10 file for mayoral race

by Tesha M. Christensen

Instead of seeking a fourth term, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman has decided to run for governor. Ten candidates have filed for the mayoral race. The ranked-choice election is set for Nov. 7, 2017.

Melvin Carter

www.melvincarter.org

Carter formerly served as the Ward 1 St. Paul Council Member, was Director of the Minnesota Office of Early Learning, and is currently Executive Director of Governor Dayton’s Minnesota Children’s Cabinet.

Carter lists his priorities as: lifelong learning and opportunity from pre-K to career to retirement; raising the minimum wage in St. Paul; creating new jobs by making it easier to start and grow local businesses; ensuring households of all sizes and ages can affordably rent or own a home; making sure everyone feels safe by ensuring police, firefighters, and inspectors reflect and honor the diversity of St. Paul and have the resources they need to succeed; and making 21st century infrastructure and service investments that modernize and strengthen neighborhoods throughout the city.

Trahern Crews

www.facebook.com/CrewsforSaintPaul/

Crews is a former spokesperson for the St. Paul Green Party of the fourth congressional district, and former Community Liaison at Dayton’s Bluff Community Council. He recently started a company called Original Man Farms that does urban farming and teaches urban youth how to grow food and sells it; is a nonviolent advocate consultant with Black Truce; and a community organizer with the Black Saint Paul.

Crews lists his priorities for the city’s budget as: 1) Economic development/jobs, 2) Public safety, 3) Parks/Recreation/Library, 4) Equity, and 5) Environment. If elected, his top three priorities would be economic development, public safety and eliminating disparities.

Elizabeth A. Dickinson, Green Party

www.elizabethdickinson.org

Dickinson has been married for 18 years to Christopher Childs, is a former national spokesperson for Greenpeace, and author of The Spirit’s Terrain (Beacon Press, 1998). She has lived on the West Side of St. Paul for 18 years. In her spare time, Dickinson enjoys gardening, writing, and yoga.

If mayor, Dickinson would increase transparency and community engagement at every level of city government. “We need to leverage our existing talent and nurture new leadership from all our local communities, including from women and communities of color,” she said. “In the St. Paul city government I envision, everyone has a seat at the table. ... The way to achieve that is to make sure everyone is welcome, that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voices, hearts and opinions are respected and listened to.”

Tom Goldstein

www.tomforsaintpaul.com

Goldstein is a long-time advocate for neighborhoods, a lawyer, businessman, and former school board member. Goldstein has lived in St. Paul since 1984, and has owned a home in the Hamline Midway neighborhood since 2004.

That same year, Goldstein made the transition from businessman to community organizer and advocate, including positions working on affordable housing for the Minnesota Housing Partnership, volunteer coordinator and staff attorney for the Minnesota Justice Foundation, committee administrator at the Minnesota State Senate, and union representative and consultant for SEIU Healthcare Minnesota.

If elected, he would make job creation and attracting cutting-edge businesses to St. Paul his number one priority. He would also use his business background to help transform City Hall into a customer-service-oriented institution and demand complete transparency of departmental budgets and contracts.

Pat Harris, DFL

www.patharrisformayor.com

Harris has lived in St. Paul for his entire life, as have four generations of his family. He is currently Senior Vice President at BMO Harris Bank with state-wide responsibility for government banking. He has worked in finance for over 16 years and holds membership in many professional public finance organizations. Harris served on the Saint Paul City Council for 12 years.

His priorities include: public safety for all; creating jobs and promoting economic growth; public education that serves all students; providing libraries, parks, public safety, and other basic services to every one of its community members without overburdening its citizens with excessive taxes; equity and opportunity; and enhancing parks and libraries.

Chris Holbrook

www.lowertaxeschris.wordpress.com

Holbrook is an 18-year St. Paul resident who has lived in the Midway and Frogtown neighborhoods. He has an associate degree in architecture, and has spent his career in the wholesale building products industry. He has been politically active for several years as a member of the Libertarian Party of Minnesota and was elected as Chair of the Party in 2017.

He labels himself socially liberal and fiscally conservative. “I am running for Mayor of Saint Paul to lower taxes. This will grow the city and make it more livable. This will create jobs and let workers have more money. This creates more affordable housing and transit options. We begin by putting a stop to the mismanagement of your hard earned money. Saint Paul has been wastefully overspending on frivolous projects instead of basic services. ... I commit to an audit and cost-benefit analysis of every regulation, department, program, and proposal with a simple barometer. If it lowers your property tax I will support it. If it raises your property tax I will oppose it,” said Holbrook.

Tim Holden

holden4mayor.com

Holden has lived in West Saint Paul for most of his life. He owns a business along University Ave. and decided to run for mayor after attending meetings about the Central Corridor and not seeing any changes occur to the plan following public comment.

Public and street safety are his number one priorities. Holden belives in collaborative decision making as opposed to top down management; community policing; collaborating with the school district, other educational entities, and businesses to ensure educational fairness for all; and making sure every dollar spent enhances the vitality of the city.

Dai Thao

www.daithao.org

An immigrant and a refugee who grew up in poverty, Dai lives in Frogtown. He was first elected to served as Ward 1 council member in 2013. Dai began as a community organizer because he “believes government is for the people by all the people, not just the elites.”

He said, “We can’t keep taxing the hard-working people of St. Paul to solve wasteful spending. Our city needs a bold direction that will tackle the racial disparities gap that is crippling our economy, make sure that our city services operate equitably across all neighborhoods, and assure that residents are invested in because they are the infrastructure of our community and economy.”

Sharon Anderson

sharon4mayor2018.blogspot.com

Anderson ran unsuccessfully for the mayor’s office in 2005, 2009, and 2013. In the past, she has also sought the Ward 2 Council seat, and ran as a Republican candidate for the office of Minnesota Attorney General and Minnesota Senate District 64. In fact, Anderson claims to have run for public office every year since 1970.

If elected, Anderson would downsize all city departments, combine DSI with health, combine sheriff and police,  and elect the city attorney and police chief.

Barnabas Joshua Y’shua

No web site

Y’shua, a homeless man who has resided at the Union Gospel Mission for the past two and a half years, has no political platform other than helping others.

Six running for three open at-large school board seats

In the St. Paul School Board race, two incumbents face four newcomers. There are three at-large seats available.

The Saint Paul school board consists of seven members elected to four-year terms. Elections are held at large on a staggered basis so that three or four seats are up for election every November of odd-numbered years.

Luke Bellville

www.lukeslegal.yolasite.com

Bellville is an attorney in St. Paul. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in philosophy in 2006, and his doctor of law (J.D.) from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2011.

John Brodrick, incumbent

brodrick4kids.blogspot.com

Broderick is a lifelong Frogtown resident. He worked as a teacher and coach for 16 years. Broderick has been endorsed by the St. Paul Federation of Teachers, Teamsters Joint Council 32 and the DFL.

“Saint Paul Public Schools should always be, and have striven to be, friendly and welcoming places,” said Broderick. “Learning occurs best in an environment that is respectful and safe. As our city has been a destination for many individuals, I am proud that our schools have responded to the opportunity to make new connections, and have been successful enough that people have chosen to stay and to reunite other family members.

“All of us, in Saint Paul and in our schools have benefitted from Saint Paul’s immigrant community and tradition. Even those of us who are a generation or two removed from our own immigrant experience smile when we see graduation ceremonies, cultural events and hear proud parents and grandparents tell stories about their kids successes.”

Greg Copeland

gregcopeland911.wordpress.com

Copeland has lived in the Cook/Payne Ave. neighborhood since 1992. The 60-year-old widower was the primary caregiver for his wife, Betty, for 16 years following a traumatic brain injury.

His first job after college was as a newspaper reporter covering public schools. Copeland has also been a contract compliance officer for community college-based job training program and a recruiter for a private industry-public partnership on-the-job training program. He formerly served as city manager of Maplewood, then Minnesota’s 18th largest city with a population of 36,000, over two budget cycles. He formerly chaired the Saint Paul Charter Commission, was vice chair of the Saint Paul Capital Improvement Bond (CIB), andchair of the Payne-Phalen District Council.

If elected, Copeland would reform the school board election process to ensure the east side and the west side have adequate representation. He would also initiate complete televising of all board meetings from begin to end.

Jeannie Foster, incumbent

www.jeanniefosterforkids.com

Foster is a lifelong resident of St. Paul who had her first child at age 16 and then raised two kids alone through a cycle of abuse. “I want to challenge the notion that poor kids with many barriers can’t make it,” said Foster.

Foster is a Saint Paul Public Schools graduate, attending Hancock Elementary, Highland Park Junior and Highland Park High School.

She has worked for 25 years in early childhood education, spending 18 years at the Wilder Child Development Center. In 2015, Foster was recruited by Community Action of Ramsey & Washington County to manage Family Services, where she is focused on producing outcomes in core Head Start priorities including family support, child development, education and parent involvement.

Foster would bring staff together and improve relationships with administration; keep children and equity at the center of  decision-making and help the system to be more responsive; and increase parent and family engagement so kids and families can better navigate the system to find success.

Andrea Touhey

Facebook: TouheyforSchoolBoard

Touhey is an education consultant and former teacher, who also lists policy maker, program designer and evaluator, instructional coach, educational researcherand data scientist under her qualifications.

If elected, she would survey student sregularly about their experience within the district; ask teachers for regular input into the direction of the district; and engage parents through regular surveys.

She also supports building a career pathway for Educational Assistants to become teachers; ensuring students have preparation for, access to, and encouragement to pursue AP/IB courses; having students’ learning experiences be relevant to them; providing the structure for students to explore their interests through the AVID program; adopting a framework for technology integration that is focused on using technology to amplify and transform the learning experience; having a majority of teachers be National Board Certified; and protecting the learning environment of undocumented immigrants.

Marny Xiong

stpauldfl.wordpress.com/2017-endorsements/marny-xiong/

Xiong was born and raised in the heart of St. Paul in the Frogtown neighborhood. Her parents were refugees who immigrated to the U.S. from war-torn Laos, and they taught her that, in order to succeed in the U.S. and reach her highest aspirations, she needed to finish her education. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and African and African American studies from the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

Xiong has been a community organizer for over 10 years and worked on various campaigns to fight for racial and economic justice. Her experience includes the Vote No Campaign, Take Action Minnesota, SEIU Local 113 and serving on various boards, such as the Payne-Phalen Neighborhood.

“I am committed to collaborating with students, parents, unions, educators and stakeholders to ensure equity for all students, increased enrollment, and education achievement for college success,” said Xiong.

New office, retail building next to 38th St. lightrail station clearing hurdles for construction

The Lander Group’s plan to revitalize 38th St. station includes three new buildings, two plazas, new city street, additional stoplight, and bike parking

by Tesha M. Christensen

While the proposal for multi-story buildings at the 38th St. and Hiawatha fits within the city’s plans for development along the lightrail line, neighbors argue that it doesn’t fit within their South Minneapolis neighborhood.

During a public hearing on Sept. 18, 2017, Jennifer Halter, a resident along 29th Ave., pointed out that most of the buildings in the neighborhood are one-and-a-half story bungalows or two-story homes.

She specifically opposes the plan by the developer, Lander Group, to put a four-story building on the southeast corner of 38th St. and 29th Ave.

“A four-story building has no business on the south block of 38th St. if the city and developer intends to retain the character of the neighborhood,” wrote Halter in a letter opposing the proposal.

The proposal shows a building that is two stories along 38th and steps back to four stories on the south side, which means that the 100-year-old, 1.5-story farmhouse on the south will be right next to a four-story wall without a setback, Halter said.

Halter was joined by two other neighbors who are also concerned about the size of the building proposed for the south side of 38th, parking issues along the residential streets, and the traffic congestion that will be generated by the new development.

“People want their cars. They don’t want to go grocery shopping in January on the bus,” stated Caroline Smart.

Yvette Roberts, who lives north of 38th along 29th Ave., is also concerned about traffic, specifically the buses that will be traveling down her street, and she’s a regular bus rider who doesn’t own a car. She also expressed concern about where cars were going to park. “Everyone wants to park by the lightrail station. They want a park and ride,” she stated.

STATION TO BE COMPLETELY REDONE

The Lander Group is planning to revitalize the 38th St. Lightrail station through “through privately-led, publicly-visioned development,” according to city documents. By making the site larger through the purchase of the six homes on the west side of the property along 29th, the Lander Group will enlarge the bus turnaround and drop-off, create a new city street, add two new station plazas with public art and water features, and construct three new buildings.

The buildings will house a mixture of office, retail and housing.

A GREAT STREET

While neighbors spoke about the overall development during the Sept. 18 public hearing, Planning Commissioners were looking at just a portion of the project. 

“We’re excited to be here,” said Michael Lander of Lander Group. “One could argue this is the culmination of a vision that started 27 years ago.” The vision for lightrail along this corridor included redevelopment of the area with high-density housing along the line and additional amenities.

“There’s been a lot of people talking about what they want to happen, and we’re excited to make it happen,” Lander stated.

The Lander Group envisions a “great street” from its soon-to-be complete project at 38th and 28th east to Hiawatha. They intend to invest in streetscaping improvements along the corridor. The new city street within the development, the extension of 30th Ave., will be a full city street and not merely the bus lane that is there now and it will have broad sidewalks.

One of the highlights of the site for the public is a 100 by 40-foot plaza along 38th and the lightrail line. This will be a privately-owned public space with sidewalks along the edge, seating, planters, and a water feature within 20 feet of what developers hope will be a restaurant.

The public improvements will be 100% financed and paid for by new resources directly from the project - new property taxes, a Hennepin County TOD grant, and a Met Transit Livable Communities TOD grant.

Due to the large scale of what they’re proposing, The Lander Group broke things up and asked first for approval of the plaza and “building 2,” the 10,000-square-foot structure next to the lightrail line.

The aim of building two is to welcome visitors to the Standish neighborhood with an upward sweeping grand roofline and large glass atrium. The unique wedge-shaped building will hold office and retail space in three levels, two above grade and one below. A classic modern design with brick and glass will be used, and the plan calls for a large mural facing the lightrail tracks.

To move the project forward, the planning commission reviewed a rezoning request (to C3A Community Activity Center District), a conditional use permit for a planned unit development, and two variance requests. The variance requests were deemed unnecessary due to varying interpretations, and the others approved by the planning commission.

B

While the design includes windows on all sides of building two, due to how city staff calculate the window requirement they concluded that the building had only 9% of the required 40% windows. Unless the window began at two feet, it was not counted at all in the calculation.

Lander Group staff argued that the plan calls for windows beginning at three feet as the use on that level will be by a restaurant and they wanted more flexibility in where to position chairs than a two-foot window would allow.

Lander Group staff also questioned the city staff desire to have 25% of the seating with backs in the plaza be stationary, and argued that non-stationary seating would be better suited for the plaza.

Commissioners agreed.

BUSES WILL TRAVEL IN LOOP AROUND 30TH AND 29TH

The new plan for the station brings buses and traffic in at the existing location, which will be the new 30th Ave., west to 29th, and south down 29th. Four bus bays will be created to make boarding more efficient. Parking will be removed entirely on the west side of the 32-foot-wide street south of its intersection with the new east-west street to accommodate the bus traffic and ensure buses aren’t operating net to parked cars. Five parking spots on the east side will also be removed, adding up to a total loss of 20 parking spaces along 29th.

At its intersection with 38th Street, 29th Ave. will be widened to a three-lane section with a southbound through and left turn lane, and a right-turn only lane. A new stoplight will also be erected there.

Following a traffic study, planners believe that traffic will be better with these changes. Currently, the transit driveway and stoplight is less than 200 feet from the intersection of 38th and Hiawatha. The additional distance should provide longer and more discernable gaps in traffic.

Presently, there are about 4,600 weekday daily trips into and out of the station area. About 2,200 passenger trips arrive to board transit per weekday with about 1,600 of those attributed to the Hiawatha Blue Line and about 600 boardings per day occurring on the three bus routes. About 28% of LRT boardings access the station from buses, so about 75% of bus activity at the station is related to transferring to and from the LRT.

THREE NEW BUILDINGS IN ALL

Buildings one and three will come before the planning commission “soon,” according the Lander.

Building one will anchor the new development as a mixed-use structure and replace the existing single-family homes on the east side of 29th. Street-level retail space at building one will be divided into three individual bays, totaling over 8,000 square feet. Interaction between the new five-story building and the existing Cardinal Bar building will create new pedestrian zones that will encourage socializing, rest, and outdoor dining opportunities. Housing units (135 in total) will sit above the retail base and surround a central open courtyard.

There will be 109 underground and 85 at-grade parking spaces for residents, employees, and longer term parkers. Access will be from 29th Street and the new bus turnaround street. Besides providing ground level parking, the central courtyard water infiltration system will filter rainwater runoff through a landscaped area before releasing it into the city system.

Solar panels on Building One will offset energy use and residential areas will include recycling receptacles on each floor.

To the south of 38th Street, the new mixed-use building three will have over 2,700 square feet of street-level retail space facing 38th St. The 24 market rate affordable units will provide a mix of studios and two-bedroom floor plans. Fourteen spaces of off-street parking will be available for tenant use.

According to documents filed with the city, planners envision 38th Street Station becoming a hub of alternative transportation options, supporting light rail with bicycle storage options, dedicated shared vehicle spaces, and encouraging a walkable neighborhood.

 This article appeared in the October 2017 edition of the Longfellow-Nokomis Messenger. 

Nokomis woman plays on local Australian Football team

Men’s and women’s Minnesota Freeze teams play games at Lake Nokomis fields every Saturday during season

by Tesha M. Christensen

The day Bri Ostoff moved into the Nokomis neighborhood three years ago, she joined the women’s Minnesota Freeze Australian Football team.

“I found the Minnesota Freeze on Meetup, a website for different activities, and they practiced in my new neighborhood at Lake Nokomis so I decided to try it as a way to met people,” recalled Ostoff. “I have been hooked and playing for over three years.”

The Minnesota Freeze has over 50 members from the Twin Cities area playing on the men’s and women’s teams. Their season runs from the end of April to mid-October. 

The teams are at Lake Nokomis fields just off Cedar on Saturdays with practices at 9 a.m. and inter league scrimmage starting around 10:30 a.m. Men practice Wednesdays at Northwestern Health Science University in Bloomington at 6 p.m., and women practice Mondays at Bryn Mawr Park in Minneapolis at 6 p.m.

The Freeze started in 2005 with a few Australians who had moved to Minnesota. Today, the Minnesota team has the least amount of Aussies compared to any other in the U.S., and is one of the largest leagues in the country. Ages of players range from as young as 16 all the way to 50. The Minnesota Freeze is part of the non-profit United States Australian Football League (USAFL), an organization dedicated to the development of and participation in Australian football in the United States.

 The United States Australian Football League’s (USAFL) first ever game was played in 1996 between Louisville and Cincinnati at Louisville, Ky. The league was founded the following year in 1997 at the first USAFL Nationals in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The men’s Freeze team has won three National Championships: 2005 - Division 3, 2007 - Division 2, and 2012 - Division 2.

The women’s team travels twice a year, once to play its nearest team in Chicago and once to attend the USAFL National Championship Tournament. The men’s team travels more often because there are men’s teams to play in Des Moines, Chicago, and Madison.

But traveling is not a requirement, according to Ostoff. Many members just play locally until the Nationals in October.

“This is a welcoming team full of people who wanted to train and play like a team,” said Ostoff. “Some of us came from other sports. For some this is their first team sport. Its social and the people are amazing. I do also really enjoy tackling people.”

The sport requires skill, strength, and strategic thinking. At whatever level one plays at, Footy improves fitness, strength and coordination.

LEARNING AS SHE WENT

Like many others on the team, Ostoff had no idea what she was doing and learned the rules as she went. During her first game, she got a 50-meter penalty -- that’s one rule she’ll never forget.

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, or simply called football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval-shaped field that could easily fit an entire football field. There are no pads, but it is a full tackle sport. Games are played in two 20-minute halves with a 7-minute half-time break.

There are jump balls similar to basketball at the start of quarters, after goals, and when there is a struggle of possession without any prior opportunity, according to Ostoff. If a player tackles a person who has possession, the ball is turned over and he/she gets a free kick. You have to kick the ball through the middle posts for 6 points; if you get this through the posts on either side on a kick it is called a behind and worth only one point. A behind turns the ball over to your opponents’ defenders, and they get a free kick.

“It’s a continuous moving sports, so changes are made on the fly,” said Ostoff. “There are no off sides. And you can only score by kicking.”

Women and men’s teams play by the same rules.

“I find it to have similar structures to hockey,” noted Ostoff, who played hockey in high school and college. “It combines so many aspects of different sports that it fun to learn and we love to teach it.”

Ostoff biggest challenge has been learning how to kick, as this is the first sport she’s played where she needed that skill.

“The kick is most like a football punt, but it has its own technique because you should be able to kick without really breaking your running stride,” explained Ostoff. “This is something every American on the team has had to learn. Your kicks have to be accurate enough for your teammates to catch on the fly while fending off a defender.”

She typically plays the position of Half Back Flank, a defensive position on the D line closest to the midfield and flank. “Tall people are generally in the middle of the field,” stated Ostoff. “I’m short so I play on the outside.”

Ostoff had competed in over 13 different sports growing up, so changing sports wasn’t a new idea for her.

“I love team sports,” Ostoff said. “Working and training to achieve a common goal is an amazing, empowering place for people to bond and grow.”

REPRESENTING THE U.S. IN AUSTRALIA

This past August Ostoff went to Australia as a member of the USA Women’s Liberty team, a development team made up of women who play footy from across the U.S. Team members played local women’s clubs in Australia, winning 3 out of the 5 games. This opportunity exists every three years, and Ostoff learned about it during her rookie year and worked three years to make the team.

“It was amazing to play footy in Australia,” remarked Ostoff. “The feel is similar to small town hockey. The whole town comes out to support their clubs and cheer each other on. It was a great honor to represent the USA and our women.
 The Minnesota Freeze is always looking for new men and women to join and play. More at www.mnfreeze.com

 This article appeared in the October 2017 edition of the Longfellow-Nokomis Messenger.

Races will change face of park board

A wave of first-time candidates and new faces are looking to fill several empty seats left by incumbents on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. President Anita Tabb (District 4), Vice President John Erwin (at-large), At-Large Commissioner Annie Young, District 1 Commissioner Liz Wielinski, District 2 Commissioner Jon Olson, and District 3 Commissioner Scott Vreeland are not running for re-election.

The park board manages 160 neighborhood parks and 19 regional parks, and has an annual budget of over $111 million.

PARK COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 3

AK Hassan

akhassan.com

Since coming to Minneapolis in 2008, Hassan has served as youth coordinator at Franklin Library, Outreach Officer for the Senate District 62 DFL, DFL Somali Caucus Chair, and Ventura Village Neighborhood Association Chair.

Hassan said his campaign is “about equal accessibility to our beautiful parks for everyone — especially for our children — regardless of where they live. ... I want to bring more growing space and community gardens into or near our parks, with District 3 serving as a pilot program, and add 100 native tree species plantings in the district. I want to see more educational opportunities and strong community and school board involvement in our parks, all of which is possible through equitable funding, coalition building, and by listening to residents’ needs and concerns.”

Abdi Gurhan Mohamed

gurhanforparks.com

Born in a densely populated town in Somalia, Gurhan moved to the West Bank neighborhood in Minneapolis 12 years ago. He earned his degree in business administration from Metro State University. Gurhan has worked with the Somali Community of Minnesota and as Somali Public Radio host. He is the owner of two private businesses in Minnesota and employ over 40 employees. He also works as a strategy consultant.

“I am running as a candidate for Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board District 3 because I’m passionate about equity, sustainability, recreation and helping families thrive in our amazing city,” said Gurhan.

Charles Exner

www.betterparks.net

Exner would bring a renter’s voice to the park board. He earned a bachelor of arts in environmental studies from Augsburg College in 2016. Exner served on the Environmental Stewardship Committee there, which installed a permanent bike fix-it station on campus -- something he’d like to see at all Minneapolis parks.

While working as an environmental consultant, he learned the ways the private sector attempts to fit sustainability into their profit margins. His tenure as a board member with the environmental nonprofit MPIRG taught him the importance of coalition building and showed him some of the obstacles that community groups face when dealing with government. He is endorsed by the Green Party of Minnesota.

PARK COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 5

Andrea Fahrenkrug

fahrenkrugformplsparks.com

Fahrenkrug has lived in South Minneapolis for over 20 years. She is a long-time member of the Junior League of Minneapolis, the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, and Crew 52. She is a past president of the Minneapolis Jaycees and Women’s Metro Links golf league.

She lists her top issues as “managing the wonderfully diverse park system while bringing back good fiscal management; celebrating the diverse nature of our park’s offerings, and ensuring basic park maintenance for all parks, not just a few.”

Steffanie Musich - incumbent

www.musichforparks.com

Musich is a resident of the Wenonah neighborhood and former president of the Friends of Lake Nokomis, which she helped form in 2010. She has been a Master Gardener with the University of Minnesota Extension service in Hennepin County since 2010.

“I am running for re-election to the park board because I am fully committed to ensuring that the parks implement policies that enable the Minneapolis Park and Recreation board to continue to adapt to park users’ needs as those needs change and evolve,” Musich said. “These policies need to also allow for sustainable growth and thoughtful maintenance of existing properties and amenities.”

Bill Shroyer

billshroyer.com

Shroyer has been an employee of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board for 17 years, and is a certified arborist, park keeper and aquatic facility operator. He is Union Steward and Recording Secretary of City Employees Local #363, Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA), and speaks English and Spanish.

If elected, he would: plan improvements and expansion that communities want and approve of; utilize fulltime staff rather than outside contractors whenever possible; examine park board administrative costs; insist on real diversity not just sensitivity training; and put biomass and wood utilization as a guiding principle to “stop wasting thousands of trees removed each year.”

PARK COMMISSIONER AT-LARGE

There are nine people are running for the three at-large seats that are available on the park board.

• Charlie Casserly: charliecasserly.com

• Mike Derus: derusforparks.com

• Meg Forney - incumbent: megforney.org

• Londel French: londelfrenchforparks.com

• Russ Henry: RussHenryForParks.com

• Devin Hogan: devinforparks.com

• Jonathan Honerbrink: JonathanforMinneapolis.com

• Bob Sullentrop: bobsullentropforparkboard.com

• LaTrisha Vetaw: latrishavetawforparks

This article appeared in the October 2017 edition of the Longfellow-Nokomis Messenger. 

Republican, DFL candidates vie off in State Representative, Senate

Three new polling places added in Nokomis

by Tesha M. Christensen

Before you head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8, be sure to doublecheck your polling location.

Due to long lines, several new locations were added in the Nokomis neighborhood. There are now 13 polling locations instead of 10.

Here are the details on the precinct splits:

• 12-6 added 12-11 (south of 52nd St E) with the new polling location of Trinity Lutheran Church of Minnehaha Falls, 5212 41st Ave. S.

• 12-8 added 12-12 (east of 21st Ave S) with the new polling location of Roosevelt High School (Gym), 4029 28th Ave. S.

• 12-5 added 12-13 (south of 49th St E) with the new polling location of Keewaydin Campus – Lake Nokomis Community School (Gym), 5209 30th Ave. S.

Go to http://vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/where-to-vote and enter your address to find your polling location.

TWO QUESTIONS ON BALLOT

Expect to find two questions on this year’s ballot. The first will be voted upon by all the citizens in Minnesota. If approved, it would remove lawmaker’s power to set their own pay. An independent, citizens-only council would be established to prescribe salaries of lawmakers instead.

The second question pertains to the Minneapolis School District. The school district’s existing referendum revenue of $1,604.31 per pupil is scheduled to expire after taxes payable in 2016. A “yes” vote would extend the property tax levy for nine more years. It would increase each year by the rate of inflation. The money will be used to manage class sizes, and provide supportive services and activities for students.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 63A

Kyle Bragg - R

kylebraggformnhouse63A@gmail.com

Bragg has resided in Standish for 18 years. He has a have a bachelor of arts in business administration. He has worked in the finance department at Loffler Companies for 12 years, and is on the Loffler Helping Hands Team, which connects employees with local charities including St. Joseph’s Home for Children and Ronald McDonald House.

His first priority, if elected, will be to work on a s”olution to the crisis of unsustainable rising healthcare costs,” he said. When open enrollment for MNsure begins in less than a month, residents shopping for individual policies will have to pay 50-67% higher premiums in 2017; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is no longer a provider option, and there are new enrollment caps with each of the remaining providers. 

Another focus will be on education. “The high school graduation rate in Minneapolis was 64% in 2015 and there is an achievement gap of about 10% for students of color that needs to be closed,” he said.

He would also work to lower the cost of higher education with more in-state tuition credits, fee reduction, and scholarships.

Bragg supports legislation to lower taxes for middle class working Minnesotans and to provide property tax relief with more state aid to municipalities and counties.

“I will also support efforts to focus spending in the next biennium to help Minnesota businesses create jobs and enhance research and development in order to increase production of goods and services which can be exported to other states and countries to bring more money into the state and promote economic growth,” he stated.

Bragg has been married for almost 19 years and has two daughters, ages 9 and 11.

Jim Davnie (I) - DFL

www.jimdavnie.org

Davnie taught middle school social studies for 17 years. While teaching he was elected to three terms as his local union’s president and also served in leadership positions at the state level with the Minnesota Federation of Teachers and later Education Minnesota. He currently works as a personal finance educator for Lutheran Social Service.

Davnie was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2000.

He currently serves on the Advisory Board for Camp du Nord, a family camp operated by the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities.

Davnie believes that that state needs a system that provides universal access to healthcare at an affordable price to all Minnesotans. He supports universal system will create efficiencies and costs savings not available in our current disconnected approach.

He supports tax policy that fairly spreads the burden fairly and feels that wealthy Minnesotans should pay at least the same percentage in taxes as do middle and working lass families. He supports tax policy that benefits local businesses that help build our local economy not national and multinational businesses.

Davnie would utilize bonding to build wastewater treatment plants, secure easements on and around fragile lands and waters, and other efforts to preserve and improve the quality of Minnesota waters.

He believes we have both a moral and practical imperative to close the achievement gap in Minnesota. He holds educators accountable but says we need to balance that with a collaborative approach respecting the professional insights and skills that they bring to work every day.

He supports bonding for needed public projects – roads, bridges, public buildings – and enhancing the ability of the private sector to create jobs through high quality public services, and targeted policies that enhance the competitiveness of Minnesota firms.

He believes the Legislature must continue its efforts to plan and build light rail, bus rapid transit, and neighborhood transit options while keeping fares affordable.

Davnie is married and has two children.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 63B

Frank Pafko - R

Pafko grew up in south Minneapolis and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1971. After 27 years in South Minneapolis, he now resides in Richfield. 

He earned his bachelor of science in fisheries from the University of Minnesota in 1975 and worked 34 years for Minnesota Department of Transportation before retiring in 2012 as Chief Environmental Officer. He is the Transportation Tsar for the Up and At ’Em radio show and podcast.

His priority issues are improving public education, fixing MNSure, transportation, tax cuts and streamlining regulation.

Pafko believes that students have been poorly served by the public school system. “Graduation rates are horrible and test scores continue to decline,” he pointed out. “We cannot continue to increase funding to a failed system. Providing education choice and opportunity scholarships will offer students and parents the financial mobility to choose schools best for them.”

Pafko labels MNSure and Obamacare as “abysmal failures imposed on Minnesotans solely by Democrats.” Increasing costs and decreasing choices will deny Minnesotans health care, he said. “He would reduce the MNSure tax on premiums, combine the individual market into groups, provide tax exemptions for premiums, and try to get an exemption from Obamacare and resurrect the successful MnCare program.

“Funding needs to be increased for roads and bridges to maintain our investment, improve safety and reduce congestion,” said Pafko. Before raising taxes, he would transfer existing vehicle related taxes toward improving roads. One mile of LRT costs over $125 million per mile, he pointed out, while adding a freeway lane only costs $5-10 million per mile. “Cancel overpriced trains and use transit dollars to fund an improved bus system.  Lanes not trains!” said Pafko.

He would also pass the vetoed bipartisan tax cut bill, which gives money back to small business, student loan holders, and education savers and exempt Social Security payments from state income tax.

Pafko is married with two children and six grandchildren.

Jean Wagenius (I) - DFL

jeanwagenius.org

Wagenius earned her bachelor of arts from George Washington University in Washington, and went to work as one of the first women in management at the local telephone company. Next she attended the Jane Adams School of Social Work at the University of Illinois and did her practice work in Chicago projects.

Wagnius returned to Washington to work during the day at Peace Corps Headquarters and at night as a volunteer leader of a city community center that served teenagers in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city, Wagnius became convinced that the best strategy for children is to make sure that they are successful in the very first years of school and that they can read by the end of second grade at the latest. She has put her conviction into law by securing the first state funding for all day kindergarten and teacher training designed to have children read by the end of second grade.

When the family moved to Minnesota, Wagnius promptly became involved in DFL politics. In 1985, a group of neighbors in south Minneapolis asked her to run for an open seat in the Minnesota House. She has since served 15 terms.

Wagnius was a staff attorney for the Minnesota Court of Appeals prior to being elected. She earned her J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.

Current committee assignments include Capital Investment, Job Growth and Energy Affordability Policy and Finance and Ways and Means.

Wagnius does not accept political action committee (PAC) dollars for her election campaigns, and started the “No Perks Pledge” in the Minnesota House.

She has authored numerous laws that require manufacturers to reduce or recycle the toxins that get into air and water, and has worked to protect groundwater.

Wagnius believes people have a right to be safe in their homes and communities and has authored numerous bills making our criminal laws tougher and easier to prosecute.

She advocates for transportation funding that includes bus and rail transit as well as roads rather than a “roads-only” policy.

Wagnius has been a consistent coauthor of bills to increase the minimum wage, and voted to pass the Woman’s Economic Security Act, a package of legislation designed to close the gender pay gap and level the playing field for work women in the workplace.

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 63

Ron Moey - R

Moey has been a lifelong resident of the district.  He graduated from Roosevelt High School 1962. He attended Mankato State before joining the U.S. Navy; he was stationed on Okinawa in a Drone Squadron.  When he returned home, he married Betsy, and worked in auto finance at Northwestern Nat Bank.  Then he went on to start a drain cleaning company, “Ron the Sewer Rat,” in 1973, and was there until he turned it over to son, Lee, five years ago.  He also has two daughters, Linnae, who works with Fish and Wildlife, and Laura, a 911 operator for the city of Minneapolis.

The main concern he has for the state is that “healthcare is out of control and no longer assessable to anyone other that the super rich or super poor,” said Moey. “We must make healthcare competitive, and eliminate governmental over control.”

He also believes that Minnesota must be competitive with other states to have companies stay and expand here. He supports keeping regulations and taxes under control.

Moey would promote the state’s resources, and make Minnesota a tourist destination.

 “Every child deserves a good education,” said Moey. “We must do more to promote trade education.”

He added, “We must stand up to the federal government and take back the states responsibilities.”

Patricia Torres Ray (I) - DFL

patriciaforsenate.org

Born in 1964 in Colombia, Torres Ray moved to Minnesota in 1987 where she learned English, worked various jobs, and completed her education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in urban studies from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in public affairs from the Humphrey Institute.

Education is one of her top priorities. She supports full funding of quality childcare for working class families, and believes that closing the gap between students of color and white students should be the state’s top priority.

With a goal to make health care more available to all Minnesotans, she supports strategies aimed to eliminate health disparities, fund initiatives to promote safe and healthy communities, and universal health care coverage for all children, such as in the Minnesota Children’s Health Security Act, which she has worked on since 1996.

She promotes initiatives that will protect natural ecosystems, promote toxic waste reduction, fund the development of alternative energy, help reduce dependence on dirty coal, and reduce airport noise.

Torres Ray supports the expansion of public transportation, and believes that Hiawatha Corridor Light Rail Transit is a valuable asset to the district.

She support investments in affordable housing to ensure that low and middle income working class residents are able to access stable and safe places to live, and seeks legislation to end homelessness.

Torres Ray believes that investments in education, research, and infrastructure promote economic development much more efficiently than tax giveaways to industry.

She lives in Longfellow with her husband and two teenage boys.

This article appeared in the October 2017 edition of the Longfellow-Nokomis Messenger. 

Help Val fill up trailer bound for Hurricane Harvey victims

Donations accepted at Ted’s Bar in Roseville

by Tesha M. Christensen

Val Garza is planning to drive down a trailer of donated items to Texas on Monday night. The waitress at Ted’s Bar and Key’s Restaurant is asking community members to help her fill an enclosed trailer with clothes, diapers, wipes, baby formula, water, and more for those displaced by Hurricane Harvey.
The trailer is parked in the lot at Ted’s Bar, 1084 Larpenteur Ave. W. in Roseville.  Donations will be accepted until 9 p.m. on Monday night.
Donations will be dropped off at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) location in Dallas, Texas.
After Hurricane Harvey made landfall and dropped more than 2 feet of rain, thousands of people in Houston and along the Gulf Coast have been displaced. Estimates are that more than 30,000 people may need shelter and some 450,000 may qualify for federal flood victim assistance.
Tony Anderson of the Happy Gnome has donated the use of his trailer. Others are helping publicize the effort, and fellow staff at Ted’s donated gas money.Fellow Keys waitress JoVan Paulsky has also cleared her schedule to drive down with Garza, and they will be accompanied by Garza’s teenage son. They plan to drive straight down and return on Friday. Garza, a native of San Antonio, Texas, was watching the news one night and heard about a man from Wisconsin who collected an entire trailer of diapers for those affected by Hurricane Harvey. She was inspired to do something similar. Since announcing her plans, she’s heard from many others who are grateful for what she’s doing and glad to find a way that they can help.