Questionnaire responses for St. Paul mayor's race:

Questionnaire responses for St. Paul mayor's race:

Chris Coleman

E-mail: mayorchriscoleman@gmail.com

Web site: www.chriscoleman.org

Endorsements: Saint Paul DFL Party; Saint Paul Firefighters (IAFF) Local 21; Saint Paul Federation of Teachers Local 28; Saint Paul Police Federation; Saint Paul Fire Supervisory Association Local 3939; Saint Paul Trades and Labor Assembly; Saint Paul Building and Construction Trades Council; Saint Paul Area Association of Realtors; TakeAction Minnesota; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 5; Laborers International Union of North America Local 132; Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Minnesota State Council; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 110; International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49; Minnesota Nurses Association; North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters; Painters and Allied Trades District Council 82; Teamsters Local 120; Teamsters Joint Council 32; UNITE HERE Local 17; Minnesota DFL Latino Caucus; Minnesota DFL Stonewall Caucus; National Association of Social Workers (MN-PACE); Planned Parenthood of Minnesota Political Action Fund

Eva Ng

E-mail: Eva@EvaForMayor.com or 651-538-4146

Web site: www.EvaForMayor.com

Endorsements: Saint Paul Republican City Committee

Why are you running for mayor?

Coleman: To keep moving Saint Paul forward with good jobs, safe streets, educational opportunity and fiscal stability - and with honesty, respect and everyone at the table.

Ng: Senior citizens, teachers, and single parents being taxed out of their homes approach me with so much hope in their eyes. I want to honor that hope by serving and doing real work for the people.

What are your top three priorities?

Coleman: 1. Building long-term prosperity: We will continue to attract family-supporting jobs to Saint Paul, build Central Corridor light rail and high-speed rail to Chicago, reinvest in our core neighborhoods and revitalize downtown. 2. Maintaining Saint Paul's first-class public safety: We've hired more police and fire than ever before and will keep working with our officers and President Obama to keep our streets and homes safe. 3. Creating educational opportunity and closing the achievement gap: We will keep partnering with teachers, parents and schools to expand out-of-school-time programming and make sure all Saint Paul's kids have opportunities to learn and succeed.

Ng: My top priority is tax relief by freezing tax and fee rates. Knowing the components of a city levy and a property tax, I will troubleshoot City Hall and give firm guidance to the proper agencies to stem the tide of double digit increases. Next, I will grow jobs. We will nurture existing businesses and support new, promising ventures through a New Enterprise Incubation Center. Cash flow positive projects will grow our tax base and set a course for Saint Paul's long term stability and self-sufficiency. Finally, we will be tough on crime to keep residents safe and secure.

What's one specific city-wide accomplishment you'd like to make happen by the end of your term, and how will you make sure it happens?

Coleman: Making sure that we build the $1-billion Central Corridor light rail investment in a way that benefits the communities and businesses already along the line, and that we complete high-speed rail from Saint Paul to Chicago. I will accomplish this by continuing to engage personally over the next four years with communities, businesses, elected officials and the Met Council, just as I have done so far to move these critically important projects forward.

Ng: Opening lines of communications with Saint Paul's citizenry is vital in creating a cohesive community, a good place to raise a family and to grow a business. I plan to launch a series of neighborhood listening sessions, one in each City Ward, returning quarterly. I hope to address the top 3 gripes in each Ward within one term. I will also set up an online forum where residents can give me direct input on various topics concerning our City.