At the same time, the community has voiced a need for criminal justice system reform. Chicago Votes for Mayor in a Race Dominated by Crime and Policing. Childcare is a struggle for many families across our district, but it is especially difficult for single-parent families and families that have work schedules that are not flexible. I always support development. All words and opinions are candidates' own. ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- Incumbent St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter is projected to hold his position for another four years after earning about 62% of the first-choice votes. There are over 34,000 students and over 3,000 employees in SPPS. Challenges of this magnitude require focused initiative on behalf of the state and federal government along with our entire community. If elected, I would like to use the $166 million from the American Rescue Plan to jumpstart the citizen economy. How do you plan to use city resources and policies to manage these large-scale projects, and how do you envision them changing St. Paul? City restoration. These recruits need to be shown a pathway to receive their Minnesota licensure while working with our students. Lightfoot polled near the bottom of the field for most of her campaign for mayor but won the first round after an endorsement from the Chicago Sun-Times The filing deadline for this election was August 15, 2017. Councilmember Alex Pedersen. I will allocate a portion of the budget for road repair and maintenance. We do that by advancing accessibility, safety, equity and affordability in everything that we do. For projects underway, legally, they would have been vetted and negotiated by the current mayor and his administration through a publicly transparent approval process. WebThe League of Women Voters Saint Paul and SPNN present a live candidate forum for the office of Mayor of Saint Paul. 2. That's why I initiated and helped lead the successful effort to unionize my workplace and why I volunteered to serve on my union's bargaining team. (Historically, city elections draw only 15-20% of the public.) I did not support the walk out and am deeply disappointed to see its unnecessary and continuing toll still on our students, staff and community. I'm a Hmong father with four children in St. Paul Public Schools from high school to early childhood family education. Gentrification, when removing race, is simply development. School board members that are elected on Nov. 2 will be thrust into major long- and short-term decisions and policymaking around the Envision SPPS initiative, which focuses on the potential merging, combining and closing of programs and schools. The deadline for candidates to file to run in this election was August 13, 2019. In regard to housing, it's critical that we continue to leverage investments that support our residents' ability to secure stable and affordable housing, like our Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Families First Rent Supplement Program and connecting people experiencing homelessness to support, services and resources. Melissa Hortman DFL Speaker of the Minnesota House State Representative (DFL-Champlin) Jake Spano Mayor of St. Louis Park. I think we must understand what drives families to remove themselves from the district or the public school system particularly immigrant and BIPOC families. But this time, after finishing well ahead of eight other candidates Tuesday in the first round of balloting, Vallas has emerged as the front-runner. I'm running Placing our faith in a city government to successfully control rising rent when it cannot even control rising crime requires a huge leap of faith. Finally, we need to stop giving tax increment financing (TIF) subsidies to developers that don't need it. I have learned in this campaign that some of these administrative offices can be combined and combined work duties. Citizens will be investing, building, leading their own initiatives and holding themselves accountable. Continuing to create a pipeline of success for staff of color is crucial. New projects not approved by the city, I furthermore support creating local construction jobs, permanent jobs and skills development to be made available exclusively to the community as part of the final development agreement. I would like to build a digital community network platform to make it easier for citizens to interact and assess this information. What are the most pressing public safety issues in St. Paul, and how would you address them? Should the cap be 3% or 5%? Find a missing endorsement? I would like to see us reduce class sizes, invest in mental health support staff, support the arts in all of our schools and work to make certain that our curriculum reflects the lived experiences of all of our students. That's why it's so crucial that we utilize American Rescue Plan funding to address the massive impact of COVID-19 and to fund the services for which our students and families have advocated. As school board members who are agents of the public, my strategy would be to come to the table equipped with ample knowledge and perspective rooted in a collaborative, co-governance approach with labor groups and other relevant stakeholders to ensure a well-informed negotiation strategy. This years St. Paul mayoral race will once again feature ranked voting. Whether it's school culture, a lack of transparency or that the services students and families need to thrive are missing, that's information that can shape what we prioritize within the budget. Besides 3% being the strictest cap in the country, the ballot measure will also apply to new housing developments and vacant properties. For long-term planning, we need to increase tax revenue in the city and/or get the large nonprofits to pay their share of street maintenance (will need more research on approach). As much as we can, we need to focus our resources where they have the biggest direct impact on students. Because the graduation rates for students of color from those earlier times are not great, the confidence and patience these families have for SPPS in the present is minimal. The district is falling short in growing these programs to support the range of ELL students it serves. League of Women Voters/St. In addition to performing exit interviews and collecting data, I would push for the establishment of a comprehensive plan for exiting families. Creating the Railroad and Riverboat Museum of Minnesota within Union Depot, bringing new life to our famous Winter Carnival (in danger of moving to the fairgrounds, in Falcon Heights) and restoring our July Fourth celebrations will also occur. Patrol officers will be given paid time (30%) to engage the community they serve. I am also privileged to work directly with young people as the policy director of the only state-mandated and funded youth advisory council in the country, the Minnesota Youth Council, where we assist and empower students to advocate for themselves and their peers. What do you think the district is doing right in serving their needs? Investing in local infrastructure is critical for our city's future. Growing our own and hiring from the colleges and universities of Minnesota is too slow. As a school board member, I would be a strong advocate for student-centered budgeting. However, regarding the Ford plant, I would review the size and scope of this project with the community stakeholders. This requires us to prioritize according to student need those programs that show successful outcomes and sunset other efforts so we can ensure sustainability going forward. In the first year, I will restore police officer positions and implement proven technologies to help reduce crime, including financing a ShotSpotter pilot project in those areas most impacted by gun violence. I will engage and advise when appropriate. Once an area improves, the rental property owner sells to a new homeowner. We now have various offices that have been deemed as a conflict of interest and we believe that transparency is not being upheld at the city and county level, by way of merged family units controlling our city. We can use the data to address the concerns that are leading to decreased enrollment. Last year, I was in support of the issues identified by the St. Paul Federation of Educators as the main reason for striking. For over two years, St. Paul has been experiencing a crime epidemic. All of this makes for a high-tension backdrop as the school board race takes shape, with 10 candidates vying for four open at-large seats. Over the last year, I have proven that I can do all this work. If crime pays (as it does today), citizens and our businesses will lose. Willie Wilson: Businessman Willie Wilson is by far the most conservative candidate for Chicago Mayor. Based on past performance, government "good intentions" have a predictable history of contradictory consequences. What other issues are the most pressing in the city, and what would you do about them? UPDATED Apr. Furthermore, I have served on the Highland District Council as vice president and as a member of the Community Engagement Committee. "Well, first of all, I really have to laugh at that!" Furthermore, because projects of this nature can take years to design, permit, fund and construct, we must identify greater efficiencies throughout this entire process to solve this issue. For displaced renters, we need more housing. I would like to change the culture of our politics in our city of St. Paul by restructuring. WebCandidate Filing. Take a look at the candidates currently running via the list below. State of Minnesota for over 15 years in various positions. The risk of gentrification should not stop us from making more housing, including affordable housing, for more residents. This is creating a vacuum for students inadequately transitioning into college, trades or career after high school. Visit the 2023 Saint Paul Elections page for more information on this years endorsement process. Kate Knuth is a former three-term state representative and sustainability scientist running for Mayor of Minneapolis in 2021. We remain committed to realizing safer outcomes for our neighborhoods through balanced investments in emergency response and proactive strategies through our community-first public safety framework designed to address the root causes of public safety challenges in our city. As mayor, I will leverage community partnerships to empower all youth in our community to make positive life choices that will foster personal development into productive and contributing members of society. Minnesotas general election is Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. At the same time, residents have expressed concerns about gentrification that could leave behind low-income communities and people of color. This does not mean closing any charter schools. This is a question that we citizens, elected officials and policy experts can explore and answer together. By Election Day, I expect to have covered every block. City government must work for the people and respond to community needs. Equity. Our English language learners make our classrooms, schools and community richer, and we should value them for such. Poverty and deep disparities that too many of our residents find themselves stuck in is the most pressing issue our city faces. These investments are expensive, but they're important if we're trying to give our students the schools they deserve. On top of this, for years, City Hall has also neglected basic city services in order to fund their political goals. Retrain all police officers and offer them an incentive to move to the city in which they work. I'm qualified because I'm an incumbent who was elected vice chair of the school board by my colleagues. Since there are ten candidates, its unlikely that any will get a Do we need more police officers and ShotSpotter technology to do it? Their policies have been effective in serving all residents of the city. Mayoral hopeful Paul Vallas brings complicated Chicago Public Schools legacy. Where do you think it is falling short, and what would you suggest as a remedy? That reality paired with rapid population growth and the ongoing impacts of the climate crisis have left our streets in disrepair. I am a past president of our school's parent group, I have worked with our teachers union, I have served on district committees, I have formed a group to advocate for a citywide charter school moratorium and more. Early voting began Sept. 17 and Election Day is Nov. 2. He finished in a distant ninth place, winning only 5% of the vote and barely We have elementary schools that have a wide range of opportunities like art, science fairs, music, field trips, gifted and talented services, quality after-school options, overnight camps, student councils, school patrols and on and on. Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas takes a photo with a supporter during his election night party at Recess, located at 838 W. Kinzie St., Tuesday on Feb. 28, 2023. How we work/partner with our bargaining units to retain these employees will have significant impacts on our kids and the future of the district. We need to change the qualifications so that people who will be assets to our community will be in our schools, and pay them fairly. The amount of staff and exemption cases from landlords that the city deals with is dependent on the cap. They have a chance to get ahead and save a lot of money in the long run. I believe the district's plan to spend its $207 million in American Rescue Plan dollars is comprehensive and sound. I can't emphasize enough how important it is that folks citywide are aware of the potential ramifications and outcomes of this initiative that is quickly moving forward with extremely limited public engagement. That's why all of our work has been focused on giving all St. Paulites a shot at the prosperity our city has to offer. The city of St. Paul, Minnesota will hold an election on November 2, 2021, to elect the mayor. It will be held with ranked-choice voting, and there will be no primary election. I earned my bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of St. Thomas and have since received many awards for my public service. 8, 2020, at 12:46 PM. We also need to make the process easier for people speaking the languages in highest need that our ELL teachers do not speak, such as Karen, Somali, etc., to enter our schools. The safety of our businesses, the public and their neighborhoods happens to be the most important job function of a city and the most pressing issue in the city. Here, in I brought breakfast for striking workers and joined them on the picket line every morning. Politicians and community groups have voiced their opinions in the crowded Minneapolis mayoral race ahead of Election Day on Nov. 2. Johnny Ray Youngblood, U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, former Philadelphia Candidates often vie for union backing. The schools that have less are the ones that have the highest levels of poverty and also tend to have lower achievement levels when comparing the same demographic groups to the more affluent schools. I grew up in North Minneapolis and attended high school in Mankato following school closures and budget cuts that devastated my community. We should give students opportunities to learn marketable skills they can use to start careers coming out of high school. Candidates are running to fill three four-year seats. Lisa Clemons Minneapolis Community Activist. In the first year, I will work with youth service providers, increase recreation center hours and mobilize a volunteer network to reach children at risk. The Star Tribune Editorial Board has endorsed outcomes or candidates in more than 30 of the ballot choices Minneapolis and St. Paul voters will face on Tuesday. on the West Side on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. The citizens assess the danger and appropriate staff is sent. I will commit to spending at least 15% more on infrastructure by the end of my first term. As we continue rebuilding and balancing the many needs of our community, leveraging the enormous potential of federal resources will be vital amid our ongoing infrastructure investments. We must continue to diversify our workforce: We are working to recruit, train and retain employees of color at all levels of the district. Minneapolis Park Board At-Large. PAUL MAYOR Melvin Carter Age: 42 What qualifies you to hold this position? It's why we raised the minimum wage, launched CollegeBound St. Paul to start every child born in the city with $50 in a college savings account, eliminated late fines in public libraries and tripled free programming in our rec centers. Politicians and community groups have voiced their opinions in the crowded Minneapolis mayoral race ahead of Election Day on Nov. 2. More than a dozen candidates are challenging incumbent Jacob Frey to be Minneapolis' next mayor, with Kate Knuth and Sheila Nezhad among the frontrunners. I bring a balance of professional and personal experience to the board, always putting children first. I believe we should put our students at the forefront of our budgetary decisions. I opened my first 8218 Truce Center on Lexington Parkway and Selby Avenue in St. Paul. The St. Paul Federation of Educators (SPFE) are in a position to see directly how our implementation of policies, or lack of policies and investments, help or hurt our students. What would you suggest as a strategy to stem those losses? I like his phrasing, Investor in Chief. Needless city and county spending has been the long-standing driver of ever-higher housing costs, including rents, here. Republish. Strong knowledge of Ramsey County, city of St. Paul and surrounding community. Information and forms for filing reports. commercial and residential has the greatest tax benefit per lot size. I will provide it. At that time, I was a parent and didn't support the walkout in any way. Every child in St. Paul should have a chance to succeed in life. I coached football for L.E.S. I spent years running campaigns and organizing students and young people to increase voter turnout and engagement. The district has an unfortunate history of underserving English language learner students. Policies mandating price controls, whether on food or rent, only creates scarcity and higher prices. Tom Tunney, but he also faced a huge amount Web2023 Chicago mayoral election 2019 February 28, 2023 (first round) April 4, 2023 (runoff) 2027 Candidate Paul Vallas Brandon Johnson Lori Lightfoot First round 172,093 33.77% 103,387 20.29% 86,952 17.06% Runoff TBD TBD Eliminated Candidate Chuy Garca Willie Wilson First round 70,006 13.74% 48,658 9.55% Runoff Eliminated Eliminated First That, along with being disappointed at our current administration, triggered me to get into the mayoral race and fight to make some changes. The city's goal is to increase our revenue stream, healthy housing market and keep tax increases manageable. It simply means that our student population is finite and therefore a system of never-ending school openings does not make common sense. SPPS provides college credit to English language learner students who test up to standards in their non-English language. Six takeaways from the latest Minneapolis campaign finance reports, Oct. 29, 2021. Since then, uncertainty surrounding enrollment has only increased due to an extended period of distance learning and other disruptions to educational delivery due to COVID-19. I'm a proud St. Paul Public Schools graduate and son of two longtime public school teachers. The Capital Improvement Budget Committee recommendations would be instrumental in determining which infrastructure projects go forward. The cap should protect renters from excessive rent increases, which can be set at the 90% percentile of rent increase so the city can prepare appropriate staff and protect renters from extreme rent increases. Menu. Mayoral hopeful Paul Vallas brings complicated Chicago Public Schools legacy. The family of the man, 28-year-old Kevin Donel Johnson Jr., told Texas Public Radio the officers shot him nine times. It meets the needs of families who cannot or prefer not to send their students in-person, and it demonstrates that when there's a clear desire in the community, we can provide alternative options that better meet their needs. This is why we need to risk some degree of gentrification, in order to improve our neighborhoods. I take a "yes and" approach: Fund SPPD and support policing alternatives. I'm an Army veteran who served in Iraq in 2003. Counselors and community leaders will assess and speak with the children to determine how best to help them. My children are my compass and parent leadership is my framework. Ensuring everyone in our community can secure stable and affordable housing is vital to every aspiration we have for our city. Giving students one-on-one attention, building relationships with students and their families, cultural celebrations, hiring teachers and staff that look like the students, having interpreters, translating flyers and phone calls. Incumbent Mayor Melvin Carter faces seven challengers in his bid for another four years at the city's helm after a first term that saw the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland. We asked each candidate for a short bio and responses to the following questions: The responses below, presented in alphabetical order by candidates' last name, are lightly edited for length and clarity. Some of these projects will be cut. Presently, I still do not support the strike. On Wed., Oct. 26, residents of the RM of East St. Paul will vote for mayor and council. White Bear Lake isnt St Research has shown that many children are either a perpetrator or the victim of crime during the late hours of the night. I have served for a time on three district council boards, where my attendance record was near perfect. Safe streets first! Low-income renters (likely people of color) are being displaced by wealthier homeowners (likely white) that may not live in the neighborhood. Kate Knuth Saint Paul School Board. 1. Feb 27, 2023, 7:44am PST. Chicago Votes for Mayor in a Race Dominated by Crime and Policing. St. Paul has an excellent and progressive police department. I'm the lead cleanup organizer for neighborhood cleanup groups in Frogtown and Midway. They have been utilizing community policing for over 30 years. Further, local politicians for years have found ways to squander rare opportunities presented to St. Paul. In 2017, after 12 years in office, Chris Coleman declined to run for a fourth term as mayor of St. Paul, opting instead for a short-lived bid to become Minnesota governor. Johnson won endorsements of Squad member Delia Ramirez and freshman US Representative Jonathan Jackson, son of Jesse Jackson. We cannot continue with short-term funding solutions, we need to advocate and work with our state partners for more equitable public school funding. Election linksRegister to vote or check registration statusFind your polling placeSee what's on your ballotHow to vote earlyWhat is ranked-choice voting? I would work intentionally to maintain open communication with our bargaining units, work with district leadership to promote good-faith bargaining and attend bargaining sessions as I'm able to keep myself informed about the process. As a publicly elected official, board members are representing an important third party in negotiations, the families of SPPS and the taxpayers of St. Paul. I'm a financial aid administrator, former classroom teacher, DFL leader and labor union organizer with a master's in education and experience supporting student development. Our efforts to help small businesses thrive, build infrastructure, support great schools, recruit high-wage jobs and provide great public services including recreational amenities can all pale in comparison to the importance of public safety. We must acknowledge that all children have their own unique set of needs and children learning a second or third language are included in that. In other words reduced availability of rental housing for working families and increased housing prices. No. Transitioning back after over a year of uncertainty and stress for our students requires a deep investment in mental health supports, social workers and staff trained in restorative practices. I believe in newer development as it plays a vital role in our society, but also I believe in creating and maintaining affordable housing, especially in the inner cities that have increased poverty. We must align the budget and resources to meet those goals and do the work of engaging the SPPS community in ongoing conversations to have positive student outcomes for all children in SPPS. My sons have autism and as a volunteer parent advocating through their individual education plans the last 10 years, I learned about the operations of SPPS. For example, an ELL student may also receive special education. These credits provide incentives for students to go on to college. As of June 28, 2020, SPPS was projecting a loss of 1,228 students. The funds can be broken down to categories, and we will reach out to all citizens directly in how they want to get involved. We need to achieve fully funded and well-rounded schools so that families will have the choices they want and need and will choose to stay within the district. Governor Gary Locke (fmr.) I was frustrated with the level of crime in our city coupled with the lack of resources for our youth and decided a change must be made. We are identifying and expanding our work with diverse community partners, intentionally seeking them out in areas we identify needs. WebWelcome to the Saint Paul DFL 2023 Saint Paul Caucus & Convention Dates Are Official The 2023 Saint Paul DFL Caucus and Convention dates are public and official! A growing tax base is vital for a strong community and keeping property taxes low while still providing high-quality city services. I'm running to help build the schools our students deserve. I am the son of a retired St. Paul police officer and a former teacher who now serves as Ramsey County Board Chair. One path SPPS has taken that I believe we should continue to support are partnerships like the Hmong Parents Advisory Council (HPAC), which provides not only a space for parents, students and educators to connect, but encourages the need for culturally relevant curriculum and practices for all of our students. More city staff cross-training will be administered immediately so that all areas are covered. By Mauricio Pea. As mayor, I will work to expand our tax base and increase jobs with everyone's input. SPFE was fighting for more social/emotional support for our students, which they need and I support. I reflect our community and the children and families we serve. I feel it is a board member's job to have a full understanding of the asks and limitations of both sides in contract negotiations. However, I would like to see us consider how we can use some of this funding as a bridge to help redirect existing resources to services we know have been needed but have been unable to provide. We are working to better identify gaps and make adjustments in our staffing and instruction, such as hiring additional ELL/MLL staff and partnering with outside agencies to create alternative access for support. The American Rescue Plan for SPPS is proposing $88.2 million directed to high quality education, $66.9 million to safe schools, $11.5 million to targeted student services, $10.9 million to family services and community partnerships, $11.7 million to operational expenses, $8 million to mental health and social-emotional learning and $9.4 million to systemic equity. Previous administrations have neglected infrastructure maintenance to fund their personal pet projects. Then we need to track these students and new hires at least until they receive their tenure at SPPS.