2009 Green Party Candidate Screening Questionnaire
Please describe your skills and the experiences that qualify you for the position you are seeking.
I have had a life-long commitment to progressive values and issues. Since my teens in the 1960s, I have been involved in organizing people to advocate for peace, social change, and economic justice. I have focused on educating myself and others about the issues that matter.
I have gained experience and skills in bringing people together for the benefit of all. I have worked, not just within activist groups, but as a liaison among groups, fostering cooperation toward common goals. My experiences have taught me the value of working together in broad coalitions, while maintaining strong, consistent principles. I believe that my life experiences have prepared me well for a position on the Minneapolis City Council.
My first political experiences came from my opposition to the Vietnam War. I worked on Eugene McCarthy’s presidential campaign. I was greatly disillusioned by the corruption of our political system and the dominance of money. That same summer, I worked in an asbestos factory. That was very influential, opening my eyes to the terrible conditions that some people have to work in. I became an advocate of workers’ rights and of occupational health, safety, and environmental issues.
I went to college and helped lead the antiwar movement at Michigan State University while gaining an engineering degree. After college, I was drafted. As a Conscientious Objector to war, based on my Quaker background, I was required to perform two years of alternative civilian service instead of going into the military. It was then, in 1972, that I moved to Minneapolis and lived in the Phillips neighborhood while working at very low-paying jobs. At one of those jobs, I helped to lead a union organizing campaign.
Eventually I got an engineering job at American Hoist & Derrick. I was involved in a union organizing drive there as well, organizing engineers and clerical workers. I left that job to stay home after the birth of my second child. 17 years ago, I opened my own auto repair shop in the neighborhood, giving me experience and insight into the challenges of operating a small independent business.
Throughout this time, I remained active politically, working for peace, against the Central American wars, against nuclear weapons and nuclear power, and against police brutality.
In 2005, I became a leader in the opposition to the Twins stadium tax. That led others to convince me that I should run for City Council. I entered that race at the last minute, with little election campaign experience. I nevertheless received 30% of the vote.
Since that race, I have been much more intensely involved in Minneapolis city politics and issues. I continued my work against the Twins stadium tax, and have recently helped form a group to oppose the Vikings stadium plan. I have continued to work closely with Communities United Against Police Brutality to bring accountability for problem officers and to change police policies. This past year, I was appointed to the Minneapolis Civilian Police Review Board, where I have been active regarding the police Taser policy in particular. I also volunteer with the Midtown Restorative Justice Program. I worked to oppose repression and free speech restrictions related to the Republican National Convention. Last year, I helped defeat the Midtown Burner which would have added more pollution in an area already challenged by childhood asthma and other serious problems.
Since my last campaign, I have closely followed the City Council, and I am very familiar with its processes and its responsibilities. I have followed, commented on, or worked on issues such as the library consolidation (against the undemocratic process), Police Chief Dolan’s appointment (against), changes to the CRA, AFSCME University strike support, Lake St. reconstruction, immigration raids, support of those arrested at the RNC, etc.
I believe my variety of life experiences, as well as political experiences, give me an advantage over the incumbent in understanding the issues of the people in my ward. I have raised two children. I have been a homeowner, a landlord, and a renter. I have had bad jobs and good jobs, and am now self-employed. I hope to be able to connect with all of the people in my ward.
Which policy issues would be the focus of your campaign or tenure in office?
There are two broad principles that I would like to emphasize:
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We need more than just new faces on the City Council – we need a new way to govern. It would be no more appropriate – or successful – for me to act by myself on the City Council than it would be for me to try to campaign all alone. City Council members need to be more connected to the community. Those people directly impacted by a decision should be consulted before that decision is made. Many of the current “public input” opportunities work to frustrate and discourage any real input. Hearings are often held after the real decision has already been made. On any given issue, there is more experience and expertise among members of the general public than there is in the Council chambers – and that will continue to be true if I am on the Council! That input should be actively sought out, not just in the interests of democracy, but also to reduce incompetence.
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City government should be judged by how it treats the most vulnerable among us – the poor, the elderly, and the very young. It is unconscionable that people must sleep on the sidewalks next to towering symbols of great wealth. Food, housing, health, and education are basics. They must be our priorities. City spending is limited by its dependence on regressive property taxes, which we cannot continue to increase. We must be as frugal as necessary in our other spending until we can assure the most basic necessities for all residents.
Some of the specific issues I have been focusing on (and working on over the past four years):
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End subsidies for millionaires (and billionaires!). We are paying a sales tax for the Twins stadium, the city is still paying for the Target Center fiasco, and now the Vikings are looking for a handout. Stadiums are just the most visible tip of the iceberg. Big developers use city government as their private tool. Our city will likely be receiving stimulus funds from the new Obama administration. We must be sure these are well-spent, not on a few expensive boondoggles, but on infrastructure that will create good permanent jobs and improve our lives well into the future.
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We need a better police department. Public safety depends not simply on the number of police officers, but also on the quality and priorities of police service. The police can do a better job of reducing the serious crime problems in our neighborhood if they respect the people, and the people can trust the police. We need to end racial profiling. We need effective accountability for the serious problems of police abuse, brutality, and poor service. In addition to accountability for problem officers, we need a major reform of the entire department, starting at the top.
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We must encourage small, locally owned businesses. They are the backbone of our neighborhood. They create the most new jobs, and they keep more of our money in the local economy. City policies have made it difficult for these businesses to survive.
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We must clean up and preserve our environment. In the interests of environmental justice, we must continue to oppose projects that would add pollution in the areas already challenged by childhood asthma and other effects.
What strategies will you use to enact these policies if you are elected?
I intend to be a strong advocate on the Council. A Council seat can also provide an opportunity for public advocacy outside of City Hall. However, the biggest impact on my effectiveness will be the strength of constituent support for the policies I am advocating. For that reason, the need to connect with the Ward and to build popular coalitions and support will continue long after the election is over. Grassroots democracy may start during a campaign, but it must also continue while I am in office.
What individuals or groups have you identified as potential allies in your efforts?
I have extensive ties with political activists and activist groups throughout the city. Those people can help to provide expertise and support, and can help me to identify and network with similar support inside the 9th Ward. I have some local media contacts who have supported my efforts in the past.
I also plan to engage the support of progressives within the DFL. Some of the active members of my campaign, this time and four years ago, are also active within the DFL. There are many wonderful progressive activists within the local DFL, and my status as a Green Party candidate will not preclude working closely with them on all the issues we share.
I expect to have considerable small business support, based on my policies and my own status as a small business owner.
Is there anything in your background that is potentially embarrassing to the Green Party?
No.
Please describe your understanding of the Green Party’s 10 Key Values. How would your candidacy demonstrate your commitment to these values?
The 10 Key Values are very similar to the principles I have talked about above. I think it is fair to say that I was a Green before there was a Party of that name. In my past four years of working actively with the Green Party, I have come to have greater and greater respect for the wisdom expressed in those values and their usefulness in dealing with practical issues. They are a remarkable statement of our principles of unity. As a spokesperson for the Minnesota Green Party, I have found them very helpful in formulating and explaining our positions in press releases and other communications.
I will continue to use the 10 Key Values in formulating my positions on issues. When I am asked about an issue that I do not yet have a position on, or about which I know too little, I will say so. Then I will attempt to illustrate how the key values would help me to come to a decision on that issue.
Please look through the Green Party of Minnesota platform. Are there any positions in the platform with which you disagree? If so, please explain.
It is an excellent platform. I agree with all the positions relevant to a position on City Council, and I have only minor disagreements with any other points. I will do all I can to implement this platform.
Will you seek any counsel with the Green Party on issues involved with your office?
Yes. This is one of the benefits of a party affiliation. I expect the Green Party and its members to be a valuable resource not just during the campaign, but while in office. I will attend membership meetings regularly and seek advice and answer questions there. I am also enthusiastic about the possibility of the new Green Party “watchdog” project or similar efforts to involve members in local government issues.
The Green Party also has many members with expertise and experience in a variety of issues. I will proactively seek their guidance on those issues.