Mike Hilborn
Name: Mike Hilborn
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone:
Campaign Website: https://www.hilbornforminnesota.com
Twitter handle: N/A
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562497641611
Candidate Bio
I was born and raised in the Twin Cities. I own a home, raised three boys and own a business in St. Paul, so I’m committed to St. Paul and it’s success. As a “second-chance” employer, many of our employees have successfully completed addiction treatment programs or prison terms, and are now working in well-paying jobs. Similarly, I hope to help Minnesota to have a healthy economy that supports businesses, job creation and sufficient wages for people to have a chance at the American Dream. I’m committed to controlling regulations and spending in our state to ensure that taxes do not continue to rise. As with my business over the last 29 years, I bring a common-sense approach to the Minnesota House of Representatives where you must control spending, listen to and support those you serve and focus on the job you are hired to do. Doing the right thing has always worked in business, and it will work in the Capitol!
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
My top three priorities are Affordability, Law & Order and Education. Affordability: Minnesotans must be able to afford housing, groceries and gas. Raising kids has to be more affordable, and can be if we eliminate frivolous regulations and bureaucratic boards that serve career politicians and their cronies. Law & Order: Crime hurts everyone. Especially the poor. We must hold criminals accountable for their actions and support our police. This shouldn’t be a partisan priority, but a core requirement of government for all. Education: Schools must be academically challenging and safe for our children. We must return to a focus on reading, writing and arithmetic and regain our position as a state that supports educating our children. We can no longer afford the time or money to indoctrinate our children.
How would you characterize the business climate in the East Metro? Please elaborate on your answer.
The business climate in the East Metro has become increasingly challenging since the pandemic. Workers and visitors aren’t comfortable with aggressive soliciting and begging, encampments and insufficient public safety. To address the business climate, we must address these challenges and bring back a more vibrant business and hospitality community. Ideally, a public/private approach to addressing mental health, addiction and other challenges that may contribute to the crisis of our homeless population is best to determine potential solutions that can work for all impacted.
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?
The answer to question #3 above outlines what I believe we should deploy wherever possible: bringing together public and private resources to address challenges. With a business perspective and commitment to address these challenges facing St. Paul and other cities across the state, I would hope we might restore a more collaborative public/private approach to improve the outcomes of the complex challenges we face. The past two years have been very detrimental to businesses in the state from legislators with little understanding of business imposing regulations, fees and taxes on business owners and businesses that impact both wages and the cost of goods sold. We can no longer afford to impede business growth in the state with ill-considered legislation and regulations that often are unread or understood by legislators who are not seeking input from constituents in their districts. Minnesota has a long history of collaboration and cooperation among constituents, and if we are to tackle these complex challenges, we must do it in cooperation with businesses and business leaders.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address our state’s critical labor shortage?
With the pandemic behind us and strong economic tailwinds still in place, we must continue to expand workforce development initiatives across the state, minimize or eliminate incentives for people to return to work and minimize the cost burden of reckless regulations that add costs to businesses that could otherwise go to wages and benefits that may allow Minnesota businesses to attract workers from other States. Rather than trying to be like states on the West Coast, we should be enacting policies that attract the workers fleeing these states.
The 2023-2024 Legislature passed many new mandates on employers, such as Paid Family Medical Leave, Earned Safe and Sick Time, and Worker Misclassification penalties. Do you support the PFML program in its current form or do you believe there needs to be further refinement before the program comes into effect in January 2026? If elected, 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?
As indicated in prior responses, unfortunately legislation is often passed with insufficient consideration of the impact and burden, and PFML is certainly one of these. The concept of PFML is certainly an attractive benefit from workers across the state, and employers must always carefully consider the benefits they offer employees to ensure a quality workforce. The one-size-fits-all approach that this creates, however, is detrimental to many businesses and to many workers, whether or not they know this, and PFML is an example of the type of business policies coming out of the legislature in the past two years. It’s time for businesses to weigh-in on these important benefits and to help refine this in a way that works for everyone, supports job growth and doesn’t drive up the cost of goods. We must understand the unintended consequences of some of the recent tragic legislation enacted and work collaboratively so that our policies are good for all people in Minnesota.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your district and the state?
Public Safety is among my top three priority areas. We must support our police and the public safety of our citizens across the state. So many of our officers and community safety teams are well-trained, well-meaning and support the backbone of our communities. We also must consider their safety, the value of their contributions in our communities and hold criminals accountable for their actions. We are seeing improved staffing, revisions to the ill-considered policy not supporting Student Resource Officers (SROs) in our schools and public awareness that we must have well-trained, supported public safety professionals to ensure the safety and liberty of law-abiding citizens.
How would you work to improve transportation options in the district/state, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
Transportation safety and infrastructure is important to our citizens and to commerce across the state, and we must plan to continue to invest wisely in the state’s transportation. As previously indicated, Public Safety is a priority issue for me, and this includes safety of transit riders. I believe we can improve the cooperation between our local and transit public safety teams for the benefit of everyone. While we have some of the best pedestrian/bike pathways in the nation, there are still opportunities to improve across the state and to continue to lead in leveraging these healthier options. Still, rural and urban drivers need reliable roads to commute to work and transport the goods and services we generate in the state, so we must remain in communication with our citizens to understand local needs when we are replacing roads and bridges and should be careful to enact state-wide mandates when local initiatives can better consider the needs of it’s citizens.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
As previously stated, housing is another matter where improved public/private collaborations can help bridge the gap between our current available housing and the housing needs of our citizens. This also must be solved with local needs in mind, so the state must careful consider what we can solve and what must remain in the jurisdiction of local communities. With engagement from the private sector with an acute interest in addressing worker shortages, housing, which is also a workforce issue, has a greater chance of finding lasting solutions that meet the needs within our local communities.
In light of projected budget deficit/"structural imbalance," what are your priorities for the State's budget?
As costs rise for our citizens across the State, judicious spending to support our priorities is required. Our citizens and the business that employ our workforce can no longer support the irresponsible tax-and-spend philosophy of our recent administration. Without fixing the structural policies and fat bureaucracies burdening our businesses and their workforce, it will be challenging to fund our spending priorities without tax increases, but this must be the priority. If we can create a more attractive business environment that encourages and supports innovation and growth, we can increase our tax base. This is where we should be focused.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone:
Campaign Website: https://www.hilbornforminnesota.com
Twitter handle: N/A
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562497641611
Candidate Bio
I was born and raised in the Twin Cities. I own a home, raised three boys and own a business in St. Paul, so I’m committed to St. Paul and it’s success. As a “second-chance” employer, many of our employees have successfully completed addiction treatment programs or prison terms, and are now working in well-paying jobs. Similarly, I hope to help Minnesota to have a healthy economy that supports businesses, job creation and sufficient wages for people to have a chance at the American Dream. I’m committed to controlling regulations and spending in our state to ensure that taxes do not continue to rise. As with my business over the last 29 years, I bring a common-sense approach to the Minnesota House of Representatives where you must control spending, listen to and support those you serve and focus on the job you are hired to do. Doing the right thing has always worked in business, and it will work in the Capitol!
What would be your top three priorities if elected? How might these priorities be affected by the state's projected economic outlook?
My top three priorities are Affordability, Law & Order and Education. Affordability: Minnesotans must be able to afford housing, groceries and gas. Raising kids has to be more affordable, and can be if we eliminate frivolous regulations and bureaucratic boards that serve career politicians and their cronies. Law & Order: Crime hurts everyone. Especially the poor. We must hold criminals accountable for their actions and support our police. This shouldn’t be a partisan priority, but a core requirement of government for all. Education: Schools must be academically challenging and safe for our children. We must return to a focus on reading, writing and arithmetic and regain our position as a state that supports educating our children. We can no longer afford the time or money to indoctrinate our children.
How would you characterize the business climate in the East Metro? Please elaborate on your answer.
The business climate in the East Metro has become increasingly challenging since the pandemic. Workers and visitors aren’t comfortable with aggressive soliciting and begging, encampments and insufficient public safety. To address the business climate, we must address these challenges and bring back a more vibrant business and hospitality community. Ideally, a public/private approach to addressing mental health, addiction and other challenges that may contribute to the crisis of our homeless population is best to determine potential solutions that can work for all impacted.
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?
The answer to question #3 above outlines what I believe we should deploy wherever possible: bringing together public and private resources to address challenges. With a business perspective and commitment to address these challenges facing St. Paul and other cities across the state, I would hope we might restore a more collaborative public/private approach to improve the outcomes of the complex challenges we face. The past two years have been very detrimental to businesses in the state from legislators with little understanding of business imposing regulations, fees and taxes on business owners and businesses that impact both wages and the cost of goods sold. We can no longer afford to impede business growth in the state with ill-considered legislation and regulations that often are unread or understood by legislators who are not seeking input from constituents in their districts. Minnesota has a long history of collaboration and cooperation among constituents, and if we are to tackle these complex challenges, we must do it in cooperation with businesses and business leaders.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address our state’s critical labor shortage?
With the pandemic behind us and strong economic tailwinds still in place, we must continue to expand workforce development initiatives across the state, minimize or eliminate incentives for people to return to work and minimize the cost burden of reckless regulations that add costs to businesses that could otherwise go to wages and benefits that may allow Minnesota businesses to attract workers from other States. Rather than trying to be like states on the West Coast, we should be enacting policies that attract the workers fleeing these states.
The 2023-2024 Legislature passed many new mandates on employers, such as Paid Family Medical Leave, Earned Safe and Sick Time, and Worker Misclassification penalties. Do you support the PFML program in its current form or do you believe there needs to be further refinement before the program comes into effect in January 2026? If elected, 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?
As indicated in prior responses, unfortunately legislation is often passed with insufficient consideration of the impact and burden, and PFML is certainly one of these. The concept of PFML is certainly an attractive benefit from workers across the state, and employers must always carefully consider the benefits they offer employees to ensure a quality workforce. The one-size-fits-all approach that this creates, however, is detrimental to many businesses and to many workers, whether or not they know this, and PFML is an example of the type of business policies coming out of the legislature in the past two years. It’s time for businesses to weigh-in on these important benefits and to help refine this in a way that works for everyone, supports job growth and doesn’t drive up the cost of goods. We must understand the unintended consequences of some of the recent tragic legislation enacted and work collaboratively so that our policies are good for all people in Minnesota.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your district and the state?
Public Safety is among my top three priority areas. We must support our police and the public safety of our citizens across the state. So many of our officers and community safety teams are well-trained, well-meaning and support the backbone of our communities. We also must consider their safety, the value of their contributions in our communities and hold criminals accountable for their actions. We are seeing improved staffing, revisions to the ill-considered policy not supporting Student Resource Officers (SROs) in our schools and public awareness that we must have well-trained, supported public safety professionals to ensure the safety and liberty of law-abiding citizens.
How would you work to improve transportation options in the district/state, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
Transportation safety and infrastructure is important to our citizens and to commerce across the state, and we must plan to continue to invest wisely in the state’s transportation. As previously indicated, Public Safety is a priority issue for me, and this includes safety of transit riders. I believe we can improve the cooperation between our local and transit public safety teams for the benefit of everyone. While we have some of the best pedestrian/bike pathways in the nation, there are still opportunities to improve across the state and to continue to lead in leveraging these healthier options. Still, rural and urban drivers need reliable roads to commute to work and transport the goods and services we generate in the state, so we must remain in communication with our citizens to understand local needs when we are replacing roads and bridges and should be careful to enact state-wide mandates when local initiatives can better consider the needs of it’s citizens.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
As previously stated, housing is another matter where improved public/private collaborations can help bridge the gap between our current available housing and the housing needs of our citizens. This also must be solved with local needs in mind, so the state must careful consider what we can solve and what must remain in the jurisdiction of local communities. With engagement from the private sector with an acute interest in addressing worker shortages, housing, which is also a workforce issue, has a greater chance of finding lasting solutions that meet the needs within our local communities.
In light of projected budget deficit/"structural imbalance," what are your priorities for the State's budget?
As costs rise for our citizens across the State, judicious spending to support our priorities is required. Our citizens and the business that employ our workforce can no longer support the irresponsible tax-and-spend philosophy of our recent administration. Without fixing the structural policies and fat bureaucracies burdening our businesses and their workforce, it will be challenging to fund our spending priorities without tax increases, but this must be the priority. If we can create a more attractive business environment that encourages and supports innovation and growth, we can increase our tax base. This is where we should be focused.