Maggie Bruecken
Name: Maggie Bruecken
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-245-3534
Campaign Website: www.maggieforapplevalley.com
Twitter handle: n/a
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590532636024
Candidate Bio
Born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Maggie is a graduate of Roosevelt High School and the University of Iowa, where she earned her degrees in English and African American Studies. Maggie’s passion for education and equity led her to Minnesota, where she earned her secondary teaching license from Metropolitan State University and set down deep roots in the Twin Cities.
For the past 18 years, Maggie’s life and career have been defined by advocacy and service.
Maggie has been married to her wonderful partner, Nick, for 23 years and together they have two children. Isabelle is 16 and attends Eastview High School and Henry is 18 and preparing for his sophomore year at the University of MN.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
As a mom raising two kids in Apple Valley, I know firsthand that strong, vibrant communities are built on a foundation of fellowship, safety, and mutual support. I am running for Apple Valley City Council because I love this community and I want to make sure it remains a wonderful place for all of our neighbors to live, work, and grow.
For the past 18 years, my life and career have been defined by a simple mission: advocacy and service.
I started my career as a middle school language arts teacher in the East Metro at Crosswinds Arts and Science School. From the classroom, I transitioned to the nonprofit sector, working directly with educators to pass local and statewide education policies. Today, I serve as a project manager for Saint Paul Public Schools, where I get to support the development of amazing new programs like the East African Magnet School and the Afrocentric program at Benjamin E. Mays.
I am excited and committed to bring my background in listening and problem-solving to our local government. I am running for City Council to bring fresh energy and ideas to Apple Valley—building a council that truly serves our city by uniting our neighbors, elevating community needs, and driving meaningful impact for social and environmental change.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
Uniting Our Neighbors & Fostering Belonging
Building a strong community starts with ensuring every resident feels like they belong. Apple Valley is beautifully diversifying across race, age, gender, and ability level, and our public spaces should reflect that. Just as I worked to bridge gaps in education, I will work to bridge gaps in our neighborhoods by transforming third spaces into vibrant, multi-generational hubs. In partnership with the community, I would like to unite our neighbors by:
Elevating Our Local Economy & Infrastructure
True belonging also means ensuring our infrastructure supports us and our economy lifts everyone up. Through my conversations with community members, I know there are pressing safety concerns regarding our busy intersections and county highways. I will actively engage residents to identify and collaborate on infrastructure solutions that keep our families safe.
At the same time, we need to lift up local entrepreneurs who are often boxed out by major corporate chains. I want to advocate for updating underutilized portions of downtown Apple Valley parking lots into spaces where independently owned businesses can take root and thrive.
Driving Meaningful Environmental Impact
Finally, just as we nurture our relationships with one another, we must also care for the environment we share. True resilience starts at home, which is why I will work to make a tangible impact on sustainability in Apple Valley.
What is the biggest challenge facing Apple Valley right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
Apple Valley is experiencing significant economic and demographic shifts, including rising living costs, inflation, and a changing population demographic. At the same time, many working families and residents find it difficult to engage with local government due to traditional meeting times that conflict with childcare, work, and transportation
Our greatest opportunity lies in transforming underutilized spaces and modernizing how local government connects with residents. By repurposing our underutilized downtown parking lots to lower startup barriers for local, independent entrepreneurs, we can spark economic growth. Additionally, rotating community listening sessions by the council into parks and community centers can foster a deep sense of community belonging.
How would you characterize the business climate in Apple Valley, and what role should city government play in partnering with the business community to attract jobs, develop the workforce, and address shared challenges?
Apple Valley has a strong foundation, but large corporate chains currently dominate much of our commercial storefront space, making it difficult for local, independent small business owners and entrepreneurs to take root.
I believe the role of city government is to serve as a catalyst for local entrepreneurship.
I will advocate for updating local guidelines so property owners can lease underutilized outer edges of large parking lots for small, affordable shop spaces, reducing initial overhead for new local businesses.
I also support developing housing and commercial density along transit corridors to ensure local workers can reliably reach their place of employment.
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
Public safety must protect our most vulnerable populations—including youth, immigrants, and targeted communities—from harassment, intimidation, and isolation. We also face safety concerns around busy traffic intersections and county highways.
I will advocate for the city to proactively fund visible, neighborhood-based safety infrastructure in high-vulnerability housing developments and near school bus stops. This includes exploring community safety hubs that provide a calming, visible presence where neighbors can report conflicts, mediate disputes on the spot, or access community resources.
I have and will continue to encourage our city to join regional safety coalitions and pass explicit municipal resolutions safeguarding the civil liberties and well-being of all residents.
I will partner directly with residents to identify and problem solve around dangerous high-traffic intersection hazards.
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?
I will actively protect Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) across Apple Valley while shifting strategic development guidelines toward building duplexes and townhomes rather than relying exclusively on sprawling single-family housing.
While traditional rent control caps can sometimes discourage new development if implemented in isolation, the city's priority should be direct strategic preservation (NOAH) and expansion of duplexes/townhomes to naturally stabilize housing prices while protecting current tenants.
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
I will engage residents directly to pinpoint hazardous intersections and county highway crossings, bringing targeted structural improvements to keep drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists safe.
I will prioritize housing and commercial development directly adjacent to bus lines and transit hubs, so residents aren't entirely reliant on personal vehicles, lowering commute costs and road wear.
I will work to ensure active infrastructure improvements focus heavily on school bus stops and walking corridors to protect youth and commuting families.
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?
Drawing from my enterprise project management background—where I regularly manage large budgets and launch high-impact public programs—I bring a disciplined, data-driven approach to municipal spending.
I will advocate to transition maintenance-heavy municipal turf grass into native pollinator gardens, which cuts routine mowing/upkeep expenditures while strengthening local biodiversity.
I will also advocate for the usage of underutilized land (like outer parking spaces) for small commercial use to generate tax revenue, easing the tax burden currently held by residential homeowners.
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?
The city owns and operates local parks, community centers, and recreation facilities. We are uniquely positioned to transform the senior center into an Active Lifestyle Center that offers multi-generational programming tailored directly to our changing demographics.
Zoning is an inherently municipal power. The city can revisit local codes to safely allow backyard chickens and honeybees, or re-zone commercial parking edges to allow local businesses to take root.
Cities control local street design, school stop safety, and local police/community response models. The city can establish localized safety hubs and intersection fixes efficiently and accurately, while coordinating efforts with the county and state.
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?
Traditional 7:00 PM weeknight council meetings create barriers for working parents and shift workers. Real transparency requires rotating City Council listening sessions into local parks and community centers.
I will advocate to establish neighborhood-based subcommittees and a dedicated Citizens Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability to ensure residents participate in budget and policy creation from the start.
Related to financial reporting, I will advocate that the city produces plain-language, accessible breakdowns of city levy decisions and project budgets, making financial reports transparent and easy to digest for all taxpayers. I will also ensure that documents are translated and can be located easily on the website.
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-245-3534
Campaign Website: www.maggieforapplevalley.com
Twitter handle: n/a
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590532636024
Candidate Bio
Born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Maggie is a graduate of Roosevelt High School and the University of Iowa, where she earned her degrees in English and African American Studies. Maggie’s passion for education and equity led her to Minnesota, where she earned her secondary teaching license from Metropolitan State University and set down deep roots in the Twin Cities.
For the past 18 years, Maggie’s life and career have been defined by advocacy and service.
- In the Classroom: Maggie began her career as a middle school language arts teacher in the East Metro at Crosswinds Arts and Science School, where she learned the invaluable art of truly listening to youth and families.
- In the Nonprofit Sector: In Maggie’s work as a Chief of Staff at Educators for Excellence, an education advocacy-based nonprofit, she actively managed budgets, supervised dedicated volunteers, served as a project manager, and continued her daily fight for equity and quality education for all students.
- In Project Management: Currently, Maggie serves as an enterprise project manager for Saint Paul Public Schools, where she supports the development of impactful new programs like the East African Magnet School and the Afrocentric program at Benjamin E. Mays.
Maggie has been married to her wonderful partner, Nick, for 23 years and together they have two children. Isabelle is 16 and attends Eastview High School and Henry is 18 and preparing for his sophomore year at the University of MN.
What style of leadership would you bring to this position?
As a mom raising two kids in Apple Valley, I know firsthand that strong, vibrant communities are built on a foundation of fellowship, safety, and mutual support. I am running for Apple Valley City Council because I love this community and I want to make sure it remains a wonderful place for all of our neighbors to live, work, and grow.
For the past 18 years, my life and career have been defined by a simple mission: advocacy and service.
I started my career as a middle school language arts teacher in the East Metro at Crosswinds Arts and Science School. From the classroom, I transitioned to the nonprofit sector, working directly with educators to pass local and statewide education policies. Today, I serve as a project manager for Saint Paul Public Schools, where I get to support the development of amazing new programs like the East African Magnet School and the Afrocentric program at Benjamin E. Mays.
I am excited and committed to bring my background in listening and problem-solving to our local government. I am running for City Council to bring fresh energy and ideas to Apple Valley—building a council that truly serves our city by uniting our neighbors, elevating community needs, and driving meaningful impact for social and environmental change.
What are your top three priorities if elected, and how might they be affected by growing uncertainty around state and federal funding?
Uniting Our Neighbors & Fostering Belonging
Building a strong community starts with ensuring every resident feels like they belong. Apple Valley is beautifully diversifying across race, age, gender, and ability level, and our public spaces should reflect that. Just as I worked to bridge gaps in education, I will work to bridge gaps in our neighborhoods by transforming third spaces into vibrant, multi-generational hubs. In partnership with the community, I would like to unite our neighbors by:
- Evolving our senior center into an Active Lifestyle Center where activities and programming span across generations and bring our neighbors together.
- Rotating City Council listening sessions into our parks and community centers to bring the local government directly to the public.
Elevating Our Local Economy & Infrastructure
True belonging also means ensuring our infrastructure supports us and our economy lifts everyone up. Through my conversations with community members, I know there are pressing safety concerns regarding our busy intersections and county highways. I will actively engage residents to identify and collaborate on infrastructure solutions that keep our families safe.
At the same time, we need to lift up local entrepreneurs who are often boxed out by major corporate chains. I want to advocate for updating underutilized portions of downtown Apple Valley parking lots into spaces where independently owned businesses can take root and thrive.
Driving Meaningful Environmental Impact
Finally, just as we nurture our relationships with one another, we must also care for the environment we share. True resilience starts at home, which is why I will work to make a tangible impact on sustainability in Apple Valley.
- I will revisit zoning laws to investigate how families can safely keep honeybees and backyard chickens.
- I will work to transition maintenance-heavy city turf grass into native pollinator gardens that protect our local biodiversity.
What is the biggest challenge facing Apple Valley right now, and where do you see the greatest opportunity?
Apple Valley is experiencing significant economic and demographic shifts, including rising living costs, inflation, and a changing population demographic. At the same time, many working families and residents find it difficult to engage with local government due to traditional meeting times that conflict with childcare, work, and transportation
Our greatest opportunity lies in transforming underutilized spaces and modernizing how local government connects with residents. By repurposing our underutilized downtown parking lots to lower startup barriers for local, independent entrepreneurs, we can spark economic growth. Additionally, rotating community listening sessions by the council into parks and community centers can foster a deep sense of community belonging.
How would you characterize the business climate in Apple Valley, and what role should city government play in partnering with the business community to attract jobs, develop the workforce, and address shared challenges?
Apple Valley has a strong foundation, but large corporate chains currently dominate much of our commercial storefront space, making it difficult for local, independent small business owners and entrepreneurs to take root.
I believe the role of city government is to serve as a catalyst for local entrepreneurship.
I will advocate for updating local guidelines so property owners can lease underutilized outer edges of large parking lots for small, affordable shop spaces, reducing initial overhead for new local businesses.
I also support developing housing and commercial density along transit corridors to ensure local workers can reliably reach their place of employment.
What do you view as the most pressing public safety challenges in your community, and how would you address them?
Public safety must protect our most vulnerable populations—including youth, immigrants, and targeted communities—from harassment, intimidation, and isolation. We also face safety concerns around busy traffic intersections and county highways.
I will advocate for the city to proactively fund visible, neighborhood-based safety infrastructure in high-vulnerability housing developments and near school bus stops. This includes exploring community safety hubs that provide a calming, visible presence where neighbors can report conflicts, mediate disputes on the spot, or access community resources.
I have and will continue to encourage our city to join regional safety coalitions and pass explicit municipal resolutions safeguarding the civil liberties and well-being of all residents.
I will partner directly with residents to identify and problem solve around dangerous high-traffic intersection hazards.
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?
I will actively protect Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) across Apple Valley while shifting strategic development guidelines toward building duplexes and townhomes rather than relying exclusively on sprawling single-family housing.
While traditional rent control caps can sometimes discourage new development if implemented in isolation, the city's priority should be direct strategic preservation (NOAH) and expansion of duplexes/townhomes to naturally stabilize housing prices while protecting current tenants.
How would you improve transportation infrastructure and safety for drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians in your community?
I will engage residents directly to pinpoint hazardous intersections and county highway crossings, bringing targeted structural improvements to keep drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists safe.
I will prioritize housing and commercial development directly adjacent to bus lines and transit hubs, so residents aren't entirely reliant on personal vehicles, lowering commute costs and road wear.
I will work to ensure active infrastructure improvements focus heavily on school bus stops and walking corridors to protect youth and commuting families.
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?
Drawing from my enterprise project management background—where I regularly manage large budgets and launch high-impact public programs—I bring a disciplined, data-driven approach to municipal spending.
I will advocate to transition maintenance-heavy municipal turf grass into native pollinator gardens, which cuts routine mowing/upkeep expenditures while strengthening local biodiversity.
I will also advocate for the usage of underutilized land (like outer parking spaces) for small commercial use to generate tax revenue, easing the tax burden currently held by residential homeowners.
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?
The city owns and operates local parks, community centers, and recreation facilities. We are uniquely positioned to transform the senior center into an Active Lifestyle Center that offers multi-generational programming tailored directly to our changing demographics.
Zoning is an inherently municipal power. The city can revisit local codes to safely allow backyard chickens and honeybees, or re-zone commercial parking edges to allow local businesses to take root.
Cities control local street design, school stop safety, and local police/community response models. The city can establish localized safety hubs and intersection fixes efficiently and accurately, while coordinating efforts with the county and state.
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?
Traditional 7:00 PM weeknight council meetings create barriers for working parents and shift workers. Real transparency requires rotating City Council listening sessions into local parks and community centers.
I will advocate to establish neighborhood-based subcommittees and a dedicated Citizens Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability to ensure residents participate in budget and policy creation from the start.
Related to financial reporting, I will advocate that the city produces plain-language, accessible breakdowns of city levy decisions and project budgets, making financial reports transparent and easy to digest for all taxpayers. I will also ensure that documents are translated and can be located easily on the website.