Age: 76, Party or principal: Jobs & Justice, Job and title: Management/Public Relations/Advocacy (retired), Neighborhood: Elliot Park, Website: merrillanderson1.com
Priority, if elected: City development/job creation depend on the aura presented to businesses/investors. Population supporting businesses depends on whether existing/future residents see the city as a safe and hospitable place. I want us to be an attractive and exciting business/industrial and residential venue for everyone from the lemonade stand to the major company, from the student to the corporate officer. We have a unique mix of highly intelligent workers, numerous small business start-ups and the highest per capita location of Fortune 500 companies in the country. I believe I can help polish up our aura, knit together resources and bring in the jobs.
Ideas for job/population growth: Mayor can be catalyst, creating channels ... removing roadblocks to forward development of new and existing businesses, big and small, providing employment to attract resident workers.
Ideas to reduce crime: Creation of a cluster of start-up businesses under single management, providing earning/learning apprenticeships to street youth in conjunction with business/schools/unions ... JOBS KILL CRIME.
Ideas to lower property taxes: Seniors should have a moratorium on property tax at a certain age, the accumulation to be repaid from their estate, sooner if property is sold.
Did you support or oppose the Minnesota Vikings stadium package, approved by the city in May 2012? Oppose, because of end run around voters in skipping citizens referendum. Further, we should have independent actuarial review of forward spending to measure its true affordability.
Should the city build a $200 million streetcar line along Nicollet and Central Avenues? No.
Should the mayor be allowed to appoint some school board members? Yes.
