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Ramsey County should be the best place in the country to live, work, and raise a family. I'll take bold, decisive action to address our biggest challenges, including W. 7th Street, the Downtown Riverfront, and childcare affordability. I'll strengthen the partnership between St. Paul and Ramsey County by sharing services, reducing duplication, improving communication, and ensuring taxpayers get the most value from every dollar as costs rise and federal support declines. Finally, I'll make County government more transparent and accountable so residents understand how County decisions affect their daily lives, can access services more easily, and can hold leaders responsible for delivering real results.
I’m proud of the fair and accessible election system we have in Minnesota, with same-day registration and early voting, paired with rigorous ballot security. In the wake of Operation Metro Surge, we need to make sure all residents feel safe coming to the polls. We must keep polling places safe for all Minnesotans and make sure residents know they can vote by mail and vote early if they don’t feel comfortable coming to the polls on Election Day.
Access to mental health care and social services is the biggest challenge. Wait times for mental health care are too long, and the social services bureaucracy is too complex. Ramsey County residents already face numerous barriers- accessing social services shouldn’t be one of them. We need more social workers and mental health professionals, located in outpatient settings throughout the community, and we need to streamline social service provision so it’s easy to understand and access.
Efficiency and partnerships are key to delivering quality services while keeping costs down. I will evaluate County services to see where we can improve efficiency and partner with cities and nonprofits to deliver services jointly when that makes sense. I will also invest in our workers because a well-paid and highly-trained workforce means lower turnover, lower costs, and better services for our residents in the long term.
The County should not be involved in immigration enforcement- that is the job of the federal government. It’s critical that County residents feel safe calling 911 or accessing County services without worrying about their immigration status. I will pass a separation ordinance for Ramsey County that explicitly prohibits County staff, including the Ramsey County sheriff’s office, from partnering with federal immigration enforcement.
I believe in accessible government that values transparency, responsiveness, and real dialogue. I host monthly community conversations, the Downtown Action Series, and other ongoing neighborhood events to meet people where they are. I send a regular newsletter, share updates on social media, and return calls and emails promptly. I take constituent service seriously and will bring that approach to my work on the County board.
Contact Phone
612-380-0360
telephone
6512531252
I am a progressive DFLer and my first commitment is to protect the most vulnerable people in our community from attempts by the federal government to erase them, by shredding our social service safety net. As a state rep, I have been an advocate for these communities, and I will continue to be. My second priority is to revitalize downtown and expand the Ramsey County tax base. I brought money for Saint Paul to support RiversEdge, the Roy Wilkins Auditorium, and West 7th Street and I will finish the job at the county. The best way we can reduce the tax burden is by making our property more productive. Thirdly, I am committed to including the voices of the people most affected by county decisions in those decisions.
I have spoken clearly against ICE. I have raised money and supplies for immigrants and I have stood by small businesses. I support the county using every legal option to fight any attempt by Trump to limit who can vote or to make it harder for people to vote.
I am committed to protecting access for every voter in Ramsey County. I support every part of Ramsey County’s excellent election system. I’m also glad of extended early voting options and I encourage all voters to take advantage of them.
COVID had already added a lot more to our need for mental health treatment. Operation metro surge compounded that need this year. The trauma that it has caused will last generations. The most immediate challenge is a backlog of people who need help from the county for basic services. The county hired 80 workers in the last year to address the backlog and they are making headway. I support the county measuring results and solving this issue so it can serve constituents quickly and efficiently.
My top priority is to get the necessary services to the people who need them. Often, these are state or federal programs that we administer. We will manage costs by making sure these mandates are paid for by those levels of government and not our overburdened county taxpayers. I will use my relationships with legislators to make sure. I will also work with front-line staff to find efficiencies so Ramsey County can live within its means.
The county should play absolutely no role in immigration enforcement. It is my understanding that that is how the sheriff has functioned. County law enforcement, through the county attorney and the sheriff, should be focused on protecting the safety of our residents and prosecuting criminals. We should not and we will not cooperate with ICE.
I will be in every part of my district for formal and informal meetings. Also, too often, public engagement has the same few residents using every channel to make their voices heard. That’s not good enough. I’m committed to including new voices; the elderly, people with disabilities, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA2+ in the decisions that affect them the most. It’s not enough to put up a sign that says “All are welcome.” We need to go to the communities themselves, on their schedule, to find out their needs.
