Tom Fischer
Name: Tom Fischer
Public Office Sought: Little Canada City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-489-5585
Website: www.fischer4littlecanada.com
Candidate Bio
I have had the honor of serving the City of Little Canada as a council member for the past four years and prior to that I served as a Planning Commissioner for six years. When running for Council in 2014, I said I would bring leadership, fiscal responsibility and innovative solutions to the City. I believe I have delivered on those claims.
Our City’s AA+ bond rating is exceptional for a city of our size and we work hard to make the right budget decisions. Our emergency services and public works department have been doing an outstanding job making sure our City is safe and well served. Our recent Master Plan and Master Parks Plan updates have laid the strategic groundwork to advance the quality and vibrance of our City for decades to come.
I lead without a political agenda. Simply stated, I want Little Canada to remain a great community and I will support initiatives that preserve and/or enhance the future of our City.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Little Canada?
Improving. A few years back, there were numerous empty store fronts and distressed business properties. Today, there are fewer empty store fronts and we have momentum with start-ups, growing businesses and the stabilization of existing businesses. My focus is on ensuring we maintain and attract the right businesses for our City. It is much easier to keep a good business than it is to replace them.
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, Little Canada?
Attracting and retaining jobs is a shared responsibly between the local government and business owners. The local government has an obligation to create a business climate such that desirable businesses can operate successfully, and the business owner has an obligation to be responsible, safe and ethical members of our community.
Our 2040 Comprehensive Plan calls for the redevelopment of several major business districts. This redevelopment will come as the result of public and private partnership and likely to involve expert developers. In coming years, it is my hope that you will see a more active Economic Development Authority, creating opportunities for business owners and residents alike.
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 Little Canada?
Given Little Canada’s size and budget, I do not see appropriate benefit from adding a senior staff person focused on business retention and/or expansion. However, we would benefit from having a contract or consulting agreement with a business relations expert. This is an area where I would consider exploring a partnership with neighboring communities to maximize our benefit while limiting our investment. I believe all Council and senior staff members have a responsibility to ensure an appropriate and business-friendly environment.
4. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in Little Canada? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Little Canada and do you support proposals to mitigate the effects on businesses like a tip credit, a youth wage, a training wage, and/or a phase-in?
No resident, business owner or employee has asked me to consider an increase to the minimum wage in our City. I believe the minimum wage issue should be addressed at the state and/or national level, creating a level playing field for all our local communities. I have no interest in addressing minimum wage at the City level.
5. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Little Canada (such as mandatory sick time or scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Little Canada and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
Like the minimum wage question, I firmly believe these employment-related proposals are best addressed at the state or national level.
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
We actively monitor crime data and when situations require intervention, we have been quick to act. During my time on the Council, we have worked in cooperation with several business owners to improve the security in and around their businesses. We also have on-going discussions with Ramsey County Sheriff’s office in an effort to address trends and concerns.
I like to learn from others. Following crisis events that happened in neighboring communities, we reviewed our Emergency Management and Emergency Communication plans to make sure we are prepared if a crisis event were to occur in our City. In the case of an emergency situation, we have mutual aid agreements with all our neighboring communities to ensure the best possible outcome.
I have established good working relationships with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office and the Little Canada Fire Department as well as our Public Works department. During the past four years, I have shared resident and business owner concerns with our public safety groups and always gotten timely and meaningful responses.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Public safety followed by quality of life initiatives. My top priority is to ensure our residents are safe, have great emergency response and that they are satisfied with our general services (roads, sewer, water, etc.). Our citizens tend to be active and they enjoy our parks, trails and events. We recently completed a Parks Master Plan and in up-coming years, our parks, playgrounds, trails and recreational offerings will evolve to ensure we are adequately serving the needs of current and future users.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
I believe the Little Canada portion of the property tax rates is fair. In my time on the Council, we have worked hard to ensure property owners are getting a strong return on their local taxes. We have been planful and consistent. It has been my goal to balance short-term spending and longer-term investments so that our tax rates are as predictable as possible.
9. What will you do to expand Little Canada’s tax base?
Little Canada has very few undeveloped parcels. Expanding the residential property tax base will come through building out the remaining developable parcels, lot splits and refurbishment of existing housing stock. It is one of our 2018 goals to initiate a Housing Redevelopment Program, providing a low-cost option for existing home owners to make necessary and/or desired improvements.
From a business perspective, we continue to seek opportunities to reduce the number of empty store fronts. We have also been reviewing City codes to ensure a proper balance of regulation and business owner flexibility. But I think the most impactful benefit to the tax base will come in the form of redevelopment of several business districts. Because these redevelopment opportunities will require the cooperation of the City and multiple property owners, it will take time to evolve, but the benefits should be substantial.
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?
I have been and will continue to be an advocate for partnerships between educational institutions and businesses. I serve as an “e-mentor” to local high school students and I serve as an Advisor to the Electronics Technology department at Anoka Technical College. I think it is critical that these relationships span the wide array of business needs and student capabilities. Moving forward there will be great need for professionals and technical vocational workers as well as those who are seeking general employment. The partnerships need to start early, helping students understand the options available to them, so they can start to develop their personal vision of the American Dream. There are too many junior high students who have no image of the American Dream (beyond professional sports and entertainment).
11. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to public schools in Little Canada?
The City of Little Canada is served primarily by the Roseville School District (623) with a small section of the northeast part of our City served by the White Bear Lake School District (624). As a Council member I see my role as a voice representing our residents on School District topics. This past year, our residents overwhelmingly passed a referendum in support of upgrading Roseville School District facilities. These upgrades are desperately needed. I openly questioned why the District waited so long to seek funding for building improvements. It seemed irresponsible to knowingly allow our buildings to deteriorate to the degree that some have. I have spoken with Superintendent Aldo Sicoli and several of his staff members to ensure we will get regular updates on the various facility projects, their budgets and progress. The people of our community said, “yes to kids” and I will be keeping tabs on how well our kids are being served.
Other
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
Little Canada is almost fully developed with a wide array commercial and residential uses. I believe the biggest challenge is maintaining a high quality of community life given the incredible diversity of land uses and limited opportunities to expand. The just completed 2040 Comprehensive Plan provides some strategic guidance on how our City might evolve, but making it happen will be hard work. We will need to work in partnership with property owners and developers to transform some of our key development areas.
Just as important is maintaining our vigilance about crime and crime prevention. Our law enforcement services are provided by the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) and they have been fantastic partners. Law enforcement officers have a very difficult job. Often these highly-trained individuals are asked to intervene in emotionally charged situations and they are expected to respond perfectly. I have great respect for our officers and I enjoy representing the people of our community. I want to continue working with our officers and our citizens, helping bridge whatever gaps exist and to help educate individuals to the services provided by RCSO.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
At this time, the top priority is to ensure the Rice Street Bridge over 694 project is completed on time and budget with limited impact to neighboring residents and businesses. A few other key transportation related concerns are partnering with Ramsey County to improve the County roadways serving our City and ensuring adequate transportation options for those who cannot operate independently. I would also advocate for a continuous sidewalk along Rice Street north of County Road C.
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?
We have an obligation to review our services on a regular basis and ensure we are providing the best possible support for our residents. I don’t believe there are any services that should be cut back or eliminated at this time. Little Canada does a good job of balancing standalone services and partnering with neighboring communities to ensure we provide the right opportunities and/or services at the best cost.
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
It has truly been an honor to serve the City of Little Canada as a Council member for the past four years. I have enjoyed working with our City staff, our residents and our business representatives. I have worked hard to understand issues from many different perspectives before deciding on the best course of action for our City. While the Council cannot always satisfy everyone’s desires, I have enjoyed working in a transparent way to find good solutions to the challenges before us. I would like to continue serving as your City Council member and I hope my performance has earned your vote. Please vote on November 6.
Public Office Sought: Little Canada City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-489-5585
Website: www.fischer4littlecanada.com
Candidate Bio
I have had the honor of serving the City of Little Canada as a council member for the past four years and prior to that I served as a Planning Commissioner for six years. When running for Council in 2014, I said I would bring leadership, fiscal responsibility and innovative solutions to the City. I believe I have delivered on those claims.
Our City’s AA+ bond rating is exceptional for a city of our size and we work hard to make the right budget decisions. Our emergency services and public works department have been doing an outstanding job making sure our City is safe and well served. Our recent Master Plan and Master Parks Plan updates have laid the strategic groundwork to advance the quality and vibrance of our City for decades to come.
I lead without a political agenda. Simply stated, I want Little Canada to remain a great community and I will support initiatives that preserve and/or enhance the future of our City.
Business climate
1. How would you characterize the business climate in Little Canada?
Improving. A few years back, there were numerous empty store fronts and distressed business properties. Today, there are fewer empty store fronts and we have momentum with start-ups, growing businesses and the stabilization of existing businesses. My focus is on ensuring we maintain and attract the right businesses for our City. It is much easier to keep a good business than it is to replace them.
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, Little Canada?
Attracting and retaining jobs is a shared responsibly between the local government and business owners. The local government has an obligation to create a business climate such that desirable businesses can operate successfully, and the business owner has an obligation to be responsible, safe and ethical members of our community.
Our 2040 Comprehensive Plan calls for the redevelopment of several major business districts. This redevelopment will come as the result of public and private partnership and likely to involve expert developers. In coming years, it is my hope that you will see a more active Economic Development Authority, creating opportunities for business owners and residents alike.
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 Little Canada?
Given Little Canada’s size and budget, I do not see appropriate benefit from adding a senior staff person focused on business retention and/or expansion. However, we would benefit from having a contract or consulting agreement with a business relations expert. This is an area where I would consider exploring a partnership with neighboring communities to maximize our benefit while limiting our investment. I believe all Council and senior staff members have a responsibility to ensure an appropriate and business-friendly environment.
4. Do you support an increase to the minimum wage in Little Canada? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Little Canada and do you support proposals to mitigate the effects on businesses like a tip credit, a youth wage, a training wage, and/or a phase-in?
No resident, business owner or employee has asked me to consider an increase to the minimum wage in our City. I believe the minimum wage issue should be addressed at the state and/or national level, creating a level playing field for all our local communities. I have no interest in addressing minimum wage at the City level.
5. Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in Little Canada (such as mandatory sick time or scheduling notice)? If so, what specific steps would you take to understand the impact of an increase on the many types of businesses in Little Canada and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
Like the minimum wage question, I firmly believe these employment-related proposals are best addressed at the state or national level.
Public safety
6. What is your strategy to address public safety concerns?
We actively monitor crime data and when situations require intervention, we have been quick to act. During my time on the Council, we have worked in cooperation with several business owners to improve the security in and around their businesses. We also have on-going discussions with Ramsey County Sheriff’s office in an effort to address trends and concerns.
I like to learn from others. Following crisis events that happened in neighboring communities, we reviewed our Emergency Management and Emergency Communication plans to make sure we are prepared if a crisis event were to occur in our City. In the case of an emergency situation, we have mutual aid agreements with all our neighboring communities to ensure the best possible outcome.
I have established good working relationships with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office and the Little Canada Fire Department as well as our Public Works department. During the past four years, I have shared resident and business owner concerns with our public safety groups and always gotten timely and meaningful responses.
Budget
7. What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
Public safety followed by quality of life initiatives. My top priority is to ensure our residents are safe, have great emergency response and that they are satisfied with our general services (roads, sewer, water, etc.). Our citizens tend to be active and they enjoy our parks, trails and events. We recently completed a Parks Master Plan and in up-coming years, our parks, playgrounds, trails and recreational offerings will evolve to ensure we are adequately serving the needs of current and future users.
8. How do you view the relationship between commercial and residential property taxes?
I believe the Little Canada portion of the property tax rates is fair. In my time on the Council, we have worked hard to ensure property owners are getting a strong return on their local taxes. We have been planful and consistent. It has been my goal to balance short-term spending and longer-term investments so that our tax rates are as predictable as possible.
9. What will you do to expand Little Canada’s tax base?
Little Canada has very few undeveloped parcels. Expanding the residential property tax base will come through building out the remaining developable parcels, lot splits and refurbishment of existing housing stock. It is one of our 2018 goals to initiate a Housing Redevelopment Program, providing a low-cost option for existing home owners to make necessary and/or desired improvements.
From a business perspective, we continue to seek opportunities to reduce the number of empty store fronts. We have also been reviewing City codes to ensure a proper balance of regulation and business owner flexibility. But I think the most impactful benefit to the tax base will come in the form of redevelopment of several business districts. Because these redevelopment opportunities will require the cooperation of the City and multiple property owners, it will take time to evolve, but the benefits should be substantial.
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?
I have been and will continue to be an advocate for partnerships between educational institutions and businesses. I serve as an “e-mentor” to local high school students and I serve as an Advisor to the Electronics Technology department at Anoka Technical College. I think it is critical that these relationships span the wide array of business needs and student capabilities. Moving forward there will be great need for professionals and technical vocational workers as well as those who are seeking general employment. The partnerships need to start early, helping students understand the options available to them, so they can start to develop their personal vision of the American Dream. There are too many junior high students who have no image of the American Dream (beyond professional sports and entertainment).
11. What do you see as the city council’s role with regard to public schools in Little Canada?
The City of Little Canada is served primarily by the Roseville School District (623) with a small section of the northeast part of our City served by the White Bear Lake School District (624). As a Council member I see my role as a voice representing our residents on School District topics. This past year, our residents overwhelmingly passed a referendum in support of upgrading Roseville School District facilities. These upgrades are desperately needed. I openly questioned why the District waited so long to seek funding for building improvements. It seemed irresponsible to knowingly allow our buildings to deteriorate to the degree that some have. I have spoken with Superintendent Aldo Sicoli and several of his staff members to ensure we will get regular updates on the various facility projects, their budgets and progress. The people of our community said, “yes to kids” and I will be keeping tabs on how well our kids are being served.
Other
12. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it?
Little Canada is almost fully developed with a wide array commercial and residential uses. I believe the biggest challenge is maintaining a high quality of community life given the incredible diversity of land uses and limited opportunities to expand. The just completed 2040 Comprehensive Plan provides some strategic guidance on how our City might evolve, but making it happen will be hard work. We will need to work in partnership with property owners and developers to transform some of our key development areas.
Just as important is maintaining our vigilance about crime and crime prevention. Our law enforcement services are provided by the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) and they have been fantastic partners. Law enforcement officers have a very difficult job. Often these highly-trained individuals are asked to intervene in emotionally charged situations and they are expected to respond perfectly. I have great respect for our officers and I enjoy representing the people of our community. I want to continue working with our officers and our citizens, helping bridge whatever gaps exist and to help educate individuals to the services provided by RCSO.
13. What would be your top three priorities if elected?
- Public Safety and Quality of Life considerations for our residents and business owners
- Redevelopment will be critical to maintaining our high quality of life. We need to partner with property owners and developers to make the best possible use of our scarce resources.
- Financial Accountability – I will review each financial decision, considering both the short-term needs as well as the long-term strategies. Understanding these conditions, I will support the most responsible alternative for our City.
14. What do you think should be the city’s top transportation related priority?
At this time, the top priority is to ensure the Rice Street Bridge over 694 project is completed on time and budget with limited impact to neighboring residents and businesses. A few other key transportation related concerns are partnering with Ramsey County to improve the County roadways serving our City and ensuring adequate transportation options for those who cannot operate independently. I would also advocate for a continuous sidewalk along Rice Street north of County Road C.
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?
We have an obligation to review our services on a regular basis and ensure we are providing the best possible support for our residents. I don’t believe there are any services that should be cut back or eliminated at this time. Little Canada does a good job of balancing standalone services and partnering with neighboring communities to ensure we provide the right opportunities and/or services at the best cost.
16. Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
It has truly been an honor to serve the City of Little Canada as a Council member for the past four years. I have enjoyed working with our City staff, our residents and our business representatives. I have worked hard to understand issues from many different perspectives before deciding on the best course of action for our City. While the Council cannot always satisfy everyone’s desires, I have enjoyed working in a transparent way to find good solutions to the challenges before us. I would like to continue serving as your City Council member and I hope my performance has earned your vote. Please vote on November 6.