Kami Miller
Name: Kami Miller
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 763-998-0243
Campaign Website: KamiforNewBrighton.com
Twitter Handle: N/A
Facebook Page: Kami Miller for New Brighton
Candidate Bio
I have lived in New Brighton for over ten years using city’ services, businesses, roads, and public lands. I have been on the City’s Equity commission since its inception (~4 years ago) and I am the current chair. In that capacity, I have interacted and engaged with the other commissions and city departments. In the capacity of a commissioner, I have also attended or volunteered at several community events including representing the city at area multi-city forums, New Brighton mobile city hall events at park grand re-openings, and cultural and community building events offered by the city. I have also been on the Ramsey County Library Advisory Board for several years, and I am currently the vice chair of that board. Being on that board has allowed me to have a more substantial understanding of the relationship between the County and the cities it serves and the budgeting processes of the County and how those decisions, like budget decreases or tax increase, impact the cities and residents within.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
Collaborative but goal focused. I have worked in and led various sized groups from under six members with continual goals to committees of 25-plus with a hard deadline such as a large fundraiser. Whether officially leading the group or not I stay goal-focused, but I am an information gatherer, so I welcome and make space for fact-finding and opinion sharing.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
1. Maintaining and fostering community building, 2. Supporting affordable housing initiatives benefiting our residents, and 3. Staying on track with the long-term goals put forth in the City’s Strategic Priorities. I acknowledge that there will be difficult financial times ahead due to reduced or removed access to funding at the federal and state level, but I also recognize that every household in our city is or will be experiencing financial strain too and if we don’t give them support in the form of community or other resources to help them remain in their housing and in this community, the city will be lesser for it. Tough decisions will need to be made and some projects will need to be postponed, but a holistic approach to cost-cutting should be used, with great consideration to finding solutions that do the least harm but realize the needed cost-savings.
What is the biggest challenge facing New Brighton right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
I see the biggest challenge facing New Brighton is keeping our residence safe and all feeling that they belong and are valued; public safety plays an important role but fostering community building and creating opportunities and providing space for the public to come together is another part of that. I believe one of New Brighton’s greatest opportunities is currently being demonstrated in the City’s parks renovations. The City parks are on a renovation schedule, but instead of just upgrading equipment and facilities and refreshing the landscaping, the City has made the strategic effort to make each park a destination park for residents and visitors alike, providing a unique experience in the upgrades and making considerations for visitors of all abilities and providing equipment that encourages engaging with the park in ways not offered before.
How would you characterize the business climate in New Brighton, and what role should city government play in partnering with the business community to attract jobs, develop the workforce, and address shared challenges?
I believe the community wants to support local businesses and wants to have businesses within the city that provide for their needs and wants. This is demonstrated by the well-attended and well-engaged Economic Development commission, even though it meets at time that could be difficult for some working residents to attend, the members of that commission are committed to the wellness of the business community in the city. The city should be support for businesses - removing any unnecessary obstacles to their success, providing support and clarification for businesses that find themselves out of compliance with city codes and being champions for these businesses to the residents and visitors of New Brighton, like providing sponsorship opportunities for businesses at City events and providing promotional or spotlight showcases in public spaces and facilities to make the community aware of the businesses. The city should offer incentives for businesses to come here or expand here, but not to the detriment of the environment or general well-being of the business’s neighbors.
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
I think petty crime like vehicle and property theft is the most pressing safety challenge and I think creating an environment that discourages those behaviors is a way to address it. Neighborhood watches that bring neighbors together to look after each other (even in multi-family housing communities), youth programs to give them something more productive to do with their time, and lighting and patrols are all ways to proactive ways communicate that these types of crime and their perpetrators will not go undetected or unseen.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability, and how do you view the role of rent control policies in that process?
If the prospect of more housing being built wasn’t on the horizon or wasn’t in the quantities needed by the community then the city should consider ways in which it can support its residents to transition to different types of housing that would free up housing stock for example if a single individual was in a family home but would be interested in downsizing, but didn’t have the resources to prepare their home to go to market there could be support like a low-interest rate to help that homeowner. Additionally, it is easier to keep people in housing then to get them back into stable housing, so providing financial support to renters that are experiencing temporary financial hardship is again something the city could do (potentially in partnership with the county) to keep residents in the community. Rent control is a heady topic that would require much consideration, I don’t think any city makes that decision lightly and I don’t think my city would be any different, all stakeholders would need to be provided the opportunity to contribute their viewpoint.
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
I think having a complete long-term vision for transportation needs and concerns for the city is what is needed. Sometimes consideration for cyclists and pedestrians must be made without the data to know to what extent residents will use these alternate modes of transportation and when repairing roads on a regular schedule those modes of transportation should be considered and accounted for if in the long-term a vision for connectivity can be realized. Many European communities of large and small configurations have embraced public transit and human-powered transportation and it was most likely because these modes could get them to where they wanted to go in a safe way, connecting them to medical, parks, businesses, etc.
Residential property owners across the region are feeling significant strain from rising property tax bills. How would you approach balancing fiscal responsibility with the demand for services when setting the city levy?
The tension between the wants and needs of the city and its residents and property owners is a continual issue. The best that can be done is to understand that everyone feels the burden of tax increases, but the expectations of quality services and long-term goal progress remain also an expectation of residents, so all changes must be measured and reasonings communicated.
What are the two or three issues where you believe city government is best positioned to lead — and why the city rather than the state or county?
I believe the two issues the city is best equipped to handle over a higher body are housing and public safety and for the same reason. Complaints, compliments, and overall concerns are usually made to the city’ departments involved or the city council. It is the city employees and elected officials that are aware of the conflicts (among neighbors, owners versus renters, residents and businesses, etc.), the trouble zones (via call-ins), and requests from builders or owners looking to make modifications that effect the housing stock.
What does real taxpayer transparency look like to you, and what specific steps would you take to achieve it — both in terms of financial reporting and public engagement?
I think the current processes for government budgeting and consideration of tax increases within the state, county, and for my city are what transparency looks like – all work sessions and city council meetings are viewable and the public is provided the same access to information the city council members are provided for consideration. A public comment period is provided and all departments are also allowed the opportunity to advocate for their needs. These important decisions are discussed over time, all stakeholders are given the opportunity to communicate their needs and concerns, and a final decision is made and all materials used to come to that final decision are available to the public.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 763-998-0243
Campaign Website: KamiforNewBrighton.com
Twitter Handle: N/A
Facebook Page: Kami Miller for New Brighton
Candidate Bio
I have lived in New Brighton for over ten years using city’ services, businesses, roads, and public lands. I have been on the City’s Equity commission since its inception (~4 years ago) and I am the current chair. In that capacity, I have interacted and engaged with the other commissions and city departments. In the capacity of a commissioner, I have also attended or volunteered at several community events including representing the city at area multi-city forums, New Brighton mobile city hall events at park grand re-openings, and cultural and community building events offered by the city. I have also been on the Ramsey County Library Advisory Board for several years, and I am currently the vice chair of that board. Being on that board has allowed me to have a more substantial understanding of the relationship between the County and the cities it serves and the budgeting processes of the County and how those decisions, like budget decreases or tax increase, impact the cities and residents within.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
Collaborative but goal focused. I have worked in and led various sized groups from under six members with continual goals to committees of 25-plus with a hard deadline such as a large fundraiser. Whether officially leading the group or not I stay goal-focused, but I am an information gatherer, so I welcome and make space for fact-finding and opinion sharing.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
1. Maintaining and fostering community building, 2. Supporting affordable housing initiatives benefiting our residents, and 3. Staying on track with the long-term goals put forth in the City’s Strategic Priorities. I acknowledge that there will be difficult financial times ahead due to reduced or removed access to funding at the federal and state level, but I also recognize that every household in our city is or will be experiencing financial strain too and if we don’t give them support in the form of community or other resources to help them remain in their housing and in this community, the city will be lesser for it. Tough decisions will need to be made and some projects will need to be postponed, but a holistic approach to cost-cutting should be used, with great consideration to finding solutions that do the least harm but realize the needed cost-savings.
What is the biggest challenge facing New Brighton right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
I see the biggest challenge facing New Brighton is keeping our residence safe and all feeling that they belong and are valued; public safety plays an important role but fostering community building and creating opportunities and providing space for the public to come together is another part of that. I believe one of New Brighton’s greatest opportunities is currently being demonstrated in the City’s parks renovations. The City parks are on a renovation schedule, but instead of just upgrading equipment and facilities and refreshing the landscaping, the City has made the strategic effort to make each park a destination park for residents and visitors alike, providing a unique experience in the upgrades and making considerations for visitors of all abilities and providing equipment that encourages engaging with the park in ways not offered before.
How would you characterize the business climate in New Brighton, and what role should city government play in partnering with the business community to attract jobs, develop the workforce, and address shared challenges?
I believe the community wants to support local businesses and wants to have businesses within the city that provide for their needs and wants. This is demonstrated by the well-attended and well-engaged Economic Development commission, even though it meets at time that could be difficult for some working residents to attend, the members of that commission are committed to the wellness of the business community in the city. The city should be support for businesses - removing any unnecessary obstacles to their success, providing support and clarification for businesses that find themselves out of compliance with city codes and being champions for these businesses to the residents and visitors of New Brighton, like providing sponsorship opportunities for businesses at City events and providing promotional or spotlight showcases in public spaces and facilities to make the community aware of the businesses. The city should offer incentives for businesses to come here or expand here, but not to the detriment of the environment or general well-being of the business’s neighbors.
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
I think petty crime like vehicle and property theft is the most pressing safety challenge and I think creating an environment that discourages those behaviors is a way to address it. Neighborhood watches that bring neighbors together to look after each other (even in multi-family housing communities), youth programs to give them something more productive to do with their time, and lighting and patrols are all ways to proactive ways communicate that these types of crime and their perpetrators will not go undetected or unseen.
What ideas do you have to address housing shortages and affordability, and how do you view the role of rent control policies in that process?
If the prospect of more housing being built wasn’t on the horizon or wasn’t in the quantities needed by the community then the city should consider ways in which it can support its residents to transition to different types of housing that would free up housing stock for example if a single individual was in a family home but would be interested in downsizing, but didn’t have the resources to prepare their home to go to market there could be support like a low-interest rate to help that homeowner. Additionally, it is easier to keep people in housing then to get them back into stable housing, so providing financial support to renters that are experiencing temporary financial hardship is again something the city could do (potentially in partnership with the county) to keep residents in the community. Rent control is a heady topic that would require much consideration, I don’t think any city makes that decision lightly and I don’t think my city would be any different, all stakeholders would need to be provided the opportunity to contribute their viewpoint.
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
I think having a complete long-term vision for transportation needs and concerns for the city is what is needed. Sometimes consideration for cyclists and pedestrians must be made without the data to know to what extent residents will use these alternate modes of transportation and when repairing roads on a regular schedule those modes of transportation should be considered and accounted for if in the long-term a vision for connectivity can be realized. Many European communities of large and small configurations have embraced public transit and human-powered transportation and it was most likely because these modes could get them to where they wanted to go in a safe way, connecting them to medical, parks, businesses, etc.
Residential property owners across the region are feeling significant strain from rising property tax bills. How would you approach balancing fiscal responsibility with the demand for services when setting the city levy?
The tension between the wants and needs of the city and its residents and property owners is a continual issue. The best that can be done is to understand that everyone feels the burden of tax increases, but the expectations of quality services and long-term goal progress remain also an expectation of residents, so all changes must be measured and reasonings communicated.
What are the two or three issues where you believe city government is best positioned to lead — and why the city rather than the state or county?
I believe the two issues the city is best equipped to handle over a higher body are housing and public safety and for the same reason. Complaints, compliments, and overall concerns are usually made to the city’ departments involved or the city council. It is the city employees and elected officials that are aware of the conflicts (among neighbors, owners versus renters, residents and businesses, etc.), the trouble zones (via call-ins), and requests from builders or owners looking to make modifications that effect the housing stock.
What does real taxpayer transparency look like to you, and what specific steps would you take to achieve it — both in terms of financial reporting and public engagement?
I think the current processes for government budgeting and consideration of tax increases within the state, county, and for my city are what transparency looks like – all work sessions and city council meetings are viewable and the public is provided the same access to information the city council members are provided for consideration. A public comment period is provided and all departments are also allowed the opportunity to advocate for their needs. These important decisions are discussed over time, all stakeholders are given the opportunity to communicate their needs and concerns, and a final decision is made and all materials used to come to that final decision are available to the public.