Minneapolis Ward 12 City Council candidate responses

Minneapolis Ward Twelve City Council Candidate Responses

Charley Underwood

Email: charleyunderwood@hotmail.com or call 612-722-1545

Website: None.

Endorsements: None.

Sandra Colvin Roy 

Email: sandycolvinroy@hotmail.com or call 612-722-2274

Campaign web site: none 

Endorsements: DFL party, Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation AFL-CIO, Sierra Club, AFSCME, Teamsters Local 120, SEIU Local 26 & State Council, MN Women's Political Caucus, Minneapolis Building Trades, Stonewall DFL, MN Nurses Association, Minneapolis Firefighters #82, Minneapolis Police Federation. 

Brent Perry

Email: brentjperry@gmail.com or call 763-350-3931

Website: www.votebrentperry.com

Endorsements: Socialist Action, Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities (3CTC)

Rick L. Nyhlen

Phone: 612-722-4053

Web Page: www.independenceminnesota.org/Nyhlen

Endorsements: Independence Party, Republican Party

What's one burning issue that's prompted you to run for this position (25 words):

Underwood: City Council response to budget woes has been totally off the mark, with the NRP basically dead and a concerted attempt to destroy independent oversight by the Board of Estimate and Taxation and the Park Board.

Colvin Roy: My desire to be able to afford retirement in this city, in the home and neighborhood that my family loves. 

Perry: The economic crisis, and the effect it is having on the working class. It demonstrates the failure of capitalism, and the need for socialism.

Nyhlen: My neighbors and I have been concerned about the extreme lack of constituent services in Ward 12. We need a representative!

Since 2003, the city has increased the amount of taxes it levies on property by 8 percent annually.  Do you favor continuing this policy, or do you favor a lower or higher amount of property tax increase?  What specific increase would you support, and what budget adjustments would you make in light of your choice? (100 words)

Underwood: People are being taxed out of their homes and small businesses are closing under the staggering weight of new fees and assessments.  It is time for some across-the-board belt tightening, but we must also preserve the smaller programs that make a big difference.  It's absurd to ask for the McGruff House decals back, when such safe havens for children cost virtually nothing, yet could save lives.  It is short-sighted to end the Citizens Emergency Response teams that train ordinary citizens to provide help when professional rescuers are delayed or overwhelmed, particularly as we face a possible H1N1 pandemic.  Instead of abolishing the Park Board, making it easier to sell precious park properties, Minneapolis should instead consider selling the Target Center, the Convention Center, the new Pohlad Stadium and other boondoggle properties.

Colvin Roy: It's time to change the policy.  It was never meant to last forever and circumstances have changed.  We must put a brake on property tax increases if we hope to keep seniors and middle class families in the city; a healthy community has a population balanced across the age spectrum.  My goal is to bring down the increase for city operations to 3%, which will require further reductions to services, which means fewer employees next year.  The big change will come through settling our closed pension fund dilemma, and that may not happen before we adopt the 2010 budget.  

Perry: I support increasing taxes, but only on the rich. Minnesota's property tax refunds make property taxes more progressive here than some other places, but this is not sufficient. Moreover, the refund for renters was decreased by the Minnesota Government this year. I support developing a system whereby greater property tax rates may be levied on second homes or luxury homes. I oppose using spending cuts to balance the budget. City services are already underfunded.

Nyhlen: The 11.3 percent increase highlighted by they mayor for next year is an unacceptable continuation of excessive property tax increases. What makes them excessive or not is not any political ideology, but whether or not our elderly, young families, and renters can afford to live in Minneapolis. Using TIF for infrastructure redevelopment will take some pressure off the city budget...we should also consider administrative cuts and government service consolidation with county, state, and other municipal governments. If we still need additional revenue, we should not call taxes fees, but should be honest about what they are.

With state aid declining and property taxes rising, should the city diversify the taxes and fees through which it derives income?   If so, how?  (100 words)

Underwood: Minneapolis has already started down that Pawlenty "no new taxes" road with quite a few new fees.  Just in the past few months, I have been hearing complaints from small businesses about a mandatory new fire inspection fee, that may result in some marginal businesses closing their doors.  Similarly, restaurant owners worry how they will pay for the obligatory new second inspection fee for minor technical infractions.  Just last week I read that new fees are likely for non-profits as well.  How can we be taxing people out of businesses and homes, whether we call it a tax or a fee!..Costs must be cut so neither taxes nor fees become onerous.

Colvin Roy: Yes. We studied two different fees in recent years but enacted neither of them.  Whether it's called a tax or a fee, the money comes out of the same pocket and Minneapolis citizens have been clear that they would just as soon be transparent and call it a tax.  It would make a huge difference for our city if we were allowed to keep some of the millions in sales taxes that are now collected by businesses who depend on city streets and lights, clean water, firefighters and other services to do their business, then sent to the state. 

Perry: The city should eliminate regressive taxes and replace them with progressive taxes. Sales taxes and most fees should be eliminated. A progressive city income tax should be implemented. I will also fight for more state and federal aid. Although many believe that the city has no control over this aid, we can pressure the state and federal governments by building a movement.

Nyhlen: No, we cannot afford to pass the buck onto the young families and small business we need for our city's future economy and society. We need to better manage our city in order to lower costs and increase efficiency. One small thing we could consider is shifting some of the misused existing state gas tax from the state to Minneapolis, but that would require the cooperation of the legislature.

The council is considering how to use the property taxes from its older development districts.  This tax increment by law may only be used to pay for Target Center debt and for neighborhood revitalization, or alternately, the tax base in these districts can be returned to the general tax base. What percentage would you allocate to each of these three purposes? (100 words)

Underwood: If a buyer can be found, the Target Center should be sold. If we must use tax increment financing because of unfortunate past decisions, then the funds should be distributed fairly.  Minneapolis has 13 wards.  Downtown should get one thirteenth of the T.I.F. funds, and the Neighborhood Revitalization Program should be restored so that grassroots citizen input directs the spending priorities for each neighborhood.

Colvin Roy: I can't give a specific percentage yet.  I need to see the staff response to a Ways & Means Committee request to show us how re-certifying 100% of the districts would impact the budget.  I don't think that we need to rush to pay off the Target Center debt early, given the extremely low rate of interest (less than 1%) we are paying on it, but clearly some of it must go to that debt because it was one of the reasons given for the legislation when passed.  At least as much should go into neighborhood revitalization, if not more. 

Perry: (no answer given)

Nyhlen: Giving up TIF districts is not a wise idea for the city. Unlike the school district, the city relies on local taxes for a much larger share of its revenue. Giving up TIF districts altogether would result in tens of millions of dollars transferred from the City to the schools over a ten year period. A better solution would be to use the redevelopment money to rebuild sidewalks, streetlights and streets, plant new trees and improve infrastructure. Let's let neighborhood organizations prioritize infrastructure improvements and take the pressure off of the general fund.

Council members may collect up to $400 monthly as a car allowance.  Would you do so or collect a lesser monthly allowance (how much?) or collect only per-mile payments for actual miles driven?  Explain your choice.  (50 words)

Underwood: Pardon me for saying so, but City Council members are grossly overpaid.  The actual salary is too high and the car allowance is an illusion.  If elected, I would donate at least $5,000 to each of the three neighborhood organizations in my ward.  For transportation, I would ask for a light-rail pass.  The rest is silly.

Colvin Roy: When the car allowance was first passed, I collected $100/month, based on an average amount of work use on my car in previous years of service, beyond the usual commute.  Since last fall, as a way to return some funds to other use of the city, I have taken zero. 

Perry: I've never owned a car in my life. Although Ward 12 may be one of the larger wards geographically, I believe that I'll be able to make it around my ward and to City Hall using public transportation and my feet.

Nyhlen: Mileage is fine, however a $400 monthly car allowance is out of hand for wards as small as ours. Council salaries are plenty high to afford a car.

 What are three specific things that you'd like to accomplish in your ward by the end of your four-year term? (50 words)

Underwood: I would foster more community gardens through long-term (15 year) leases of city or other publicly-owned property. I would encourage bike commuting through such projects as the RiverLake Greenway, which uses mostly existing infrastructure...I would be an outspoken opponent of the wasteful, grandiose spending projects that don't help common citizens of my ward.

Colvin Roy: 1. Fix signal light timing along Highway 55 so traffic can cross the Hiawatha Corridor in a reasonable time, saving energy and improving air quality by dramatically reducing the hours that cars idle. 2. Build affordable senior housing in the ward. 3.Convert closed schools to productive, community supported uses

Perry: 1. Preserve and improve our ward's valuable parks. 2. Involve neighborhoods in development decisions to prevent problems like the unfinished condominiums at 46th St. and 46th Ave. 3. Improve community outreach by listening and being accessible to my constituents.

Nyhlen: Ward 12 needs much better constituent services, a more friendly small-business climate, and development around light rail that is more neighborhood friendly.

What's one specific city-wide accomplishment you'd like to make happen by the end of your term? (25 words)

Underwood: It would be exploration of alternative energy...I would love to get an anaerobic digester built at the Pig's Eye Treatment Center, which would provide a complimentary energy source to wind farms in the western parts of the state.

Colvin Roy: Reduce the amount of solid waste produced and change our solid waste management system to both save energy and cost the public less to responsibly dispose. 

Perry: I would like to make real progress in combating police brutality.

Nyhlen: I would like to see taxes stabilized to the rate of inflation so we do not negatively impact people of limited or fixed income in Minneapolis.