Larry Justin
Name: Larry Justin
Public Office Sought: New Brighton City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-845-3539
Website: NA
Twitter handle: NA
Facebook page: @Larryjustinforcitycouncil
Candidate Bio
Resident of New Brighton since 1986.
Past small professional business owner.
Professional Engineer licensed in Minnesota and a Senior Project Manager at a Consulting Engineering company in Roseville. In my professional life, I analyze information and make decisions based on that information.
Am able to lead meetings, weigh differing opinions, lead discussions and make decisions.
With my experience in construction, I can provide invaluable input on City projects.
Have been volunteering for many years in many areas, professional and personal.
Secretary, President and Vice President Legislative for the Minnesota Chapter of American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), starting in 1988.
Chair of the Design Standards Committee and Member of the Technical & Research Committee for ASPE. Have co-authored chapters in the “Fundamentals of Domestic Water Heating” manual.
Appointed to the State of Minnesota Plumbing Board by both Governor Pawlenty and Governor Dayton from 2007 to 2017. I was also on the State of Minnesota Plumbing Advisory Committees from 1999 to 2007.
Member of the New Brighton Parks, Recreation & Environmental Commission (PREC) from 2015-2017.
Assistant Scout Leader, Committee Chair and Eagle Coach for Troop 93 in New Brighton.
Youth Boys and Girls Soccer Coach
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
How would you characterize the business climate in New Brighton and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
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, New Brighton?
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in New Brighton (such as minimum wage, sick time, or mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of an ordinance on the many types of businesses in New Brighton and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
What will you do to expand New Brighton’s tax base?
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
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?
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in New Brighton?
What further policies can New Brighton adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Public Office Sought: New Brighton City Council
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-845-3539
Website: NA
Twitter handle: NA
Facebook page: @Larryjustinforcitycouncil
Candidate Bio
Resident of New Brighton since 1986.
Past small professional business owner.
Professional Engineer licensed in Minnesota and a Senior Project Manager at a Consulting Engineering company in Roseville. In my professional life, I analyze information and make decisions based on that information.
Am able to lead meetings, weigh differing opinions, lead discussions and make decisions.
With my experience in construction, I can provide invaluable input on City projects.
Have been volunteering for many years in many areas, professional and personal.
Secretary, President and Vice President Legislative for the Minnesota Chapter of American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), starting in 1988.
Chair of the Design Standards Committee and Member of the Technical & Research Committee for ASPE. Have co-authored chapters in the “Fundamentals of Domestic Water Heating” manual.
Appointed to the State of Minnesota Plumbing Board by both Governor Pawlenty and Governor Dayton from 2007 to 2017. I was also on the State of Minnesota Plumbing Advisory Committees from 1999 to 2007.
Member of the New Brighton Parks, Recreation & Environmental Commission (PREC) from 2015-2017.
Assistant Scout Leader, Committee Chair and Eagle Coach for Troop 93 in New Brighton.
Youth Boys and Girls Soccer Coach
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
- The safety of our Public is a major responsibility of the City. I am really concerned about protestors going to public figures residences and intimidating and bullying not only the public figure but also their neighbors. That is the intent, to shut down dissent. With all of the violence occurring in some of our Minnesota Cities, I will support our police to enforce the laws to protect people and property.
- Keeping property taxes and City fees in check. We need to consider spending cuts prior to raising taxes and fees.
- Work with businesses to remove barriers creating a friendly business climate.
How would you characterize the business climate in New Brighton and what is the role of businesses supporting quality of life issues in the community?
- Do to pandemic, many businesses are in precarious situations. By making the environment for business inviting, businesses will come to the City, creating jobs. By creating jobs in the City, Businesses improve the quality of life by bringing outside money into the City, helping all taxpayers.
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, New Brighton?
- Work with businesses to understand what they need to be profitable and what barriers there are in the City that restrict their profitability.
- If necessary, remove barriers that the City has imposed on businesses that restrict their profitability.
- If tax subsidy is determined to be necessary it should be for all businesses. It is not the Council’s role to pick winners and losers.
Do you support any other specific employment-related proposals in New Brighton (such as minimum wage, sick time, or mandatory scheduling notice)? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of an ordinance on the many types of businesses in New Brighton and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
- minimum wage, sick time, or mandatory scheduling notice: No, this is not a City responsibility and provides barriers on New Brighton business. The business will just leave the City to other locations where these rules and regulations are not present.
- We need to make the business climate welcoming.
- Meet with businesses to understand their needs and what the City does that restricts their business and also where the City can help.
- Need to make all regulations even and not pick winners and losers. Will not support regulations that are written specifically to one business at the expense to another.
What are your strategies to address public safety, housing, and transportation issues facing your community?
- Public Safety: Fully support and fund police, fire and first responders. Enforce our laws and regulations evenly.
- Housing: This is a private sector responsibility. The City can make the permitting, ordinances and regulations such that construction can be completed without undo costs. Based on my professional experience, I see overly regulated rules that greatly increase the cost of all housing and construction.
- Transportation: Work with County and State on keeping roads open and in good condition for the citizens transportation needs. Work with Met Council on bussing routes and schedules.
What are your priorities for the City’s budget?
- Due to the present economic conditions, review all department budgets and staffing needs and first reduce spending if deemed necessary before property tax or fees increases.
- Nothing is “free”. The Council needs to be wary of providing anything “free” to one group at the expense of another.
What will you do to expand New Brighton’s tax base?
- Work with businesses to reduce barriers to make New Brighton business friendly.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce?
- A business friendly climate will drive this forward naturally, as when businesses decide to move to the New Brighton area bringing jobs and tax base to the area and education then follows.
- Keep our parks and recreation in quality condition and work with local school districts to coordinate land use. By providing recreation options to the citizens, this brings people and businesses into our community and thus a drive for better education.
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?
- Based on the present Pandemic we need to review staffing needs based on services provided. Is the City overstaffed? I am not sure but will review and discuss with City Administrator to better understand the staffing needs based on services provided.
What is the role of the City Council in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses in New Brighton?
- We need to create a business friendly climate, removing barriers that these groups and all business owners face. All businesses and business owners will be treated fairly and evenly giving a truly fostering environment.
What further policies can New Brighton adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
- Working with businesses to remove the barriers that were created prior to this pandemic. We want to make a welcoming business climate by working together to succeed.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
- I am not an activist or Community Organizer and will make my decisions based on the facts presented to me by this community.
- I have a skillset that I believe would benefit the Citizens of New Brighton and based on my experience, is needed on the Council.