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News for Senate District 66 |
| August 2007 |
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| Ben Spears greets volunteers at last year’s picnic. This year’s picnic was held September 14th. |
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SD 66 Web pages:
Main page
News and Extras
Calendar
We are launching a fundraising campaign to help support local candidates and fund our outreach activities between now and the 2008 election. You can donate $50 as an individual and get that money back.
Sound too good to be true? Minnesota’s campaign finance system allows individuals to contribute up to $50 and receive that money back as a refund from the state. All you have to do is send a check to:
DFL SD 66
1145 Blair Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55104
In a couple weeks you will receive a receipt and refund form that you send MN Department of Revenue. (This does not impact your taxes). It’s that simple. The only cost to you is the stamp. To read more about the refund program visit the Senate District web site or call Mike Dean at
by Janice Rettman, Ramsey County Commissioner, District 3
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| County Commissioner Janice Rettman |
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Both of these job sites provided hard-working neighborhood workers union jobs. And times were good.
Sprawling out from both of these work sites, houses were built and these communities thrived and grew.
Sadly, the steel mill and railroad shop jobs ebbed away. And slowly, the land became vacant and polluted and a host for a variety of neighborhood nuisances.
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| County Commissioner Janice Rettman talks with fellow DFLers |
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But the people never gave up. They remembered when the jobs were strong and longed for jobs to return to those sites. They demanded action.
And it happened.
The Maxson Steel/Dale Street Shops are once again awash with jobs and the community is once again feeling alive. Now called the Great Northern Corridor, the two sites hosts clean formerly polluted land, and hundreds of jobs including many at the union business Custom Drywall.
But for one young man it was the turning point for his life. He lives in Frogtown and he would get off the bus and everyday he walked by the site. So, when work began on one of the sites, he walked by it and went home and told his wife that one day he would work there. And everyday that he walked by and if he saw anyone there, he would ask about how he could get a job there. They weren't taking applications yet. Time went on and still he persisted in asking about a job. And then one day, there was the shell of a building and he again asked about a job. They said come back in a few weeks. A few weeks later, he stopped by and received papers to fill out for a job. And when their doors opened, he had a job—a good paying job with benefits! No longer did he need assistance and a minimum wage existence.
When I talked with him, he told me he had already received his training and a promotion. Equally his employers were delighted with his work. I said, “I bet your wife is proud of you.” His response, “I am proud of myself!”
And I thought that that must have been how those workers a hundred years ago and thru the decades felt too.
But it would not have happened without the work of the county, the legislature, the state departments, the port authority and the city working to address the vision of the community to have their jobs back. It was not we telling them what they wanted—it was they telling us—their public servants—what they needed.
Sure sounds like the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party! And it was your DFL elected officials who made it possible and I am proud to be one.
Ward 6 | |||||
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By Dan Bostrom, St. Paul City Council Candidate, Ward 6 Dan Bostrom is a neighborhood leader, parent, grandparent, and union member elected to the City Council to advocate for us at City Hall. His background includes his service as community council president, school board member, and peace officer. Every day Dan Bostrom works hard to make sure City Hall keeps its commitment to our neighborhoods. “Together we have reinvested in both our people and our capital needs here on the Eastside. During my tenure, we have rebuilt recreation centers and bridges; and improved our libraries, playgrounds and recreational trails. We have turned blighted, polluted properties into economic engines. We have toughened laws to hold absentee landlords responsible and strengthened the zoning code to protect our neighborhoods,” recounts Bostrom. Bostrom, however, is not one to rest on his laurels. In league with neighborhood groups, Dan proposes additional local investments and further changes in city policies to protect neighborhoods. These include a new Arlington Hills Recreation Center and improvements to Phalen Park. Further, plans are already approved for a new park and trail connection at Arcade Street and Phalen Boulevard. Bostrom and city officials are now working on changes to city laws regulating vacant houses in response to the nationwide foreclosure crisis. Also on Dan’s agenda is implementing the neighborhood-approved plans to strengthen Payne Avenue and Arcade Street. Bostrom offers voters unparalleled experience gained as both a citizen and elected official. This year, Dan’s record of accomplishment earned him recognition by East Side Review’s newspaper readers as their “Favorite Local Elected Official.” Dan’s bold and optimistic vision for Saint Paul and the Eastside have earned him the support of many, including Trades & Labor Visit Dan Bostrom’s campaign website to learn more about Dan and his campaign and to help! |
By Pakou Hang, St. Paul City Council Candidate, Ward 6 Hello Fellow SD 66ers: I am so happy to be given this opportunity to talk with you about the future of our city. I have lived in Saint Paul for over 20 years and in Ward 6 for more than 12 years. It is my home. It saddens me when I see trash scattered along street corners or vacant storefronts boarded up. I know that good, hard working people live in Saint Paul, and I think it’s unacceptable that some East Siders don’t feel safe in their own homes. I am running for Saint Paul City Council because I want to be part of the solution. I want to take the community organizing skills I’ve learned working statewide and use them to help the East Side. I know that we have a lot of challenges in front of us, but I also know that committed people working together can accomplish anything. I have been listening to Ward 6 residents and there are many issues people are concerned about. Three of the most prevalent issues are public safety, education, and economic development. We need a comprehensive approach to public safety on the East Side. Increasing library hours and access to youth programming, cleaning up our parks, getting better lighting on our streets, and working closely with the Saint Paul Police Department are just a few necessary measures that need to be undertaken. We need to work together to develop and support more complete educational programs for young people that extend throughout the community from the classroom door. We need to invite locally owned businesses and entrepreneurs to join us in the revitalization of the East Side’s business corridors. I am running a campaign that is not just about getting me elected, but about giving our community a sense of optimism, opportunity, and ownership. I hope you will join me as I roll up my sleeves and get to work on getting elected and renewing a sense of hope on the East Side. | ||||
Ward 4 | |||||
By Russ Stark, St. Paul City Council Candidate, Ward 4 The Russ Stark for Ward 4 Saint Paul City Council Campaign is in full gear, with the primary coming up on September 11th and the general election on November 6th. Russ is running to fill the seat being vacated by long-time DFL Ward 4 Councilmember Jay Benanav. For the past 8 years Russ has worked at University UNITED and the Midway Transportation Management Organization, advocating for better development along University Avenue and better transportation options for our community. Russ has a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College and a Master of Arts in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the University of Delaware. He lives with his wife Betsy Murray, a pediatrician, and their two kids in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood. After winning the DFL endorsement on a platform of vibrant main streets, energy-efficient living, and connected communities, Russ has recently been endorsed by the locals of AFSCME and SEIU. Russ and his supporters are out knocking on doors and talking to a lot of people about Rock-Tenn, light rail, campus/community relations, Como Park, the City budget, and other issues of concern in the Ward. If elected, Russ intends to focus on ways to improve the livability and sustainability of Ward 4 and Saint Paul, while also working to maintain and enhance core city services such as parks, libraries, and recreation centers. Ward 4 includes the St. Anthony Park, Merriam Park, and Hamline-Midway neighborhoods, as well as Desnoyer Park, | |||||
Ward 5 | |||||
By David Haas, St. Paul City Council Candidate, Ward 5 As a lifelong Democrat, and a Candidate for St. Paul City Council, making sure fellow Democrats get to know me is a priority for my campaign. I understand that challenging a fellow Democratic incumbent makes it more challenging to having a truly open and comprehensive dialog with all of you. However, I want each and every one of you to know that I am running for the office of City Council, and not just “running against” someone. I will work hard to achieve a safer community, increase investments in our parks and recreation services, and bring more jobs to our commercial corridors. I believe that greater dialog and partnership can be forged with you, the district councils, and with City Hall to solve the little problems facing our neighborhoods – like dog park issues and where to put horse stables – and the bigger problems – like how to do small business expansion the right way, how to reverse the escalating crime trends, reduce property tax burdens, and make significant progress to reduce vacant housing and problem properties. I worked hard to bring more diverse voices to the caucus process and was pleased to have earned the trust and support of many of you, as witnessed by our campaign’s ability to almost win the DFL endorsement. As a financial planner for 11 years, I have focused on listening to my clients’ needs, goals, objectives, hopes, and fears and worked to find the best solution to meet their challenges. I intend to apply the same of skills of listening and practical problems solving to the City Council. For more information on my campaign please visit my campaign website. I welcome your comments, suggestions and ideas to help improve our community. |
By Lee Helgen, St. Paul City Council Candidate, Ward 5 I am proud to serve as the Saint Paul City Council Member representing Ward 5. I deeply value public service and I am committed to moving our community forward as we work to make Saint Paul the most livable city in the Nation. As an active DFLer, I am glad to see that the Senate District 66 DFL continues to publish a newsletter and that there are so many active participants in the DFL party process. I share your strong commitment to our DFL values and I am proud that the DFL-endorsed elected officials whose districts encompass Ward 5 are supporting my bid for re-election. As you know, I have pursued a pro-active agenda that is focused on creating a healthier, stronger, and safer city. My priorities for the future include the following: Community Investment: The City of Saint Paul is great place to live, work, and do business. With your help we can keep Saint Paul moving forward as we work to revitalize our neighborhood businesses and improve the quality of housing in our community. Safe Neighborhoods Public safety is a top priority. I am committed to building stronger, safer neighborhoods throughout the City of Saint Paul. I believe that we must continue working with neighborhood residents to identify and solve long-term problems. A Healthy Environment: One of my core principles is a deep respect for our environment. I am committed to ensuring that we have healthy and safe neighborhoods in which to live and raise our families. This year there is a Primary Election on September 11 and the General Election is on November 6. I respectfully ask for your vote. | ||||
