SPPS needs leadership that has experience mitigating the spread of COVID-19 while also remaining effective in governing roles. There have been many reasons SPPS has seen enrollment decline. Feb 27, 2023, 7:44am PST. These practices should complement the academic rigors of reading, math and writing, not replace them. It is my responsibility to put children first. Melissa Hortman DFL Speaker of the Minnesota House State Representative (DFL-Champlin) Jake Spano Mayor of St. Louis Park. Additionally, I believe it's crucial that as an individual member, I come to conversations early and I see my role as one where I could be proactive instead of waiting to interact when tensions are heightened. I have personally lived in low-income areas and understand firsthand the negative impact that poverty has on quality of life. We also need to work more intentionally to reach out to our immigrant and English language learner communities whenever we conduct the surveys that inform our decisions. We must continue to prioritize resources: Under my leadership, we have moved to a priority-based budget so we know what we are paying for upfront. 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 George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police and subsequent civil unrest. New investment brings with it more (not less) economic opportunity for those who need it most. Vote No on Question #1: Mayoral Control of City Hall Oct 14, 2021 Retrain all police officers and offer them an incentive to move to the city in which they work. Finally, we need to stop giving tax increment financing (TIF) subsidies to developers that don't need it. The Star Tribune asked each person running for St. Paul mayor to tell us about themselves and provide answers to the following questions: Six candidates are running to fill three four-year seats on the St. Paul school board, while two others are competing in a special election to serve the remaining two years of a seat vacated by former Board Member Steve Marchese. While we still have work to do to realize the safer outcomes we want for all our neighborhoods, we'll continue working to build the most comprehensive, coordinated and data-driven approach to public safety our city has ever endeavored. How would you approach your role as a board member when it comes to contract negotiations? The mayor has an obligation to ensure staffing and resources are provided to keep the city safe and support the necessary reforms. We cannot continue with short-term funding solutions, we need to advocate and work with our state partners for more equitable public school funding. I will allocate a portion of the budget for road repair and maintenance. Chicago Votes for Mayor in a Race Dominated by Crime and Policing. 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. Labor strikes are the last thing any of us want, including our bargaining units. I've done some political organizing addressing the rise of catalytic converter thefts, creating a petition that received 1,600 signatures, which led to a virtual town hall meeting bringing citizens and state legislators together. When it comes to being a school board member during contract negotiations with our district bargaining units, I would work with board colleagues to be a sounding board for the superintendent and advise on negotiation strategy. Which Democratic candidates are getting the most endorsements from party elites? WebThe League of Women Voters Saint Paul and SPNN present a live candidate forum for the office of Mayor of Saint Paul. Our main focus seems to be on addressing the learning loss from the pandemic. We must protect the right of our workers to strike and bargain for the most equitable possible outcomes. I would like to change the culture of our politics in our city of St. Paul by restructuring. 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). By combining some of the current offices and duties, we would be able to reduce city funding and spending. I grew up in North Minneapolis and attended high school in Mankato following school closures and budget cuts that devastated my community. Mutual respect is the best landing spot for all 27 bargaining units in St. Paul Public Schools. We must continue to diversify our workforce: We are working to recruit, train and retain employees of color at all levels of the district. 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. The DFL mayor's endorsement of the Republican president in 2004 has hurt Kelly badly, in a city that's a Democratic stronghold. Take a look at the candidates currently running via the list below. As our community continues to engage in conversations on the benefits and challenges of implementing such a tool, I'll continue working through my extensive due diligence to assess the many impacts rent stabilization will have on our fair and affordable housing goals, alongside our ongoing response to the housing crisis. Two candidates are registered to run for the office. We also need to make sure students know that college isn't the only path to success. Since my first days as a City Council member, I've dedicated my work to that end, developing the ordinances that would go on to establish our Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Department in St. Paul. Established connections with community groups, nonprofits and businesses due to past associations and committee memberships. CHICAGO When Paul Vallas ran for mayor of Chicago four years ago, it did not go well. Governor Gary Locke (fmr.) In the first year, I will assemble a panel of experts, guided by community input, and put into action a plan that fosters economic development and job creation. 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. 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. Residents of Minnesota's capital city are heading to the polls this fall to elect a mayor and school board members. Are judges and city/county attorneys being too lenient? I'd like to see a robust partnership between SPPS and colleges, employers, organizations and institutions that can provide direct opportunities for students who were impacted by COVID-19. As a board member I will continue to support staff and listen to them. All words and opinions are candidates' own. Politicians and community groups have voiced their opinions in the crowded Minneapolis mayoral race ahead of Election Day on Nov. 2. The Envision SPPS initiative is perhaps the most pressing issue in front of the school board that is receiving the least amount of attention in the public realm. 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. Better communication and respect for families. Election linksRegister to vote or check registration statusFind your polling placeSee what's on your ballotHow to vote earlyWhat is ranked-choice voting? 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. Misconduct/crime on public transit has become commonplace. We can and must take advantage of all funding sources, including state and federal grants and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, to lessen the demand on our city's taxpayers. Paul presents St. Paul Mayoral Candidate Forum, October 24, 2013 Skip to main content Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. 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. White Bear Lake isnt St English language learners make up nearly a third of the district's student population. It would be amazing if this student tested successfully in their non-English language, went on to college and started a career. Police liability insurance will be implemented to remove the most liable officers. 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. Feb 27, 2023, 7:44am PST. Although most candidates for Chicago mayor attempt to court specific constituencies in order to power their campaign, Lightfoot won the most consistent support Kate Knuth is a former three-term state representative and sustainability scientist running for Mayor of Minneapolis in 2021. The mayor's office has a unique opportunity to intervene in this cycle. We list all the endorsed Republican Candidates voters can elect within the City Limits of St Paul, MN, not the ones that have a similar zip code. I want to implement a participatory budget, where a portion of citizens' taxes can be allocated to public proposals, which can be designed by citizens and nonprofits alike. It simply means that our student population is finite and therefore a system of never-ending school openings does not make common sense. Web2021 Election Endorsements. Our new five-year Capital Improvement Budget strategy will leverage record-low interest rates, with an investment of more than $32.2 million over the next two years to launch capital projects at the Hamline Midway Library, the North End Community Center and Fire Station 7. 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. They have a chance to get ahead and save a lot of money in the long run. Mayor Norm Rice (fmr.) 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. We must rise to the challenge of a new level of the work in the district and identify more ways in which to engage with families. A multi-use development i.e. Equity. The city of St. Paul, Minnesota, held an election for mayor on November 7, 2017. I did support the walkout and am proud to be a St. Paul Federation of Educators-endorsed candidate. This years St. Paul mayoral race will once again feature ranked voting. I will continue to collaborate with the Port Authority on the Hillcrest project. 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. Predictably, price controls lead to a reduction of available supply and ultimately lead to higher prices (rent) for everyone else. Every day I see students taking out loans to pay for college. Many say they are. Our English language learners make our classrooms, schools and community richer, and we should value them for such. As candidates for Chicago mayor jockey for union support, Rep. Garca lands a big labor endorsement Brandon Johnson Mayoral Candidate Brandon Johnson speaks 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. 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. Information and forms for filing reports. We need to assist in housing placement for their year of study to achieve their Minnesota licensure, we need to partner with the city of St. Paul to do this. I think we must understand what drives families to remove themselves from the district or the public school system particularly immigrant and BIPOC families. In St. Paul, voters will make two big decisions: Who will lead the city as mayor and will the city set a 3 percent cap on rent increases. There are also races for city council, mayor and school board across the east metro. Visit the links below to see who is on the ballot and their case for getting your vote. Republish. When our government gets involved, you get more of what you don't want and less of what you do want. A curfew allows us to reduce crime, identify our youth that may need protective services, counseling or access to resources. "In our first 90 days" will be my initiative to speak with citizens as openly as possible in public and on the city's website about: what is working and what is not working in St. Paul, and how do we fix what is not working? Over the past four years, our administration has been focused on engaging our community to advance a bold vision we have shaped together, while re-envisioning how local government serves our residents, workers, businesses and visitors to build a city that truly works for all of us. Citizens are concerned with the rising taxes and frustrated with where that money goes to. Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas, who served as the first CEO of Chicago Public Schools, faces scrutiny for his decisions to forgo payments to the pension fund and hand out harsh probations for underperforming schools. Every child in St. Paul should have a chance to succeed in life. Our district tries to make certain translation services available to our students and we provide some amazing dual-immersion programs that provide great spaces for students to learn English as well as their own languages. Feb. 27, 2023, 5:00 a.m. 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. By Mauricio Pea. We must communicate better: We created an interactive online space for better transparency. Brandon is better for so many reasons, Hernandez said. 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. Every citizen in St. Paul should have a chance to feel safe. If crime pays (as it does today), citizens and our businesses will lose. Lastly, there is always the risk that by the time a project is finally ready to start construction, the community has already outgrown it. I coached football for L.E.S. If elected, I would like to use the $166 million from the American Rescue Plan to jumpstart the citizen economy. Any governing agreements executed between the city and the developer would have to be monitored and adhered to by the next mayor(s) for the entire term of the agreement. We should give students opportunities to learn marketable skills they can use to start careers coming out of high school. Safe streets first! 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. Aging infrastructure continues to remain a concern for many cities across America. Policies mandating price controls, whether on food or rent, only creates scarcity and higher prices. WebThe Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, proudly recommends the candidates listed below as the best choice in 2022. Ensuring everyone in our community can secure stable and affordable housing is vital to every aspiration we have for our city. The biggest tool to increase housing and development are changes in ordinance to permit multi-unit housing. 3. Reading stop teaching with letter sounds and use word sounds, have more tutors available, peer mentors, student engagement, family engagement, help parents gain employment through the district, school start times and cultural awareness. I have been actively advocating for public education for the past eight years in various areas. Based on past performance, government "good intentions" have a predictable history of contradictory consequences. This comprehensive strategy has led to a five-year low in crime in downtown, including a 20% decrease over the past year alone. Former board member for African American Leadership Council for 12 years. Supporting, recruiting and hiring additional teachers of color is a top priority of mine. As a native Minnesotan and proud son of a World War II veteran, I have called St. Paul my home for the past 40 years. Ongoing programmatic evaluation, examination of building capacity (also in line with a holistic review of the Facilities Master Plan and the Envision SPPS initiative) and Superintendent Gothard's strategic plan (especially tenets directly related to enrollment) must be analyzed and evaluated on an ongoing basis in order to reverse the trend of declining enrollment as soon as possible. We are in a different place and time than we were one year ago, two years ago, and we must move forward with the times. For projects underway, legally, they would have been vetted and negotiated by the current mayor and his administration through a publicly transparent approval process. In other words reduced availability of rental housing for working families and increased housing prices. As mayor, I will ensure these happen. 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. With a number of major development projects planned or underway including the former Ford plant, Hillcrest Golf Club and Boys Totem Town St. Paul is on the brink of some rare opportunities to shape the future of the city's economy and housing market. I will commit to spending at least 15% more on infrastructure by the end of my first term. 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. In addition to Lightfoot, the candidates are U.S. Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia, former schools CEO Paul Vallas, Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, businessman Willie I will continue to put my knowledge and experience to work to change the district from within to better serve students and families. Over 31 years, advanced through the ranks of the St. Paul Fire Department to the rank of district fire chief. Steps and forms for filing for office. This could be done through the St. Paul Urban Teacher (SUTR) program, which is already operating. An ordained minister, activist, wife and mother of five St. Paul Public Schools students, a Parent Academy graduate and former facilitator. From a lack of culturally responsive support resources to not meeting federal mandates, there's more work to be done (that must be done in collaboration with families and community) to ensure our ELL students are receiving the services they are legally entitled to. State Rep. and Mayoral Candidate Jessyn Farrell (fmr.) Enrollment decline is not new to St. Paul Public Schools. Lisa Clemons Minneapolis Community Activist. This is something our school board does not have power to do, but school board members need to advocate for our district to our state legislators who can do something about it. 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 Without new investment, the opposite happens. I have served for a time on three district council boards, where my attendance record was near perfect. I hope to bring my extensive background in institutional change management, strategic planning and inclusive community engagement to the table as an agent of the public, helping the district navigate the potentially very turbulent waters ahead with the implementation of this initiative. Show Search Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas takes a photo with a supporter We can use the data to address the concerns that are leading to decreased enrollment. Where we need to improve is the size of the caseloads for many of our ELL teachers. Challenges of this magnitude require focused initiative on behalf of the state and federal government along with our entire community. For over two years, St. Paul has been experiencing a crime epidemic. We are identifying and expanding our work with diverse community partners, intentionally seeking them out in areas we identify needs. I pursued a career in education because I see our schools as critically important institutions that can contribute to a more fair and equitable society. Shall we have term limits for elected officials, and shall we repeal ranked-choice voting or keep it? Our strategy is to take data collected about what families want and need in their school community and deliver on the promise of a world-class education. I'd like to see us prioritize initiatives that focus on social-emotional learning, engaging parents/caregivers and connecting students to supportive relationships in school and in their neighborhoods to help them build successful pathways. I'm qualified because I'm an incumbent who was elected vice chair of the school board by my colleagues. From mental health and social emotional learning to investments in safe schools and targeted student services, I'm satisfied (viewing this on the outset) with the planned expenditures and the collaborative process the district underwent to develop the now-board-approved themes and expenditures. As mayor, I will support both the St. Paul Police Department and the reforms necessary to improve criminal justice outcomes. I know what it looks like when we fall short of that goal. Our administration inherited historic disinvestment, with streets on an over 200-year replacement cycle. My children are my compass and parent leadership is my framework. We need to stop the School Attendance Matters partnership with the Ramsey County Attorney's Office and child protection services. I attended Highland Park High School and studied psychology and chemical dependency counseling at Minneapolis Community College. 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. Johnson won endorsements of Squad member Delia Ramirez and freshman US Representative Jonathan Jackson, son of Jesse Jackson. They have been utilizing community policing for over 30 years. The deadline for candidates to file to run in this election was August 13, 2019. Did you support the walkout, and if so, in what way? For many, they are too high to provide adequate support. A growing tax base is vital for a strong community and keeping property taxes low while still providing high-quality city services.