Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 2 new photos.

WANT TO CHANGE THE STATUS QUO IN ST. PAUL?

Do you oppose corporate giveaways to millionaire developers and billionaire sports team owners?

Do you support prioritizing future public investments to benefit our neighborhoods, repair our neglected infrastructure, provide after-school programming, all-day pre-K, and job training--rather than subsidizing a practice facility for the Wild in downtown and a new soccer stadium in the Midway?

Do you oppose the continued disregard for the 40 percent of St. Paul residents living below the poverty line (as high as 56% in some neighborhoods), including more than 25,000 children?

Do you support community-owned, affordable, high-speed internet for everyone—so that the digital divide does not further the information gap in the community and the opportunity gap in our schools?

Do you oppose senseless tear downs of homes in favor of McMansions that negatively impact neighborhoods?

Do you support greater government transparency and a friendly, customer-service-oriented approach by city staff when dealing with the public?

Do you oppose tax policies that unduly burden homeowners and small businesses?

Do you support a one-stop Business Resource Center that will focus on job creation and attracting cutting-edge businesses to St. Paul?

If you answered yes to at least half these questions, please take a close look at Tom's issue-based campaign that seeks to transform St. Paul from being a city dominated by political insiders to one that benefits all residents.

People before Politics. For Tom, that's much more than a slogan.

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Thanks John Slade, Danielle Swift, and WEQY 104.7 FM for a lively discussion tonight!

2017 Saint Paul Mayor Series Tom Goldstein w/John Slade and Danielle Swift WEQY 104.7 FM Saint Paul

mixcloud.com

John Slade and Danielle Swift interview Tom Goldstein, candidate for Saint Paul Mayor. Race, money, taxes, police. April 11 2017 WEQY.ORG and here on Mixcloud

I love door knocking. I love the chance to hear people's concerns and share my vision for St. Paul and how we--together--can craft a future that benefits the many rather than just the few.

And with 70 degree weather and people out and about (rather than cooped up in their homes), you couldn't ask for a better day to hit the doors!

"Ask not what your city can do for you, but what you can do for your city."

It should not take private citizens to address ongoing problems that our local government seems unable to resolve in spite of significant property tax increases in the past several years.

Somehow we have unlimited funds to build stadiums and renovate a downtown theater--but when it comes removing a trash pile in downtown, finger pointing by city staff and bureaucratic indifference are the order of the day.

We have to do better.

Fed-up residents clean up infamous garbage pile, dump it in trash bags outside city hall

twincities.com

The infamously long-lived trash heap at 10th and Wacouta streets is, at last, no more. Fed-up citizens took matters into their own hands Sunday, stuffing the garbage into plastic bags and depositin…

From the Mayor's State of the City Yesterday:

"We opened the doors of the Palace Theatre to thousands of music lovers. The project brought more than 55,000 hours of construction work to Saint Paul, employing hundreds of workers."

What he fails to note is that 55,000 hours is the equivalent of 27 full-time jobs for one-year. That works out to a public subsidy of $555,555 per full-time job when you look at the overall cost of the city's $15 million "investment" in the theater.

While putting people to work is vitally important, if in fact "hundreds of workers" were employed on this project, that's an average of just 5 weeks of work per employee.

If we're truly interested in job creation in St. Paul, we need those folks doing the year-round work of rebuilding our infrastructure--roads, bridges, sidewalks, sewers, etc.--not renovating a theater where all the revenues will flow to the private entities operating the venue.

FIELD DIRECTOR/VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

IMMEDIATE OPENING

Seeking well-organized, hard working, passionate individual to handle campaign coordination and field organizing for a dynamic, progressive, and maverick mayoral campaign in St. Paul.

Campaign organizing, data, and social media experience preferred.

Pay commensurate with experience.

Please visit https://tomforsaintpaul.com for more details about campaign.

Email resume and letter of interest to .

tomforsaintpaul.com

tomforsaintpaul.com

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul posted a job.

We're hiring! Apply now.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Rod Halvorson's post.

As a longtime Bernie supporter, full-time volunteer the last two weeks before the 2016 primary in St. Paul, and a candidate trying to make Bernie Sanders values a reality in St. Paul, I'm very eager to earn the OR endorsement for Mayor. Please show up for this next meeting and help me do so!

Rod

The second General Membership meeting of Our Revolution MN - Greater Saint Paul will be a very important meeting. PLEASE ATTEND Thursday, April 6th, 6 pm at Rondo Library onthe corner of Dale & University. https://www.facebook.com/events/1796487683945744/?ti=cl The primary agenda item will be to invite three St Paul Mayoral candidates seeking our endorsement, Elizabeth Dickinson, Tom Goldstein & Dai Thao, to speak to our group and answer questions. Following their presentations and a Q & A period, the membership will vote for endorsement by Ranked Choice Voting. The membership is limited to those that support the principles and issues of https://ourrevolution.com/ & live in the Greater Saint Paul area (Ramsey and Washington County).

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation's event.

Here's another chance to hear from the candidates and decide who should have your support.

Saint Paul Mayoral Candidate Forum

Saint Paul Mayoral Candidate Forum

President Bobby Kasper invites you to learn more about where the candidates stand on issues that matter to working families. The forum will begin at 6:30, following a meet-and-greet with the candidates at 6 p.m.

RSVP to Kera Peterson at (651) 846-9318.

Find parking and other information at http://stpaulunions.org/2017/03/06/saint-paul-mayoral-candidate-forum/

If you were not able to attend yesterday's DFL-sponsored mayoral forum, check out the video from the Uptake.org.

Tom's central focus: People before politics. Neighborhoods, not stadiums.

Live Video At 11AM-St. Paul Mayoral Candidates Debate At DFL Forum

theuptake.org

Four candidates are vying for the DFL endorsement for St. Paul Mayor— Melvin Carter III, Tom Goldstein, Pat Harris, and Dai Thao. They participate in a candidates forum at 11am.

Thoughts?

St. Paul police chief: City Council member’s Facebook post was ‘insult’ to police employees

twincities.com

After community members disrupted a St. Paul City Council meeting Wednesday over a fatal officer-involved shooting, Council member Dai Thao wrote in a Facebook post, “I alone cannot change po…

Very appreciative of the Pioneer Press editorial board for an accurate portrayal of my candidacy and its focus on job creation, education, and addressing poverty in our city.

"Goldstein also made clear what he does support: for starters, promoting entrepreneurship, high-speed internet access for all and community partnerships to strengthen education.

"The former St. Paul School Board member and 2015 city council candidate is a lawyer who has run sports memorabilia stores among other endeavors.

"Like his opponents in the race, Goldstein, 59, supports the effort to increase the minimum wage to $15, but with nuances that would aim it at large employers and provide exemptions for small businesses and start-ups.

“I don’t like a one-size-fits-all approach,” a Pioneer Press report quoted Goldstein saying at a recent candidate forum. “If everyone had to meet this mandate right away, they might not be able to get into business. I don’t want to discourage entrepreneurs.”

Conversing with St. Paul mayoral candidates: Tom Goldstein

twincities.com

Some might say Tom Goldstein is best known as a contrarian with a reputation for saying “no” to big projects like the Lowertown ballpark, Midway soccer stadium and Palace Theatre. The St. Paul mayo…

I applaud Chief Axtell for this new effort toward transparency which is a first step toward measurable accountability, something that most police departments fail to do other than reporting crime stats.

However, I believe there are several additional steps that SPPD needs to pursue:

1. Stepped-up community policing so that officers know the neighborhoods they patrol, thus minimizing inexcusable incidents like that which happened to Frank Baker (cited in the article.)

2. Regular public forums in which police and victims of police actions get to offer their perspectives on particular incidents so that we have a chance to better understand how the community and the police view one another--and hopefully learn a new respect and understanding that leads to a change in behavior that will make St Paul safer for everyone.

3. Focus less on the types of military-style training offered as continuing education for officers and promote far more courses on de-escalation techniques and other non-violent methods of interacting with the public.

4. Explore housing allowances or other financial incentives that will ensure the great majority of St. Paul officers live in the city's neighborhoods.

5. Take a serious look at more civilian positions so that we can use our resources more effectively in dealing with administrative matters like accident reports or insurance claims that should not require an officer's presence.

St. Paul police launches online report to allow comparison with federal benchmarks

twincities.com

A presidential task force spelled out in a 2015 report the best ways for law enforcement to build trust while reducing crime, and the St. Paul Police Department has been examining how it measures u…

The first General Membership meeting for the Our Revolution MN - Greater Saint Paul area will be held on Thursday, March 23rd, 6 pm, at the Rondo Library on the corner of Dale & University in St Paul (461 Dale St N, St Paul, MN 55104).

As a longtime Bernie supporter and full-time volunteer the last two weeks before the 2016 primary in St. Paul, I very much would like to earn the OR endorsement for Mayor. Please show up and be a part of the discussion.

Our Revolution

go.ourrevolution.com

The next step for Bernie Sanders' movement is a new group called Our Revolution, which will fight to transform America and advance the progressive agenda that we believe in.

(To clarify, the public involvement has been great. I just think the focus needs to also include how we create high-paying jobs to replace those that were lost when the Ford Plant was closed. More retail and luxury housing won't do that.)

"Tom Goldstein, an attorney and former Grand Avenue shop owner, called the Ford site plans insufficient and encouraged the city to install a large job center. He said the city should create publicly owned broadband infrastructure to draw high-tech employers to the site.

“I think it’s unfortunate that we’ve already ruled out the idea of a commercial campus, where you’d have less traffic,” Goldstein said. As plans are now, he foresees “more low-wage jobs and potentially a housing glut on the higher end of the rental spectrum.”

5 St. Paul mayor candidates lay out their visions for the Ford plant site

twincities.com

When the Ford Motor Co. exits a 135-acre riverfront campus in Highland Park, a new developer and a new mayoral administration will pick up the pieces. Who that developer will be remains unknown. Wh…

Development in the Midway and at the Ford Site are indeed "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunities--all the more reason why we should make sure these projects are done right.

Luxury housing and more retail in Highland will not result in an increase of livable wage jobs but a tech hub or corporate campus might. Similarly, a stadium will not serve as a catalyst for further development in the Midway--beyond the plans for redeveloping the Snelling Ave side which has been in the works for years.

Ironically, the stadium will completely undermine the street and block grid that had been an integral part of the Snelling Ave SmartSite master plan. So we'll end up with a shiny new building but little else. As noted in media reports, "redevelopment for the rest of the site could take a decade or more."

St. Paul mayoral candidates outline goals for city's biggest development sites

startribune.com

Candidates discussed the soccer stadium and Ford site Wednesday.

I think the main target of the 15 Now campaign should be corporate America where companies choose to enrich their shareholders rather than pay their employees a living wage. Then figure out how to phase in increases at smaller businesses based on revenues rather than just number of employees.

I look forward to an ongoing dialogue about this very important topic.

Five St. Paul mayoral candidates back $15 minimum wage, but not all agree on details

twincities.com

The five declared candidates in the St. Paul mayor’s race have all backed a citywide $15 minimum wage. But several say they’re interested in a nuanced, phased approach that may offer ex…

Here's the audio for the entire debate/forum.

Ward 6 St. Paul Mayoral Forum, 3-12-2017

soundcloud.com

This is the audio of a mayoral forum hosted at Ward 6, a bar and restaurant on Payne Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota. It is among the first face-to-face meetings of the 2017 race for the open mayor's se

Another opportunity to hear from the candidates themselves in their own words and decide who you want to support. (A special thanks to Eric Foster and Bob Parker of Ward 6 Pub & Restaurant for a great event!)

Get to Know Them: Saint Paul Mayoral Candidates

soundcloud.com

Here are the opening statements from five St. Paul mayoral candidates, including Melvin Carter, Elizabeth Dickinson, Tom Goldstein, Pat Harris and Dai Thao. They appeared at a forum at Ward 6, a bar a

All five said they supported a key question in local politics in St. Paul and Minneapolis — a mandate for a $15 an hour minimum wage.

Goldstein, a former sports memorabilia shop owner, offered a caveat: "I think the target is corporations that have the money and choose not to pay it, as opposed to small businesses that literally don't have the money," Goldstein said. "So I would want exceptions for small businesses and startups and I think we need to have a discussion to figure out how to implement it."

St. Paul mayoral candidates talk up issues, press for endorsements

mprnews.org

Candidates hoping to succeed St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman are starting to take to the campaign trail together ahead of key party endorsement battles starting soon. Here's what they have to say.

Great mayoral forum hosted by Hmong-FM radio on Friday night. Here's your chance to listen to the candidates themselves in their own words and decide who you want to support.

kfai.org

kfai.org

Here's the link for reserving tickets for the first mayoral forum next Sunday, March 12th, at Ward 6 Restaurant & Pub. Seating is limited.

With my longtime friend Jane Prince--a true representative of the people on the St. Paul City Council--after Monday's committee meeting of the Charter Commission.

Jane was the only council member to attend the discussion about the ill-advised attempt to repeal IRV in St. Paul--and one of five city council members who oppose this effort. (As do I.) Thanks Jane!

Timeline Photos

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Jewish Community Action's event.

Community Rally for Interfaith Solidarity

Community Rally for Interfaith Solidarity

In the wake of bomb threats at the Saint Paul JCC (and, a few weeks ago, the Sabes JCC) and the increase in anti-Semitic incidents across the county, the Jewish community has been heartened by the way our partners and friends in other communities have reached out in support and solidarity.

We know that these attacks are meant to intimidate, threaten, and divide us from our allies, and we know that now is the time to deepen and grow our relationships with communities of color and indigenous people, with immigrant, Muslim, disabled, LGBTQ, and other faith communities. We know that Minnesota faith and justice communities will not accept or tolerate attacks of fear and intimidation.

We stand with, and invite, everyone to come together at the Highland Recreation Center (just a few minutes from the St.Paul JCC) to gather and help us show what strength in community looks like. We'll have time for people to meet and see each other, hear from leaders of a variety of community-based organizations and groups, and close with a call for solidarity, justice, and community.

Tom's letter to Charter Commission members in opposition to those attempting to put repeal of RCV on the ballot this fall.....

Dear Charter Commission Member:

I am writing to let you know that I oppose the effort of a small group of political activists to repeal Ranked Choice Voting in St. Paul. While I initially opposed Ranked Choice Voting in 2009, the fact that voters approved the measure after supporters gathered enough signatures to place the measure on the ballot convinced me otherwise. Not only does RCV increase the likelihood that we will have more competitive political races, it eliminates costly primaries in which turnout has sometimes been in the single digits.

Those arguing for the repeal of RCV claim that the new voting method is confusing to voters and has done nothing to improve voter turnout. While the latter part of this statement may be true, demonizing RCV for continued low turnout after only a few election cycles is nothing more than a partisan effort to make sure that one-party rule remains the rule in our city. The traditional primary system was in place in St. Paul for nearly a hundred years before being replaced by RCV. Perhaps we should give RCV a few decades of use before we start making overall judgments about its effectiveness.

Supporters of RCV were required to gather more than 7,000 signatures in order to put the question of RCV before St. Paul voters in 2009. It seems only fair that those who desire to repeal this system be required to do the same in order to demonstrate public support for their position. Allowing this measure to move forward absent that effort would be an insult to the community.

There should be no short-cuts in the democratic process. Please reject this attempt to repeal RCV. Thank you.

Best,

Tom Goldstein

Ballot question to repeal ranked-choice voting in St. Paul is under debate

twincities.com

Meetings of the St. Paul Charter Commission are typically sleepy, procedural affairs, and the commission’s subcommittee meetings are even more so. On Monday, dozens of supporters of ranked-ch…

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Ward 6's event.

First Mayoral Forum to happen on March 12th at Ward 6 Pub & Restaurant.

PLEASE NOTE: Ward 6 will be posting a link to get tickets to this event on Ward 6’s Facebook page tomorrow at noon, so if you're able to attend, please go online then since seating will be limited.

St. Paul Mayor Candidate Forum

St. Paul Mayor Candidate Forum

A brand new thing! The first candidate forum of the 2017 St. Paul Mayor's race will be held at Ward 6. All 5 announced candidates plan to attend. Format will be casual, even, dare we say, a little fun. And you can enjoy great food and drink while you're learning about the candidates who want to be your next mayor. Enjoy happy hour/social time at 6, forum starts at 7!

I don't want to say that "I told you so," but I kind of did in this article I wrote for City Pages in 2012.
http://www.citypages.com/news/vikings-stadium-proposal-isnt-for-the-people-6755964

We're all being hosed by the stadium fiasco, but there is a fix

startribune.com

The Minneapolis mayor and City Council are trumpeting their progressive bona fides; they'd be wiser to get their financial priorities straight.

While it's good to have Rep. Ellison as Vice-Chair of the DNC, this is a setback for Democrats given that Perez's nomination was being pushed heavily by the Clinton faction of the Party.

I have nothing personal against Perez, but is he going to be beholden to the people or the party insiders? (We know where Keith stood--with Bernie Sanders.)

We'll soon find out.....

Rep. Keith Ellison loses bid for DNC chair to Tom Perez

startribune.com

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison lost to former Labor Secretary Tom Perez in the second round of voting.

I support raising the minimum wage to a livable wage in St. Paul, but don't know if the proper mechanism is to adopt a new minimum wage or simply update the existing livable wage ordinance and expand it to cover all businesses.

I'm impressed by the articles I've read that show raising the minimum wage has a multiplier effect on the local economy because lots of folks will have more money to spend, and would have the $15/hour apply without reservation to large corporations and national franchises. However, I still feel we will need to have exceptions for certain types of small businesses or startups but am willing to be convinced otherwise.

I am talking to many small businesses to better understand how they will absorb additional labor costs without having to cut positions. I want to make sure we do everything we can to improve the lives of working people without the unintended consequences of creating barriers to entry for entrepreneurs who may not have the capital to meet these additional expectations.

I would love to hear from small business owners in St. Paul that support the $15 Now Campaign or are already paying livable wages to all their employees.

Minneapolis cafe owners charge ahead with pay changes

startribune.com

A few Minneapolis restaurant owners plan as early as March to turn the minimum wage debate into what they believe is a better deal for employees.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared GreenAction Minnesota's event.

Our traditional election system with poor-turnout primaries has been in place for what--fifty, sixty, a hundred years? And yet a few DFL political insiders want to scrap the idea because turnout hasn't dramatically improved in a couple of election cycles? Ridiculous.

People have long questioned the purpose of the city's Charter Commission and why it has seemed so disengaged. Let's see if the committee can do the right thing and reject the attempt by the backers of this initiative to put a repeal of RCV on the ballot without having to gather signatures to demonstrate public support for their position.

To do otherwise would be an insult to the community and to the democratic process.

Save St. Paul Ranked Choice Voting!

Save St. Paul Ranked Choice Voting!

Please invite your Facebook friends! Spread the word!

The future of Ranked Choice Voting in St. Paul is in jeopardy – we need you to act now! Please help us block a ballot measure proposal that would repeal RCV at the Charter Review Committee meeting this Monday, February 27.

If you weren’t aware of this meeting, don’t be surprised – that’s by design.

The meeting was hastily convened by RCV foes to prevent the community from knowing about it and intervening in their efforts.

If the Committee approves the proposal, it will be presented to the whole Charter Commission on Monday, March 6. If approved, it would go before voters in November.

We must stop this repeal effort dead in its tracks!

Organizing the effort are long-time RCV opponents who fought the adoption of RCV.

Their goal?

To return St. Paul elections back to the bad old primary system and take away the power and voice of St. Paul voters. Communities of color would be especially hard hit.

The majority of the St. Paul City Council is on the side of voters.
They’ve even a sent a letter to the Charter Commission urging them to block this repeal. Please thank those councilors – Dai Tao (Ward 1), Rebecca Noecker (Ward 2), Russ Stark (Ward 4), Amy Brendmoen (Ward 5), and Jane Prince (Ward 7) – and, more importantly, add your voice to theirs in opposing this backdoor attempt to turn back the clock on election reform in St. Paul!

What to do:

1. Contact the St. Paul Charter Commission members by phone or email now and tell them: Vote no on repeal of RCV!

Rich Kramer (Chair): 651-774-4971;
Debbi Montgomery: 651-645-5408, 651-343-4433;
Kathi Donnelly-Cohen: 651-730-2023 651-730-4536
Bridget Faricy: 651- 698-8457 (c) 612-454-9066;
Amy Filice: 651- 699-0053 (c) 651-263-6483;
George Johnson: 651-774-2375;
John Kirr:
Joyce Maddox: 651-774-3418 (c) 651-214-8501;
David Maeda: 612-670-3897;
Gladys Morton: 651-229-0201;
Virginia Rybin: 651-776-0449;
Brian Alton: 651-290-0301 651-229-0143;
Note, Chuck Repke and Rick Varco are Charter Commission members who are helping to organize the repeal and are not on this list.

2. Come this Monday at 4:30 p.m. to City Hall Room 220 to show your support for RCV! Your presence is critical and will make a huge difference. Click here for meeting details.

And mark your calendar for March 6, when the Charter Commission will meet again to vote on a proposal if this one makes it through on Monday. Let’s make sure we don’t have to return on March 6!

Key messages for Charter Commissioners:

The voters already have spoken. They adopted RCV in 2009 with a majority of the vote – following a two-year grassroots signature drive and education effort – and this year will be the first time voters citywide will have the opportunity to use it. Give it a chance.

RCV is working in St. Paul!

Voter turnout is up under RCV. Turnout for the 2015 St. Paul Ward 2 city council race was 6 percent higher than in 2011, and was the Ward’s highest turnout for a municipal election in a decade.

Polls show that voters — of all ages, ethnicities and incomes — find it simple and don’t want to go back: In the 2015 RCV race in Ward 2 in St. Paul:

83% of Ward 2 voters said they found RCV simple to use
73% ranked their ballots
82% were familiar with RCV before voting
70% said they want to continue to use it — and 61% would like to see it go statewide.

By eliminating low-turnout, unrepresentative municipal primaries, RCV saves the cost of a second election, increases participation, and gives equal voice to historically underrepresented voters.

While elections have become deeply divisive, RCV is showing that attack campaigns aren’t working anymore. In the 2015 Ward 2 council race, outside groups with big money attempted to use attack-style politics and it didn’t work.

RCV is good for St. Paul – and for our democracy.

Stand with St. Paul voters and don’t take our democracy backward.

Thank you for your time and energy on this crucial issue. When we raise our voices together we cannot be ignored!

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Mary Francis Galloway's post.

Proud to join the Native American community at the Capitol today in solidarity with the brave protesters at Standing Rock. Taking more dirty oil out of the ground so that oil companies can ship it to refineries and ultimately foreign markets is merely sowing the seeds of destruction of our natural environment and the planet itself.

Or do we think 60 degree weather in February is just a random anomaly?

Beyond the deadly climate impacts that more drilling and fracking will cause, what happens when the pipelines leak or the rail cars spill or the many ways that oil (and its methane gas byproducts) is already negatively impacting our environment? Another war, this time over access to clean water? Harvesting sea ice?

That's why my campaign is focused on making sure we do everything we can in St. Paul to invest in wind, solar, and geothermal now, not decades from now. My generation has done enough to foul up the planet; let's see what we can do to clean up the mess for the next generation.

Mary Francis

Hate has no place in civilized society, whether it's a church, temple, mosque, or other place of worship that's the target--or a J-CC, YMCA, or any other community center in our city.

Racist, xenophobic, and bigoted behavior that characterized our recent presidential election has normalized these kind of cowardly threats--and we must all push back and denounce them no matter the individual or institution that may be targeted.

With all the sophisticated investigatory tools our police agencies now possess, let's hope they can track down those who are behind these actions and put a stop to them.

St. Paul Jewish Community Center reopened after bomb threat

startribune.com

Police said students in the building in the Highland Park neighborhood were moved to a nearby fire station while the building was cleared.

Check out Tom's interview on AM950 where he outlines in detail his concerns about St. Paul and why he is running for mayor. (Audio starts at 37:30 of podcast.)

The Mike McIntee Show - February 14, 2017

soundcloud.com

On today's show: - Proposal opening MinnesotaCare to all residents - St. Paul mayoral candidate Tom Goldstein

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Minnesota Nurses Association's photo.

Great rally today led by the Minnesota Nurses Association at the State Capitol rotunda in support of the Governor's initiative to expand MinnesotaCare and Sen. John Marty's Minnesota Health Plan which offers the tools for creating single-payer health care in Minnesota.

While there are certainly problems with the Affordable Care Act, the main problem is that it relies on private health insurers and HMOs to determine what health care will be available--and at what cost. Regardless of their nonprofit tax status, these organizations exist to generate as much revenue as possible through insurance premiums, deductibles, and co-pays. That's not a "health care" system.

We must do better. Imagine where we might be if single-payer health care had been the main legislative goal in 2011-12 rather than building a $1.1 billion palace for the Vikings?

Minnesota Nurses Association

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Connect Saint Paul's post.

This is why we must have a comprehensive plan for addressing the digital divide in St. Paul. Comcast and CenturyLink are not the answer.

Connect Saint Paul

The new FCC Chairman has no interest in "Making Broadband Great Again." Unfortunately, we cannot afford these kind of setbacks if we intend to compete in the 21st century with many other forward-thinking countries.

As most people know, affordable access to high-speed internet is not primarily about fast download speeds of videos and movies even though that's what a lot of people do online.. Rather, it's a way for people to participate in the digital economy and digital information age on a par with their neighbors.

That means everyone can have access to online information; the capability of tele-commuting from home (a growing trend in the workplace); access tele-health, another growing trend as health cares costs escalate; download complex documents, diagrams, drawings, etc. in real time; participate in online education courses; follow their children's work at school, etc.

And that's just a small slice of what the internet brings.

Why in the world would we still prefer rotary phones when touch-tone service is readily available? Unfortunately, this is what the Trump administration seems to want for America--and it's completely unacceptable.

A great reminder from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance about why local solutions to the digital divide are so important--and why I've focused on community broadband the last several years as co-founder of the Connect Saint Paul campaign (www.connectsaintpaul.com)

"Why Local Solutions?" Fact Sheet | community broadband networks

muninetworks.org

Discover how communities are investing in their own Internet infrastructure to promote economic prosperity and improve quality of life.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

This is why I have opposed public funding of sports stadiums for the past eighteen years--and another reminder that these glitzy new buildings do almost nothing to improve the lives of working people. What stadiums do achieve is greatly enhancing the wealth of the billionaire owners who promote these boondoggles. Let's stop getting fooled by projects that obligate taxpayers to guarantee hundreds of millions in bond payments over a thirty-year period while many other important community needs go unmet.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

For those who think stadiums are a boon to the economy, check out this piece about the hypocrisy of the public spending $1.1 billion for a football palace. And a preview of the great times ahead for concession workers at next year's Super Bowl in Minneapolis.

LET'S RESTORE THE DFL AS A PARTY OF THE PEOPLE!

Last night the St. Paul DFL held a fundraiser at Mancini's which was the typical "love fest" of mostly political insiders featuring comments from the mayor about how great we're doing as a city and as a party. The other mayoral candidates present had little to say about the issues but echoed the mayor's comments and insisted the DFL is doing a wonderful job serving the needs of the public.

As might be expected, Tom had a very different perspective, and he talked about how the DFL has become the party of special interests rather than one serving the people. His comments are below.

Saint Paul City DFL

stpauldfl.wordpress.com

This exciting night will be the first event of the year where you can hobnob with mayoral and school board candidates and reconnect with all your DFL friends and neighbors. To add to the excitement, our favorite Irish band, Legacy, will be there serenading us. Stop by for a dance, or stay the whole...

These are questions I've been offering thoughtful answers to for the past two years, and I am the only candidate in the race who has been willing to provide specific solutions rather than platitudes and generalities.

While others pay lip service to equity and neighborhoods, I've often been the lone voice speaking out against wasteful stadium projects, opposing corporate subsides for condo projects, fighting Comcast's cable franchise monopoly, and pushing for community-owned, citywide broadband and other infrastructure projects that will create livable wage jobs in the community.

I've publicly decried neighborhoods being pitted against one another for limited funding while $15 million is made available for a downtown theater project that primarily benefits private operators, and I've marched with and supported those seeking equity in St. Paul while elected officials have often remained on the sidelines.

I've also been unafraid to recognize police brutality in our midst while others have stayed silent, and regularly urged that we have community conversations between the police and the public after such incidents rather than maintain a wall of silence where longstanding issues are repeatedly ignored.

I've worked with others to prevent foreclosures, fought to stop the scourge of teardowns that have negatively impacted many of our neighborhoods, supported preservation efforts to maintain the historical character of our city, and challenged elected officials to do more than kick the can down the road when it comes to addressing blight and vacant properties.

If you're looking for a candidate who will take on the status quo, who will put neighborhoods before political insiders and millionaire developers, please visit my website at https://tomforsaintpaul.com, follow me on Facebook, and get involved in my campaign. Thanks!

Tim Mahoney: Ask those running for St. Paul mayor the tough questions

twincities.com

With Mayor Chris Coleman choosing not to seek re-election, a lot of St. Paul’s future will be determined by our next mayor. The citizens of our city need to know that our next mayor has an inclusiv…

Amazing turnout for Laurie Warner door knock today in House District 32-B with a jam-packed crowd at the Northwoods Roasterie Coffee House in Lindstrom, incl. Sen. Al Franken and Rep. Rick Nolan.

Happy to support an endorsee of Our Revolution MN in a very tight race that could help close the gap in the Minnesota House and bring some much needed advocacy to a district that needs investment and job creation to thrive.

Timeline Photos

A FUTURE BEYOND SOCCER STADIUMS & SUBSIDIES

Yesterday the St. Paul Port Authority board voted to authorize its staff to pursue a lease of the Midway Shopping Center so that the Port Authority can help facilitate the construction of a soccer stadium on the old Bus Barn site that has sat vacant for years.

Amidst the promises of a mystery developer emerging that's going to buy the Midway Shopping Center and spur reconstruction in the area, let's remember who really benefits from this project: an ownership group made up of Minnesota's wealthiest families--the Pohlads, the Carlsons, and Glen Taylor, owner of the Timberwolves--and led by Bill McGuire, the disgraced former head of United Health Group, who paid a $468 million settlement to the SEC in 2007 to settle civil fraud charges,

Left unsaid as the media focuses on next steps in the horse race is the $18 million of taxpayer money that will go toward infrastructure exclusive to the stadium--including a VIP parking lot for the team--or how residents are supposed to grapple with an 8% increase in the property tax levy to pay for "basic services."

As mayor, I will put a stop to handouts for billionaires and developer subsidies for big ticket projects that do nothing to bring tangible benefits to the community. With nearly a third of the city's property off the tax rolls, we simply cannot afford another subsidized stadium that will create minimal full-time jobs and divert limited funds away from so many more worthwhile needs.

If you're tired of seeing city resources go toward benefiting billionaires and their play toys while rec centers do without programming or remain shuttered, please consider hosting a “meet-and-greet” so that we can keep spreading the word about making St. Paul a place where the needs of neighborhoods and residents become the focus of what happens at City Hall.

Saint Paul Port Authority Board Approves Short-term Master Lease for Soccer Stadium Site - Saint Paul Port Authority

sppa.com

The Saint Paul Port Authority’s board of directors gave its approval today for the organization to get further involved with the Minnesota United Soccer Stadium redevelopment project. The Saint Paul …

Here's how problematic this deal will be: The St. Paul Port Authority, which is a quasi-public agency that essentially serves as the development arm of the city, is proposing to sign a lease agreement with Midway Shopping Center owner R.K. Midway to take control of the shopping center and guarantee R.K. Midway all the rents it is collecting now plus provide for a 3% increase after five years and a 5% increase at year ten.

How will this money be guaranteed given that no development partner has emerged that wants to erect office buildings, hotels, condos, or the many other things the city has assured us will happen once a soccer stadium is built? No one seems to know, other than the lease assumes a deep-pocketed developer will step in and agree to absorb losses for years until the site is ripe for new development.

And if there are developers lining up to invest in the Midway, why don't they just partner with R.K. Midway directly and leave the Port Authority out of the deal entirely?

The unspoken reality is that R.K. Midway has always sought to maximize its profit at the expense of the neighborhood and the community, and now that they hold a crucial piece of real estate that someone wants, they're holding out for a better deal.

Remember, the unofficial agreement was that R.K. Midway would give up part of its underutilized land behind the shopping center and agree to tear down that portion of the shopping center that includes Rainbow Foods, Midway Bowl, Walgreen's, etc., so that Bill McGuire and Minnesota United could build a soccer stadium that runs east-west rather than the original north-south alignment that only included the 10-acre bus barn site.

In return, RK Midway would receive development rights to the portion of the old Bus Barn site that fronts along Snelling and St. Anthony, with the city and the Met Council, i.e., taxpayer money, used to clean up any pollution on the site. However, it appears that R.K. Midway has been unsuccessful in buying out the necessary leases to clear the way for the partial demolition of the center, simply decided they wanted more money for the deal--or both.

This is Bill McGuire and Minnesota United's problem, not ours. If they can't reach an agreement with RK Midway in spite of all the public assurances we've been given for the last year, then they need to revisit the plan to build the soccer stadium on the bus barn site only--or consider another location.

The only reason the Port Authority has stepped in to "calm the waters" is so that some kind of deal can be brokered that will convince state lawmakers the project is moving forward and persuade them to grant a tax exemption on the stadium site. I will let others speculate as to who really benefits by furthering the involvement of the city in a project that is supposed to be a "private deal" involving no public money.

It's also worth noting that if a lease agreement is reached, the Port Authority will take the Midway Center property "as is," with only 120 days to complete due diligence efforts and cancel the lease.

For those may have forgotten the Port Authority's acquisition of the Gillette Building in Lowertown to make way for the Saints ballpark, the $7 million cost overrun on that project due to contamination does not inspire confidence that this proposed arrangement is serving the interests of the public rather than politicians.

If any of this concerns you, you should contact the Port Authority board members to let them know you oppose the resolution that will be before them tomorrow authorizing a lease with RK Midway, particularly when so many details are unknown and the lease document itself does not yet appear to have been drafted so that the exact language will be known.

(I would list the phone numbers and email addresses of all the the Port Authority Board Members here except the agency has deemed it unnecessary to include that information on its web site.
From past board minutes and a photo on the agency's website, the elected officials on the board appear to be city council members Dai Thao and Dan Bostrom,)

St. Paul Port Authority prepares to lease property near soccer stadium site

startribune.com

The stage is set for the St.

"Hmong Pioneers: Honoring the First Wave" is a poignant, thoughtful film that documents the struggles and challenges the Hmong peoples faced as refugees from war-torn Laos--and how they worked together to establish an incredibly vibrant cultural community within St. Paul.

In these times where bigotry, racism, and anti-immigrant rhetoric have become all too commonplace and acceptable in America, it's worth remembering how much the Hmong community has enriched St. Paul. Not just culturally, but as a hardworking people who have stressed educational attainment, been a highly reliable skilled work force, and contributed enormous economic activity to the city.

For those who did not have the opportunity to check out today's screening at the MNHS, there will be additional showings later this year at the Frozen Film Festival and the Hmong Film Festival.

"Hmong Pioneers: Honoring the First Wave" Film Screening

mnhs.org

View Cart slider in html "Hmong Pioneers: Honoring the First Wave" Film Screening Date Sun., Jan 22, 2017, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Location Minnesota History Center 345 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55102Contact Cost Free, registration recommended Get Tickets "Hmong Pioneers...

Tom, while you and I may not see Eye to Eye on an awful lot of issues I thought your comments in the Pioneer Press about the cities current $4 million recycling debacle with Eureka Recycling were right on target. I thought I would share with you some of my thoughts:

St. Paul taxpayers paid $4 million for “little grabber hands”that don’t work and a tracking chip: Don’t worry the government just wants to know what you’re up to.

mischellaneous.com

St. Paul taxpayers recently received 80,000 new blue recycling bins from Eureka Recycling. While that seems like a nice thing to do I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that those same taxpayers…

From Troy Olson, supporter and campaign manager:

"Donald Trump has officially become the 45th President of the United States. Many are disturbed by this; many more are worried or nervous. What has happened has happened -- where do we go from here? For myself, one of the things that immediately came to mind was "thinking local" and party building in the few areas where Democrats are still competitive. The city.

"The reason I support Tom Goldstein for Mayor of St. Paul is quite simple -- he is right on the issues. He has been for years. He is right about not devoting public taxpayer dollars to private sports stadiums when that money could have been better spent on city-wide broadband internet. He is right about "smart" development and investing in people and neighborhoods rather than giving handouts to millionaires. St. Paul will need to figure things out in the next four years because there is no help coming from D.C., Gov. Dayton and the GOP will be fighting it out. So now -- more than ever -- St. Paul needs to elect a Mayor with a plan.

"Tom has had a plan and a vision for the city for years. As a veteran, I support Tom because he has consistently opposed unnecessary wars of choice and while this does not impact the city directly, it does speak volumes about his judgment. I am not the only veteran supporting Tom. Please join us in the months that follow and in 2017 as we build a coalition of progressives, independents, labor, DFLers, young people, and all those who have felt left behind by city hall the past decade.

"Now -- more than ever -- St. Paul needs a plan for the future and Tom Goldstein has one. That is why I support him and I call on others to join the effort."

Troy Olson - Army Vet and former Ward 2 resident and SHA board member.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared a Page.

Great open house at Hamline Elementary this evening. More than 70 Hamline U students volunteer at the school each week as part of a longstanding collaboration between the school and the University, and other partnerships include the Hancock Rec Center, Discovery Club, and Reading Partners.

These kind of public-private partnerships are essential if we are going to make headway in closing the opportunity gap that has persisted for decades. While other schools in the district also have successful partnerships with external entities, these relationships are often on an ad hoc basis dependent on unique connections rather than sustained through ongoing outreach and development.

If we are really intent on making education a priority in St. Paul, we must have a citywide approach that focuses on leveraging relationships with local businesses, non profits, the faith community, and higher ed institutions so that every child has access to mentoring, tutoring, internship opportunities, etc.

As mayor, I will make sure that city resources are better aligned with the school district so the partnerships we see at Hamline can be replicated throughout the district. And before the city even considers another subsidy for some dazzling new project, I'd insist that developers or companies first demonstrate what kind of volunteer commitment they're going to make to our local schools, how many students will get genuine "on the job" exposure to the work world, and what other partnerships these entitles will leverage to help address the educational challenges we face.

Hamline Elementary School

At Hamline... College Begins in Kindergarten!

Elementary School: 353 like this

Tomorrow Donald Trump officially becomes the 45th President of the United States. Many are disturbed by this, many more are worried or nervous. What has happened has happened -- where do we go from here? For myself, one of the things that immediately came to mind was "thinking local" and party building in the few areas where Democrats are still competitive. The city. The reason I support Tom Goldstein for Mayor of St. Paul is quite simple -- he is right on the issues. He has been for years. He is right about public taxpayer dollars to private sports stadiums when that money could have been spent on city-wide broadband internet. He is right about "smart" development and investing in people and neighborhoods rather than giving handouts to millionaires. St. Paul will need to figure things out in the next four years because there is no help coming from D.C., Gov. Dayton and the GOP will be fighting it out. So now -- more than ever -- St. Paul needs to elect a Mayor with a plan. Tom has had a plan and a vision for the city for years. As a veteran, Tom has consistently opposed unnecessary wars of choice and while this does not impact the city directly, it does speak volumes about his judgment. I am not the only veteran supporting Tom. Please join us in the months that follow and in 2017 as we build a coalition of progressives, independents, labor, DFLers, young people, and all those who have felt left behind by city hall the past decade. Now -- more than ever -- St. Paul needs a plan for the future and Tom Goldstein has one. That is why I support him.

ST. PAUL RECYCLING BINS CONTAIN CONTROVERSIAL CHIP

I think the more "controversial" issue (see article link below) is that the city just spent $4.8 million for all these new plastic recycling trash cans, $3.8 million of it taxpayer money, with what seemed to be little public input or any sense that this was an urgent issue in St. Paul.

How did this become a priority over, say, using the money to reopen some rec centers or upgrade a park or help expand broadband or add trees to the boulevard or a hundred other things that seem more important?

Taking steps to address litter is important, and recycling materials blowing around the neighborhood are certainly litter. But so are all the plastic bags and trash that blow through neighborhoods and yet we we don't seem to have any money to address that concern.

I get that some people like the carts and some don't, but is this really how we want to spend nearly $5 million of taxpayer dollars and grants? I don't recall ever having a conversation with anyone who was really torqued about recycling bins or thought bigger recycling carts was an urgent issue in St. Paul.

As a $4.8 million expenditure, that works out to about a $61.15 subsidy per household. What if we'd used that money for a few thousand more trash cans around St. Paul instead of 78,000 plastic carts in the alleys?

Perhaps people can now feel good about their consumption habits because they can "hide" their recycling in a much bigger container? Maybe so, but since this is really just another waste stream, shouldn’t there be volume pricing or a rebate if you only need to recycle once a month? And why should all households be charged the same amount in recycling fees when your neighbor might be recycling two or three times as much stuff as you do?

I'm also curious who made the decision that everyone should start out with a 64 gallon cart instead of something smaller? What if a bunch of people, myself included, want to downsize to 30-gallon carts? Who’s going to pay for that? And what happens to the 64-gallon carts that people might not want?

I realize this isn’t a big deal for a lot of people, but $5 million here and $5 million there and pretty soon you’re talking real money. So if we don’t care that a small committee of folks, either inside or outside of City Hall, are making these decisions for us, don’t be surprised when taxes keep going up or city services continue to deteriorate for a “lack of funding.”

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/01/16/st-paul-recycling-bins-contain-controversial-tracking-chip

I felt privileged to be able to attend this morning's breakfast at Progressive Baptist Church honoring the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was a great place to view the live stream of Myrlie Evers-Williams' inspiring remarks to the audience at the Mpls. Convention Center and also a chance to catch up with leaders on the East Side doing great work in the community.

But it was also a reminder of how far we still have to travel in St. Paul if racial equity is going to become something real. Learning to respect and affirm the diversity in our community is an essential part of overcoming prejudice and racial bias, yet those efforts must be coupled with dramatic improvements in economic opportunity or the message of equity can easily become just more lip service.

With Donald Trump preparing to take the oath of office for president on Friday, it's pretty clear that help is not coming from Washington. So it's up to all of us to take action now so that racial equity isn't just another buzzword in our vocabulary.

As Dr. King said, "the time is always right to do what is right."

Timeline Photos

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul updated their cover photo.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's cover photo

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Our Revolution MN's event.

Great event today that drew more than 500 people to Minneapolis.

While the Republicans are busy searching for ways to dismantle the ACA, now is the opportunity for progressives to promote the only solution to spiraling health care costs--single payer. As long as the private insurance market is driven by keeping costs down and maximizing profits, we will never see any kind of reduction in premiums under ACA or any other plan dependent on private insurance.

However, the biggest takeaway for me was the heart-wrenching stories of how people suffer because they cannot afford their insurance premiums or medications--before ACA and even now with the recent explosion in rates. It's a reminder that many people have limited means and no room in their budgets for frills like tickets to sporting events.

So when we squander municipal revenues on outdoor skating rinks, stadiums, theaters, and whatever other entertainment venues that politicians promise us will improve out quality of life in St. Paul, perhaps our elected officials should actually meet those in our midst living on fixed incomes who cannot afford the property tax increases--or the higher rents that come with those increases.

If we cannot provide a safety next for the most vulnerable among us, then we certainly don't have the budget for these extravagant projects that add no new revenue to city coffers.

Our First Stand: Save Health Care #CureNotChaos

Our First Stand: Save Health Care #CureNotChaos

Join members of MoveOn.org, People's Action, Our Revolution MN, Organizing for Action, @[45169169993:274:Planned Parenthood Minnesota Advocate], TakeAction Minnesota, Minnesota Nurses Association, and more for a community organizing meeting to stop the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and save our health care for millions of Americans.

We definitely need to promote density, but if it's done with tax-increment financing--as happens far too often in St. Paul--the benefits of density are undercut by the deferred property taxes that often don't come back to the city for 10, 15, or 20 years.

Streetscapes: The true costs of sprawl

startribune.com

We use streets every day. Yet we rarely think about them unless they remain unplowed, potholed or closed, which happens too often in the Twin Cities. How did we get in such a fix?

Former St. Paul school board member and current mayoral candidate Tom Goldstein has long opposed the project. He points out that the City Council recently approved a nearly 8 percent increase in the maximum property tax levy.

"If we don't have the money for basic city services, we don't have the money to do infrastructure about a soccer stadium," Goldstein said. "But somehow we always find the money for these big-ticket projects that are primarily the beneficiary of millionaire and billionaire team owners."

Midway stadium developers keep ball rolling, aim for major construction in spring

mprnews.org

Minnesota United Owner Bill McGuire says preliminary work on the team's new soccer stadium is underway. But developers still don't have full control of the site, and they're awaiting a key property tax break from the state amid a legislative power shift.

GOLDSTEIN DENOUNCES CONTINUING SUBSIDIES TO WEALTHY SPORTS TEAM OWNERS, PAID FOR BY INCREASES IN CITY’S PROPERTY TAX LEVY

SAINT PAUL—Dec. 12th—Mayoral candidate Tom Goldstein, a frequent critic of stadium handouts, denounced today’s ceremonial groundbreaking for a new soccer stadium on the old Bus Barn site in the Midway as a blatant breach of faith with taxpayers.

“For more than a year we’ve been told that the stadium would be built at no cost to taxpayers,” Goldstein said.

“Yet here we are looking at an 8% increase in the property tax levy to close a gap in the 2017 budget while the city somehow has $20 million available to pay for stadium infrastructure?”

“That’s simply a mismanagement of valuable public resources,” Goldstein said.

“The city continues to make subsidies for sports team owners and wealthy developers its main priority while neighborhoods fight for leftovers,” Goldstein continued.

“Where’s the money going to come from for modernizing the city’s rec centers and parks, paying for after school programing, or creating livable wage jobs that will help lift people out of poverty?” he asked.

To deal with these inequities, Goldstein would reprioritize city expenditures on “human-scale” amenities like repairing St. Paul’s long-neglected infrastructure, modernizing the city’s rec centers (particularly on the east side), increasing parkland requirements for new building developments, free after-school programming, affordable transit options for seniors and students, and stable funding of the District Council system.

“But we won’t make progress toward those objectives if we keep diverting city resources to questionable projects that don’t add to the property tax base—like the $15 million renovation of the Palace Theatre in downtown where all the revenue will go to the venue’s private operators,” he added.

Instead, Goldstein argues, St. Paul must focus on creating livable wage jobs and use its development tools to incentivize investments in geothermal, wind, and solar technologies; recruit tech firms and startups to locate here; and encourage entrepreneurship in the city’s cultural communities and among recent college grads.

“The quickest way to build community wealth and prosperity is through job creation, something we’ve done very little of in St. Paul during the past decade,” Goldstein said. “One way to change that result is by helping locally-owned small businesses that create many of the new jobs and reinvest in our community get off the ground.”

As a former small business owner, Goldstein would seek to convert the city’s Business Resource Center into a “one-stop-shop” that will help individuals gain access to loans and start-up funds, teach them how to navigate the city’s codes and regulations, and provide the technical assistance entrepreneurs need to succeed.

In addition, Goldstein will push for affordable, high-speed internet throughout St. Paul, something he has independently advocated for since 2013 and the past two years as co-founder of the Connect Saint Paul campaign, a community effort aimed at developing a citywide fiber optic network.

Goldstein, a resident of the Hamline-Midway neighborhood, envisions a tech corridor along University Avenue that would utilize the existing conduit pipe beneath the Green Line to provide lightning-fast broadband speeds to neighboring residents, businesses, schools, and nonprofits.

“Imagine the interest we could generate among tech companies and entrepreneurs—and the opportunities we could create in the community—if we had this incredible resource to offer?”

Timeline Photos

http://www.startribune.com/trio-of-candidates-campaigning-for-2017-st-paul-mayoral-election/405806596/

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul updated their cover photo.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's cover photo

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 4 new photos.

So, while we pause from thinking about our national political disaster, let's see if we can make sense of St. Paul's yard waste policy:

We're not supposed to rake leaves into the street because they presumably just end up clogging the gutters, getting mixed with waste water, and ending up in the Mississippi or perhaps clogging intake valves somewhere within the wastewater treatment system.

On the other hand, many of our trees are located on the boulevard so that when leaves drop they end up in the street anyway. In theory, our ever-increasing ROW (right of way) fees--mine has jumped from $138 in 2007 to $333 this year, a 241% increase--should take care of that problem because those charges pay for two street sweepings a year. Unfortunately, if that sweeping is scheduled for Nov. 1st when, surprise, most of the leaves have not fallen (see photos below--the first two are from the day after the city swept the street; the other two from yesterday), the leaves don't get picked up.

Now, I understand that climate change has screwed up Mother Nature and that cities have to schedule tasks in advance since there are a lot of streets to cover, but city officials have eyes, don't they? What's the point of sweeping the street before the great majority of leaves have begun to fall? All that means is that the leaves will sit in the gutter for the next six months or end up in the sewer anyway.

Which brings us to what I would argue is a completely inefficient yard waste disposal arrangement in our city. Yes, in a perfect world we'd all have compost bins in our backyard and regularly maintain them, but we don't. And, in many cases, most of the leaves we collect are not from our trees but from the boulevard trees which are supposed to be our collective responsibility. So why don't we have a collective solution?

If reducing carbon emissions is the primary way to reverse climate change, what is the sense of a leaf collection system that requires tens of thousands of trips to and from the yard waste sites, which, on some weekends, also includes hundreds of cars and trucks idling while waiting in line to enter and dump their loads? Wouldn't it make more sense to invest in a few more street sweepers, wait until after the leaves have fallen, and then have everyone rake (at least their boulevard) leaves into the street so that they're picked up before winter begins--and don't end up in the waste stream anyway?

I'm sure lots of people like to rake leaves or consider it their civic duty to pick up leaves in the street--and I don't want to discourage that kind of behavior: I spend lots of hours doing that myself. However, given how most of us are finding more and more of our precious time is spent working or volunteering in order to keep our lives and community functioning, who really benefits from forcing all of us to further pollute the environment by making these unnecessary trips to the yard waste sites?

Just as alley plowing should be the responsibility of local government, so should leaf pickup. All our current approach has done is force us to pay for services that are generally worthless, eaten up more of our time transporting lawn waste to a central site, and relieved the city of its responsibility to manage our streets in a sensible fashion.

To be clear, I'm all for a goal of zero-waste and total composting of plant matter, but until we figure out how to incentivize that behavior on a widespread basis (say, a reduction in ROW fees?), isn't it incumbent upon our elected officials to at least examine the relative environmental impacts of tens of thousands of annual car trips versus a few extra street sweepers?

Ponder that. I need to go rake my leaves so that I can transport them to a compost site tomorrow.....

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Anybody following the August 3rd City Council hearing at which a "transformative" master plan was approved that rezoned the Midway Superblock to permit construction of a soccer stadium might have heard Minnesota United's Bill McGuire and RK Midway's Rick Birdoff prattle on for an hour and a half about all the great things that we're going to happen as a result of this decision.

But, contrary to all the assurances, Birdoff doesn't actually have developers lined up who want to build things in the Midway, which means relocating tenants would require Birdoff to come up with the funding himself. This is clearly something he has no intention of doing, which is why the Port Authority sought to establish an industrial development district on the site. That way the PA can sell bonds--guaranteed by taxpayers--to fund the purchase of RK Midway's land and make it available to Minnesota United, thus allowing the soccer stadium deal to move forward at an even greater cost to the public.

Seems pretty clear that's what's going on, but "Bill McGuire, an owner of the United soccer team, has provided little information on the status of land negotiations."

“It is literally too involved and too complex to conduct business in the newspaper,” he said Tuesday at a Midway Chamber of Commerce event about stadium development.

Yeah, admitting that you've been misleading the public for more than a year is not exactly something you want to share with the media.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

No surprises here. The original plan to renovate the Palace Theatre was a boondoggle in waiting, particularly the arrangement to use public dollars to create what essentially is a private music venue. Sound familiar?

Even though the private sector was unwilling to pursue this project, our guitar-playing hipster mayor knew better. Surely downtown will be further revitalized as a result of this new arena, even if all the revenues will flow to the venue's operators rather than the city.

And let's not forget that more than a year ago when the City Council, in a rare display of public accountability, demanded our mayor do something about our crumbling streets, they allowed 20% of the $42.5 million "8-80 Vitality Fund" created for that purpose to be diverted to the mayor's pet project.

Having made that cowardly compromise, the City Council is now looking to taxpayers for an 8.8 % increase in property taxes so that we can address basic needs. How about if we pull the plug on the soccer stadium and the Palace Theatre project instead?

I appreciate the sentiment behind voting to raise the tax levy, but we're in this problem because of wasteful spending on things like CHS Field, the $14 million--and growing--Palace Theater project, and the new soccer stadium--which conveniently is not mentioned in this op-ed.

How can you have a $16-19 million deficit at the same time that you're going to spend $20 million on soccer stadium "infrastructure"? (Much more if the insane plan to have the Port Authority step in to meet whatever asking price RK Midway is demanding for the Midway Center parcel that Minnesota United does not want to pay.)

This is just a repeat of the tax increases that followed the Saints ballpark boondoggle. The budget director remains mum while the mayor pursues his pet projects, then the city council raises taxes to avoid "cuts." Except, what are we protecting?

The mayor's office is full of political appointees, each city department now requires its own PR flak, and we keep adding police officers based on a mythical formula of what it means to be at "full strength."

The reality is that the Emperor has no clothes, and with almost zero accountability for how we spend the city budget, raising taxes to avoid confronting the mayor's shoddy management of the city is unconscionable. The only additional budget we need is to hire an independent city auditor who will further expose all the waste and dubious spending projects that have characterized the Coleman administration the past decade.

Stark, Noecker, Brendmoen, Prince: Why we voted to raise St. Paul’s levy

twincities.com

Each September, the Saint Paul City Council establishes the maximum levy for the next budget year. The levy is the total dollar amount the city will raise in property taxes in a given year. At the …

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Remember how Rick Birdoff of RK Midway talked about the stadium being the necessary "catalyst" to spur redevelopment of the Midway Shopping Center Superblock?

Lo and behold, it appears that Birdoff is not so eager to buy out his tenant's leases to make way for the new stadium. Hard to believe given the plans for hotels, office buildings, and everything else that's going to be built in the area surrounding the stadium, right?

Solution? Turn the area into an "industrial development district" so that the St. Paul Port Authority can step in and negotiate with Birdoff over buying or leasing the land. Translation: the city is going to pay whatever it takes to make the project move forward. Where's that money going to come from? Not Bill McGuire's pockets.

Let's not forget that the Port Authority is the same agency that purchased the old Gillette Building to make way for the new Saints ballpark, leading to a $9 million cost overrun because of all the contamination in that parcel. So now we see the city poised again to use its development arm to throw money at a project that clearly does not have outside developers looking to invest.

Just the beginning of sliding down the slippery slope that always accompanies stadium deals. Particularly those in which we are told "the team is paying for everything."

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared The Villager Newspaper's photo.

My op-ed about the soccer stadium charade published in the current issue of the Highland Villager.

THE ART OF THE MISDEAL

By Tom Goldstein

The recent vote by the St. Paul City Council to approve the master plan for the Snelling-Midway redevelopment site comes as no surprise to those who’ve been following the soccer stadium campaign led by Mayor Chris Coleman. The same council majority has routinely deferred to the mayor on virtually every proposed project. Why should a vote to clear the way for a stadium be any different?

Some might argue because of the resolution passed a year ago by the council stipulating that its support for a stadium was contingent on “strong, specific evidence that the stadium and public infrastructure will help catalyze additional investments on the Midway Shopping Center site.” Such evidence has not materialized—something council president Russ Stark, the author of the resolution, has himself acknowledged.

Stark said that moving forward at this time requires taking a “little leap of faith.” Really. Even Rick Birdoff, managing partner of Midway Shopping Center owner RK Midway, has conceded that the office towers envisioned in the master plan will not be built anytime soon—if ever. He has also been clear about the need for flexibility to depart from the master plan, further proof that what will be built—if anything—will be driven by market conditions, not the city’s goals. Does anybody actually believe Midway Shopping Center will be redeveloped because of its proximity to 20 pro soccer games a year?

Members of the mayor’s handpicked advisory committee were adamant about not wanting a stadium surrounded by parking lots and the existing one-story buildings, but that’s what we’re likely to get for at least 10 years. As it stands, the master plan puts the stadium in the middle of the back half of the Midway superblock, undermining the goal of creating a street grid on the entire 35 acres. It also undermines a decade of planning, and will assuredly frustrate efforts to integrate the site into the surrounding neighborhoods.

What lessons can we learn from this? Obviously, who we elect to office matters. And a planning process in which public engagement is solicited but ignored is meaningless. But the most valuable lesson might be how deluded we are to believe that terms like “transit-oriented development” and “environmental impact” have any meaning when we’re up against an unholy alliance of local government, state agencies and wealthy developers.

Two years ago, Urban Investment Group (UIG) was hired to “facilitate development of a strategic path forward for achieving high-quality, transit-oriented development on the Snelling-Midway superblock.” UIG assessed the shortfall between projected infrastructure costs and the market value of the site and found it to be between $22 million and $31 million, primarily due to the estimated $40 million cost for structured parking.

Since parking was seen as crucial, the obvious way forward was phased development—adding parking as the value of the site increased. UIG’s report recommended a mix of building types, with a majority at least four stories over street-level retail, and multiple open spaces. Nowhere was it suggested that a soccer stadium was the key to realizing these goals.

Perhaps the most egregious sleight of hand in all of this was the Met Council’s claims about transit ridership for soccer games: between 5,400 and 10,500 per contest. Contrast those claims with the article in the August 3 Villager about the Met Council challenging the city's lofty predictions for transit ridership, and one wonders if the agency realized its own projections were faulty, or whether its left hand has no idea what its right hand is doing.

Concerns about the impact additional traffic will have on the Snelling-University intersection—the most polluted in the state—are addressed with about the same level of scrutiny. According to the city, stadium traffic will have a minimal impact on air pollution. So since the air quality is already awful, anything that doesn’t make it much worse is OK?

In the end, what this process illustrates is that in a city where one-party rule is the norm, if a mayor and city council want a project done, they’ll stand common sense on its head and find a way to ram it through. One can only imagine what we’re in for if the city employs the same approach in the redevelopment of the Ford plant site in Highland Park.

Tom Goldstein, a lawyer and former St. Paul School Board member, lives in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood.

The Villager Newspaper

The newest issue of the Villager is out, complete with a special section devoted to Home Improvement. For newsstand locations, see bit.ly/Zyajwc

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Another article about how the "horse race turned out," rather than why the horses were running in the first place. This seems to be a common blind spot among the media, though Callaghan has offered the best stadium coverage by far.

The day a mayor of St. Paul says "hell yeah" (see quote from Coleman in article) in response to fighting poverty, fostering job creation, rebuilding the city's infrastructure, or developing universal, affordable access to high-speed internet, that's when we'll know that St. Paul is actually interested in joining the 21st Century.

However, so long as what excites politicians is sports arenas and other subsidized real estate deals, we will remain a city that works for the elite ten percent while everybody else just has to make do.

The intentional lack of transparency about this deal is further evidence of an administration that prefers misleading the public to seeking actual community input. From the same article: "Notably, much of Coleman's interplay with staff on the messaging for the press conference came not via his city email account but through his wife's email at her real estate office."

Clearly, Coleman did not want the media or anyone from the public finding damaging details in email exchanges that might be discovered from data requests. First the new six-month rule on email retention; now, a private email channel to keep conversations out of the city's information stream.

How ironic that we're now looking at a 4.5% property tax increase, or about $16 million to "fill a budget gap"--close to the exact amount the city has committed to spending on infrastructure for the new soccer stadium.

And folks still think we're getting a soccer stadium for free?

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Physicians for a National Health Program's photo.

Missing from the list? Dr. Bill McGuire, esteemed owner of the new MLS Minnesota United franchise and former head of United Health Care, who in 2007 disgorged $468 million worth of stock and paid a $7 million fine to settle civil fraud charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission for stock options manipulation--the largest settlement of its kind ever obtained by the SEC.

You won't read about that chapter of Dr. McGuire's past in the local newspapers, which have decided such conduct is "irrelevant" when the media is "reporting" on a new Minnesota soccer franchise or the proposed soccer stadium in St. Paul. After all, who cares that another CEO got filthy rich as head of a health care organization? We need to celebrate these captains of industry, not condemn them, right?

Thanks, Mayor Coleman and City Council, for your courageous vote on supporting this wonderful step forward for St. Paul.

Physicians for a National Health Program

Here's something to keep in mind when Aetna and other private insurers cry poor about the Affordable Care Act.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Kudos to CM Jane Prince for being the only City Council Member who appears to understand the role of elected officials in asking the hard questions about controversial projects, particularly those that involve significant public subsidies--rather than simply serve as cheerleaders.

The city has no plan for alleviating poverty, no plan for job creation, no plan to expand recreation and library services, no plan to address the digital divide, and no plan for aligning city resources with our public schools to ensure every child in St. Paul is prepared to move forward in the world, but we do have a new ballpark in downtown St. Paul, plans to redevelop Macy's into a building that includes a practice facility for the Wild, and now the necessary approvals to move forward a stadium for professional soccer.

Clearly, we are on our way to fulfilling the mayor's goal of becoming the "most livable city in America."

Thanks, Jane, for showing what leadership looks like in an era when your colleagues live in a bubble of insider politics and apparently are incapable of hearing anything outside of the echo chamber at City Hall.

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Op-ed published nearly a year ago in the Highland Villager. Little has changed other than resolution sponsor CM Russ Stark at least now acknowledges that the project is a "little bit of a leap of faith."

YET ANOTHER STADIUM GAMBIT

Published in the Highland Villager, September 2, 2015

By Tom Goldstein

After a mere eight minutes of discussion, the St. Paul City Council voted unanimously last week in favor of a resolution to support the construction of a professional soccer stadium at I-94 and Snelling Avenue. The resolution pledges to exempt that site from property taxes “so long as the construction of the stadium is paid for, in its entirety, with private funds.” Support for a tax exemption is also contingent on the city developing a “fair, sensible plan…for the construction of needed public infrastructure around the site” and on “evidence that the stadium and public infrastructure investments will help catalyze additional investments on the Midway Shopping Center site consistent with the Snelling Station Area Plan.”

A win-win for soccer fans and the city, right? Not exactly.

Economists have found scant evidence that stadiums generate ancillary development. And even if they did, the owners of the Minnesota United franchise are not spending $150 million on a soccer stadium just so folks will patronize nearby businesses. They want to capture as much of the revenue as possible. The rosy language spelled out in the City Council resolution is either a demonstration of incredible naiveté or an attempt to temporarily placate a skeptical public while the terms of the deal are hammered out behind closed doors.

St. Paul taxpayers have been to this rodeo before.

The Saints’ ballpark quest started out as innocently as did the push for a soccer stadium: a modest $25 million venue for which the Saints would provide 60 percent of the funding. However, by the time the project was completed, the cost had ballooned to $63 million and the Saints contribution had fallen to $2.5 million. For that minimal investment, the team was awarded all ballpark revenue, including naming rights for CHS Field

The city gets no revenue, the ballpark is exempt from property taxes, and taxpayers are on the hook for annual bond payments of $625,000 for the next 25 years.

The same mayor and virtually the same city council that approved funding the Saints boondoggle now wants us to believe that the soccer stadium deal will be different because the owners have agreed to cover the entire cost of the construction.

This pattern of stadium shenanigans has been repeated time and again for the past 25 years. Anybody who believes “this time it will be different” is either not paying attention or deluding themselves.

Bill McGuire, head of the group that owns Minnesota United, is not a benevolent owner looking to bring soccer to the masses. One need not venture far on the Internet to read about the stock options manipulation that McGuire engineered while leading United Health Group, and the record $468 million settlement he reached with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Pohlad family wealth is not one characterized by munificence, either, and their fleecing of Hennepin County for Target Field is a good indication of how they view paying for a new soccer stadium.

The mayor’s sudden interest in the long-neglected former bus barn site has nothing to do with revitalizing the Midway. Rather, it’s about carrying water for a couple of billionaires so they can leverage the deal they actually want in Minneapolis. If that deal happens, the mayor might have found some wealthy backers to help finance his anticipated run for governor in 2018. And if it fails, the mayor has another shiny building to pursue that he hopes will distract the public from the decaying infrastructure throughout St. Paul.

Last year the city, Met Council, and Midway Center owner RK Midway hired Urban Investment Group of Denver to "facilitate development of a strategic path forward for achieving high quality transit-oriented development on the Snelling Midway Super-Block." UIG concluded that “the site represents a significant opportunity for transformative redevelopment due to a variety of conditions, including the site’s ownership, access and visibility, land use regulations, central location, vibrant context, and adjacency to enormous new public investments in transit."

There was no mention of a stadium as a catalyst for development.

Tom Goldstein has spent more than a decade opposing public subsidies for sports stadiums. A lawyer and former school board member, he is a candidate for city council in St. Paul’s Ward 4.

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Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

If St. Paul residents are wondering why the public ended up footing the bill for a $7 million cleanup of the CHS Ballpark site after the Port Authority purchased the Gillette Building without including a standard clause that would have indemnified the city for pollution costs, the recent selection process for a new Port Authority President should set off all sorts of similar alarm bells.

The Port Authority is essentially the development arm of the city, but its track record is dubious at best. According to a 2011 StarTribune article, "Between 1974 and 1991, the Port Authority issued about $429 million in development bonds that paid for 139 projects, including warehouses and industrial parks designed to broaden the tax base. But more than 60 percent of the value of those projects evaporated in the real estate bust of the late 1980s."
http://www.startribune.com/st-paul-port-authority-lawsuit-ends-with-settlement-ok-d/132752538/

So here we have a government agency striking deals that make Donald Trump seem like a savvy investor. As a result of the agency's mismanagement--that's what you call it when investments lose 60% of their value--"Bondholders will receive 20 cents on the dollar in interest for their holdings, said attorney Keith Broady, who represented them. So the holder of $5,000 in bonds would receive $1,000."

Normally, an organization or entity that squanders 80% of investor value goes out of business or is declared bankrupt; at the very least, the agency would be completely reconstituted with aggressive oversight, transparency, and accountability. But that's not the St. Paul way.

Instead, we treat malfeasance and insider corruption by ignoring it. That might explain why the Port Authority is the lead agency for managing the cleanup up of the polluted Bus Barn site.

You can't make this stuff up.

Kudos to Peter Callaghan and MinnPost for actually doing investigative journalism in the Twin Cities.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Tom Goldstein, who lives near the proposed site, says it's another stadium the area doesn't need.

"What I want to see is something that will actually create real job growth and address the poverty,” he said. Goldstein also worries about the impact on the neighborhood, including traffic congestion and parking.

Others believe a Major League Soccer stadium will improve the area.

"We want to see something happen there, something that kick starts the Midway Center because it’s abysmal right now," said resident Dan Buck.

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Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Wait? You can play professional soccer at the $1.1 billion US Bank Field?

So let's build a soccer-only facility in St. Paul because we have nothing better to do with $20 million of taxpayer money targeted for stadium infrastructure?

How about if St. Paul gets over its juvenile parochialism, forces McGuire and Wilf to become partners or LL and tenant, and let Minnesota United play in the "People's Stadium"?

Then we can use that $20 million to fix infrastructure throughout the city while the cleanup funds from DEED and the Met Council will prepare the Bus Barn site to be marketed to the many developers who will be interested in a shovel-ready site that was never before offered them.

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Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Hamline-Midway resident Tom Goldstein, a consistent stadium critic, told the council the plan defeats its own aims.

“The main goal of the master plan was to establish a block and street grid,” Goldstein said. “The construction of the stadium, where it is located, will obliterate that ability. … You will only have a street and block grid in a portion of the site. It completely defeats what was a driving purpose, to have a neighborhood feel there.”

Goldstein and others expressed doubt about the findings of a recent environmental assessment that predicted light rail, shuttle buses and a potential network of private parking lots will deter parking on residential streets.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

A year ago the City Council passed a resolution stating that it would not support a tax exemption for the soccer stadium unless the "City has strong, specific evidence that the stadium and public infrastructure investments will help catalyze additional investments in the Midway Shopping Center site consistent with the Snelling Station Area Plan"

To date, we have no such evidence--no commitments beyond a soccer stadium--and R.K. Midway, owner of the Midway Shopping Center, has made it clear that they do not want to be bound by density requirements found in the Snelling Station Area Plan.

So will the City Council reject the master plan and refuse to provide infrastructure investments intended to primarily benefit the team and R.K. Midway? No chance. That would require honoring their own commitments and being accountable to the taxpaying public.

Today's "public" hearing will be more of the same "dog and pony" show that has characterized all past presentations about the soccer stadium--with the usual promises about revitalization of the Midway when in fact this is nothing more than clearing the way for another city-subsidized real estate deal to benefit wealthy developers, which is apparently the primary mission of the City Council.

Like it or not, a week from now the majority of the Council will vote to approve the master plan. And five years from now when all the promised development has failed to materialize, we'll simply be told how "wonderful" MLS soccer is for the community so "it was all worth it."

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Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

ST. PAUL PORT AUTHORITY AWARDED $1.55 MILLION IN CLEANUP FUNDING FOR BUS BARN SITE

The irony of this is how city officials told attendees at public meetings about the Midway redevelopment that the cleanup for the Bus Barn site (to benefit Minnesota United) agreed to by city wouldn't cost taxpayers anything because the city would be applying for "outside grants."

Well, last time I checked, we all pay taxes to the State of Minnesota, so if it's a grant awarded by the state that's still taxpayer money. True, it's not exclusively St. Paul taxpayer money, but just like the $25.5 million awarded the city to help build the Saints ballpark, this is money not being awarded to, for example, build new rec centers or soccer fields or a sound barrier along 94 long sought after by Union Park residents or workforce housing--or take your pick. (And the Met Council, also a state agency, has agreed to pick up an additional $4.5 million in cleanup costs for the site.)

Just one more way the state is complicit in using tax dollars to fund the goals of billionaires like Bill McGuire and his cronies. Because we now know that the only thing close to certain about the Midway redevelopment is a soccer stadium surrounded by parking lots.

It's also worth noting that the press release (snipped below) says the cleanup will cover a 20.85 acre site. The Bus Barn site is only ten acres--it DEED throwing in a freebie for RK Midway as well?

And this: the $1.55 million is nearly 3x the largest award to any other jurisdiction that received cleanup funds. And none of those requests were for stadium projects.

"The St. Paul Port Authority was awarded $1.55 million in cleanup funding for this 20.85-acre site contaminated with petroleum and other pollutants. Formerly used for streetcar construction and maintenance, and bus storage and maintenance, the site will be redeveloped into a 20,000-seat major league soccer stadium. It is anticipated that the project will create 120 jobs and retain 105 jobs. Matching costs will be paid by the developer and other grant sources."

http://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/?id=249636

Oh, so now the Police Federations are interested in union solidarity with their brothers and sisters? Where was that community love during the RNC? Where was the love for their union brother Philando--and the outrage when he was shot?

The Police Federations have never been involved in a meaningful way with the broader union movement, and it's complete hypocrisy for them to claim some kind of solidarity now. If they want to show solidarity, praise their union brothers and sisters for their peaceful protests and be gentle with anybody they have to arrest for trespass or unlawful assembly.

And if the Federation presidents are suddenly claiming to be part of the broader union movement, let's hear their agenda for job creation and what they plan to do to bring about the kind of economic and social change that will reduce gun violence and community strife. What's their plan for easing tensions with those groups in the community that they regularly treat with contempt and derision?

Because of BLM's focus on police shootings, white America has finally woken up to the silent epidemic of violence against communities of color that has been going on for decades--and statisticians finally started looking at and publishing the shocking numbers. That's accountability that cops don't want--in Ferguson or in Minneapolis. The more this scrutiny reveals the militarization of police departments, the use of traffic stops to extract fees that fund local government, and other unpleasant details, the more exposed cops feel on the job. So they want to shift the focus away from them to anybody else they can find.

Kind of like what we're witnessing at the RNC, where it is the recent tragic shooting of police officers in Baton Rouge and Dallas that is the outrage rather than all the killings and shooting of unarmed individuals at the hands of police. We should be outraged at any act of murder, and until cops start protesting as much about the heinous acts of their brothers in blue as they do about "far too many people being too quick to judge police officers' actions," the Federation presidents should keep their mouths shut.

Police union heads decry teacher protest for Castile

mprnews.org

Leaders of the Minneapolis and St. Paul police unions say Twin Cities teachers unions showed "blatant disrespect for law enforcement" by protesting the killing of Castile in downtown Minneapolis during Tuesday rush hour.

It's great that the city is "expanding rec center and library hours to 8:00 p.m.," but why is this only possible during a heat wave?

Shouldn't our priority be to have these facilities open every night to 9:00 p.m? Somehow we have no budget to do that, but endless funds to provide "infrastructure" for stadiums and subsidize condo developments?

And we wonder why kids get into trouble?

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Connect Saint Paul's post.

Connect Saint Paul

ST. PAUL CITY COUNCIL'S PLAN TO ADDRESS DIGITAL DIVIDE? COMCAST AND CENTURY LINK.

Nearly a month ago, Connect Saint Paul contacted all members of the St. Paul City Council to see if they planned to ever take any action on the resolution adopted at the 2015 DFL City Convention that the "City of Saint Paul provide for an affordable city-wide 'fiber to the premise' broadband network."

The answer to that question is apparently no, as none of the city council members except Jane Prince replied to our query. Mind you, CSP asked three basic questions--detailed in our post of June 29th below--and in typical fashion of how the Council operates, all other council members chose not to go on the record with simple "yes" or "no" answers.

Apparently since the city upgraded its broadband network for city employees, that's good enough for council members who have no plan for addressing the digital divide except relying on the high prices and deplorable customer service characteristic of both Comcast and CenturyLink.

Stay tuned as CSP moves forward with a series of community forums to address the ongoing digital divide. And, if you're not happy with the council's lack of action, please contact your council member and let him or her know of your dissatisfaction.

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Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

The billion dollar monstrosity is arguably the culmination of Minnesota's shift from a progressive beacon in the Midwest circa 1970s to an interest-group dominated culture that panders to the 10% who dominate the political parties.

Remember, this is the state that said no to public funding for a Twins stadium as recently as 1999. But eventually elected officials (including most of the St. Paul legislative delegation) capitulated to all the petty egos among the movers and shakers, personified by mouthpiece Sid Hartman, who promoted the "cold Omaha" nonsense if we didn't meet every ridiculous demand by professional sports teams. The Vikings could have built an opulent outdoor stadium with the $425 million they allegedly contributed to the stadium cost--and we'd have a stadium just like Lambeau Field in Green Bay and more than half the football venues across the country.

But the team wanted an upgrade on the ridiculous Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and Gov. Dayton along with every legislative leader was only too happy to give it to them. And let's not forget that all the promises about "no general fund" monies being used to pay for the stadium--remember the electronic pulltabs fiasco?--were outright lies. Nearly $30 million per year of taxpayer money for the next 25-30 years will pay for this boondoggle--the ultimate example of corporate subsidy abuse run amok.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared NBCBLK's video.

I am always amazed that at times of great national strife, certain individuals are able to cut through all the static and capture the heart of an issue in such a profound and moving way. Dr. Williams has done so in this case, as has Dallas Police Chief David Brown. This is what genuine leadership looks like, and I don't find it all ironic that this leadership is being provided by two exemplary black men who have risen to the top of their professions at the same time that a black man has risen to the office of President of the United States.

NBCBLK

Dr. Brian Williams, the surgeon who tended to dying Dallas officers, gets emotional has he discusses his personal struggle in supporting police while at the same time fearing law enforcement as a Black man in America.

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Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT DONE SO BUT STILL WISH TO WEIGH IN ON THE AUAR FOR THE SOCCER STADIUM, DEADLINE IS TOMORROW AT 4:00 P.M. (See below)

The Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) analyzes environmental impacts of the redevelopment as envisioned in the Master Plan and serves as a roadmap for planners and developers as future development deals on the property are proposed. The Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) published notice of availability of the City of Saint Paul’s comprehensive environmental review of the entire 34.5 acre site at Snelling-Midway area in Saint Paul on Monday, June 6, 2016, opening the 30-day public comment period on the review, ending July 6, 2016.

Anyone may provide substantive comments on the review for consideration by City staff. Substantive comments are comments that address the accuracy and completeness of the materials contained in the AUAR and/or potential impacts not addressed that may warrant further investigation before any proposed projects can begin.

Comments on the AUAR must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 6, 2016, and can be provided via email at , or in writing to:

Joshua Williams, Senior Planner
Department of Planning and Economic Development
25 W. Fourth Street – CHA 1300
Saint Paul, MN 55102

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Connect Saint Paul's post.

Connect Saint Paul

Sent one week ago to St. Paul City Council Members. We will post responses here.

Dear Councilmember:

More than a year ago, at the St. Paul DFL City Convention, delegates overwhelmingly approved a resolution brought forward by Connect Saint Paul that the City should pursue a community broadband initiative. In support of that resolution were three specific “asks” of city officials to further the goal of bringing affordable, high-speed fiber to St. Paul (I have also attached a copy of the original lit piece):

1. That the City of Saint Paul reconvene an independent citywide broadband task force before the end of 2015 with the stated purpose of developing within two years the necessary framework for designing, building, and financing a citywide fiber-optic network;

2. That the Mayor direct the Department of Public Works (or other appropriate entity) to begin mapping the existing broadband assets within the city to determine what technological gaps may need to be overcome to achieve a citywide fiber network; and

3. That the City of Saint Paul immediately adopt “dig once” policies for all construction projects so that an assessment can be made in real time whether the city should deploy fiber at a particular location if deemed integral to the development or expansion of a citywide fiber network.

Unfortunately, since the adoption of that resolution, neither City Administration nor the City Council has taken any meaningful action on these suggestions. It is also worth noting that both the proposed Snelling-Midway Redevelopment Master Plan and the Ford Site redevelopment do not include any mention of fiber readiness or fiber access, a failure that will have significant consequences given the much greater cost of installing fiber or conduit after construction and infrastructure improvements have already been completed.

In an effort to change the dialogue about high-speed internet in our city, Connect Saint Paul is formally asking each Councilmember to weigh in on the above three items—and plans to publish your responses on our Facebook page @connectsaintpaul and website, http://www.connectsaintpaul.com.

Do you support item #1 above, yes or no?

Do you support item #2 above, yes or no?

Do you support item #3 above, yes or no?

If you are not familiar with the value of community broadband and genuine competition in the marketplace, you might be interested in what has been happening in Chattanooga, TN, the largest municipally-run gigabit network in the U.S.

https://www.thenation.com/article/chattanooga-was-a-typical-post-industrial-city-then-it-began-offering-municipal-broadband/

http://money.cnn.com/2014/05/20/technology/innovation/chattanooga-internet/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2013/09/17/how-chattanooga-beat-google-fiber-by-half-a-decade/

http://www.wired.com/2015/10/chattanooga-is-offering-internet-faster-than-google-fiber/

Please respond to the above questions at your earliest convenience—and no later than July 15, 2016. Thanks for your consideration.

Best,

Tom Goldstein

********************************************
Connect Saint Paul
1399 Sherburne Ave
St. Paul, MN 55104
http://www.connectsaintpaul.com
651.644.8558
Follow us on Facebook
@connectsaintpaul

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Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Regardless of whether LRT is perceived as a good use of transit dollars or not, the argument that it was going to greatly stimulate development along the Green Line is unproven thus far. Condos and market rate housing at the western end near Minneapolis but very little happening to the east. And where are the jobs?

St. Paul may have increased its job base by 7 percent since 2011, but overall job growth in the last decade is flat. When will we recognize that we need sustainable, living wage jobs generated by private industry, something that most real estate deals and national retail chains are not going to create?

"While Minneapolis and St. Paul have increased their job base by 7 percent since 2011, the collaborative found that job growth averaged less than half that along the Green Line corridor, with wide variation from neighborhood to neighborhood. Some segments of the Green Line have yet to regain jobs lost since light rail construction began nearly six years ago.

"In fact, rather than gentrify, median household incomes along the corridor have dropped, and median home values still lag where they were in 2011."

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

For those who are interested, here is the cover letter and public comments I submitted to the Planning Commission to supplement my testimony on Friday.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

For those who are interested, here is the cover letter and public comments Tom submitted to the Planning Commission to supplement his testimony on Friday.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Occupy Democrats's photo.

The most powerful country in the world can hunt down the man who masterminded 9-11, unleash drone strikes all over the globe, and spend 60% of our annual budget on the military. All in the name of "keeping America safe."

Yet we can do nothing to stop gun violence right here at home?

Let's stop pretending that we value human lives more than the profits of gun merchants here and abroad. Or finally do something to end the killing.

Not just in Orlando or San Jose or Sandy Hook, but in Homs and Fallujah and Benghazi and Kandahar. The weapons trade must stop.

Otherwise, we are consigned to a future that will look much like the past.
One in which the perversion of the 2nd Amendment becomes the constitutional right to commit mass murder.

This is the twisted legacy we are handing to our children and grandchildren.

Occupy Democrats

The shooter in Orlando used an AR-15, the same semi-automatic assault rifle used in Newtown and Aurora. There is no constitutional right to easily slaughter 50 people. End of discussion.

Image by Occupy Democrats, like our page for more.

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Rare article (or headline) that acknowledges the soccer stadium might not be wildly popular with the public.

"McGuire said the stadium is an ideal fit for the area and will help revitalize the neighborhood.

"Yet opponents are calling for the city to go back to the drawing board. Tom Goldstein said he doesn't think a professional sports stadium is a good successor to a Cold War-era shopping center.

"We have a superblock in the form of a strip mall, that we're attempting to break up and to create a city and grid. We're completely foiling that plan by then imposing a large stadium that is greater than the superblock that we're attempting to break up," said Goldstein. "In addition, this proposed grid will be completely disrupted because almost a quarter of the site will be hogged by a stadium."

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Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

For those who are interested, here's a rather long rant/exchange I had with Fred Melo of the St. Paul Pioneer Press on the St. Paul Issues Forum regarding media coverage of the soccer stadium. 🙂

Fred:

I’m not at all suggesting any of the things you’ve attributed to me. Verbatim quotes would be boring, as would every utterance of stadium proponents versus opponents. Your interview with a dozen Midway residents was balanced and fair. However, it came well after two sports features focused on the team: one article including interviews with a handful of residents who cited the stadium as a factor—not the factor—for moving into the Midway (which suddenly means that we have an “urban trend”) and the darling profile about the Minnesota United fan club.

I’m not claiming you have any influence or input into these other stories or even the headlines that accompany your articles, but the pro stadium bias in the daily newspapers is without question—even though I’ve never once run into a reporter who would admit it. Ask yourself why the rare articles like the neighborhood profile you wrote are dwarfed by incessant coverage of nearly every single detail regarding a stadium bill at the legislature, utterances by business leaders, pro-stadium editorials, and so on.

And why is every single article about the stadium always accompanied by an illustration of the stadium, courtesy of Minnesota United? Even you aren’t so young that you’re unaware of subliminal advertising or the cumulative affect of showing the same image over and over again. We saw it with the Vikings stadium, the Saints ballpark, and now the soccer stadium—long before any bills were passed or even legislation was written. Perhaps you’ve become so used to covering the horse race that the substance doesn’t matter, but the number of slanted articles far exceeds the very few that might suggest there are problems or concerns with such projects that need to be considered—like the one you cite below.

And when I say “slanted,” I mean regular deference to the city or the Chamber of the Commerce or the legislature for any information about these projects. No one ever says, “Mr. Mayor, we heard from you once before, so we know your position”—yet I’ve heard that dozens of times from reporters over the years even if I was making the most valid argument in the room. I understand that elected officials get priority by virtue of their office, but should it be the substance of the arguments—or who is making them—that matters?

And why is it that no one in the media—apart from City Pages—has bothered to write one word about Bill McGuire’s self-dealing at United Health Group, his $468 million stock disgorgement to the SEC, or the $7 million civil penalty he paid in 2007 to settle charges related to the stock options backdating scheme he orchestrated as CEO of that organization? If every other article you or any other reporter wrote about the stadium was accompanied by a sidebar outlining McGuire’s civil fraud charges and settlement—rather than a picture of the stadium—I suspect we’d be having an entirely different conversation about professional soccer in St. Paul than the one we’re having now. Yet not one word about McGuire’s past—except to talk about his charitable efforts like the Gold Medal Park in Minneapolis.

The cumulative effect is an overwhelming “pro soccer/stadium is good” message, and a handful of articles that might qualify as objective analysis don’t come anywhere close to balancing the scale of unequal coverage on this issue. I’m sorry that today’s reporters have to operate in that kind of milieu, but it’s been this way through all the stadium battles the last two decades. And any time I try to lobby a public official or legislator about concerns with the stadium proposal, they either refuse to meet or talk about things like “people moving into the Midway to be near the soccer stadium” or “the bus barn site hasn’t paid taxes for years”—and cite the local newspapers as their source!

Think that’s hyperbole? Here’s what the Met Council told the Federal Transportation Administration in its joint development application for support of the stadium project: “According to media reports, the value of the Stadium construction is estimated at $150 M and surrounding development is estimated to have construction value of approximately $450 M.”

Got that? The media, relying on completely unsubstantiated claims by the city that a stadium will catalyze surrounding development worth $450 million, becomes the data source for an FTA application submitted by the Met Council. You can’t make this stuff up.

An objective analysis of the stadium would reveal that the project is unlikely to yield any significant benefits for St. Paul beyond the so-called “intangible value” of having professional soccer here. Yet one would never come away with that impression by reading any of the media coverage in the Twin Cities. (And if one did read that in the papers, he or she would never see such an article more than once.)

If the goal of the fourth estate is to enlighten readers, the media is failing miserably in St. Paul—at least when it comes to stadium projects. (We can talk about media coverage of the Saints ballpark and the Macy’s redevelopment another time.)

End of rant in respectful disagreement.

Best,

Tom Goldstein

-----Original Message-----
From: Frederick Melo [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2016 9:29 PM
To:
Cc: ;
Subject: Re: [SPIF] June 7th Public Open House - Concordia University

True, Tom, daily newspapers don't do much meeting play-by-play, quoting each speaker and audience member verbatim. But when you're done counting quotes, maybe revisit the lengthy section of the same piece that used actual ridership data from other stadiums to critique and balance out the city's assessment. It's posted below at the end of this responsorial.

You seem fixated on the idea that Twin Cities reporters must quote each critic who shows up at a meeting. Unless a decisive vote has been taken, most daily news sources don't do that kind of meeting play-by-play coverage, by and large. They cover issues, moreso than act as stenographers at discussions.

That said, take a gander at our recent interviews with a dozen Midway residents and business owners:

http://www.twincities.com/2016/05/13/thoughts-on-minnesota-united-soccer-stadium-vary-in-midway/

We didn't limit ourselves to the fine folks who show up at meetings (most of whom are age 50+, Caucasian, often longtime homeowners, not that there's anything wrong with that). Instead, we spoke to what I'd go out on a limb to say is a more representative sample of the community. And the views were indeed quite mixed and nuanced, from all age groups. Their questions included but went far beyond parking concerns.

As for the lack of play by play, not regurgitating those concerns in the piece that ran today allowed ample room to explore the following additional facts, which I think are quite interesting and hopefully move the discussion forward:

"(The city's) findings have skeptics scratching their heads and highlighting the experience of other Twin Cities stadiums, where public transit use is more limited.

Currently, 27 percent of Vikings fans get to games on public transit, though that figure is expected to break 30 percent in the new stadium, according to the team.

Metro Transit says that about 14 percent of baseball fans take public transit to Twins games and about 13 percent of Gophers football fans take mass transit to TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota.

At CHS Field, the new home of the St. Paul Saints in Lowertown, roughly 10 to 15 percent of patrons took the light rail downtown last year, its opening season. About 5 percent or “maybe a little less ride bikes, and I couldn’t tell you a specific number on walkers or the park-and-ride shuttles,” said Sean Aronson, a Saints spokesman."

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Speaking at the "open house" about the Snelling-Midway Redevelopment on Tuesday evening.

I suggested that using an assumption that nearly 70 percent of those who attend soccer games would come by light rail or shuttle buses was a bit like planning for a robust summer tourist business in December because there would be no snow.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure anybody at City Hall got the analogy. The commitment to the stadium is so ingrained that nothing short of a lawsuit or major political scandal will derail it.

Sadly, even if the stadium gets built, the public largess won't end there. The only way we will get developer interest with a stadium anchoring the site is by a huge TIF subsidy or the public agreeing to pay for the structured parking. So plan on another $40 or $50 million if we want more than a stadium surrounded by parking lots.

It doesn't have to be this way, of course, but we have the government we deserve so we better learn to live with more circuses. 🙁

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Almost every public comment at the last two open houses has expressed concerns about parking, traffic, noise, etc.--and many people don't even get to ask their questions.

Yet every article we see in the Pioneer Press suggests an even division of opinion. Why is that? If the room had been packed with a hundred team supporters, we know the headline would have been "Soccer Fans Wild About New Stadium." But a room full of concerned citizens is merely reduced to generic "skeptics," and the city's completely unrealistic scenario of how transit and parking issues will be addressed presented as credible rather than treated with the derision it deserves.

The team is hoping "urban millennials" who regularly use mass transit will become their fan base? So Minnesota United is going to abandon all their suburban fans who have supported the team all these years? Complete nonsense. Certainly some St. Paul-based millennials are already fans of the team, but unless tickets will run $5-10 per game, this is about as realistic as an annual sailing regatta on the Mississippi taking hold and boosting the economy.

Even when confronting reality, the mayor's minions will find an upside to his stadium ambitions. But let's get real: they're going to find a way to build the stadium unless there's a lawsuit or some major scandal--and the Midway will become a park-and-ride lot during soccer events. Just tell the truth.

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"Tom Goldstein, an opponent of the stadium who lives in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood, said the drafting error is an opportunity for city and state leaders to revisit the project. Goldstein said the soccer stadium is another example of sports team owners benefiting at the expense of taxpayers.

"The only reason they want the tax exemption is because they want the risk of professional soccer to be borne by the community rather than them," he said. "If it's not a moneymaker then why are they investing in it?"

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Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Sadly, the AUAR is a joke. Although the document is presented as a highly technical study, it is nothing more than guesswork based on untested assumptions such as "event manager experience" rather than fan surveys, experiences with the current soccer facility in Blaine, or even the demographics of existing MU fans

Instead, the "study" simply estimates the capacity for LRT, BRT, and shuttles, then concludes people will use these other modes of transit because they exist. What's missing is the "why?", as in why would someone drive up to the State Fairgrounds, wait 20-30 minutes for a shuttle to the stadium, wait another 20-30 minutes (or even up to an hour, according to the study) to take a shuttle back to the State Fairgrounds--when they could park right within the neighborhoods adjacent to the stadium?

Will the city ban event parking in the neighborhoods? If so, will that hurt attendance because people won't want to deal with the hassle of waiting for shuttles and the time it takes to fight traffic to a remote site?

And who's going to pay for all those shuttle buses and extra LRT cars?

The lack of genuine analysis in the AUAR raises far more questions than it answers. What it confirms is that a stadium will likely be built and "we'll just figure out the traffic issues later." Sounds like a plan.

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"Tom Goldstein, a St. Paul resident who has repeatedly raised concerns about the stadium, said he is concerned that research on transportation around the site was not completed earlier. He said there is a “sense of foreboding” about future traffic and parking impacts.

“It’s very clear to me how this is happening that it’s not based on science or really good planning,” he said.

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I'm sure Dayton's veto of the tax bill is just a temporary setback for the stadium, but the Pioneer Press seems so intent on pushing this shiny bauble on the public that they can't even keep the facts straight in reporting on the story.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Rather interesting statement in Stassen-Berger's article:

"The bill includes tax breaks that would have saved Minnesota taxpayers more than $800 million over the next three years:

The first item she lists is "Minnesota United’s request for a property tax exemption for their planned pro-soccer stadium site at Interstate 94 and Snelling Avenue in St. Paul."

How does that save Minnesota taxpayers money?

And note the changed headline for this article as well:

"Minnesota’s popular tax-cut bill likely dying at midnight"

Undoubtedly there are some good things in this bill, but "property tax relief for all Minnesota businesses by exempting the first $100,000 of market value from the state tax levy, a $149 million reduction" and the soccer stadium tax exemption are not.

Why must we tear down another historic building? When you examine the hundreds of millions being spent all around the county on various projects, why can't the county save this building?

And once it's gone, then what? More luxury condos on the Mississippi? Shortsighted and stupid.

Photos: A look back at the West Publishing riverfront

mprnews.org

As Ramsey County prepares to tear down the former headquarters of West Publishing and the old Ramsey County Jail, it's a good chance to take a look back at photos that illustrate the history of West Publishing, and the St. Paul riverfront.

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STANDARD STADIUM SCAM COMES FULL CIRCLE

Remember the beautiful rendering unveiled last year of all those wonderful buildings, hotels, green space, etc. that were going to rise up around the soccer stadium? You know, the "catalytic development" that the stadium was going to inspire?

Today we learned what anybody being honest knew all along:
Instead of all sorts of transit-oriented development, retail, housing, high-rises, and hotels--we're going to get a stadium surrounded by parking lots.

Oh sure, we're told, that's just the "preliminary" plan of what the site will look like in 2018. Wait until the stadium opens. That's when everybody takes notice and the building boom begins!

Absolutely.

Good-bye Rainbow, Big Top, Midway Bowl, and PearleVision. Some businesses might relocate, but most will presumably take a buyout. Walgreen's will likely end up at the corner in the old American Bank Building which was always RK Midway's hope--and why RK principal Rick Birdoff "overpaid" for the vacant bank property three years ago.

Rest assured that five or ten years from now when all we have is a stadium and some retail development along the edges--which had always been part of RK Midway's expansion plan--no politician who backed this project will ever admit this rushed adventure was something less than transformative. Or a poor use of limited public funds.

Nope. Dirt pile gone. Shiny new stadium built. Everyone wins!!

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SESSION IMPLODES AT MIDNIGHT OVER ROADS, PUBLIC WORKS

The legislature could not reach agreement on transportation spending or a bonding bill, but fortunately they approved a package of tax cuts that included a tax exemption for the soccer stadium land.

Nice work, St. Paul legislators. You really brought home the bacon for constituents this session. 🙁

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Really impressive to see city officials and the leaders of the two parties work so hard to make sure that Bill McGuire and his billionaire partners get a tax exemption on the bus barn site. 🙁

“For hardworking Minnesotans, relief is on the way,” House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, said.

"The measure includes a property tax exemption the city of St. Paul wanted for the planned soccer stadium in the Midway area. But it does not include a tax exemption for construction materials used to build the stadium. The city can apply for those later."

Make sure to thank Sen. Pappas and Rep. Moran for their advocacy on behalf of the neediest folks in our community.....

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HOW TO WRITE AN AWESOME LETTER TO THE LEGISLATURE!

To the Conference Committee:

I'm appalled that a tax abatement for the bus barn site in St. Paul is even being considered, given the fact that this is likely one of the most coveted sites for developers in the Twin Cities--had it been offered for sale in a fair and transparent process--and with no need whatsoever for any kind of taxpayer subsidization. It's been a mockery to public process and just plain common sense. Twin Cities taxpayers have been overwhelmingly adamant with regards to NOT subsidizing for-profit sports teams with stadiums, and this opens up even more of a goody-bag, hand-delivered to a hand-picked consortium of developers/investors who are cravenly asking for subsidies they don't need.

I've lived in this area for over 20 years, and getting through and around the Snelling/94/University intersections is a challenge on a good day. I understand that this particular area is ripe for redevelopment--and support that if it's respectful and cognizant of the overall good of the nearby businesses and residents, as well as the citizens of St. Paul who will likely bear many of the tangible and intangible costs. However, small businesses which have suffered through the Green Line construction process and are barely hanging on will surely suffer even more with the development as currently proposed--if they survive at all with the inevitable higher lease prices, higher property taxes, and overall disruption due to even more construction and more intense traffic on game/event days. I shudder to think of what could and would happen with this poorly-planned, so-called "development plan" which has come straight from the office of a mayor who, in recent years, has repeatedly sold out the voters who elected him (myself included) in the interests of his broader political aspirations.

Enough is enough. At the very least, the development of this site deserves an approach which is more thoughtful and transparent, vs. the end-run which the St. Paul mayor's office has tried to pull off. This is not a high bar. Please push back on this and insist that the best use of this site be explored within the broader context of what is right for the surrounding community and the citizens of St. Paul.

Thank you for your consideration.

Lori Brostrom
St. Paul, MN

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SOCCER STADIUM - YES OR NO? TIME TO ACT!!

Dear Friend:

Only one week left for the legislature to either approve or deny the city's request for maintaining a tax exemption on the bus barn site in the Midway. One week to see whether the city is going to again put politics before people so that billionaire Bill McGuire and his wealthy partners can build a soccer stadium on a site which the public will be asked to pay for $18.4 million in infrastructure improvements specific to the stadium and up to $6 million in cleanup costs only available for this project.

Thirty years of economic studies demonstrate unequivocally that stadiums don't "catalyze development," yet this time it will be different? Not likely. But we will see more traffic, more congestion at the most polluted intersection in the entire state, tax breaks for billionaires--and little else.

Tomorrow the Tax Conference Committee is scheduled to take up an Omnibus Tax Bill at 12 noon. IF THERE IS NOT EVIDENCE OF OPPOSITION TO THE STADIUM TAX EXEMPTION, rest assured that the overall "tax package" will include language favoring the exemption. And if that language is included in the final bill that goes to the floor, every elected official will have political cover--they can claim they "didn't support the stadium exemption" but didn't want to oppose the larger tax bill.

IF YOU WANT SOMETHING BETTER FOR ST. PAUL, PLEASE WEIGH IN NOW!

The Conference Committee that will consider the tax bill consists of five members from the Senate and five members from the House. A majority of members on the committee from each body must approve the final language. THAT MEANS IT WOULD TAKE JUST THREE SENATORS OR THREE REPRESENTATIVES TO OPPOSE THE EXEMPTION and keep it from becoming part of the bill.

Will you devote a few minutes to email conferees and let them know you oppose the tax exemption for the stadium?

Your message should be simple:

"I oppose the tax exemption for the bus barn site because it will do nothing to increase the tax base in St. Paul; will result in more traffic, parking, and noise in the surrounding neighborhood; increase pollution at the most congested intersection in the entire state (Snelling and University); and eliminate existing businesses and jobs in the Midway Shopping Center.

"Because none of you represent St. Paul, I urge you to consider the concerns of the Midway community that unfortunately our elected representatives to the legislature have chosen to ignore."

(Of course, you may also craft your own email which is always better--suggested talking points are attached.)

Committee Co-Chairs
(D)
(R)

Committee Members

(R)
Sen. Ann Rest (D)
(D)
(D)
(R)
(R)
(D)
(R)

St. Paul Bill Sponsors

Sen. Sandy Pappas (SD 65)
Sen. Dick Cohen (SD 64)
Rep. Rena Moran (65A)
Rep. Carlos Mariani (65B)
Rep. Tim Mahoney (67A)

Best,

Tom

Tom Goldstein
Neighbors Against Corporate Subsides
651.644.8558

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TALKING POINTS TO SHARE WITH LEGISLATORS!

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

TALKING POINTS TO SHARE WITH LEGISLATORS

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Until today’s article by Fred Melo, newspaper coverage in the Pioneer Press regarding the proposed soccer stadium in the Midway has been largely devoid of neighborhood concerns or analysis of the intricacies of the deal and the lease. And even this piece goes out of its way to balance the pros and cons, something that has not been the case with pro stadium articles that have cherry-picked views from the immigrant community (“Immigrant populations add to enthusiasm for St. Paul soccer stadium, 8/03/15), focused on a handful of people buying homes in the Midway when those decisions were minimally connected to the stadium (“United fans already buying homes near planned MLS stadium site” 4/13/16), and, of course, paid tribute to “hard-core” Minnesota United fans (“As MLS approaches, Minnesota United's supporters' culture blossoms” 4/15/16).

Guess this is what passes for "balanced" journalism these days, but one objective piece for every forty biased pieces hardly constitutes balance.

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Here's our petition demanding community benefits and a ballot initiative before the state grants a tax exemption for the Bus Barn site and money is spent on new infrastructure. Please read the petition language, and if you agree, sign it and share with your friends. Thanks!

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Here is a sampling of questions that we have forwarded to the City, RK Midway, and Minnesota United for which we hope to provide answers at tomorrow night's community forum.

(We deliberately avoided asking about parking, traffic, and noise because we're confident neighbors who attend will bring those questions with them.)

WHO IS DR. BILL McGUIRE?

For more than a year now, we've been reading about Bill McGuire, the savior of soccer in Minnesota and benefactor who's willing to put $120-150 million of "his own money" (and that of his partners) into building a stadium in St. Paul's Midway.

However, there's another side to McGuire--one the local media has conveniently avoided writing about in its one-sided coverage of the stadium "debate." Specifically, that's the story about how McGuire was forced to "disgorge" $468 million in compensation and profits to settle stock fraud charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2007.

In an effort to promote transparency about the major player behind the stadium--a man whom St. Paul Chris Coleman has lionized and deemed worthy of a permanent tax exemption on the site of his stadium, as well as an $18.4 million public infrastructure contribution--this will be the first of several posts about McGuire's past activities and leadership of United Health Group, the most profitable company in Minnesota--and number 14 on the Fortune 500 list.

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While there was little discussion about the appropriateness of a license for the new stadium, it became an opportunity for one area resident to state his objections to the project as a whole – including the possibility that alcohol would be sold there, as neighborhood bars and restaurants could see a hit to their businesses.

“The goal of the [owners] is to capture as much revenue in the stadium,” said Tom Goldstein. He opposes the stadium saying the project has not been properly vetted. “We have pretty sketches, and whatever else that might get built depends upon market conditions.”

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Come if you want to have a say about the future of the Midway. And please invite your FB friends!

Community Forum on Soccer Stadium Unanswered Questions

Community Forum on Soccer Stadium Unanswered Questions

An opportunity for Midway-area residents to share their concerns about the proposed soccer stadium at Midway Center with elected officials and the community--and hopefully hear specific details from the city, RK Midway, and Minnesota United that will address the many unanswered questions about the related development plans as well as traffic and parking issues.

Although Wisconsin allows same day registration like Minnesota, here's what happens when that privilege is coupled with a Voter ID bill.

Wisconsin’s Voter ID Law Caused Major Problems at the Polls Last Night

thenation.com

Milwaukee—Dennis Hatten voted in Wisconsin yesterday, but it wasn’t easy for him, or thousands of other voters. Hatten spent months trying to get a voter ID and then had to make multiple trips to the polls to vote.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared a link.

An open letter to Mike Freeman: Evidence in Jamar Clark case does not exonerate officers

startribune.com

There are many questions, and few answers, and that calls for a trial.

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Here is a copy of Tom's email sent to Rep. Joe Hoppe, Chair of the House Committee on Commerce and Regulatory Reform. He cc'd all of the committee members, including Rep. Sheldon Johnson of St. Paul's east side.

Your email can be--and should be--much briefer. Please take five minutes to send an email, using the email links provided in the post below.

Rep. Joe Hoppe
Chair
Committee on Commerce and Regulatory Reform
Minnesota House of Representatives

Chair Hoppe:

I am writing you as a resident of St. Paul and recent candidate for city council in the city’s Ward 4 where a proposed stadium for the Minnesota United soccer team would be located approximately one-half mile from my home. While campaigning last fall, I personally knocked on nearly 3000 doors and had over 1000 conversations with neighbors. Of those many conversations, when the topic of a soccer stadium was discussed, nearly 90 percent of those who had an opinion opposed any public funding for such a project. Like me, and contrary to the claims that will be made in tomorrow’s committee hearing, they know very well that stadiums do not catalyze surrounding development.

While door-to-door conversations do not in themselves represent scientific polling, they are a far more valid measure of public sentiment than the phony public input process we have had thus far in St. Paul regarding this issue: one city council hearing in which opponents of this legislation were granted a mere 15 minutes to speak. (It was only two weeks later, after the city council had already voted on the matter, that residents were allotted another 15 minutes to ask questions at a public “open house” in which concerns about parking, traffic, and property tax increases that will likely result from the stadium were artfully deflected by the mayor with no substantive answers provided.)

Four years ago the city of St. Paul received a $27 million grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to help fund what, with cost overruns, became a $65 million ballpark for the St. Paul Saints. Currently the city is prepared to grant $11.2 million in tax increment financing for redevelopment of the vacant former Macy’s building downtown so that the Minnesota Wild can have a new practice facility, and another $18.4 million of infrastructure improvements primarily designed to benefit the proposed soccer stadium. That’s nearly $100 million devoted to professional sports facilities while St. Paul’s streets, bridges, and sewer infrastructure remain in a serious state of disrepair. At what point does the legislature say enough is enough?

As you may be aware, less than three years ago the state of Minnesota took over the city’s health inspections because of inadequate staffing, poor training, and incorrect filing of reports. At the time of the takeover, the city claimed a lack of resources was the reason for the problems with health inspections, and the mayor placed the blame on cuts to Local Government Aid (LGA). Yet St. Paul’s focus in the last decade has primarily been to get state aid for more sports facilities, a point made obvious by the city elevating the Saints ballpark to the number one capital funding project beginning in 2008. Meanwhile, several rec centers in the city have been razed or privatized.

While I have no expectation that the legislature can fix the mismanagement of our city by the current administration, I do not expect the legislature to help make matters worse by granting a tax exemption on a prime piece of real estate in the I-94 corridor that sits vacant because local government has made no real attempt to market the empty Bus Barn site until the potential for a soccer stadium was recognized. What other higher and best uses might be possible for this site if the city extended the same offer of $18.4 million in infrastructure improvements to interested businesses?

If Bill McGuire cannot afford to operate a soccer franchise in St. Paul unless he is granted a fifty-year exemption on property taxes, then he does not have a successful business model. The state most recently helped subsidize a $1 billion stadium for the Minnesota Vikings that will be used a mere 10 dates a year for football, yet we cannot find a way for that facility to also accommodate the needs of a soccer team because of egos among billionaires and a professional soccer league with the audacity to insist there must be a separate facility for soccer in order to award an MLS franchise in Minnesota?

This insanity must stop. Please do not support the city’s bid for a tax exemption on the Bus Barn site. I look forward to testifying against this bill at tomorrow’s committee hearing. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Tom Goldstein
Former St. Paul School Board Member

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For those who do not get the Highland Villager (unfortunately, it's not online), here's Tom's op-ed piece about the proposed soccer stadium in the Midway.

THE HIGH PRICE OF PHANTOM DEVELOPMENT

By Tom Goldstein

Last August, after little discussion and no opportunity for public input, the Saint Paul City Council voted unanimously in favor of a resolution to support the construction of a professional soccer stadium in St. Paul on the old Bus Barn site in the Midway. The resolution, sponsored by City Council President Russ Stark, pledged to permanently exempt that site from property taxes so long as the city has “strong, specific evidence that the stadium and public infrastructure investments will help catalyze additional investments on the Midway Shopping Center site consistent with the Snelling Station Area Plan.”

Since that time, the city’s effort to gather that strong, specific evidence has consisted of presentations by city staff and Minnesota United FC owner Bill McGuire to the Mayor’s hand-picked Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC). The two “open houses” on the proposed soccer stadium have limited public participation to small-group breakout sessions, ensuring that any concerns about the stadium, or opposition to it, would not be voiced before a larger audience.

The CAC has conducted something akin to a “visioning” process for the Midway site at bi-monthly meetings since late December, but those discussions have been largely hypothetical because no master plan was forthcoming from the team or RK Midway, the owner of the adjacent and long-neglected Midway Center. Then, in late February, the team and R.K. Midway, produced attractive artist renderings of what the site could look like—provided RK Midway can round up the estimated $450 million for its end of the project.

Though the daily newspapers treated the artist sketches as evidence that a genuine master plan is falling into place, the only progress R.K. Midway has made to date is “talking quietly with some prospective developers,” according to an article in the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal. And as RK Midway’s Rick Birdoff himself acknowledged in the same article, there is “no timeline for when the area around the stadium would be developed” and any future development would be “based on market demand.”

In other words, like many grand visions—remember Jerry Trooien’s ill-fated $1 billion “Bridges of St. Paul” entertainment complex planned for the West Side Flats a decade ago?—what might be possible for the Midway is nothing more than a concept. The only commitment Birdoff has is from McGuire to build a soccer stadium primarily on land owned by the Metropolitan Council and leased to the city.And even that deal hinges on approval from the Minnesota Legislature to permanently exempt the site from property taxes and waive all sales taxes on construction materials.
No matter. The entirely speculative redevelopment vision was enough evidence for the City Council to approve—over the opposition of council members Dan Bostrom and Jane Prince—the expenditure of $18.4 million in infrastructure improvements around the proposed stadium.

For those familiar with how St. Paul government has operated for the past decade under Mayor Chris Coleman, this outcome should come as no surprise. Like other major projects for which the City Council has showed no interest in conducting its own due diligence or holding public hearings (e.g., approval of the $65 million Saints ballpark and last year’s 10-year cable franchise renewal with Comcast), the soccer stadium infrastructure giveaway was limited to a mere 15 minutes of opposing testimony before the council voted.

Although 30 years of economic studies have definitively shown that professional stadiums at most simply shift spending patterns around rather than spur bona fide development, the majority of the City Council is happy to throw the dice on yet another stadium project. As Stark acknowledged at the hearing: “it’s true we don’t have a specific proposal in front of us for what that additional investment will look like…only the potential for a ‘win-win’ of private investment.”

Ward 3 City Council member Chris Tolbert, who represents Highland Park, talked about the $18.4 million being a “a great investment in a neighborhood that will benefit all of our neighborhoods.” If it’s such a great investment, why hasn’t Tolbert pushed for the soccer stadium to be located on the Ford Plant site where it would occupy only a small portion of the land? We all know why: Highland Park neighbors would be in an uproar over traffic and parking issues, not to mention the prospect of devoting a prime piece of real estate to a soccer stadium.

But hey, it’s just the Midway, where no attempt has been made to gauge neighborhood sentiment beyond anecdotal testimony from soccer fans and business groups. Mayor Coleman assures us that 50 percent of fans will be taking public transportation to the stadium, a claim he has pulled wholly out of thin air.

The council was willing to support the stadium project even though no transportation or parking studies have been completed. Those who live in close proximity to the stadium know exactly what that means: They’ll have the pleasure of hosting the traffic and noise because the city has no plans for additional parking beyond a VIP lot that the city will be providing tax-free to the team.

City Council member Dai Thao, in whose Ward 1 the stadium would be built, believes that “people are smart enough to know this is a good deal” and that somehow a soccer stadium will address the 32 percent unemployment rate among teenagers. He praised former Ward 4 City Council member Jay Benanav and his former aide Prince for their efforts 15 years ago to lure Allina’s corporate campus to the Midway, citing the stadium as somehow the culmination of those efforts.

What Thao failed to mention is that Allina ended up relocating to South Minneapolis, where its presence has stabilized a crime-ridden neighborhood and helped turn the Midtown Global Market into a thriving hub of ethnic food establishments—the very thing that would have been ideal for the culturally diverse Midway area.

As council member Prince pointed out in her comments, the city created an “artificial deadline for a complex deal… before any serious expression of developer interest in the RK Midway site…and before independent analysis of this deal could be completed to guide against unintended consequences, …including no estimates of public costs of plans for the northern half of Midway site.”

Of course, there is at least a sliver of a silver lining in this project—knowing that any environmental remediation for the site will be handled by the St. Paul Port Authority. That’s the same entity that acquired and demolished the Gillette Building to make way for the Saints ballpark.

Unfortunately, that decision resulted in a $7 million cost overrun because of a failure to include a standard clause in the purchase agreement to protect the city from any liability for the contaminated soil that everyone involved with the project knew existed.

You can’t make this stuff up. Even in St. Paul.

Tom Goldstein is a resident of the Hamline-Midway neighborhood, a lawyer and former St. Paul School Board member. He was a candidate for the City Council in St. Paul’s Ward 4 last fall.

The Villager Newspaper

Your neighborhood newspaper since 1953. The Villager has a press run of 60,000, including 50,000 copies delivered to households and businesses and another 10,000 copies distributed via newsstands. Newsstand locations: bit.ly/Zyajwc

Newspaper: 4,268 like this

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Another great investigative piece from Jon Kerr about the inner workings of St. Paul's political class. Jon's previous piece in City Pages exposing the scandal behind the Lilydale Regional Park bluff collapse that led to the death of two children on a field trip was part of the inspiration for this FB page.

Who wants to bet that there will be no significant follow-up in the daily newspapers about the issues Kerr raises in his article?

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

Today's press release about the formation of Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Today's press release about formation of NACS

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's photo.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

"Tom Goldstein, who lives near the proposed stadium, held up a packet of papers and asked the council members if they had even read the 200 page document recently released about the stadium as he spoke in opposition of the stadium during the St. Paul City Council meeting on Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in St. Paul, Minn." RENEE JONES SCHNEIDER StarTribune

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies's post.

This is one of the paths I'm pursuing as a continuation of last fall's Ward 4 race. Please check out the NACS FB page, like it, and consider attending tomorrow night's open house at Concordia University where we plan to give the people a say about what happens in the Midway.

Let's stop another boondoggle project that has been fast-tracked with no public hearings or chance for meaningful public participation.

Neighbors Against Corporate Subsidies

Last August, after little discussion and no opportunity for public input, the Saint Paul City Council voted unanimously in favor of a resolution to support the construction of a professional soccer stadium in St. Paul on the old Bus Barn site in the Midway, provided the “City has strong, specific evidence that the stadium and public infrastructure investments will help catalyze additional investments on the Midway Shopping Center site consistent with the Snelling Station Area Plan.”

Two weeks ago we learned—again—how little credibility we can give our city council. With no commitments other than Minnesota United owner Bill McGuire’s pledge to build a soccer stadium—provided the city gains a permanent tax exemption for the Bus Barn site from the Minnesota legislature—the council voted to spend $18.4 million on infrastructure improvements that will do nothing for the neighborhood except create a little green space.

Even Council President Russ Stark acknowledges that the deal is almost entirely speculative: “It’s true we don’t have a specific proposal in front of us for what that additional investment will look like…only the potential for a ‘win-win’ of private investment,” he said. Yet that was enough “evidence” for him to support the stadium project because “a lot of information is coming in that users of all kinds are much more interested in investing in this site before the soccer stadium idea appeared.”

In fact, all the public has at this point is a pretty artist rendering (see inset overhead sketch above) of what the site could look like—provided RK Midway can round up an estimated $450 million for the project. But wasn’t that the exact argument made to explain why nothing was happening in the Midway—that the overall cost for developing the site far exceeded the value that would be realized in the current real estate market?

Somehow a stadium is going to be a catalyst for a huge development, even though such a claim runs counter to thirty years of economic data that show stadiums at best simply move economic activity from one part of a city to another? Nonsense. Like many grand visions—remember the Block E Development planned for Minneapolis?—what might be possible for the Midway is nothing more than a concept.

Even Rick Birdoff, principal in R.K. Midway, acknowledged (in an article in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal) that all he has accomplished to date is “talking quietly with some prospective developers.” And, as Birdoff also noted in that article, there is no “timeline for when the area around the stadium would be developed” and any future development would be “based on market demand.”

Once again, another major spending decision is made in St. Paul with no genuine public process and, as with the case of the $65 million Saints ballpark and last year’s ridiculous 10-year cable franchise renewal with Comcast, those opposed to the soccer stadium infrastructure giveaway were limited to a mere 15 minutes of testimony before the council voted.

No attempt has been made to gauge neighborhood interest beyond anecdotal testimony from soccer fans and traditional business groups. And, to no one’s surprise, the council was willing to support the project even though no transportation or parking study has been completed.

For those in the Midway who live in close proximity to the stadium, get ready for the traffic and noise that 16-18 concert-like events a year will produce—because the city has no plans for additional parking beyond a VIP lot next to the stadium that the city will be providing tax free to the team.

If you’re concerned about all of this, get involved. Raise your voice. Organize your neighbors. Let your council member know how you feel. Tell St. Paul legislators that you oppose another waste of taxpayer money that will produce a soccer stadium and little else in the Midway.

And please follow this page as we work to put an end to corporate welfare and the abuse of tax-increment financing in St. Paul.

Sad news from two weeks ago. Margaret was a generous supporter of my city council campaign, donating money, dropping off food for volunteers, knocking on doors, and offering words of encouragement, including a particularly kind tribute she wrote on a Whole Foods bag that I posted on November 3rd.

My condolences and sympathies to Margaret's husband and five children and my apologies that I missed the funeral celebration. Our thoughts are with you.

Margaret Dawson RYTHER's Obituary on Pioneer Press

legacy.com

Read the Obituary and view the Guest Book, leave condolences or send flowers. | Age 56 Died February 14, 2016 Margaret died peacefully in her sleep of natural causes. She was born May 29, 1959 to Sarah Cary and George V. Gardner of Roanoke, VA. Margaret graduated from Earlham

In case you were wondering....I'm now volunteering full-time on the Bernie campaign in Minnesota.

Come help me get the vote out this weekend and ensure that folks turn out on Tuesday evening at caucuses to cast their presidential preference ballot for Bernie.

(Caucus locations available @ dfl.org.)

Just show up b/ 6:30 and 8:00 p.m., sign in, get your ballot, vote for Bernie, and leave. (The only rule is that you be 18 by Nov. 8th of this year and eligible to vote.)

Unlike the usual caucus process for city, county, and state offices, the number of delegates that each candidate earns will be determined primarily on the basis of the straw ballot, so your vote really matters this presidential year.

Of course, if you enjoy the caucus process, please stay and participate in helping to select who moves forward to the next round as potential Bernie delegates.

Timeline Photos

Reasonable, not radical. Exactly the kind of change we need to stop the runaway imbalance in wealth that has characterized the American economy for more than 30 years.

Bernie Sanders Releases Tax Plan, Nation's Rich Recoil In Horror

forbes.com

Democratic Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders took a break from yelling at clouds long enough to release his tax plan today, and it's, how should I put this...aggressive. Sanders proposes a top rate on individual income of a whopping 52%, which would be the highest since 1980, when tax rates reache…

Sad but all too common.

A top Democrat's career move is everything you hate about politics

citypages.com

You may not know Ann Lenczewski, but you'd like her. Most everyone does. Through nine terms in the Minnesota House, the Bloomington Democrat was a tireless, whip-smart leader for liberal tax laws. She was the strongest, smartest voice behind the jacking of income tax for the richest Minnesotans when…

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Occupy Democrats's photo.

Occupy Democrats

What an excellent idea.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1O7vWLk

Image by Occupy Democrats, LIKE our page for more!

CALLING ALL LAWNS SIGNS - PLEASE COME HOME!!

Over the past ten days since the election season ended, we've been retrieving our lawn signs from supporters. However, nearly a quarter of those signs have gone missing--about 50 total. Some we know were taken, some we know were recycled, and some we suspect are just in people's garages.

So if you have a sign, or know someone who may have collected them up on your block thinking they were doing a civic service, please post a response here--or PM the campaign--as we'd like to recover as many of our signs as possible.

You know, in the event we need them for a future campaign....

Timeline Photos

Nice letter last week in the Pioneer Press from John Mannillo, one of the founders of the group, Saint Paul Strong.

Letters to the editor for November 10, 2015

twincities.com

Mayor Chris Coleman's claim that people must think we are going in the right direction because all the incumbents were re-elected is just a symptom of the problem in St. Paul. With 12.5 percent of registered voters going to the polls, only about 7.5 percent actually elected the incumbents ("Voter tu…

We didn't win, but at least we took advantage of the most effective campaign technique at our disposal: face-to-face conversations with voters.

No question that it's hard work. But if you're willing to do the work and inspire others to join your efforts, you have a shot. We just needed more time....

Experiments show this is the best way to win campaigns. But is anyone actually doing it?

vox.com

Going door to door works. So why do campaigns spend so little on it?

I think this shirt says it all. St. Paul is not a glitzy town and when it tries to do glitz, it does it badly. Let's continue to carve out our own unique identity rather than always playing stepchild to Minneapolis.

Taxpayer-funded ballparks and soccer stadiums, expanded liquor licenses, refrigerated outdoor hockey rinks, and a subsidized renovation of the old Dayton's building in downtown to accommodate a new practice facility for the Minnesota Wild will not make St. Paul less boring; those priorities will just prevent us from investing in neighborhoods again and providing the amenities that make our city a place to call home.

"Keep Saint Paul Boring" T-shirt is a joke made out of love

citypages.com

St. Paul is a city of natural beauty and historical import. Its distinct neighborhoods have unique character and charm, and the impressive, sometimes beautiful state office buildings in and near the Capitol complex help keep the state of Minnesota humming. All that said, it's got a bit of a reputat…

This is why St. Paul is moving backward as a city.

The City Council wants to amend the city charter to enable any restaurant that wants a liquor license to get one. And it doesn't want the amendment to go the normal route, which is voting to place the issue on the ballot for the public to decide.

No, this is such a vital matter that DSI requested that the Charter Commission waive its normal procedures so that the measure can get before the City Council in time to be voted on before the end of the year.

Why? Because the only way to amend the charter without having it be voted on by the public is through a unanimous vote of the City Council.

Come January, the vote won't be unanimous.

No marketing data, no public engagement. Just a mayor who wants this rammed through now because the city is so desperate for getting more revenue any way it can.

First parking meters on Grand. Now this.

The City really has no clue how to create jobs.

Call and email your city council member starting tomorrow. It just takes one no vote to stop this nonsense from going forward without any public debate.

Note: DSI's mission, spelled out at the bottom of this email is as follows: “To preserve and improve the quality of life in Saint Paul by protecting and promoting public health and safety for all.”

Talk about ironies....

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Cervantes, Ricardo (CI-StPaul)
Date: Monday, October 26, 2015
Subject: Proposed Restaurant On-Sale Liquor Charter Amendment
To: "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "[email protected]" , "Hendrickson, Jerry (CI-StPaul)" , "[email protected]"
Cc: "Niziolek, Dan (CI-StPaul)" , "Hudak, Eric (CI-StPaul)" , "Schweinler, Kristina (CI-StPaul)" , "Karls, Geoffrey (CI-StPaul)"

Commissioners,

As you are all fully aware, it’s an exciting time for the City of Saint Paul. Increasing population and resulting robust housing growth, a record-setting $718 M in 2014 private sector development investment, implementation of the Green Line and the opening CHS field clearly indicate the City is in the middle of a vibrant resurgence. Continued and emerging business opportunities along the Green Line, the Schmidt Brewery development district, the 120-acre Ford site and now the upcoming new 20,000 Midway seat soccer stadium all place the City in an attractive position for unprecedented growth and development. In order to sustain this momentum and encourage continued reinvestment, we are challenged to revisit our codes and prudently adjust barriers to marketplace opportunities where necessary. To stay competitive with Minneapolis and surrounding communities we are proposing changes to how the City manages liquor licenses for restaurants in Saint Paul.

Over the past year, the Department of Safety and Inspections worked with Council Members, District Councils, the City’s Business Review Council, business owners, and residents to evaluate restaurant market conditions impacting Saint Paul’s vibrant restaurant market. One major issue identified was the ability of existing or new restaurant operators to obtain an on-sale liquor license in the City of Saint Paul. This work has brought us to the Charter Amendment language before you. The attached documents provide additional information on the proposed Amendment.

The Mayor and all Council Members have expressed their support for the language. The current Council is interested in completing this work before the end of their current terms. To achieve this, we are requesting that if you support the amendment, please vote to not require a second reading by the Charter Commission. This will allow the City Council to have their Public Hearing on December 2, 2015.

Please let me know if you have any questions, need any additional information, or would like to meet prior to your November 10 Charter Commission. You can direct all questions and inquiries to my Deputy Director Dan Niziolek (651-266-9108) who is leading our efforts on this amendment.

Sincerely,

Ricardo

http://www.stpaul.gov/spt
Ricardo X. Cervantes
Director
Department of Safety and Inspections
375 Jackson St, Suite 220
Saint Paul, MN 55101-1806

P: 651-266-9101



Making Saint Paul the Most Livable City in America

“DSI’s Mission: To preserve and improve the quality of life in Saint Paul by protecting and promoting public health and safety for all.”

http://www.stpaul.gov

stpaul.gov

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 4 new photos.

Today would have been the 63rd birthday of my older brother Wayne. Unfortunately, he died unexpectedly of a heart attack in April, 2009. He was only 56.

My brother's death in 2009 was a major influence on my decision to dramatically step up my community activism in St. Paul and at the Capitol. It was also a significant motivation for deciding to enter the race for City Council in late June in spite of the long odds that any campaign would have faced at that point.

There is no time like the present to bring about change.

Happy Birthday, Wayne!

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Whenever I asked myself why I was jumping into a race that every progressive friend or ally told me I could not win, I reminded myself of the words of Teddy Roosevelt--words that politicians who often do little to make the world a better place are convinced apply to them. You be the judge.

The Man in the Arena - Theodore Roosevelt

themotivationmentalist.wordpress.com

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in th...

Progressives take note: this is how you build power. My campaign tried to do this in just four months. We simply needed more time.

From article: Sawant's fierce advocacy for issues that pit ordinary Seattle residents against the city's affluent residents has won her close friends — and committed enemies.

"Even in a liberal city like Seattle, there are economic interests that have outsize influence, and they feel threatened by Kshama," former Seattle Mayor Michael McGinn told Mic ahead of the election.

McGinn said he believed a lot of the money poured into Seattle's city council elections this year stemmed from business interests unnerved by the huge influence Sawant has over the council's general agenda.

"You can see a lot of money flowing into other races, because if they can't beat Kshama they want to build a wall around her with other candidates," he said.

Sawant's political prowess is most compelling because she doesn't run campaigns as much as she builds movements. When she wants to apply pressure to the legislative process, she packs the council chambers of city hall with angry supporters. And when she wants to win office, she takes that grassroots movement and builds a campaign around big, zeitgeisty issues that reshape other candidates around her.

The Most Important Socialist in America Not Named Bernie Sanders Just Won Re-election

mic.com

She's a huge deal, but nobody's talking about it.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING MY CAMPAIGN!!

A little more than four months ago I entered the race for Ward 4 because it was clear to me that our elected officials were not going to take responsibility for the mismanagement of city resources, do more than pay lip service to those living in poverty and struggling every day to make ends meet, or call out the city's obsession with subsidies for developers and tax giveaways to professional sports.

I thought that people were fed up with council members who simply acted as a rubber stamp for the mayor's political agenda and wanted change at City Hall. Perhaps some day they will. But when 78% of registered voters in the ward don't bother to show up, even an intense, issues-oriented campaign will not overcome the biggest obstacle in elections: apathy.

It saddens me that those who do vote are willing to ignore the many red flags that indicate all is not well in "River City": a health department taken over by the state; a police lab that was mishandling evidence for nearly a decade; a park collapse that resulted in the deaths of two young children; regular abuse of tax-increment financing, and yes, the CHS Field boondoggle.

Unfortunately, most people living in St. Paul don't want to hear about problems. That's "too negative." Who wants to admit that our beautiful city is ripe with cronyism and burdened by a system that primarily benefits the interests of the affluent and the political insiders who do their bidding? Much easier to just pull the lever for the establishment candidate and tell ourselves that all is well.

Sure, that sounds like sour grapes from a losing candidate, but anyone willing to peek below the surface of the "most livable city in America" knows these problems will not go away by ignoring them. We aren't going to make things better in St. Paul without a comprehensive plan to create jobs, invest in neighborhoods again, align city resources to dramatically improve educational outcomes, rebuild out neglected infrastructure, and address the poverty in our midst.

I'm proud of the campaign we waged on behalf of people rather than political insiders, and I'm grateful for those who got involved and were willing to volunteer their time in pursuit of making change. Thanks to you, voter turnout was 25% higher in Ward 4 than in 2011, and we even managed to win two precincts!

Our work is not done. I hope you will be inspired to keep fighting for a better St. Paul so that one day we have a city that serves us rather than the other way around.

Well run campaign! Thanks for all your passion about the neighborhood and pushing forward important issues. I have no doubt you'll continue to fight for the good of the neighborhood for many years to come!

Thank you for running! Hope to see you again as a candidate --

I just Voted for TOM GOLDSTEIN!

Dear Friends:

When I decided to enter the City Council Race for Ward 4 in late June, I knew it would be an uphill battle. I was challenging a two-term incumbent endorsed by the only viable political party in St. Paul, had no endorsements, and a long list of people who had told me that I could not win.

Sounded like my kind of race. If nothing else, people in St. Paul know that I'm not going to avoid speaking out against an issue or taking on the powers that be simply because I might not win. Somebody has to fight the unwinnable battles, right?

And we certainly did that in Ward 4 the past four months. All told, between the start of my campaign on June 30th and Election Day on November 3rd, we knocked on more than 6500 doors, had over 2200 in-person conversations, made thousands of phone calls to voters, and distributed nearly 25,000 pieces of literature in the final weeks before the election using an all-volunteer effort.

More importantly, voter turnout was 25% higher in Ward 4 than in 2011, and we even managed to win two precincts!

While it's never easy to lose, we ran an extraordinarily efficient campaign--for a fraction of the cost spent by other city council candidates. Unfortunately, most of those campaigns had the largesse of developers, political insiders, and political action committees at their disposal.

We depended on people like you.

So now I ask for your help once again. In spite of spending only $15,200 on my campaign, fundraising was not something I could do on a continuous basis and also wage a competitive race in a compressed four-month time frame. Bottom line: the campaign accumulated about $5,000 in debt that I need to retire.

For those of you who have already given as much as you can afford or simply don't have the ability to donate at this time, this post is not for you. But for those of you who were not able to previously donate, or those who gave a little when you could afford a lot more, please consider helping out with as generous a contribution as possible so that I can eliminate this debt and move on.

Rest assured that I won't be sitting on my butt. There's a soccer stadium battle to be waged, community broadband to make a reality, and a whole host of other issues to tackle. The sooner I can put this debt behind me, the quicker I can get to work on those other issues.

Donate online via our website at https://tomforsaintpaul.com/donate/

No amount is too small--really. But by law, individuals are limited to $600 and couples to $1200.

Help continue our work to transform St. Paul into a city that works for neighborhoods rather than the other way around.

People before Politics. For me, that's much more than a slogan.

Timeline Photos

🙂

Timeline Photos

Good luck tonight Tom! I have spread your message loud and clear in my HOOD!

Last night while lit dropping in Saint Anthony Park during "Midnight Madness" one of our volunteers observed someone in a van or truck removing literature from the windshields of cars. It was not clear whether the individual was removing all political literature or just that of our campaign.

Whoever it was took off before we got a good description, but we don't know if this mystery individual may have returned later in the night and continued to remove lit.

If you live in St. Anthony Park, please post whether you observed literature from both the Goldstein campaign and Stark campaign present on windshields in the neighborhood. Thanks.

I have no idea if Midnight Madness does anything to improve voter turnout, but when the 1990 Wellstone Senate Campaign came up with the idea--at least I've always given them the credit for doing so--it just felt right. I remember being out there at 1:00 a.m. putting lit on cars and realizing right then that Wellstone was going to win because the Boschwitz campaign was taking Paul for granted and we were the only ones on the street. We knew that people were going to come out to their cars that morning, see the Wellstone lit on the windshield, recognize all the volunteer effort that went into getting that piece of lit there---then go out and vote for Paul.

I have no idea if that actually happened, but the sense of camaraderie and hopefulness that Midnight Madness provoked was worth the effort. Over the years it's become so commonplace that it probably no longer has the same impact as in 1990, but for an upstart city council campaign that nobody took very seriously, it's gratifying to be in a position where MM might actually make a difference. At least that's what I told myself after spending the last nine hours putting lit on vehicles.

But there's another reason, and it goes to the heart of my campaign: I want people to know how hard I'm willing to work to get elected--and that my work ethic will continue once I'm in office. That's why since the beginning of July I've been willing to put in the 18-hour days necessary to give my campaign the credibility it would need to have a chance at ousting a two-term incumbent.

So that's my promise to voters: Nobody is going to outwork me on the City Council. I'll have regularly-scheduled meetings every week out in the neighborhoods, perhaps one week in St. Anthony Park at Dunn Bros., the following week at the Como Grille, then Trotters in Merriam Park, and finally Gingko or Groundswell in the Midway. Every month; not just a one-time thing to give the appearance of neighborhood engagement.

This is just one of the many ways I will be listening to neighbors so that I can be the most effective advocate possible.

Now get out and vote!!

Timeline Photos

Tom heads out for his last door knock this afternoon, exactly four months to the day when he kicked off his campaign. Thanks for helping him in this wonderful quest to bring the power of politics back to the neighborhoods in Ward 4.

Polls are open from 7am-8pm tomorrow and if you're not registered to vote, you can do so at your polling place with a driver's license or other form of ID. You can find your polling place at the link below, and if you have any questions or need a ride to the polls, give the campaign a call at 651-231-7035. Tom hopes to earn your support!

Tom on Job Creation in St. Paul:

"The thing that we most need to focus on, which we are not, is job creation. Jobs are what lift people out of poverty, jobs are what stabilize neighborhoods and communities, and in the last decade...job growth in St. Paul is flat."

Tom on Jobs

Length: 02:24

POLLS OPEN 7:00 AM TO 8:00 PM - VOTE FOR CHANGE TODAY!!

With less than 18 hours until the polls open, now would be a great time for supporters to email, call, and chat with their friends, neighbors, and acquaintances to let them know why they are supporting Tom for City Council in Ward 4.

It's a small thing, but small things add up--the same way that knocking on 6,500 + doors this summer, having more than 2,000 conversations with voters, and making thousands of phone calls in the last two weeks have added up.

If you want change, if you want a council member who is focused on neighborhoods rather than meeting the needs of developers and political insiders, the choice is clear.

VOTE TOM GOLDSTEIN ON NOV. 3RD.

Timeline Photos

Tom on City Priorities:

"We don't gather every winter and say, Hey, can you throw in $50 so we can hire a cop to patrol?"

Tom on City Priorities

Length: 01:50

Tom on Local Government:

"We ought to have a philosophy of...we are a city that is focused on taking care of the commuity, that when you call and you have a problem, the city is there to serve you, asking, How may I help you? And if I can't help you, I'm gonna find someone who can."

Tom on Local Government

Length: 01:08

"Tom Goldstein was the only School Board member to take time to walk through Bridge View, talk with the teachers, and interact with the kids in the 32 years I was a teacher with the St. Paul Public Schools." -Tom Godfrey, retired public school teacher, on why he supports Tom.

Why I Support Tom - Tom Godfrey

Length: 00:51

From Lori Sturdevant's interesting column in today's Star Tribune:

"Goldstein would have none of my social-media theories. The story in St. Paul is simpler, he said. 'A lot of people in government get paid well with our tax dollars. We deserve to have excellent customer service. Under Mayor Coleman, customer service has been thrown out the window,' he complained.

"He tars both the mayor and Stark, his council opponent, with his 'not listening' brush. Parking meters on Grand Avenue, the CHS Field in Lowertown and a proposed Major League Soccer stadium at Snelling and University Avenues are all moves by city officials who aren’t attuned to their constituents, he charged. People in St. Paul don’t want more tax-subsidized development, he said. They want potholes filled and their alleys plowed.

"That’s not just his opinion, he added. It’s what he’s heard while knocking on 6,000 doors this campaign season. 'The general feeling is, nobody’s listening,' he said."

St. Paul elections: The protest vote, this time around

startribune.com

St. Paul’s school board and City Council are targets of an electoral message that is not new and not necessarily right, but that shouldn’t be underestimated.

Thanks to everyone who came out to volunteer today, including our great friend Barb, who made hundreds of calls tonight while keeping in the holiday spirit. Happy Halloween from the Goldstein campaign!

Timeline Photos

Read Tom's letter to the editor in response to last week's Ward 4 endorsement by the StarTribune:

LOCAL ELECTIONS

Taking issue with Star Tribune’s endorsements for St. Paul

As a candidate for City Council in St. Paul’s Fourth Ward who has worked 16 to 18 hours days the past four months knocking on thousands of doors and who, according to the Star Tribune’s rival newspaper, has “waged a substantive, issues-based campaign, focused on priorities and the use — and, sometimes, as he sees it, misuse — of public dollars,” I was disappointed to see the Editorial Board (“Our seven picks for St. Paul City Council,” Oct. 26) reduce my candidacy to a one-sentence sound bite: “Tom Goldstein, 58, an attorney and former St. Paul school board member who’s a vocal stadium critic.”

While I have been an outspoken opponent of public funding for stadiums — most recently the $1 billion U.S. Bank boondoggle in Minneapolis and the $70 million CHS Field debacle in St. Paul in which the Saints put up just 4 percent of the cost yet get all of the stadium revenue — I’m far from a one-dimensional figure. In the past two years alone, I’ve lobbied at the State Capitol for universal background checks, done pro bono foreclosure prevention work for homeowners, cofounded the community broadband initiative Connect St. Paul and worked to prevent needless teardowns in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood.

Ignoring these accomplishments while promoting my opponent’s “good work on transit, energy and environmental issues” is something I might expect from the Russ Stark campaign but certainly not from the Editorial Board of a newspaper — even one owned by Glen Taylor, partner in the Minnesota United franchise seeking to build a new soccer stadium. I trust that voters will be more objective.

Tom Goldstein, St. Paul

Readers Write (Oct. 30): Republican debate, Jerry Kill/Flip Saunders, local elections

startribune.com

File your taxes on a postcard? Good luck.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 3 new photos.

Our new door hanger has arrived! We plan to drop them at every door in Ward 4 but need your help to make that happen!!

Saturday lit drop begins at 10:00 AM Sunday lit drop begins at 12:00 Noon

If you can spare a couple of hours on either day, it will definitely make a difference come Tuesday.

Thanks to everyone who has pitched in thus far--let's make the last weekend before Election Day count!

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

"I support Tom Goldstein because he's got a passion for St. Paul... He always puts people before politics, and I know that's his campaign slogan, but the reason it's a camapign slogan is because it's true... He learned that when he was on the St. Paul School Board, and he also learned that as a business owner, that you really gotta put people first and take the politics out of it as much as you can." -Mary McKeown, Merriam-Park Resident, on why she supports Tom.

Why I Support Tom - Mary McKeown

Length: 01:26

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 2 new photos.

FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER JAY BENANAV ENDORSES TOM IN WARD 4 CITY COUNCIL RACE!!

Tom is thrilled to have the support of Jay Benanav, former Saint Paul City Council Member who represented Ward 4 from 1998 to 2007.

Said Benanav: “No one will work harder than Tom to ensure that the public has a voice at City Hall."

See letter to editor in the Highland Villager and press release below for further details about Benanav's reasons for supporting Tom instead of two-term incumbent Russ Stark, the current City Council President.

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

As your city council member, Tom will set the bar much higher than only addressing three percent of the issues facing St. Paul.

"Tom has brought a lot of good ideas to the table....One of the pieces of advice I got coming into office eight years ago, and if Tom wins this election it would be my advice to him as well, and that is, the city is a big organization, it's a big ship, and you're not gonna be able to change as much of it as you want to. Think about changing three percent and choose that three percent carefully..."

Three Percent

Length: 00:56

"He has great vision, he's a great leader, and he knows how to connect with the community." - Mepuka Kessy, Macalester-Groveland resident, on why he supports Tom.

Why I Support Tom - Mepuka Kessy

Length: 00:29

For those who missed it, here's the video from the October 15th Ward 4 debate in Saint Anthony Park.

Ward 4 City Council Candidate Forum 10-15-15

youtube.com

Watch more videos at http://www.SPNN.org This Candidate Forum was held October 15, 2015 , at the St. Anthony Park Branch Library, 2245 Como Ave, organized by...

If you're wondering about why folks are supporting Tom for City Council in Ward 4, this nice note that came all the way from Munich (along with a check) should offer some insight.

Timeline Photos

"His mission is true. I've known Tom for years and he really cares about people. It sounds cliche in a politician, but he would put people first... He believes in taking care of the basic things that government should be doing...and he would direct his energies toward doing things that are good for the people of St. Paul." -Gary Roberto, Grand Avenue business owner, on why he supports Tom.

Why I Support Tom - Gary Roberto

Length: 01:32

My campaign's color scheme is "Wellstone green," as it was when I first ran for School Board in 2005. It's obviously a tribute to the late, great Sen. Paul Wellstone, whose tragic death occurred 13 years ago today. But it's also a remembrance of the vacuum that his death--and that of his wife, daughter, and others on that fateful flight--created in the social justice arena. It's also what ultimately inspired me to seek public office ten years ago.

Here's what I wrote the day after we got the news that the plane carrying the Wellstone campaign staff had gone down somewhere near Eveleth airport.

10-26-2002 12:37 AM

I was only six years old when JFK was killed, so I'm not sure if there has ever been a sadder day in my life than this one.

I first met Paul Wellstone in 1978 during my junior year at Carleton College. I can't remember the exact circumstances other than he stopped to chat with myself and some others on campus. At the time I was pretty unhappy with my college experience and what I felt was an unduly burdensome emphasis on academics rather than learning, and had written a column in the student
newspaper about that topic. Paul took an interest, told me that he'd read it. I figured he was just being nice.

But a few days later I got a note in my mailbox from him saying that I'd raised an important topic and that he'd read the column to his Political Science class. It's a gesture that still strikes me as the kind of human kindness that is so uncommon in any walk of life, and the fact that he took the time to validate the importance of the struggle that I was going through is something that I've never forgotten.

I suspect that there are thousands of others who can share similar stories of Paul's kindness, some of whom have already posted on this list. I know how deeply he touched so many people, and I know the profound sadness so many of us are feeling as we try to cope with this unimaginable loss.

I'm grateful that I got the chance to be a very tiny part of Paul's 1990 election campaign, and I cherish the opportunities I had to speak on occasion with he and Sheila since then. What little
advocacy I've been able to offer in the political sphere is solely a result of their influence.

I don't know how I'm going to cope with these tragic deaths in the coming months, but I do know that we will dishonor Paul, Sheila, Marcia and everyone else on that plane if we don't use
whatever God-given talent we have to fight for social justice the way Paul taught us to do. That's what I'm going to dedicate myself to in the coming years, and I hope all of you reading this will
do so as well.

Because then Paul's death will not have been in vain.

Paul Wellstone

youtube.com

An introduction to Paul Wellstone created for Wellstone Action. Founded in January 2003, Wellstone Action's mission is to honor the legacy of Paul and Sheila...

Tom's response to last week's Pioneer Press article about the Ward 4 race.

"Anybody who has worked with me knows that I am a consensus builder, from the successful retail sports store I operated for 15 years on Grand Avenue (and later on Marshall Avenue)....to my recent work as co-founder of the Connect Saint Paul campaign that earlier this year passed a resolution in favor of community-wide broadband at the DFL City Convention...."

Don't miss the last Ward 4 debate, Thursday, October 29th, from 6:30 to 7:30 at the Owens Science Hall building on the University of Saint Thomas campus.

There is ample bike parking, and St Thomas is easily accessible by the 63 and 21 routes. Free parking will be available in south campus lots M, N, V and O, and paid parking will be in the Anderson Parking Facility on the southwest corner of Grand and Cretin avenues, just south of Owens Science Hall.

See you there!

"The biggest reason I'm supporting Tom Goldstein is because he is a true agent of change. He really will do what he says he will do. He is not going to be cut from the same cookie cutter mold as most of the other city politicians, and he will shake things up." - Roy Neal, Hamline-Midway resident, on why he supports Tom.

Why I Support Tom - Roy Neal

Length: 01:20

Here is a brief clip of Tom expressing his concerns about the proposed Midway soccer stadium deal on WCCO last night.

“Why should we continue as the public to keep subsidizing what will be a private venture?” St. Paul City Council candidate Tom Goldstein said. “We’re already subsidizing so much. We need to get these properties back on the property tax rolls so in theory we start easing the burden on everyone else.”

New Minnesota United Stadium To Be Built In St. Paul

minnesota.cbslocal.com

Officials in St. Paul are getting ready to make a big announcement, as Mayor Coleman will be joined by Minnesota United Owner to reveal a new soccer stadium to be built in St. Paul.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 2 new photos.

Why is it that no one in the media wants to talk about Bill McGuire's past?

At today's press conference, I handed out to all the reporters in attendance a copy of a press release issued by the SEC in 2007 detailing the $468 million settlement by McGuire of civil fraud charges related to a stock options backdating scheme.

"The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced a record $468 million settled enforcement action in an options backdating case against William W. McGuire, M.D., the former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of UnitedHealth Group Inc. The settlement is the first with an individual under the “clawback” provision (Section 304) of the SarbanesOxley Act to deprive corporate executives of their stock sale profits and bonuses earned while their companies were misleading investors."

You won't read any stories about how McGuire pledged to devote the rest of his life to aiding the sick and the poor, or any public mea culpa over the shame he brought to his company and family by his actions. Instead, he got caught, returned his ill-gotten gains, and now here he is being courted as some hero for bringing professional soccer to the Midway.

While the mayor crows that this “is a very exciting opportunity to bring the world’s game to the state of Minnesota,” another interpretation might be that our elected officials are so desperate to distract the public from the ongoing problems in St. Paul that they're willing to do business with a guy who attempted to defraud shareholders of nearly $500 million.

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Curious timing for an announcement that soccer is coming to Saint Paul. What's new about this deal that wasn't known yesterday? Basically nothing. McGuire still wants a property tax exemption, the city, county, and state are inclined to give it to him, and the public keeps being told that Minnesota United "will pay for all the construction costs."

Well, not quite. One of the things that slipped out to reporters, though not mentioned by the mayor in his remarks, is this tidbit:

"Additionally, the city agreed to cover street and sewer development for the project -- the price of which still has to be determined."

So there you have it. For CHS Field, those costs included $4 million just to extend Prince Street. How much do you think it will cost to address the traffic problems that will undoubtedly be created by thousands of additional vehicles exiting not far from the most congested intersection in the state? $20, $30 million?

Apart from the numerous unanswered questions about the rest of the Midway Center site, the mayor boasted that "50 percent" of fans would use transit, walk, or bicycle to games. No data was provided to bolster this ridiculous claim, but none of the reporters called Coleman out on it. In fact, it didn't seem like anybody in the media was asking tough questions. So I asked one of McGuire himself.

"What will you do if you don't get a tax exemption for the site from the legislature?"

"We haven't really thought that far ahead at this point, but it would be a tough nut to crack."

Councilmember Stark attended the press conference that was packed with city employees, lobbyists, financiers, lawyers, and yes, about 20 Minnesota United fans dressed in soccer regalia. Curiously, he was not asked to comment on the great news.

Maybe even he now recognizes how problematic this deal will be?

They're committed: Minnesota United FC to build in St. Paul

twincities.com

Major League Soccer and the city of St. Paul officially committed to each other Friday - on everything but paper.

Team Goldstein wrapping up another night of phone calling at Campaign HQ. (Thanks to Jeff, Jenny, Jane, and Nick!) And my son Mathew, who took the photo!

Timeline Photos

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 3 new photos.

Volunteers Jane, Jeff, Gary, Mat, and Jenny hitting the phones tonight on behalf of Tom's campaign. (That's Jane and Jeff in the photos with Tom.)

We're working hard to get the word out about the final debate next Thursday evening, 6:30 p.m., on the UST campus at Owens Science Hall.

And, of course, to vote for Tom on November 3rd!

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Here's what the Pioneer Press editorial board had to say about the campaign:

"Goldstein has waged a substantive, issues-based campaign, focused on priorities and the use -- and, sometimes, as he sees it, misuse -- of public dollars. He raises concerns about neglected infrastructure and a zoning code "heavily skewed in favor of developers and political insiders."

"He makes worthy points about a council inclined to go along with the mayor too frequently and about development that regularly relies on city-provided tax breaks to lure developers. The focus is wrongly on subsidizing buildings, rather than on the job creation that will build prosperity, asserts Goldstein, who has taken issue with the expense of Green Line light rail and the Lowertown ballpark, which was built mostly with public money. We thank him for lending his voice to the race."

Happy to lend my voice to the race, but we are in this campaign to win!

For St. Paul City Council: Pioneer Press editorial

twincities.com

We met with a big field of interesting candidates this election season in St. Paul. One stands out overall as exceptional: Rebecca Noecker has our recommendation in her race for the Ward 2 seat on the St. Paul City Council.

One of the surprising things I've learned in my doorknocking of the neighborhoods around St. Thomas University the past several months is the widespread opposition to the proposed alignment of Cleveland Ave as a north-south route for the St. Paul Bike Plan.

And it's not anger from "crotchety old people" or the anti-bicycling crowd, though there is some of that. Rather, I'm hearing frustration from moms and dads, avid cyclists, and all sorts of level-headed, common sense folks. Although the city can demonstrate a series of public meetings in 2011 and 2014 during a very short window of time, the anger level suggests that the public process was neither welcoming nor inclusive.

I know some of my biking friends will disagree with that assessment, but some of them will also acknowledge that Cleveland Avenue is not a route they would use because the street is just too narrow. I agree.

I'm sure those who have been waiting for these routes to be completed see no reason for further delay. Maybe so. But the hallmark of good government is that you do the work on the ground to build support, not simply push through a solution because "that's the way it is--we're tired of waiting."

Please turn out on Wednesday, October 28th, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. to share your thoughts and concerns at the city-sponsored Open House. And let's put the brakes on this plan until we have an alignment that really does reflect the best path forward.

Cleveland Corridor Open House - St. Paul Smart Trips

smart-trips.org

Join us at a city-sponsored Open House to provide feedback on potential north-south bikeways through Mac-Grove and Highland Park. After concerns were raised about a bike... more.

Congratulations to my longtime friend Vic Rosenthal and organization founders Rachel Breen, Rep. Frank Hornstein, and Steven Gray on Jewish Community Action's 20th anniversary!

Saturday night's gala was full of wonderful tributes from nationally-recognized leaders like Ruth Messinger and Rep. Keith Ellison, who understand better than most how JCA doesn't just talk about change; they actually do it. From pushing Minneapolis and St. Paul to adopt responsible banking ordinances, treating immigrants with dignity and respect, and fighting for marriage equality and voting rights to addressing the epidemic of mortgage foreclosures in recent years when local government was not willing to act.

I've had the privilege to be a part of their gun violence prevention work for many years--particularly during the early part of 2013 in response to the local tragedy at Accent Signage and the terrible carnage at Sandy Hook elementary. It is work that is clearly far from done. Thank you, JCA!

Celebrating 20 Years of Jewish Community Action

youtube.com

In 1995, seeking a new way to bring a Jewish voice to social justice in the Twin Cities, Rachel Breen, Steven Gray and Frank Hornstein founded the Jewish Met...

Why did the mayor waste two hours of the public's time last night so that he could "hear in person" what was made abundantly clear by an overflow crowd at Linwood Rec Center a few weeks ago and a well-attended rally a week ago Sunday in the Dixie's parking lot?

Did he think the trifecta of opposition--neighbors, customers, and business owners--would be persuaded by his laughable claim that parking meters on Grand were being added to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? If the mayor or city council is genuinely concerned about the environment, why--as the Grand Avenue Business Association's Jon Perrone pointed out--did Coleman take a trip to Japan and China a few weeks ago? The city wants business owners and neighbors to make sacrifices for the good of the planet, yet he and his entourage were unwilling to sacrifice an all-important trip to visit sister cites in Japan and China. Last time I checked, emissions from my car were quite a bit less than that emitted by burning jet fuel on an intercontinental flight.

There are many things we can do in St. Paul to reduce our carbon footprint. Take shorter trips for one--like a quick jaunt to Grand Avenue rather than driving to Roseville or Maplewood for every day items. Stop tearing down buildings like the Gillette site and the old West Publishing HQ, which adds significant C02 and other pollutants to the atmosphere. Insist that any subsidized building project invest in solar, wind, and geothermal to provide for its energy needs. Audit the city's vehicle fleet to make sure we have the greenest, most efficient vehicles possible.

But mostly, stop the hypocrisy. The city's budget has been terribly mismanaged for the last eight years and parking meters is just one way to provide more cash for the next unnecessary capital project that the mayor--with the council's blessing--wants to pursue. Like a new Wild practice facility in the now-vacant Macy's building for which the city is proposing an $11.2 million subsidy.

This meeting was an insult, as is the mayor's arrogant, dictatorial approach to governing the city. Even if the city backs down on the meter "pilot project" for now, unless there is significant change on the City Council, expect more of the same from City Hall.

Two weeks until Election Day. Want change? Elect a progressive voice in Ward 4!

300 pack heated mayoral meeting on Grand Avenue parking meters

twincities.com

An adamant crowd of about 300 Summit Hill residents and business people tried Monday night to convince St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman that parking is not a big problem on Grand Avenue, despite what eight years of studies say.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Dubliner Pub & Cafe's event.

A huge thank you to Geri Connelly and Tom Scanlon for agreeing to host a special fundraiser for the campaign eight days before the election!

There's more than just a little bit of Ireland in this authentic Irish pub, and the JFK memorabilia alone is enough to capture your attention.

Come tip a pint (or two) of Guinness in support of my campaign.

Recommended donation will be $50, but no need to wait until Monday night. You can donate online right now at https://tomforsaintpaul.com/donate.

See you then!

A Campaign Fundraiser for Tom Goldstein

A Campaign Fundraiser for Tom Goldstein

Help elect an independent, progressive voice. Stop by to meet and talk with Tom Goldstein about his agenda for St. Paul. A $50 donation to his campaign at the door gets you free domestic tap beer and a chance to see a candidate elected who among other things, believes in, "People before politics."

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul updated their profile picture.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul

This press release on the city's website about a soccer stadium in the Midway is the exact kind of disingenuous nonsense that the Mayor puts out which the city council simply ratifies by its silence.

"With momentum clearly building for a potential soccer stadium at the Midway location...."

In three months of our campaign knocking on nearly 6,000 doors in Ward 4, I've seen no evidence that any momentum is building for a soccer stadium--unless 1-2 percent of voters constitutes momentum. What I have heard is fairly wide opposition to the soccer stadium and little belief that Minnesota United will pay the freight.

As a council member, I will not sit silent while the people's time is wasted on projects intended to keep funneling precious tax dollars into the pockets of millionaire developers and billionaire team owners. We need everyone paying their fair share of property taxes, not more exemptions so that the burden will increase for everyone else.

As Paul Wellstone once said, “I don’t represent the big oil companies, the big pharmaceuticals, or the big insurance industry. They already have great representation in Washington. It’s the rest of the people that need representation.”

The same goes for me.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 2 new photos.

New lit piece we are dropping at every door in Ward 4. Let us know what you think.

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Fossil Free Saint Paul's photo.

Happy to support the divestment goals of Fossil Free Saint Paul.

While my opponent talks about climate change as "one of the greatest issues we face," you will find his record to be spotty at best on this issue. Yes, high quality transit and a comprehensive bike plan are important goals--but we aren't going to make a dent in reducing our carbon footprint without a robust plan for utilizing solar, geothermal, and wind energy at the municipal level; ensuring that the city's vehicle fleet is as energy-efficient as possible, and ending the practice of burning trash and other refuse locally in St. Paul and at the Newport recovery facility that Ramsey and Washington County foolishly just acquired.

Fossil Free Saint Paul

The results are streaming in! Our next #FossilFreeSTP supporter- Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul - Ward 4!

See his responses here: http://www.mn350.org/fossil-free-st-paul/

When asked "What other ways would you support action on climate change in Saint Paul?" Tom had this to say:

"Stop the proliferation of teardowns and demolitions in St. Paul that release CO2 and other dangerous pollutants into the atmosphere.

Audit the city’s vehicle fleet to see where efficiencies may be gained in terms of age, usage, vehicle type, and purchasing habits.

Only subsidize those capital projects that maximize the potential for solar, geothermal, and wind energy to operate their buildings.

Stop burning trash and refuse at the Newport recovery facility and update permitting for any entities within the city of St. Paul that burn wood or other paper products to generate energy."

Thanks so much for standing with us Tom!

Please remember, results are being updated as they come in, so remember to watch closely to see if or how your council candidates are responding!

That includes the following candidates who have not responded:
Russ Stark for Ward 4 Crews for Ward 1 Dai Thao for St. Paul City Council Ward 1 Saint Paul City Councilmember Chris Tolbert Amy Brendmoen for Saint Paul City Council, Ward 5 David Glass for Saint Paul City Council Ward 5 Dan Bostrom for St. Paul Ward 6 Jane Prince for Saint Paul's Ward 7

MPIRG - Minnesota Public Interest Research Group Mn350: Building a Climate Movement in Minnesota Fossil Free Minnesota Fossil Free Macalester

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 6 new photos.

Photos from second Ward 4 Debate @ Saint Anthony Park Library Thursday evening.

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Just sharing: St. Thomas will host a debate between Ward 4 incumbent and City Council President Russ Stark and challenger Tom Goldstein. The event is Thursday, Oct. 29, 6:30 p.m., in Owens Science Hall auditorium on the south campus.

After the mayor has made it clear that he wants parking meters on Grand regardless of what the public thinks, now he's willing to listen to resident and business owner complaints?

The mayor has the process completely backwards.

But if you like political theater, Monday evening from 7 to 8:30 p.m. should be on your agenda.

Don't want Grand Avenue parking meters? Speak up

twincities.com

Mayor Chris Coleman will host a community forum next week to talk with residents about his proposal to install parking meters along Grand Avenue.

GREAT POST BY NICK COLEMAN

Wow. St Paul is looking for a few good rubber stamps!

This post, (below) came from a St Paul DFL Facebook Page, admitting that the voters seem to want more input in the back-room plan for a pro soccer stadium in the Midway. But while the city seems to get that the natives are restless, the city can't admit that they have put the cart before the horse. Momentum "continues to build" for a stadium, the city gushes more than once, but, um, let's see, is there something we have forgotten?.... Oh, right! Citizen involvement!!!! So, apply now to get free tickets to the first home game! Er, we mean, to give us your valuable input!
Here's the message from the SD64 DFL page:

At our town hall last week, there was a call for more organized citizen input as St Paul considers a soccer stadium at Snelling and University.

I did share that perspective with Mayor Coleman, as many of you have. The information below was just released by the Mayor and Council President Russ Stark.

Mayor Coleman, Council seeks committee members to inform Snelling- Midway area redevelopment in anticipation of potential soccer stadium
Committee members will advise planning of the 34.5 acre Midway site at Snelling and University

SAINT PAUL – With momentum continuing to build for a soccer stadium in Saint Paul, Mayor Chris Coleman and the Saint Paul City Council are seeking applicants for a community advisory committee to guide the work of City staff and consultants as the project moves forward. The 15-20 person committee will be tasked with representing the broader interests of the community, providing input on the overall design and development decisions that would emerge on the 34.5 acre site.

“With momentum clearly building for a potential soccer stadium at the Midway location, it’s critical that we ensure diverse community voices are in place to guide the process,” said Mayor Chris Coleman. “While redevelopment of this area has been the subject of intense community conversation and focus for many years – including ahead of the construction of the Green Line, we want to ensure the mechanisms are in place to secure public input as Minnesota United and MLS say they want to negotiate a stadium in Saint Paul.”

This week, the Metropolitan Council, Saint Paul Port Authority and Saint Paul City Council will consider entering into a Joint Powers agreement. Should the JPA be approved and subsequent discussions be successful, a proposed lease of the site from the Met Council to the City of Saint Paul would be submitted to the governing bodies for consideration and approval. Additionally, both the Saint Paul City Council and Ramsey County have passed resolutions supporting property tax exemption for a possible soccer stadium.

“Should the team and MLS want to build a stadium in Saint Paul, the City Council and Mayor will need to make many decisions along the way – and we want this committee in place so we can thoroughly engage the community throughout this process,” said City Council President Russ Stark. “We are committed to engaging the public on this optimal site situated between downtown Minneapolis and downtown Saint Paul, whether or not the soccer stadium moves forward.”

Long a part of Saint Paul city government, community advisory committees and task forces provide guidance to city planners on everything from transportation infrastructure to green space to design. The city of Saint Paul currently has numerous active committees and task forces, including for high impact projects like the Capital City Bikeway, the Ford Site redevelopment, the Highway 5/Shephard Road study and the Grand Round.

The Midway site has also been the focus of significant community input, including the development of a station area plan completed in 2008, and a subsequent review by outside consultants that resulted in the Snelling-Midway SmartSite TOD Development Strategy report. More information can be found at stpaul.gov/snelling.

Meeting specifics

The Midway Redevelopment Advisory Committee will meet on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., with the first meeting tentatively scheduled for December 3rd.

Those interested in serving on the committee should submit the application available here by Wednesday, November 4, 2015. Those selected will be notified later in November.

City of St. Paul, MN - Official Website - Snelling-Midway Redevelopment Opportunity

stpaul.gov

The three parties (Metropolitan Council, City of Saint Paul and RK Midway LLC) have agreed that redevelopment, when completed, should substantially achieve the following goals:

Russ Stark posted the following on his personal Facebook page today after a private screening before the St. Paul Pioneer Press editorial board:

"In front of the Editorial Board of the Pioneer Press today, my opponent had the audacity to say that I had only begun working on and talking about climate change issues in the past six months. My work does sometimes fly under the radar, but really?"

Later, he wrote:

"I didn't mention that he also claimed I only started talking about equity issues after he joined the race. Mysterious when this is the issue I focused on most in my campaign kick-off last December in front of 100 or so supporters."

As a general rule, I don't think that private conversations before an editorial board should become the subject of public Facebook posts. If nothing else, call it an unwritten rule that if you're part of a process to win elected office, you observe a certain decorum. After all, if the Pioneer Press Board wanted its meeting to be public, they'd hold it in public, right?

As a result of Russ's post, several of his supporters came to his defense with the kind of snarky, sarcastic comments that I had hoped would not be a part of this campaign. In an effort to at least set the record straight, I responded as follows to a mutual FB friend whom I would not have expected to jump on the bandwagon as easily as she did.

"I am surprised that you would take at face value what Russ had to say without considering that there might be more to the story. I assumed that we've had enough conversations in person and by email to know that I'm a straightforward person who doesn't engage in false accusations or misinformation, but maybe not.

"What I actually said at the screening was similar to what I said at the debate last Monday: that one can't claim to be all about climate change when he also supported a highly questionable project like the Saints ballpark which required the removal of a massive concrete structure that undoubtedly released significant amounts of trapped CO2 gas into the atmosphere along with billions of harmful particulate matter, not to mention the many thousands of yards of contaminated soil that had to be hauled away to landfills. In fact, I was simply arguing that Russ needed to be consistent, that being a strong supporter of biking and transit doesn't excuse supporting redevelopment that can easily undo the benefits gained from those other things.

"To be clear, I'm not telling you this because I expect you to change your vote. But I am miffed that .... Russ supporters .... don’t stop to wonder why a two-term incumbent city council member would feel a need to post on his Facebook page that his opponent had said something he didn't like in a closed door meeting with a newspaper editorial board.

"People don’t have to vote for me, but I would hope they would want the Ward 4 campaign to remain focused on the issues and not about “who said what.” That’s what I’m trying to do, and if Russ isn’t used to having his record scrutinized in public or in private, maybe he needs to rethink his reasons for why he wants to continue serving on the City Council."

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 2 new photos.

For those who may not have seen a copy of the last Highland Villager featuring an article on the Ward 4 candidates.

We had to break it up into two scans because of its size, but Tom does an excellent job of articulating the distinctions between his campaign and that of his opponent, CM Russ Stark.

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

I still don't believe Minnesota United plans to relocate to St. Paul. After all, why are the owners remaining silent after all these parties indicated their support for a tax break and the MLS Commissioner gave a rave review of the site? That’s easy: they want to see what more they can leverage from Minneapolis or Hennepin County. Next will come a “new” deadline, and failing that, perhaps another deadline until the owners are completely certain that they have achieved the absolute best deal they can get by playing Mpls. and St. Paul elected officials off one another.

Even if a stadium deal materialized here, the move to a joint powers agreement between the city and the Met Council is actually a step backward that further increases our tax burden. Not only will the parcel remain tax exempt because it will still be owned by Metro Transit, the city will have a ground lease that will require it to make payments to Metro Transit. Since there’s talk about those payments going to “improve transit,” they don’t appear to be nominal. So the land remains off the tax rolls and taxpayers foot the bill for the lease—not Minnesota United.

Parties to vote on working toward lease of potential St. Paul soccer stadium site

startribune.com

The St.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared The Villager Newspaper's post.

The Villager Newspaper

Hamline-Midway attorney, former small-business owner and publisher and former St. Paul School Board member Tom Goldstein is challenging Russ Stark’s bid this fall for a third term representing Ward 4 on the St. Paul City Council. For a look at the race, see the September 30 issue of the Villager.

Pictured: Russ Stark and Tom Goldstein

Candidates attending the news conference — Tom Goldstein in the Fourth Ward, David Glass in the Fifth, Kevin Bradley in the Sixth, and Jane Prince in the Seventh — said they backed the group’s goals.

“It’s that mentality that ‘We’re smarter than you and we know better than you,’ ” Goldstein said.

Grass-roots group urges St. Paul candidates to back its call for more responsive City Hall

startribune.com

With St. Paul elections less than a month away, a group of community leaders frustrated by what they say is a lack of transparency at City Hall.

Here's my position on parking meters on Grand Avenue, as published yesterday in the Midway Monitor. It is in direct contrast with my opponent, Council President Russ Stark, who has indicated that he plans to support the meters proposal in spite of overwhelming opposition from Grand Ave businesses and residents.

"As a former business owner on Grand Avenue, I’m particularly concerned that this proposal seems to be more about raising city revenues than addressing a specific problem.

It’s an all too familiar example of city officials who decide they’re smarter than the public and don’t need to go through the inconvenience of holding community meetings or seeking input from businesses and residents.

If there are areas in the city where parking is clearly a problem, utilizing parking districts or other means to ensure turnover of parking spaces may be appropriate. But moving forward on a proposal without seeking feedback from taxpayers is exactly the kind of practice that I would work to stop as a council member."

Mayor Chris Coleman, Saint Paul City Council: No Parking Meters on Grand Avnue

change.org

Parking Meters on Grand Avenue On August 11, 2015 Saint Paul Mayor Coleman presented the 2016 Budget Address, proposing a "NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL AREA PARKING METER PILOT PROJECT" which would have parking meters installed by May 2016. Grand Avenue is one of several areas being considered for this p…

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared a link.

Video from the first Ward 4 debate.

Grateful to have a chance to show the clear distinctions between the vision I have for Ward 4 and the city in contrast to that of my opponent.

Thank you to SPNN for great work in recording the event.

Ward 4 - Saint Paul City Council Candidate Forum October 5, 2015

youtube.com

Watch more videos at http://www.SPNN.org This is a candidate forum for the Ward 4 Saint Paul City Council election, held 10-5-2015 at the Hamline Branch of t...

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared League of Women Voters of St. Paul's event.

Mark your calendars! Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Ward 4 City Council Candidate Forum

Ward 4 City Council Candidate Forum

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul updated their profile picture.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul updated their cover photo.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's cover photo

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 2 new photos.

More debate pics from last night....

Yes, I know, looks like matching purple shirts. (Mine had pinstripes.)

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 3 new photos.

A big thank you to everyone who turned out for tonight's Ward 4 Candidate Forum at the Hamline Library--close to 90 folks!!

Also, thanks to Hamline Midway Coalition, Union Park District Council, League of Women Voters, St. Anthony Park District Council, and Hamline MPIRG chapter for cosponsoring.

And special thanks to the Hamline Library for providing the venue and to SPNN for recording the event..

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 4 new photos.

More photos from Oct 2nd Meet and Greet

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared Susan Damon's photo.

Another entry in our photo contest. Can't think of a cooler honor than to have a Goldstein sign nestled into the fantastic Pollinator Habitat that Susan Damon has created at her Cleveland Ave home. Thanks!

Susan

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 3 new photos.

Great turnout for our most recent Meet & Greet, held at the lovely Dayton Avenue home of longtime friends John Syverud and Mary McKeown and co-hosted by Gretchen & Steve Robertson.

Our campaign has knocked on more than 5,000 doors in the three months since Tom declared for city council in Ward 4. What's clear from those conversations is that people are dissatisfied with a non-responsive city government that favors the priorities of developers and political insiders over those of neighborhoods.

We'll be working non-stop between now and November 3rd to surprise a political establishment that assumes incumbents are invincible and that citizen engagement is irrelevant.

Want to be part of that political change? Just visit the campaign website and let us know how you'd like to volunteer.

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 8 new photos.

SIGN SIGN, EVERYWHERE A SIGN...

We've now blown through our initial order of 100 campaign signs. More on the way. Please let us know if you would like one for your yard.

And if you get a moment, please snap a photo of your Goldstein sign and post it on our campaign page!

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Here's my position on parking meters on Grand, a direct contrast with my opponent, one of two city council members who offered support for the meters. (This is also what I told the Midway Monitor, in response to a questionnaire from that publication.)

"As a former business owner on Grand Avenue, I’m particularly concerned that this proposal seems to be more about raising city revenues than addressing a specific problem.

It’s an all too familiar example of city officials who decide they’re smarter than the public and don’t need to go through the inconvenience of holding community meetings or seeking input from businesses and residents.

If there are areas in the city where parking is clearly a problem, utilizing parking districts or other means to ensure turnover of parking spaces may be appropriate. But moving forward on a proposal without seeking feedback from taxpayers is exactly the kind of practice that I would work to stop as a council member."

Metered parking on Grand Avenue prompts pushback

twincities.com

The proposal to install parking meters on Grand Avenue brought angry business owners and residents out in droves Tuesday night, many holding bright green

Here's a preview of our ad that will appear in the Midway Monitor in October. It hopefully illustrates the clear distinctions between the status quo and what Tom will bring to City Hall if elected to the City Council for Ward 4.

Want to ensure that local government works for us rather than the other way around? Want to have an independent progressive in office who will represent neighborhoods rather than special interests? Then get off your butt, share this message with your friends, get involved with Tom's campaign--and VOTE!!

Thirty-five days to Election Day....

Timeline Photos

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul shared their photo.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul

DON'T MISS OUR MEET & GREET THIS FRIDAY, 5:30 - 7:30

Just 35 days to Election Day. Either we're going to elect a dynamic progressive unafraid of taking on the powerful special interests that dominate local politics--or we're going to continue to accept the do-nothing status quo at City Hall.

The mayor is hosting a fundraiser tonight for my opponent that is a who's who of insiders, developers, lobbyists, and political insiders who are the direct beneficiaries of the city's obsession with corporate subsides and stadiums.

Let's show them that one-party politics is failing to address the needs of Ward 4 and that it's time we had a true independent on the city council.

Please add your voice to the momentum for change and attend Friday's Meet & Greet so that you can help Tom win on November 3rd.

RSVP by PM or post on FB for exact location of the event.

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 2 new photos — with Nicola Brambilla and 3 others.

TEAM GOLDSTEIN spent the morning helping out at the District 10-sponsored cleanup at the State Fairgrounds, then put in another full afternoon of door knocking.

Looking good in those "Wellstone green" t-shirts!

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul added 3 new photos.

Today I was the lucky invitee of the esteemed Roedler lunch group that meets every Friday in downtown St. Paul.

My talk was entitled "An Alternative State of the City: How Catchy Slogans and Political Rhetoric Does Not Equal Progress in Saint Paul."

It was basically a summary of red flags about what has been happening at City Hall the past three years and how the City Council has ignored or remained silent with each new crisis.

Not everyone in the audience was pleased, particularly those who are fond of the mayor. But I guess that comes with the territory.

My prepared remarks are below; also attached is a chronology of recent events gleaned almost entirely from published media reports. It is not pretty.

"An Alternative State of the City: How Catchy Slogans and Political Rhetoric Does Not Equal Progress in Saint Paul."

Five months ago Mayor Coleman delivered his State of the City Address less than half a mile from here. Among other things, the mayor noted:

• Our population is growing
• Graduation rates for all children are up
• Crime is down across the city
• We have once again earned a AAA Bond Rating
• There is renewed vitality in neighborhoods across the city
• Property values are rising
• Investment in the city is at an all-time high
• Arts and cultural amenities are bringing back night-life to downtown, and
• The Minnesota Wild are in the playoffs

He also added, “So today, I offer this year’s State of the City address as a toast to all we have accomplished this last decade – to the dreams realized, to the promises fulfilled, to a renewed, vibrant and growing Saint Paul.”

Although it may pain many of you who take great pride in our city to hear this, I would suggest that our overall progress in the past ten years has not been significant and that the beneficiaries in St. Paul have primarily been developers, financiers, and political insiders.

Because if we’re really being honest about the “state of the city,” it is a far cry from the mayor’s oft-spoken claims that we are “the most livable city in America.”

(See chronology of media reports about St. Paul during past three years.)

And that’s just what I could fit on one page.

Left out from the handout is the city’s decision to grant Comcast a ten-year no-bid contract at $410,000 per year to manage the city’s intranet network while doing nothing to resolve the ongoing issues with the company’s deplorable customer service.

Or, something the mayor almost never speaks about: St. Paul’s 24% poverty rate.

As reported by MPR in 2013, “Poverty is climbing in St. Paul, and at a much higher rate than in the rest of the state. In the span of just about one decade — from 1999 to 2010 — 24,000 residents of the city fell into poverty. Today, the total number of St. Paulites living at or below the poverty line is 67,000, or about one in every four people, including 25,000 children.”

Or, as also reported by MPR in 2013, how Minneapolis has returned to pre-recession levels of private sector employment. St. Paul is still down 4,800 jobs.

There was no mention of any of these things in the Mayor’s state of the city this year or any year.

And, not surprisingly, there is no mention in the city’s strategic plan about how we’re going to alleviate poverty—which has been true of every iteration of the mayor’s strategic plan during his ten years in office.

And don’t get me started about TIF funding in St. Paul. No, I mean it.

Trying to figure out the myriad of 51 TIF districts and all the tax money that is diverted from the city’s budget could easily be the subject of an honor’s thesis for a graduate student.

If nothing else, the latest “Informational Report” on TIF Districts is a treatise on misdirection and obfuscation.

But lack of transparency has become a hallmark at City Hall, where the City Council recently passed a resolution instructing city employees to not save emails after six months.

Given what I’ve condensed on the handout I’ve given you, one can understand why the city is desperate to keep bad news from ending up in the papers.

So what can we do differently?

Let’s start by ending the pursuit of stadiums.

Develop an easy-to-understand city scorecard that spells out goals and accomplishments using real data.

Elect candidates who will represent neighborhoods rather than developers.

That's why I'm running for City Council. We need an advocate in Ward 4 who will insist on accountability and transparency in local government so that the city serves us rather than the other way around.

Photos from Tom Goldstein for Saint Paul's post

What's your take on this?

http://www.twincities.com/crime/ci_28854962/questions-arise-over-force-teens-arrest

#stpaul15

Questions arise over force in St. Paul teen's arrest

twincities.com

Some members of a church are concerned about what they describe as the forceful arrest of a St. Paul teen, who said he was standing up for his mother.

The mayor has repeatedly stated that a soccer stadium will "catalyze development" in the Midway area. Several council members have echoed the same belief. But where’s the proof? What business--other than a bar, restaurant, or hotel—is going to want to be in the Midway next to a stadium? Thirty years of data categorically shows that stadiums do not catalyze development, but this one is going to be different? Why?

What a stadium will do is partially end the blight in the Midway—at a cost of about $100 million over the next 20 years if Fred Melo’s piece in the Pioneer Press about the approximate tax value of the Bus Barn site is accurate. No way nearby development will offset the lost revenue from having a tax-exempt structure on the site.

Even with all the hype, this deal is far from over. MLS has to be thrilled that the public is behaving exactly as it wants and repeating almost verbatim the exaggerated claims of the mayor and business leaders. But claiming that the Midway is the “preferred site” is simply part of the strategy. Don’t forget the Vikings told Ramsey County they wanted their stadium in Arden Hills on the TCAAP site. Remember how that deal turned out?

I’m sure the horse race is fun for the media to cover, but it would be more helpful if the media could get MLS to explain how professional soccer is going to make any money with the owners on the hook for a $150 million private stadium and $100 million franchise fee. I don’t believe the evidence is there, and those are the questions our elected officials should also be asking—not just serving as cheerleaders for the project.

MLS backs St. Paul soccer stadium site for Minnesota United

TWINCITIES.COM

Major League Soccer on Monday gave its blessing to St. Paul's vacant MTC bus barn site for an MLS Minnesota United franchise as early as 2017.