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North metro city races heating up

As in other cities, budget challenges dominate election talks in municipal contests in New Brighton.

By ALLIE SHAH, Star Tribune

Last update: October 29, 2009 - 2:11 PM

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The still-struggling economy and its strain on city budgets is the hot campaign topic in several north metro elections.

In New Brighton, where nine people are running for municipal offices, concerns about the city's stalled Northwest Quadrant redevelopment project and the struggle to balance the budget without cutting essential services dominated a recent candidates forum.

"Our biggest issue is the Northwest Quadrant and balancing our budget," said Char Samuelson. She's one of seven candidates running for two seats on the New Brighton City Council.

One of the incumbents, Gina Bauman, is seeking reelection on Nov. 3, while the other, Sharon Doffing, is not. Other council candidates are Graeme Allen, Paul Jacobsen, Ron Meyer, W. Christopher Stedman and Walt Witzke.

In addition, two people are running for mayor: incumbent Steve Larson, who is seeking a sixth two-year term, and Dave Jacobsen, a retired environmental manager who is running for political office for the first time.

The Northwest Quadrant site is located at the intersection of Interstate Hwys. 35W and 694. For two decades, the city has been purchasing and improving property in the site, with hopes for a high-profile district with residential, corporate and commercial development. Last year's economic downturn stalled earlier plans for the site.

On the Northwest Quadrant issue, Dave Jacobsen said at the forum last week that the city needs to have some type of plan with milestones along the way to measure its progress.

Larson said the question for city leaders is how New Brighton will be able to do redevelopment elsewhere if tax-increment finance funds from the city's other districts are already tied up in the Northwest Quadrant.

City Council candidates also shared their views at last week's forum, which was sponsored by the League of Women Voters:

Allen said the council should think about what kind of businesses New Brighton needs and work to attract them to increase the city's tax base. Bauman vowed to vote against any budget increases, beginning next year.

Paul Jacobsen said city leaders need to define what the core services really are and then be willing to make tough spending decisions.

Meyer said the Northwest Quadrant has one thing going for it -- location -- and that means something good is going to come out of the project. If elected, he said he would randomly call on 12 New Brighton residents to meet with him occasionally to talk about issues.

Samuelson, a former state legislator who also has served on the City Council, noted that New Brighton has lost nearly $400,000 in state aid over the last two years. Less aid means the city needs to tighten its belt, she said.

Stedman said he wants to bring a more progressive agenda to the council and advocated developing the Northwest Quadrant to attract more small businesses.

Witzke said the city needs to control its costs and suggested a review of the bond financing used for the Northwest Quadrant. "Right now, the interest rate may be down. Maybe we can refinance that so we're not spending so much in interest," he said.

St. Anthony, Lino Lakes

In St. Anthony, four candidates are vying for two seats on the City Council: Jan Jenson, Basil Joseph, John Prokopiuk and incumbent Randy Stille. Brian Thuesen, who has been on the council for nearly a dozen years, is not running again.

Joseph is the chief financial officer and chief compliance officer of a Minneapolis brokerage firm, and a part-owner of a sign shop in St. Paul.

Prokopiuk is vice president of a family business in the commercial steel industry. Stille has been on the council for six years and is a vice president at Wells Fargo. Jenson serves on the city's Planning Commission.

In Lino Lakes, against a backdrop of proposed deep budget cuts, incumbent John Bergeson and challengers Jeff Reinert and Connie Sutherland are running for mayor.

Reinert currently is a City Council member.

Five candidates are running for two City Council seats: incumbent Jeffrey O'Donnell and challengers Rob Rafferty, Dave Roeser, Byron Roland and Kevin Stanton.

Staff writer Kevin Giles contributed to this report.

Allie Shah • 612-673-4488

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