that we are visionary as a city and are making thoughtful and informed decisions.
Blaine is a beautiful community with genuine, good people. Ward 1 deserves nice things, too. And together, we are making it happen: a new and safe Northtown Mall, Highway 65 project, restoring our deteriorated parks, crime prevention initiatives, elder support, clean water, small business outreach, strategic development, carwash moratorium, no storage facilities in our backyards, no overcrowding our neighborhoods, and creating more open and family-friendly spaces.
With my nearly two decades of community service and nonprofit leadership experience, 15 years on state and city commissions (including 7 years on the Blaine Charter Commission), law degree, and people-centered approach, I am confident we can create a city where everyone thrives and succeeds.
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?
Collaboration between government and the business community is essential. I believe strongly in public-private partnerships that benefits communities. For example, I am exploring the creation of a community center in partnership with a fitness facility- similar to how other cities structure their community centers.
As a resident of Blaine for nearly 20 years, I have seen firsthand the deterioration of Northtown Mall and the increase in crime and other issues that has created. Northtown, and Ward 1 in general, have been neglected by the city for far too long.
I have spent the past year working directly with the new owner of the Northtown Mall to help create a vision to revive and strengthen, not just the mall, but the entire Ward 1 area. We have taken a community-centered approach, including increasing mall security and working with the Blaine Historical Society to include a permanent history display at the mall entrance.
The outcomes of the legislative session positively impacted collaboration and our state’s business climate because it allows us to be strategic and create long-term solutions.
How would you characterize the business climate in Blaine and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Blaine?
While cities like Minnetonka, Woodbury, and Maple Grove are thriving and attracting good, ethical businesses, our city is struggling due to a lack of vision and strategic city planning. The city is making decisions without real input from residents, who are directly impacted by massive apartment buildings or storage facilities in their backyards.
During my first year on the city council, there were four new stand-alone carwashes. I was the only councilmember to vote against every single carwash and ask the important questions: How many jobs do carwashes bring to Blaine? Are there conflicts of interest? Do we need that many carwashes? Who profits and benefits from carwashes- the developer or the residents? What will happen to these carwashes in 10 or 15 years? Are we creating a mess for our future generations to clean up? The vast majority of funding in Blaine is generated in Ward 1, but does it stay in Ward 1?
As a pro-union candidate, I understand that choosing a company based solely on the lowest bid is often not the best strategic decision. It creates long-term problems, including issues of quality and maintenance of the infrastructure. I have repeatedly asked that the city not work with contractors who have engaged in wage theft, poor working conditions, and human tracking in other cities. In one case, I reached out to unions for assistance and asked the city to conduct an independent investigation into a developer that had been rejected by another city due to wage theft and other issues. I was ultimately successful in seeking transparency and ensuring that we maintain our values as a city.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Blaine has one of the best police departments in the nation and our police chief is a dedicated, ethical public servant who genuinely cares about the safety of Blaine residents. Our police department is strategic and visionary and I have fully supported their budget.
We need a community, business, and government partnership to address crime. For example, I have been working with the new owner of the Northtown Mall to ensure an increase in safety measures and security staffing at the mall. I supported initiatives such as the creation of the new neighborhood police advisory group and recruited Ward 1 residents to participate.
There are challenges in our criminal justice system beyond the control of our local police department and we need to address them at the state level. I continue to be a source of support, encouragement, and bridge-building for our police officers.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
We can address housing shortages in Blaine by putting the interests of residents before developers. For example, our city lacks affordable housing. Many seniors are forced out of Blaine, often after spending their entire lives here, because there is a shortage of affordable senior living opportunities.
As the daughter of immigrants who saved for many years to be able to purchase their first home, I wholeheartedly support and promote homeownership and efforts to increase the number of owner-occupied housing units. Recent state legislation has allowed us to offer more opportunities to promote homeownership in Blaine.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
Our city lacks walking and biking trails, and even sidewalks. Some families have told me they did not move to Blaine because the nearby school did not have sidewalks or a safe route for their children to get there. The Highway 65 project currently divides our city into two and I have made sure to include bike and walking trails. We have a bus hub in Northtown but it is not well-maintained and it needs some green space, renovation and safety measures.
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?
Fiscal stability comes from ending wasteful spending. I was the only councilmember to vote against a salary increase for both the city council and manager. I voted against the 17% proposed tax increase and will continue to look for ways to conserve, trim, eliminate, cut, and become more efficient at city hall. Hiring new staff and creating additional spending is not necessary. Reductions need to be made wherever possible. This is owed to taxpayers throughout this city.
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?
Every city is different and I don’t believe in a cookie-cutter approach. What may work in one city may not in another and each city needs to be able to make those decisions, in partnership with residents.
This quote drives my work: "Politics isn't about big money or power games; it's about the improvement of people's lives."
Three reasons why I am running include:
We are creating a city that, no matter what, puts residents first.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 612-327-6700
Campaign Website: https://votesaroya.com
Instagram handle: https://www.instagram.com/votesaroya
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/VoteSaroya
Candidate Bio
I am honored to serve as the Ward 1 councilmember since January 2023. My husband and I have been married for 20 years and we have three children, ages 13, 8, and 4. We have lived in Blaine for 19 years and are fully invested in Blaine’s future.
I am the daughter of immigrants who came to the United States in the late 1960s. My family settled in rural Iowa and instilled in me the importance of community, education, and a strong work ethic. I attended St. Catherine University and earned my Juris Doctor from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
I am committed to service and community. In addition to being a Blaine Charter Commissioner for 7 years, I served on the St. Paul Human Rights Commission, Minnesota Judicial Branch Committee, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Board of Directors, and the Alumni Board of Mitchell Hamline School of Law. I am the recipient of the Governor's Distinguished Community Service Award.
As a nonprofit leader and strategic consultant, I have spent my entire career empowering communities to learn, grow and succeed together. I am committed to building a safe and inclusive Blaine where the interests of residents always come first.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I lead with ethics, integrity, and character. That means speaking the truth and standing up for what is right, even when it’s hard. I am an advocate for Ward 1 and the strongest voice for Ward 1 residents.
I decided to get involved in local politics in 2020, amid the pandemic, when many people were struggling and some had lost their jobs. A neighbor told me that it was her son’s birthday and she could not afford a cake. I got her a cake, but it felt very unsatisfying. Her son would need another birthday cake next year and the following years. How many other mothers in my community needed help? And how do we make systemic change to empower people in our community instead of putting out fires only for them to reappear?
My background is in strategic development and those skills, along with my resident-first and results-oriented approach, have been instrumental in challenging how we do business at city hall. When the city changed the rules on public input, closed the public comment email, and tried to eliminate open forum, I was the only councilmember to stand up for residents’ free speech rights.
I passed a moratorium on carwashes. I voted against every massive apartment building and storage facility in people’s backyards. I asked for improvements to our infrastructure, better water, and safer roads, including securing federal funding for Highway 65.
While my opponent is almost entirely funded by developers who seek to saturate Ward 1 with massive apartment buildings, storage facilities, tobacco shops, and carwashes in our backyards, I understand that the decisions we make on the city council have a direct impact on people’s wellbeing and quality of life. I take my votes very seriously and do not just go based on staff recommendations. Instead, I spend hours doing additional research, meeting with residents, contacting people who have specific area expertise, asking other cities in similar situations, and doing the diligence that should be expected from a councilmember.
I work for Ward 1 residents and my vote will always reflect that. I have consistently challenged unscrupulous developers and the status quo, whether it's charging residents massive assessment fees for city street and curb repairs, spending $12 million on turf fields that contain PFAs chemicals, or wasteful of taxpayer funds. I am working tirelessly to bring values of ethics, integrity, and fairness to the Blaine city council.
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
My priorities:
- Infrastructure Improvements: Secured funding for key projects, including road repairs and park enhancements, ensuring our public spaces are well-maintained and accessible to all.
- Public Safety Enhancements: Strengthened partnerships with local law enforcement and community organizations to enhance crime prevention and keep Blaine safe.
- Elder Support Initiatives: Advocated for programs and services that support our elder community, ensuring they have access to the resources and care they need.
- Responsible Development: Implemented strategic development plans that prioritize open spaces, prevent overcrowding, and limit disruptive projects like storage facilities and car washes in our neighborhoods.
- Environmental Protection: Worked on securing clean water initiatives and promoting sustainable practices to protect our environment for future generations.
Our state legislature passed many bills during the last session that directly benefit Blaine residents, including state funding for Highway 65, homeowner assistance, and free lunch programs.
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in Blaine?
The biggest challenges facing Blaine are conflicts of interest, lack of transparency, and wasteful spending in city government. I am fully invested in creating a future that safeguards our taxpayer money and puts residents’ interests first.
I spend hours listening to the community, visiting projects on-site, learning from subject matter experts, and asking the tough questions. My background in strategic planning, along with raising a young family, requires me to ensure that we are visionary as a city and are making thoughtful and informed decisions.
Blaine is a beautiful community with genuine, good people. Ward 1 deserves nice things, too. And together, we are making it happen: a new and safe Northtown Mall, Highway 65 project, restoring our deteriorated parks, crime prevention initiatives, elder support, clean water, small business outreach, strategic development, carwash moratorium, no storage facilities in our backyards, no overcrowding our neighborhoods, and creating more open and family-friendly spaces.
With my nearly two decades of community service and nonprofit leadership experience, 15 years on state and city commissions (including 7 years on the Blaine Charter Commission), law degree, and people-centered approach, I am confident we can create a city where everyone thrives and succeeds.
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?
Collaboration between government and the business community is essential. I believe strongly in public-private partnerships that benefits communities. For example, I am exploring the creation of a community center in partnership with a fitness facility- similar to how other cities structure their community centers.
As a resident of Blaine for nearly 20 years, I have seen firsthand the deterioration of Northtown Mall and the increase in crime and other issues that has created. Northtown, and Ward 1 in general, have been neglected by the city for far too long.
I have spent the past year working directly with the new owner of the Northtown Mall to help create a vision to revive and strengthen, not just the mall, but the entire Ward 1 area. We have taken a community-centered approach, including increasing mall security and working with the Blaine Historical Society to include a permanent history display at the mall entrance.
The outcomes of the legislative session positively impacted collaboration and our state’s business climate because it allows us to be strategic and create long-term solutions.
How would you characterize the business climate in Blaine and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in Blaine?
While cities like Minnetonka, Woodbury, and Maple Grove are thriving and attracting good, ethical businesses, our city is struggling due to a lack of vision and strategic city planning. The city is making decisions without real input from residents, who are directly impacted by massive apartment buildings or storage facilities in their backyards.
During my first year on the city council, there were four new stand-alone carwashes. I was the only councilmember to vote against every single carwash and ask the important questions: How many jobs do carwashes bring to Blaine? Are there conflicts of interest? Do we need that many carwashes? Who profits and benefits from carwashes- the developer or the residents? What will happen to these carwashes in 10 or 15 years? Are we creating a mess for our future generations to clean up? The vast majority of funding in Blaine is generated in Ward 1, but does it stay in Ward 1?
As a pro-union candidate, I understand that choosing a company based solely on the lowest bid is often not the best strategic decision. It creates long-term problems, including issues of quality and maintenance of the infrastructure. I have repeatedly asked that the city not work with contractors who have engaged in wage theft, poor working conditions, and human tracking in other cities. In one case, I reached out to unions for assistance and asked the city to conduct an independent investigation into a developer that had been rejected by another city due to wage theft and other issues. I was ultimately successful in seeking transparency and ensuring that we maintain our values as a city.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
Blaine has one of the best police departments in the nation and our police chief is a dedicated, ethical public servant who genuinely cares about the safety of Blaine residents. Our police department is strategic and visionary and I have fully supported their budget.
We need a community, business, and government partnership to address crime. For example, I have been working with the new owner of the Northtown Mall to ensure an increase in safety measures and security staffing at the mall. I supported initiatives such as the creation of the new neighborhood police advisory group and recruited Ward 1 residents to participate.
There are challenges in our criminal justice system beyond the control of our local police department and we need to address them at the state level. I continue to be a source of support, encouragement, and bridge-building for our police officers.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
We can address housing shortages in Blaine by putting the interests of residents before developers. For example, our city lacks affordable housing. Many seniors are forced out of Blaine, often after spending their entire lives here, because there is a shortage of affordable senior living opportunities.
As the daughter of immigrants who saved for many years to be able to purchase their first home, I wholeheartedly support and promote homeownership and efforts to increase the number of owner-occupied housing units. Recent state legislation has allowed us to offer more opportunities to promote homeownership in Blaine.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
Our city lacks walking and biking trails, and even sidewalks. Some families have told me they did not move to Blaine because the nearby school did not have sidewalks or a safe route for their children to get there. The Highway 65 project currently divides our city into two and I have made sure to include bike and walking trails. We have a bus hub in Northtown but it is not well-maintained and it needs some green space, renovation and safety measures.
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?
Fiscal stability comes from ending wasteful spending. I was the only councilmember to vote against a salary increase for both the city council and manager. I voted against the 17% proposed tax increase and will continue to look for ways to conserve, trim, eliminate, cut, and become more efficient at city hall. Hiring new staff and creating additional spending is not necessary. Reductions need to be made wherever possible. This is owed to taxpayers throughout this city.
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?
Every city is different and I don’t believe in a cookie-cutter approach. What may work in one city may not in another and each city needs to be able to make those decisions, in partnership with residents.
This quote drives my work: "Politics isn't about big money or power games; it's about the improvement of people's lives."
Three reasons why I am running include:
- Utilize my strategic planning skills to improve and rebuild Blaine Ward 1, an area that is dealing with vacant lots, crime, and neglect.
- Improve people's wellbeing and quality of life in a city I love, have lived in for 20 years, and am raising my young family in.
- Ensure fiscal management, responsible government spending and oversight of taxpayer funds.
We are creating a city that, no matter what, puts residents first.