When my wife and I bought our house in Como Park,
we made a long-term commitment to our neighborhood, to our community,
and to the City of Saint Paul. When I decided three years ago to run for
City Council, that commitment grew into the deepest dedication I could
ever have for this tremendous City and the great folks in Ward 5 where
we live.
To create that vital, thriving community, we must
sustain and improve the quality of life throughout the city. What will
it take to do this? The answer is hard work, solid leadership, and a
strong vision of the future.
To build a strong city, we must take a long-term,
balanced approach on how we budget and pay for city services.After years of funding cuts from the state and federal
governments, we must make prudent strategic investments to move our
community forward.
I am committed to making public safety a top
priority for our neighborhoods.I
firmly believe that we must do more to address the root causes of crime.While it is clear that we need additional cops on the streets, we
cannot sacrifice the libraries, recreation centers, and community
organizations that enrich our lives and add to our sense of community.
I believe that the quality of life in Saint Paul is
due to our strong fabric of neighborhoods.We must do more to promote investment along our commercial
corridors and in those areas where there are concentrations of vacant
buildings and problem properties.I support refocusing the City’s economic development resources
to help create market opportunities and attract private investment
capital into these areas of disinvestment.
One of the biggest challenges facing the City of
Saint Paul is outlined in the Itasca Project report Mind the Gap, which
highlights the disparities gap associated with income, race, and
location.Addressing these
challenges takes a coordinated approach across all levels of government
and a renewed commitment from the private and non-profit sectors to
create economic opportunities for the disadvantaged.
By pursuing an agenda of fiscal responsibility,
environmental sustainability, and community empowerment, I believe that
Saint Paul be among the safest, greenest, and most livable cities in the
Nation.I envision a
brighter future for Saint Paul and with your support we can move a
positive, progressive agenda forward.
Prepared and paid for by Helgen for City Council, 988 Hoyt Avenue West,
St. Paul, MN 55117
For more information, call 651-488-1850 or e-mail: helgen00005@hotmail.com
