It's About Our Community

Trying to convince people that you're trying to make your community a better place can be difficult.  Too often, people take a cynical view of individuals who seek elected office.  It's easy to understand why.  Public officials may try to benefit themselves or serve some personal need.  I get that.  Some people, though, run for office because they genuinely care for their community and want to improve it.  They may choose to do so because it makes them feel good or because they want to leave their mark on their community in a positive way.  It's about the recognition of doing what's right.

I began this journey a long time ago.  I've wanted to leave my mark on St. Cloud in a good way - to help our people have opportunities to get a good-paying job.  To make our neighborhoods safer, and provide kids (like we all were) opportunities to be active and be safe.  To improve the livability of St. Cloud for those who live here already or who may want to live here.  In 2001, while still in college, I decided to run for mayor.  My effort was poor and my showing (4th place out of 6) was to be expected.  I still have a binder filled with ideas and proposals that I sometimes peek at to remind myself of what I had been thinking about at the time.  While the ideas and proposals have changed, the purpose behind them has not.  Namely, let's make St. Cloud a better place for everyone.

In 2007, I tried unsuccessfully to get elected to the city council.  While my effort was a bit better, it was still lacking and the result expected.  I would be lying if I said I wasn't discouraged.  However, with a desire to still serve my community, I was offered an opportunity to serve on the planning commission.  It has been a great and enjoyable experience that has allowed me to learn about new initiatives and ideas.  It has provided me with a better understanding of city policy and planning while allowing me a chance to influence the direction of St. Cloud to improve our quality of life.  Most importantly, it has given me the confidence to once again seek elected office and work to make St. Cloud a better place.  If I'm unsuccessful in this attempt, I'll continue to work hard as a planning commissioner.

This blog post is not intended to criticize other candidates or question their motives.  I suspect each feels much like I do.  This election is about our quality of life.  This election is about choosing candidates who want to improve St. Cloud by working with others in our community to hear their ideas and input - be those from Democrats or Republicans.  It's about electing a candidate who has learned from previous experiences that nothing good ever comes easy, you have to keep working at it, and that the result of the efforts is positive impact on our community.

Your time is valuable, and I appreciate your reading this post and the others I've made.  I ask for your vote on Tuesday, November 6th.

Thank you very much.


Jake

Complete Streets - Part 2

Complete Streets is about making our transportation networks friendly to different types of transportation.  It's also about making our transportation networks complete - rather than disjointed and disconnected. 

I hit on that a bit in a previous post (Complete Streets Part 1).  From bikes to pedestrians to motorcycles to buses, people get around all sorts of ways.  The method they select depends on a number of factors, but the ability to get to their destination is at, or near, the top. 

The past 50 years of our growth strategies have focused on automobiles – and focused on growing outward (sprawl).  Our land development patterns have forced people to use a car instead of other modes of transportation - and limited the use of them as alternative transportation types, instead relegating biking and walking to leisure activities.  This is inefficient and unhealthy.  It is also cost-prohibitive.  The more roads we have to lay, the more maintenance costs we are adding.  As we look to update our city's comprehensive plan (last done in 2003), we should take a serious look at our land-use and zoning as it relates to expansion and outward growth.  I’ve discussed at length my concerns about our existing infrastructure maintenance cost issues in other blog posts and at candidate forums. 

We need to approach every new road project with caution and evaluate them using with questions like:

• Will be it useable by all modes of transportation?
• Is it realistic that people would utilize different modes of transportation?
• Is it part of a larger transportation network that actually allows people to get from point A to B to C and so on?
• Will this new development be part of the existing public transportation system network?
• How will we pay for the maintenance of the new infrastructure? 

It is one thing to create a new commercial development that is bike and pedestrian friendly.  It's completely another if it's not connected to anything.  Additionally, if it is not on an existing bus route, is it cost-effective to provide bus service to the addition - and who should pay for it?

We should also be doing the same thing when we are replacing existing roadways and evaluating our options for making our existing transportation network complete.  To this extent, the Planning Commission recently approved providing funding to a Lake Wobegon Trail funding study.  The goal is to connect the Lake Wobegon trail with the Beaver Island trail.  It would also create a east-west route across a good portion of St. Cloud.  Trails like these need to be thought of and planned as alternative transportation routes in addition to recreation.  But trails are only part of the solution and should always be evaluated on feasibility - including cost.  Making roads more bike-friendly by providing adequate room for bikes and cars is essential as well as ensuring those are connected and that people, regardless of if they are in a car or on a bike, can get to where they want to go.  Equally important are safe sidewalks - and placing sidewalks in locations where they're needed.  It's not about spending more money, but spending money wisely.

The key to successfully implementing Complete Streets is recognizing that we're never done.  We can always be looking at ways to improve transportation options.  It requires the support of elected officials and, more importantly, the residents.  By being strong advocates for it now, we can make improvements and plan for the future.  This will enhance our quality of life and begin to shape our planning and growth strategies for the next 50 years.   

Like every issue, I welcome your feedback and comments.

Why Social Media Usage Matters

I've highlighted several times that I'm the only candidate with a visible and active website, blog, Facebook, and Twitter presence.  To me, these are communication tools of our time.  More and more, people rely on social media for information and as a way to interact with others. 

It should matter to you that the other candidates don't have a social media presence.  You are currently limited in seeing what their priorities are.  You can't be sure what they think about any particular topic and you are limited in how you can let them know how you feel.  Sure, you can call them or email them, but that's not being open to others.  Phone calls can go to voicemail and emails can go unanswered.  Plus, you have no idea if others have expressed a similar opinion as yours to them. 

If elected, I promise to continue to use social media to express my ideas and opinions, and for you in turn to provide me feedback, opinions, and ideas of your own.  Plus, they'll be viewable by others - creating much more open communication, transparency, and (hopefully) constructive dialogue. 

A Synopsis of My Priorities

As we approach election day, I'd like to lay out my priorities should I be elected as an at-large City Council member.  These are priorities I've articulated in different blogs and interviews, but I wanted to put them together in a single place.  Each of them is targeted at improving our quality of life and making St. Cloud an even better place to live. They are all tied together in some way or another.

1. Develop Long-term Infrastructure / Land-Use Strategy: 
We cannot afford to continue expanding our infrastructure outward.  The maintenance costs in the future will eat up a large portion of our budget that may be needed for things like fire and police protection, as well as amenities like an aquatic center and recreational opportunities.  This is already a problem that is requiring a super-bond (found on the ballot this year) that addresses the problem in the short-term (by raising property taxes 4.5%).  We need to identify how we will pay for the maintenance of our roads, what our roads of the future should look like (incorporating Complete Streets), and who will use our roads.  We should do more to get a higher return on investment with our existing infrastructure and focus on developing or re-developing within our established infrastructure.

We must also examine how we've gotten into such a predicament as a way to avoid having the situation repeat itself.  In hindsight, the construction of the new police building has impacted our bonding abilities and shifted resources that could have went to infrastructure repair.  Obviously, we can't go back in time and re-litigate this decision, but we can learn lessons from it (and other past decisions).

2.  Focused Economic Development:  
Folks have been talking about economic development and bringing higher-paying jobs to our region for 20+ years.  It's not unique to St. Cloud.  For every new Arctic Cat or Geringhoff we bring into our area, we also lose a Donlin Co or Fingerhut.  Business, and thus economic development, is cyclical.  We must adapt to changes in the global economy and market our strengths.  Hitting home runs by attracting new, large employers to the area are rare.  As a result, we should do more to grow and expand existing businesses that are here.  We do this by identifying what government. a private partner, or a private-public partnership can do to help them.

It also means getting our local higher-ed grads placed into opportunities in our area.  We lose when they move and we must do what we can to provide them opportunities here.  This can be done, in part, by leveraging effective private-public partnerships and identifying ways to achieve this.  Those opportunities may be through young start-ups, business incubation, or established local businesses.

We should be targeting and focusing our efforts on compatible development with our labor market - aligning the right jobs with job seekers and graduates.

The benefits to strong and focused economic development are obvious:  higher median income, higher property values, and a better quality of life.



3.  Protecting our Neighborhoods and Establishing an Identify for St. Cloud:   
Our neighborhoods are the key to our community.  Much has been done through healthy neighborhood partnerships and neighborhood groups.  More can be done.  Problem properties can be detrimental to surrounding properties.  Crumbling infrastructure can also devalue properties.  We need to ensure we are proactive in dealing with problem properties and enforce existing ordinances.  Rental properties should be inspected annually, something that has not been occurring due to budget issues.  As well, city council members should be actively involved in listening to neighbors and working to address issues in a timely fashion.  I've committed myself to being open to neighborhood groups and individual residents through regular meetings and the use of social media.  Too often, people don't have the time or desire to speak to their elected officials in person.  Instead, using Facebook or a blog should be used to allow for more open communication and dialogue. 

In addition, I want to listen to residents to find out what we can do in their neighborhoods to protect them and make them quality places to live.

Our community is currently seeking to develop a comprehensive placemaking strategy that involves implementation.  I have been involved in the selection effort as a member of the planning commission.  Making better use of our public spaces and using art, for example, can greatly enhance a neighborhood or public gathering place.  We've done a lot of planning over the past two decades - it's finally time to act on them!


4.  Crime / Public Safety:
One of the core responsibilities of all levels of government is public safety.  This includes both police and fire protection.  These two areas consume a large portion of our budget.  Our efforts to provide public safety need to be balanced with what we can afford.  We need people who live here, visit here, or go to school here to feel safe.  Proactive policing and adjustments to patrol areas are appropriate ways to fight crime.  But we must also remember that law enforcement professionals are already doing these things - often times completely under-the-radar from the public.  They must be given the tools and respect to get the job down.  It's also important for the public - and city council - to hold them accountable for their actions.

Effective public safety also includes adequate community and neighborhood involvement.  Residents should know each other and look out for each other.  If we, as a community, are serious about keeping our community safe, then we all need to be involved in the effort.

Finally, petty crime leads to bigger crimes.  We need adequate and consistent enforcement of petty crimes to prevent more serious crime from occurring. 

5.  Customer Service Focus:
On more than one occasion, it has been stated that government should be run more like a business. I agree - but differ on what aspect.  Most businesses have stated customer service policies that highlight the importance of the customer.  St. Cloud needs to do the same thing - with its customers being residents, developers, contractors, and anyone who has to interact with the city.  It means delivering a consistent experience.  It means utilizing technology in ways that make city staff more effective and efficient.  The end goal needs to be providing excellent customer service.

By focusing on customer service, I intend to reduce the amount of contradictory or inconsistent information people may get from the city.  Using technology, more services should be available on-line.  This includes plan reviews and purchasing things like dog licenses. As a commissioner, I voted to spend development fund dollars (nearly $1mil) on technology upgrades that will help meet this goal.  We also need adequate customer service policies and processes associated with them.  That doesn't require technology but commitment and leadership.  City staff do their best to provide good service, but having a standard policy of what is expected can help ensure consistency. 

I want everyone who interacts with the City to feel they are being provided quality service.  I want people to see the value in what is being provided to them.  And I want the interaction to be consistent. 


There are many other areas that I could go into, but wanted to at least get my top 5 priorities stated.  As I noted in the beginning, some of the areas are much larger and may have several different sub-components.  I also know that there are many others in the community who may have great ideas or suggestions to improve my ideas.  I am always open to hearing or learning about ways to improve our community.  As I said at a forum, I'm a pragmatist and not an ideologue.  Let's work, together.

Thank you.

Voting Information

With election day fast approaching (Tuesday, Nov 6th), I thought this would be a good time to share some voting information. I've included a link below.  If you have any questions about voting and you're unsuccessful in obtaining an answer, feel free to send me an email or post your question on Facebook or Twitter and I will do what I can to assist you:

jake@jakeforstcloud.com
www.facebook.com/jakeforstcloud
www.twitter.com/jakeforstcloud (@jakeforstcloud)

The Minnesota Secretary of State's Office has put together some valuable information found here:

http://www.sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=134

It includes information on:

• Registering to Vote
• Finding your Polling Place
• Voting Absentee
• Sample Ballots

It also has this tidbit regarding time off to vote for employees:


To: All Minnesota Employers

Re: Time off for Employees to Vote on Election Day

The Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State reminds employers that employees are allowed time off to vote in upcoming elections. Minnesota Statutes 204C.04 allows employees to take time off for the time necessary to vote in a state election without a reduction in pay.

Please note that Minnesota Statutes 204C.08 Subd.1d states that employees cannot be required to use personal leave or vacation time for the time off necessary to vote.

Since the law specifically states that an employer may not directly or indirectly refuse or interfere with an employee’s right to vote, employers cannot instruct employees of when during work hours employees are excused to go and vote. However, employers may request that employees provide notification as to when they will be gone and request that employees coordinate their absences so as to minimize adverse impact on the workplace. Any complaints should be filed with the county attorney. A violation of this statute is a misdemeanor.

The date for the General Election this year is Tuesday, November 6.

Public Safety - Post 1

Let's start with the premise that crime is not acceptable.  That should be stressed no matter the seriousness of it.  In the late 1980s and early 1990s, New York City stepped up enforcement of petty crimes - like littering and graffiti - in an effort to stop more serious crime.  Why?  Because if you aren't dealing with petty crimes, they quickly can escalate to serious crime.  Lack of enforcement can also reinforce an image that the police and community are soft on crime.

We need to trust our law enforcement officials in changing police beats and coverage to address changing crime trends and areas. They are professionals and every day they help prevent and solve crimes.  These are rarely recognized by newspapers or the media in general.  With that said, we should also demand excellence and accountability from them.   This is especially true in reaction to the crime on the south side.  I support councilmember Hontos' request for an action plan from the police chief.

Our community must work, in partnership, to educate people and recognize that we are all a part of fighting crime.  The community can help make policing much more proactive. We all need to look out for each other and do what we can to stay out of potentially dangerous situations.  

Finally, we need to enforce our laws and deal with petty criminals.  We need to let our community know that we are serious about fighting crime.

Post-Forum Thoughts

Thank you to the folks who made it to the forum last night or who watched it on channel 19.  Overall, I thought it went pretty well.  Some of the questions I wish I would have answered slightly differently or had more time to expand on an answer.

The St. Cloud Times posted an article about the forum last night.  Here's an excerpt from one of my answers regarding what each candidate would like to accomplish in the next four years:

"Anderson said he wants the city to focus more on infrastructure and improving roads. In the past couple of decades, the city has focused on expanding, and now the realities of keeping up that infrastructure is setting in."

Because our answers were limited to 2 minutes, I directed people to www.strongtowns.org for more information.  Basically, we continue to expand our infrastructure out in order to support new development.  This creates an unsustainable maintenance model as the costs to repair or rebuild it begin to crush budgets.  Instead, we should seek a higher return on investment with existing infrastructure by improving roads and streets to accommodate a full range of transportation options (like biking and walking aka Complete Streets).  We should make our transportation system more efficient and affordable. We should also be working to be connect our parks and civic structures to provide value to property owners.  They provide value when they enhance the public realm, create memorable landscapes, and provide for spontaneous gathering. We've started looking at doing this at the Planning Commission / Arts Commission by developing a placemaking strategy and implementation plan.  It is an effort that is underway.

George Hontos indicated that his number one priority for the next four years is higher-paying jobs.  He said this would help us lower our poverty numbers.  I agree that we should be working for higher-paying jobs and, to be honest, have heard this same argument for the past 20 years.  But there are a few problems with this premise.  The first is education.  This country has 3 million jobs that are open that can't be filled because our people don't possess the skills to do those jobs.  The second is that people in poverty are often earning just enough to pay their rent and maybe daycare.  Nearly 50% of households in poverty in the St. Cloud area are single moms.  They don't have the money or time to go to school.  We need to figure out a way to address that, which is why I stated at the forum that this will require collaboration with the state because, quite frankly, much of it lies beyond the purview of what the city can do.

I also made one comment last night that I wish I hadn't.  I stated that the other candidates only represent 20% of the population.  My intent was only to highlight the age diversity of the other candidates does not represent our diverse population.  The average age of a St. Cloud resident is 28 years old.  Each candidate would represent all of St. Cloud - and all age groups - and I did not intend to imply they would not.  If you were offended by the comment, I apologize.  I didn't intend any malice.

My Thoughts a Few Hours Out

The forum tonight marks the first time that the city council candidates have come together to discuss the issues.  Finally.  While I've been posting my ideas and thoughts, I've had to watch city council meetings - and read a single newspaper article - to try and figure out what the other candidates want or plan to do.

I'm excited for this opportunity to see what we agree on and what we disagree on.  In short, I'm excited for dialogue and conversation - what forums, debates, and elections are supposed to be all about.

I hope you can make it tonight.  If you can't and you have Charter, it starts at 7pm on Channel 19.

Thursday's Candidate Forum

As a reminder, there's a St. Cloud City Council candidate forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters this Thursday - 7pm @ City Hall.  I'd like to briefly lay out what I hope to accomplish at it:

1. Why I'm running for City Council
2. What the big issues will be as we move forward
3. Differences between candidates
4. A discussion on the future of St. Cloud

These types of forums are crucial in order for the voters to get a better idea of where a candidate stands and in gaining an understanding of each candidate's points of view.  This is something that reading a newspaper article or blog does not allow for.  This particular forum is audience-based meaning the audience drives it with their questions. I fully expect questions about crime / public safety, rental properties, property values, parks / trails, economic development, and job creation.  There will probably be questions that I haven't thought about before or may not have much knowledge of.

I should note that while I have experience in public speaking, I haven't participated in a debate like this before.  This makes me both nervous and excited.  It has also led me to spend a rather significant amount of time preparing.  (Coincidentally, this same preparation is essential as a city council member if elected.) 

I plan on posting the questions that are asked on this blog afterwards along with my answer (if I recall it verbatim) and my opponent's answers.  I will also use it as an opportunity to better explain my answers, if needed.

Also the St. Cloud Times is conducting an endorsement interview / forum the following week that is supposed to be recorded and available on their website at some point.  I look forward to that event as well.

That's it for now!

The Changing Economy

I've alluded to our changing economy before, but I wanted to devote a blog to what I see are future challenges we need to address as a community.  It will take a community discussion with many people to develop a strategy to ensure we're successful in the future.

More and more people purchase things online.  This affects a couple of things.  First, it reduces the need for brick and mortar stores.  Just look at Best Buy and the impacts on its business from Target and Wal-Mart - as well as Amazon.  In the future, retail footprints will change and as they do, so will the amount of commercial space needed.  This could potentially reduce the property value of these entities and decrease the amount of property tax revenue flowing into local government.  Crossroads Center, for example, is an incredibly large and incredibly important property taxpayer.  As a result, additional pressure will be put on industrial, agricultural, and residential property owners to fund services.  That added pressure may be significant, costly, and crippling.  This will impact our quality of life.

When people buy things online, they also typically avoid paying local sales tax.  This directly impacts us at the local level as our sales tax levy directly funds important projects like regional roads, the library, parks / trails, and the yet-to-be-built aquatic center.  If this trend continues, we will not meet projections that we've set.  That's money we've counted on being there.  This will impact our quality of life as well.

Now, there are opportunities.  Small, boutique shops have been successful in this economy.  As well, businesses like the iPod repair guy in downtown St. Cloud have filled a niche. 

Over the next decade, we must come to grips with these new realities and begin to plan for them.  Our economy has undergone significant changes throughout our country's existence.  It will continue to do so.  It is the job of elected officials and local leaders to begin recognizing those changes and adapting St. Cloud to them.  I don't pretend to have the answers to these challenges, but I believe we can meet them if we start discussing them now.

Demographics and Representation

I like data and facts.  It allows for a more healthy discussion and provides a good basis for that discussion.  Today, I'd like to review some demographics - specifically as it relates to age.  The current candidates, except for me, are in their 50s and 60s.  I'm 32.

According to the American Community Survey, St. Cloud's median age is 28.7 years. The chart below illustrates how different age groups make up our population - including children.

It should not be a surprise that nearly a fifth of our population is college-aged.  If you look at the total number of people between the 20 - 34 (since I'm in this group at age 32) and over 45 (since my opponents are in that group), the percent breakdowns are nearly identical.

The question becomes:  should we elect people who represent the age groups of our population?  Does an older generation really understand the younger generation?  More importantly, do their ideas represent the younger generation?

I tend to think we should have a council filled with council members who more accurately represent our population.  It brings about new ideas, new perspective, and a better understanding of what's important to that age group.  Most people probably wouldn't disagree with that reasoning.  In my opinion, it's just one more reason to consider casting your vote for me.

A Note on my Blogs

I often post blogs (see Aquatic Center) that detail what I'm thinking at any particular moment.  They often reflect initial reactions to a particular topic.  It should be noted that it doesn't necessarily mean that my positions are set in stone.  Indeed, I'm often willing and open to hearing alternative points of view or different evidence that may differ from my initial thoughts. My view might change completely.

In short, your input matters and discourse / discussion matter.  I simply provide my two cents as a way to start a conversation (in most cases).

Aquatic Center

When I was kid growing up on 12th Avenue near Lake George, I frequented Municipal Pool.  I was saddened when it was closed and torn down due to its age and condition.  Whether or not we should have renovated it is a moot point - which brings us to today.

The voters passed a half-cent sales tax that was designed, in part, to fund a new year-round aquatic center.  Approximately $10 million was supposed to be allocated to its construction over a 13-year period (might not be entirely correct on length, but it's not relevant to this post).  With the economic collapse of 2008 / 2009, that amount will not be generated.  In addition, the overall cost of an aquatic center is supposed to be around $20 million and that does not include operating costs - estimated to be nearly $2 million a year.  The city has partnered with the YMCA to operate it.

My biggest open question about this project is the overall operating cost and what potential impact it will have on taxpayers.  If the YMCA is unable to operate it or unable to meet the financial obligations of the center, will St. Cloud taxpayers be forced to cover those obligations?  If not, would the center close, leaving a $20 million unused facility?

We've been struggling with tight budgets for the past several years and any additional pressures on the tax levy from this aquatic center may lead to cuts in other services, or increased taxes.  I'd like to see this discussed and appropriate worst-case funding scenarios discussed before I'd offer my full support for the project.  That's only fair to the taxpayers.

FYI - my primary concern / example comes from the Vadnais Sports Center.  

A Moment of Thanks

Candidates often forget to thank their supporters.  I'd like to take a moment to thank those who have liked my Facebook page and / or have contributed to my campaign or simply told their friends about me.  I didn't choose to run for office for the glamor or the fame; I decided to run because I wanted to make a difference.  We can do better.  Our community is so much better off when we take all of our ideas and figure out how we can make Saint Cloud a better place.  I was sure of that when I was a young kid, and I'm still sure of that today.  So, thank you.

I'm going to work my butt off in October to make sure we can make Saint Cloud the place I believe it can be.  A place where we enact progressive policies, where we lead the nation in innovative initiatives, a place where students want to stay.

Let's do this, people.  Together.  Thank you for your help!

Working Hard for You

I promise to work hard each and every day if I'm elected to the City Council.

I promise to stay in close contact with the citizens of St. Cloud to find out their issues, ideas, and opinions.

I promise to put in the time needed to understand an issue and its implications.

I promise to listen to the people of St. Cloud and use their input for guidance.

I promise to be honest with the people of St. Cloud so they know where I stand on an issue and why. 

Above all, I'm committed to serving the people of St. Cloud through hard work, open ears, and honest conversation.  I've said before, and I'll say it again, that I don't pretend to have all the answers.  There are a lot of good people in our community who are smarter than me and know more about specific issues.  I pledge to learn from and listen to them. At the end of the day, you may not agree with me, but you'll know where I stand. 

Thank you.

Economic Development - Diversify the Local Economy

There is high reward / high risk with large employers.  The high reward is obviously lots of jobs, and hopefully decent wages and benefits.  Large private employers can be large property taxpayers, providing revenue to cities and school districts that help them provide services to its citizens.  But, like so many things, there are high risks associated with them as well.  If they go out of business or re-locate from the community, those jobs and tax revenues disappear. 

In order for a community to thrive, it needs a diverse employment base.  St. Cloud was recently noted in a business quarterly as having an expanding creativity industry.  It, in fact, is larger than the number of jobs in the IT industry.  We have lots and lots of students attending our local colleges and universities that decide upon graduation to leave our area.  They either don't see an opportunity here or have decided that St. Cloud is not for them.

We should do more to promote opportunity for our students.  It should be easier for a graduate to see the local opportunities (i.e. job openings or start a business) that exist here.  We should be much more supportive of young (or old) entrepreneurs.  There are pieces in place, including the Anderson Entrepreneurial Center, but we need a more coordinated effort to bring them together.   That's a void, I believe, the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation and the St. Cloud Economic Development Authority can and should address. We live in a knowledge era and our economy is becoming more knowledge-based.  These are the jobs that we should be seeking.

We should also be doing more to find out what smaller employers in our community need in order to expand.  If a several small employers add a few workers each, that can quickly add up.  To start with, we need to inventory and survey them.  If eliminating or reducing red tape helps, let's look at that.  First, though, we need to identify the issues / opportunities and determine the best way forward.  Together, in a private / public collaborative effort.

State and Federal Politics are Completely Dysfunctional

We can all probably agree that our state and federal political systems are completely dysfunctional.  No idea from one side or the other is taken seriously and each side believes that compromise is a dirty word.  It threatens the foundation of our democracy and each side - both liberal and conservative - can't wait to blame the other side for failure. 

There is hope, however.  Local leaders are more willing to seek compromise and find pragmatic solutions to today's problems.  It might be because the elections are non-partisan.  It might also be because the changes and policies they implement impact them directly.  Leaders in St. Paul and Washington DC live in bubbles that apparently make them unaware of the consequences of their actions. 

We can do better at all levels of government.  We can start by electing candidates who seek out compromise and pragmatic solutions through discussion and discourse.  We can start by electing candidates who care more about improving our lives and less about getting re-elected.

Good ideas are good ideas no matter who they originate with.

Protecting our Neighborhoods

Residents are often told they should pay attention to how properties are zoned in their neighborhood to prevent surprises, especially when they are looking at purchasing property.  The residents of Boulder Ridge know all about this.  Most of them purchased single family homes or townhomes with the knowledge that the rest of the development was zoned much the same way.  And then, a developer wanted to build an apartment complex where single family homes had been designated.  This request passed the planning commission 6-1.  I was the only member to oppose the change.  I cited the fact that residents had been led to believe one thing and now were being forced to accept something else.  I also mentioned that there were plenty of other locations apartment buildings could be constructed that were either already zoned for high density residential or less developed.

The city council voted to approve the project 5-2 and the project is nearly complete.  No one that is currently up for election voted to protect the neighbors' interests.  I am the only person on record that voted to protect the neighborhood.  I realize that things change and re-zoning will occur.  In this instance, I did not feel it was right.

If elected to city council, I will continue to stand up for neighborhoods.  I ask you to stand with me.

Complete Streets - Part 1

You may have heard folks reference "Complete Streets" before.  In short, it's about creating roads and streets that are friendly to transportation options other than just cars and trucks.  They are important in creating a more livable community and allowing people to live healthier by finding alternative ways to get around.

People in communities are more likely to walk and bike (as opposed to driving) if they are able to safely.  They might bike to work in addition to just riding bike for recreation.  The health benefit alone is appealing as a healthy community is less likely to increase health care costs for everyone.

George Hontos opposed the Complete Streets policy because he said it was redundant.  Jeff Goerger opposed it because of the potential costs to a developer.  I respectfully disagree with both points.

While certain aspects of Complete Streets may be redundant within other ordinances, policies, and the land development code, the very point of the policy is to consolidate the information into a single policy document that planners would use to evaluate projects.  If there is redundancy, we should look to eliminate it and make it more concise.  Simply because it's redundant, though, does not mean the policy should not be implemented.

The costs argument is valid, but is addressed by the policy itself.  If implementing Complete Streets would be too costly, that would disqualify its application. 

The fact of the matter is communities (and counties and states) across the country are implementing similar policies.  The St. Cloud APO approved the same policy document by an overwhelming majority.  And yet, in St. Cloud, the policy was held up by old-school thinking.

I wholeheartedly support progressive and innovative thinking we can use to improve our quality of life and to ensure we are a cutting-edge community.  I've done so as a member of the planning commission and will do so on the city council.

Differences Between Candidates - Part 2

I had previously highlighted some differences on issues between the other four candidates and myself.  I'd like to expand on that a bit with this post.  Specifically, I'd like to point out some visibility and approaches to communication I believe are different between us.

As someone who believes in communicating with constituents and providing information related to where I stand on issues or happenings within the community, my opponents are less open. 

Let's review a few.

Email
George Hontos - Yes
Jeff Goerger - Yes
Sonja Berg - Yes
Jake Anderson - Yes (jake@jakeforstcloud.com)
Carol Lewis - Yes

Website
George Hontos - No
Jeff Goerger - No
Sonja Berg - No
Jake Anderson - Yes (jakeforstcloud.com)
Carol Lewis - Yes

Facebook Campaign Page
George Hontos - No
Jeff Goerger - No
Sonja Berg - No
Jake Anderson - Yes (www.facebook.com/jakeforstcloud)
Carol Lewis - No

Twitter Page
George Hontos - No
Jeff Goerger - No
Sonja Berg - No
Jake Anderson - Yes (www.twitter.com/jakeforstcloud)
Carol Lewis - No

Issues / Campaign Blog
George Hontos - No
Jeff Goerger - No
Sonja Berg - No
Jake Anderson - Yes (jakeforstcloud.blogspot.com)
Carol Lewis - No

----

How are folks supposed to know where candidates stand if they can't find out where you actually stand?  The League of Women Voter's put together a questionnaire for candidates for St. Cloud City Council and you can see the responses here. 

I'll just tell you in advance that I'm the only candidate who completed the survey. 

So, you do have a choice this election.  Reward those who choose not to share with you where they stand and what they'd like to do, or reward someone like me.  Someone who is willing to put in the effort.  Someone who is willing to answer questions and put my opinion out there. 

It's your choice, St. Cloud.

Running Government "Like a Business"

At some point or another, you've heard someone say (or perhaps you've said) that we should be running government like a business.  We should work to maximize our revenues while minimizing unneeded expenses.  The truth is that the government provides services that private sector businesses or non-profits would not.  If they did, the cost to the person using them would limit who could use them.  But I digress.  Instead of focusing on revenues / expenses, though, government can and should operate more like a business in other ways.  Namely, through customer service efforts.  Every constituent / taxpayer is a customer - treat them like one.

Instead of getting ping-ponged throughout a building through a process that may not be familiar, more should be done to capture a constituent story and have that story follow them.  If a person is trying to get a building permit and just happens to go to the wrong department, re-telling their story several times until they talk to the right person is unnecessary and inefficient.  In retail, associates are often directed to go the extra mile - including escorting the person to the right area and helping connect them with appropriate staff. Government shouldn't be any different. 

Establishing a well-known customer service policy for the city - and putting people first - builds a trust that can't be bought but earned.  It also shouldn't be expensive.  It really is a matter of setting the policy and enacting it.  Technology can assist, but the people and process is much more important.

Smart Investment in Technology

Technology is often thought of as a saving grace.  If an organization purchases a new software package, all the woes will go away.  The truth is, any system is made up of three components:  people, process, and technology.  Unfortunately, people and process are often ignored. It is not surprising when technology is unable to meet the expectations of the folks who authorized the purchase of it. 

Software is often purchased to solve individual business needs of an organization without respect to shared business needs.  This results in so-called "silo solutions" where multiple solutions meet similar needs at a higher cost (both in the initial purchase and in on-going maintenance).  It's like if you're accounting department has the need to create spreadsheets and another department has a need to develop spreadsheets - and IT buys two different spreadsheet programs from two different vendors.

The City of St. Cloud is behind the technology curve.  Our current budget situation has definitely exacerbated the situation.  There is also a tremendous opportunity with that.  I advocate the city look at solutions that can re-purposed or used to address common business needs.  This would reduce overall costs and on-going costs while meeting core needs.  It would also require that departments discuss with each other their common business needs and problems. 

To me, this is how smart investment in technology begins. 

Weakness: Name Recognition

Let's be honest - among the candidates on the ballot in November for City Council, I am the unknown.  There are five of us on the ballot, and all of us have been on the ballot in one form or another in the past.  The other four candidates have experience, they have successfully campaigned and been elected, and they are known.  Some are thought of in much higher regard than others, but all are formidable opponents.

In order to overcome this weakness, I've decided that I need to get my name out there. I will do so by using yard signs, billboards, and - most importantly - door knocking. When venturing through the neighborhoods of St. Cloud, I hope to hear from people about the issues that matter to them.  For most, it's about ensuring their neighborhood remains vibrant and livable.  It's about keeping a decent job and raising their family.  It's about enjoying life. 

So, I've started door-knocking, I've begun placing yard signs, and billboards are beginning to appear.  I'm not operating on a big budget, but a budget that is like a lot of families.  I'm willing to invest my own money into something I believe in.  Let's work together to make St. Cloud an even better place to live.

The "Under-Vote" Strategy

This November, as voters cast their ballots in precincts throughout St. Cloud, they will be presented with five (5) city council candidates for three (3) spots.  The top 3 vote-getters will be elected to the council.  Each voter can select up to three candidates.  This is where I need your help by under-voting.

An under-vote is where you cast fewer votes for an office than you are permitted to cast.  So, although you are free to mark up to three, I ask that you only mark my name.  If you feel strongly about another candidate, include them as well.  Just don't choose a third.  It's important because all the votes are totaled. 

Traditionally strong vote-getters like George Hontos and Sonja Berg will collect more than enough votes on their own.  They will most likely employ a similar strategy with their supporters. 

If you have any questions about this, please ask.  Thanks!

Differences between Candidates

Today, I thought I'd take a few minutes and post some of the differences between myself and the other candidates.  Each of these is based on either City Council or Planning Commission minutes.

1. Supported elimination of health benefits for City Council Members (part-time). (5/24/2010)
• George Hontos - No
• Sonja Berg - No
• Jeff Goerger - N/A
• Jake Anderson - Yes
• Carol Lewis - N/A
2. Supported building the Skate Park in Heritage Park
• George Hontos - Yes
• Sonja Berg - No
• Jeff Goerger - No (Planning Commission vote)
• Jake Anderson - Yes
• Carol Lewis - N/A
3. Supported Complete Streets Policy adoption
• George Hontos - No
• Sonja Berg - Yes
• Jeff Goerger - No
• Jake Anderson - Yes
• Carol Lewis - N/A

I will be posting more differences between the candidates on issues I believe are important as a way to educate the public.  The votes also illustrate that I don't necessarily align with anyone in particular that is currently on the council; my vote is my vote.  I try to listen to the information presented, form my own opinion, and vote the way I feel is right to improve our community.

What Does "Let's Work. Together" Mean?

It sounds cliche for someone to run for office and stress the need to work together.  Indeed, if history is any judge, it often turns out to be the furthest thing from the truth. 

I believe that working together means engaging in discourse and finding out what others think about a particular issue.  It's about finding the consensus to move forward and ensuring that everyone's input counts.  It's about moving past ideology and towards pragmatic action.  We've got big challenges and tremendous opportunities to address. 

That's what "Let's Work. Together" is all about.

Why I'm Running - Part 2

Growing up here, I heard a lot about economic development and trying to create higher paying jobs in the St. Cloud area.  That effort has continued, and the need for higher paying jobs has not decreased. 

Providing tax subsidies and other incentives for businesses to relocate or expand are common across our Country.  That doesn't make them right, though.  We should do more to create favorable permitting and licensing processes while building outstanding educational  institutions and a quality of life that is second to none.  Businesses are more likely to locate or expand in an area that people want to live and raise a family than simply a community that's willing to offer them a better financial package. 

We need to do more to encourage entrepreneurship in St. Cloud.  Our community loses a ton of talent and potential when students graduate from our higher ed institutions and leave.  What can we do to keep them here, working or starting businesses?  That's the conversation we should be having.

Why I'm Running - Part 1

When I tell people I'm running for St. Cloud City Council, their often react with "good luck".  It sometimes seems like an involuntary reaction which is understandable given the state of politics in our Country.  That's actually one reason why I'm running - albeit for a local non-partisan office.  Local politics is about improving the local community and getting things done through consensus and pragmatism.  It's about listening to people's ideas and incorporating them into other's ideas.  It's about discourse and conversation. It's about problem-solving.

Each and every one of us in St. Cloud has an inherent interest in improving our quality of life.  A good quality of life fosters economic development.  A good quality of life increases property values.  A good quality of life improves the health of a community.  So how do we improve our quality of life?  In part, we need to protect and strengthen our core neighborhoods through crime prevention, proactive enforcement of existing ordinances, and placemaking that highlights a neighborhood's uniqueness.

Improving our quality of life also means working proactively with neighborhood groups on their own initiatives and ideas.  I don't pretend to know all the answers or have all the ideas - indeed many more people have great ideas.  We need to create an atmosphere that allows people to share these ideas and implement them.

I will post more blogs on why I'm running in the future. Thanks for reading this first one!

Take care,
Jake