Troy Barksdale
Name:Troy Barksdale
Public Office Sought: St. Paul City Council Ward 3
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: (978) 549-2403
Campaign Website: www.barksdale-for-citycouncil.info
Twitter handle: (null)
Facebook Page: (null)
Instagram Profile: candidate_barksdale
Candidate Bio
I have been training myself to run for public office since I was 7, having watched Barack Obama become elected to the highest office in the land. In my youth, whenever my mother would take me to church conferences, I would often serve as a youth delegate from my church. This entailed serving as a representative at meetings and giving a report to my entire congregation once I returned. During the summer of 2020 in my hometown, I worked with a group of peers to get signatures for a public policy question on our local ballot. The question that we came up with (related to police accountability) received an overwhelming affirmative response. That summer I was a public organizer who put together/contributed to a handful of rallies/demonstrations. For me personally, this also entailed dynamic oration to the masses. The following year, I worked on a research project on education which I ended up presenting to some members of Baltimore’s NAACP chapter. This past year, I worked as an associate member of Macalester’s revitalized Men of Color Collective, and this fall will be stepping into a leadership role for the organization.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I am and always have been a critical leader who commands excellence. I don’t play when it comes to achieving a goal. I intend to be an accountable leader on the city council. To my prospective peers on the council, I will be an ally in the advancement/advocacy of all people. There is a line between being critical versus subversive, and it’s one that I will tow with the council, mayor, or any department of governance. I won’t shy away from admitting if we as a team have gotten something wrong. Keeping transparency with the public helps maintain trust.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Eliminating rent stabilization
Rehabilitating vacancies
Upgrading sewage system
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in St. Paul?
Biggest challenge: overcoming the issues of rent stabilization. 50% of residents are renters and this ordinance has exacerbated this issue. We have a two-tier rental market as a result of the current version of this legislation: one restricted and one unrestricted. The restricted tier is plagued by inhibiting both incentive and means on the part of landlords from actualizing capital improvements & maintenance. Moreover, while in the short run it has helped some tenants save money, the long term trend will be an oversaturated market as tenants are incentivized to stay in their units. Conversely the unrestricted tier will continue to inflate as landlords are incentivized to maximize margins prior their units age into the restricted tier. On top of all of this, affordable housing tenants are left out to dry as the affordable housing units are placed into the unrestricted tier of the market.
Our biggest opportunity lies in the untapped market potential of the hundreds of single family homes which are offline due to them being vacant. Their rehabilitation will help close the owner occupancy gap (contingent on our ability to induce movement from the rental market to the owner occupied market).
How would you characterize the business climate in St. Paul and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in St. Paul?
I would characterize our business climate as (generally) neighborhood friendly. The most sustainable business climates in the city are those well integrated with/near residential areas. The least sustainable business climates in the city are those which have carved out entire blocks from the city in insolation. From what I have seen, nodes of business that strip away neighborhood integrity, in favor of grandiosity, do not benefit the broader community.
The difficult target that the city (like most cities) aims for is the attraction of business which will generate economic growth & jobs without picking apart the integrity of our communities. This largely then becomes a question of how does the city help local businesses expand? I personally am a fan of tax cuts for local businesses. If megacorporations can subvert their taxes to maximize profits, municipal governments should be easing the burden on business owners to help them increase their margins.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
We are committing tens of millions of dollars to police patrolling annually, which to me seems like a waste. Police patrolling does not minimize crime rates & is often concentrated in low-income/minority communities, inducing greater mistrust and fear of law enforcement officials. Patrolling is a measure that helps to respond to crime but ultimately not one that works to prevent crimes from happening. The best way to prevent crimes is to address communal traumas and work on making sure the next generation has all the tools it needs to succeed. For me this starts with working with our young men to make sure they do not follow undesirable & ultimately criminal paths. If most of our crimes are committed by (young) men, addressing their struggles and needs early on is crucial. Particularly in the realm of domestic violence, educating our young people on how to treat their partners respectfully is paramount.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
I have a nebulous proposal to permit the sale of General Obligation Bonds for the rehabilitation of vacancies. The city should take on the burden of bringing vacancies online, as well as helping to facilitate the ownership of these properties to Saint Paul residents. Opening up an avenue for eligible Saint Paul renters to join the owner occupied market will help to balance out our strained rental market. What has to be avoided is the temptation to maximize profits over making sure that residents get a house at an affordable price. I would be happy to flesh out my entire proposal in a further discussion as my outline is two pages long.
St. Paul candidates only: Do you support the rent stabilization ordinance in its current form? If not, what would you like to change?
No, I do not support the Rent Stabilization Ordinance in its current form at all. Ideally, I would like to scrap the ordinance altogether. Rent Control on the whole is bad macroeconomics; we have the most stringent form of rent control in the entire country. In the first year of Rent Stabilization, investments & permits tanked. In the current form of the ordinance, affordable housing tenants have been left out to dry. As it currently stands, all housing policy proposals that candidates and councilors alike have in mind, have to be actualized through this constrictive ordinance. I think changing it is a half measure towards what really needs to happen which is a complete elimination of the ordinance. We have to replace the ordinance instead with incentives tied to capital improvements.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
An idea that I have been floating around entails expanding carpooling by way of vans. Now, I am going to be upfront and say that I need to really flesh this idea out a bit more but here is where my mind is on the matter. There are two ways that we could go about this: expanding van services from Metro Transit or partnering with Lyft. The Metro transit method would involve purchasing more vans and paying more drivers. The Lyft method would mean giving Lyft a competitive advantage over their competitors. The central idea behind both is that folks who work in close proximity/shift hours would be able to sign-up to be on the van’s route, ready and available during a given time window. To make either plan work, government spending would be necessary. Making such an idea worthwhile for both Lyft and St. Paul residents would mean subsidies to minimize cost burden on both parties. Whereas, expanding Metro Transit means spending more money on that department.
What will you do to expand St. Paul’s tax base?
My proposal to bring vacancies online is part of the plan to expand St. Paul’s tax base. I am not particularly interested in a massive annual tax hike like the one that went through last fiscal year. Bringing vacancies online and rehabilitating them not only generates more tax revenue from those properties, but also appreciates the value of nearby properties. Allowing for property values to naturally increase, will slowly yet steadily create a larger tax base for the city. Now, we know that property values do not increase infinitely. Critically, we have to be careful as to not induce gentrification in vulnerable neighborhoods, as that creates a crisis that an expanding tax base isn’t equipped to handle.
Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
We have to re-envision our policing and public safety. With the national emphasis on Minneapolis, let’s remember young black men are being killed in Saint Paul as well. The reporting on these young black men in the media is demonizing, almost as a means of justifying their deaths. Marcus Golden & Cordale Handy were portrayed in the media as putting the lives of officers in danger when their respective stories broke. Upon investigations into both cases, these initial reports appear to be unfounded. Marcus Golden was shot through the back of his head, despite initial reports claiming he was driving his vehicle towards police. Conversely, it was claimed that Cordale Handy was a threat to the police, when in reality it was he who called for their help in his crisis. The media in that case added the plus one of saying he was on drugs. Justice and due process do not create exceptions for when officers feel threatened. If Marcus Golden & Cordale Handy had been in violation of the law, they deserved the right to a fair trial, and not a public execution. I won’t declare that cuts/eliminations are coming, but change will be.
Public Office Sought: St. Paul City Council Ward 3
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: (978) 549-2403
Campaign Website: www.barksdale-for-citycouncil.info
Twitter handle: (null)
Facebook Page: (null)
Instagram Profile: candidate_barksdale
Candidate Bio
I have been training myself to run for public office since I was 7, having watched Barack Obama become elected to the highest office in the land. In my youth, whenever my mother would take me to church conferences, I would often serve as a youth delegate from my church. This entailed serving as a representative at meetings and giving a report to my entire congregation once I returned. During the summer of 2020 in my hometown, I worked with a group of peers to get signatures for a public policy question on our local ballot. The question that we came up with (related to police accountability) received an overwhelming affirmative response. That summer I was a public organizer who put together/contributed to a handful of rallies/demonstrations. For me personally, this also entailed dynamic oration to the masses. The following year, I worked on a research project on education which I ended up presenting to some members of Baltimore’s NAACP chapter. This past year, I worked as an associate member of Macalester’s revitalized Men of Color Collective, and this fall will be stepping into a leadership role for the organization.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
I am and always have been a critical leader who commands excellence. I don’t play when it comes to achieving a goal. I intend to be an accountable leader on the city council. To my prospective peers on the council, I will be an ally in the advancement/advocacy of all people. There is a line between being critical versus subversive, and it’s one that I will tow with the council, mayor, or any department of governance. I won’t shy away from admitting if we as a team have gotten something wrong. Keeping transparency with the public helps maintain trust.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Eliminating rent stabilization
Rehabilitating vacancies
Upgrading sewage system
What do you consider the biggest challenge and conversely, the biggest opportunity in St. Paul?
Biggest challenge: overcoming the issues of rent stabilization. 50% of residents are renters and this ordinance has exacerbated this issue. We have a two-tier rental market as a result of the current version of this legislation: one restricted and one unrestricted. The restricted tier is plagued by inhibiting both incentive and means on the part of landlords from actualizing capital improvements & maintenance. Moreover, while in the short run it has helped some tenants save money, the long term trend will be an oversaturated market as tenants are incentivized to stay in their units. Conversely the unrestricted tier will continue to inflate as landlords are incentivized to maximize margins prior their units age into the restricted tier. On top of all of this, affordable housing tenants are left out to dry as the affordable housing units are placed into the unrestricted tier of the market.
Our biggest opportunity lies in the untapped market potential of the hundreds of single family homes which are offline due to them being vacant. Their rehabilitation will help close the owner occupancy gap (contingent on our ability to induce movement from the rental market to the owner occupied market).
How would you characterize the business climate in St. Paul and what role do you think the city should have in attracting and retaining jobs and new businesses in St. Paul?
I would characterize our business climate as (generally) neighborhood friendly. The most sustainable business climates in the city are those well integrated with/near residential areas. The least sustainable business climates in the city are those which have carved out entire blocks from the city in insolation. From what I have seen, nodes of business that strip away neighborhood integrity, in favor of grandiosity, do not benefit the broader community.
The difficult target that the city (like most cities) aims for is the attraction of business which will generate economic growth & jobs without picking apart the integrity of our communities. This largely then becomes a question of how does the city help local businesses expand? I personally am a fan of tax cuts for local businesses. If megacorporations can subvert their taxes to maximize profits, municipal governments should be easing the burden on business owners to help them increase their margins.
What are your strategies to address public safety challenges in your community?
We are committing tens of millions of dollars to police patrolling annually, which to me seems like a waste. Police patrolling does not minimize crime rates & is often concentrated in low-income/minority communities, inducing greater mistrust and fear of law enforcement officials. Patrolling is a measure that helps to respond to crime but ultimately not one that works to prevent crimes from happening. The best way to prevent crimes is to address communal traumas and work on making sure the next generation has all the tools it needs to succeed. For me this starts with working with our young men to make sure they do not follow undesirable & ultimately criminal paths. If most of our crimes are committed by (young) men, addressing their struggles and needs early on is crucial. Particularly in the realm of domestic violence, educating our young people on how to treat their partners respectfully is paramount.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability?
I have a nebulous proposal to permit the sale of General Obligation Bonds for the rehabilitation of vacancies. The city should take on the burden of bringing vacancies online, as well as helping to facilitate the ownership of these properties to Saint Paul residents. Opening up an avenue for eligible Saint Paul renters to join the owner occupied market will help to balance out our strained rental market. What has to be avoided is the temptation to maximize profits over making sure that residents get a house at an affordable price. I would be happy to flesh out my entire proposal in a further discussion as my outline is two pages long.
St. Paul candidates only: Do you support the rent stabilization ordinance in its current form? If not, what would you like to change?
No, I do not support the Rent Stabilization Ordinance in its current form at all. Ideally, I would like to scrap the ordinance altogether. Rent Control on the whole is bad macroeconomics; we have the most stringent form of rent control in the entire country. In the first year of Rent Stabilization, investments & permits tanked. In the current form of the ordinance, affordable housing tenants have been left out to dry. As it currently stands, all housing policy proposals that candidates and councilors alike have in mind, have to be actualized through this constrictive ordinance. I think changing it is a half measure towards what really needs to happen which is a complete elimination of the ordinance. We have to replace the ordinance instead with incentives tied to capital improvements.
How would you work to improve transportation options in your community, including improved safety for transit riders, pedestrian/bike, and drivers alike?
An idea that I have been floating around entails expanding carpooling by way of vans. Now, I am going to be upfront and say that I need to really flesh this idea out a bit more but here is where my mind is on the matter. There are two ways that we could go about this: expanding van services from Metro Transit or partnering with Lyft. The Metro transit method would involve purchasing more vans and paying more drivers. The Lyft method would mean giving Lyft a competitive advantage over their competitors. The central idea behind both is that folks who work in close proximity/shift hours would be able to sign-up to be on the van’s route, ready and available during a given time window. To make either plan work, government spending would be necessary. Making such an idea worthwhile for both Lyft and St. Paul residents would mean subsidies to minimize cost burden on both parties. Whereas, expanding Metro Transit means spending more money on that department.
What will you do to expand St. Paul’s tax base?
My proposal to bring vacancies online is part of the plan to expand St. Paul’s tax base. I am not particularly interested in a massive annual tax hike like the one that went through last fiscal year. Bringing vacancies online and rehabilitating them not only generates more tax revenue from those properties, but also appreciates the value of nearby properties. Allowing for property values to naturally increase, will slowly yet steadily create a larger tax base for the city. Now, we know that property values do not increase infinitely. Critically, we have to be careful as to not induce gentrification in vulnerable neighborhoods, as that creates a crisis that an expanding tax base isn’t equipped to handle.
Are there any services currently provided by the city that you believe should be cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
We have to re-envision our policing and public safety. With the national emphasis on Minneapolis, let’s remember young black men are being killed in Saint Paul as well. The reporting on these young black men in the media is demonizing, almost as a means of justifying their deaths. Marcus Golden & Cordale Handy were portrayed in the media as putting the lives of officers in danger when their respective stories broke. Upon investigations into both cases, these initial reports appear to be unfounded. Marcus Golden was shot through the back of his head, despite initial reports claiming he was driving his vehicle towards police. Conversely, it was claimed that Cordale Handy was a threat to the police, when in reality it was he who called for their help in his crisis. The media in that case added the plus one of saying he was on drugs. Justice and due process do not create exceptions for when officers feel threatened. If Marcus Golden & Cordale Handy had been in violation of the law, they deserved the right to a fair trial, and not a public execution. I won’t declare that cuts/eliminations are coming, but change will be.