(00:00:00) With news from Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Greta Cunningham. Minnesota's unemployment rate fell slightly in September, but the Department of Economic Security caution that the change doesn't reflect layoffs resulting from the September 11th terrorist attacks. That's because anyone who worked even one hour on September 10th was counted as employed for the entire month of September Minnesota seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September was 3.4% that's down two tenths of a percentage point from August and far below the national September rate of 4.9% seasonally adjusted non-farm employment fell by an estimated 7,000 jobs from August. The manufacturing sector lost about 15 hundred jobs in September officials expect the October unemployment rate to go up three st. Paul city council members and a Grassroots neighborhood groups a mayor Norm Coleman's proposal to move the st. Paul Saints to a new stadium on Harriet Island is a bad idea. They want to keep the minor league baseball team in its current Stadium near the State Fairgrounds save the Midway organizer Peter boehm says fans like the Saints because they're everything the major leagues aren't and coments plans for a new stadium would destroy that but now all of a sudden they want a brand new stadium with luxury boxes and we're looking at that as a sort of mini Majors that will disenfranchise all of the people who made them successful up till now, it's co-owner Mike Mac approach the mayor about a new stadium. He says it makes more sense to build a new ballpark than try to renovate Midway Stadium a spokeswoman for Coleman says the mayor and the Saints are still talking and no formal decision has been made on the stadium the forecast for Minnesota calls for cloudy skies in the Northeast with the possibility of rain or snow showers partly cloudy in the South. I stood a from 45 in the north to 55 in the South right now in the Twin Cities partly cloudy skies and 37 degrees. That's a news update. I'm Greta Cunningham programming on Minnesota Public Radio is supported by the 2001 stands lecture Ted cold re from the center for policy studies discusses challenges facing institutions of Minnesota's public life, Tuesday, October 16. 7 p.m. At the History Center in st. Paul. It's six minutes now past 11 o'clock. And good morning. Welcome to midday and Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary eichten glad you could join us most voters in st. Paul and Minneapolis have some boning up to do three weeks from today voters in each City will be electing a mayor to lead their city for the next four years. It's an important decision. No doubt about it. But one that has not gotten a whole lot of attention this fall the races for mayor like pretty much everything else have been overshadowed by concern over the September 11th attack on America. But Ready or Not election day is Drawing Near and this week on midday. Both candidates in both cities are joining us to talk about the issues and take your questions tomorrow at 11:00. The Minneapolis candidates will be here. But today we've been joined by the candidates for mayor in st. Paul dfl city council member j.bennison off and dfl state. Senator. Randy Kelly has been an officer for years on the city council. He's on leave from his job as head of the workers compensation reinsert reinsurance Association as Kelly has represented st. Paul at the Sort of legislature for 27 years. Now. If you have a question for the candidates, we invite you to give us a call here. Our Twin City area number is 6512276 thousand 6512276 thousand and we also have a toll-free line at 1 800 to for to 280 to 86512276 thousand or one eight hundred two, four two two eight two eight. We do ask that if you are actively working for one of the candidates or if you've already decided who you're going to vote for that you not call in. Of course, we can't enforce that. But your honorable people we would like to give people who haven't decided who they're going to vote for a chance to get their question answered. Again, 6512276 thousand or 1-800 to for 22828 gentlemen, thanks for coming in this morning. (00:03:59) Thank you. Thank you Gary councilmember been enough 30-second sound bite (00:04:04) here. If you would please in a nutshell. Why would you make a better mayor than Randy Kelly? (00:04:08) Well, I think Can make a great mayor for st. Paul. I have the experience. They have the vision. I have the passion of 14 years of business experience for years on the city council. And I love st. Paul. I've been saying Paul half my life. I'm the son of immigrants. Actually. I'm an immigrant myself. I understand some of the issues. I think that we're facing and st. Paul and I care about the people of st. Paul st. Paul's a great City. It's a city of neighborhoods. It's a city where people care about their Parks libraries and rec centers. Those are the issues that I'm that I'm focused on I have the experience. I have the passion have the vision and I have a plan to move saying Paul forward in the 21st century (00:04:45) Senator Kelly again 30-second sound bite. Why would you be a better mayor than J been enough? (00:04:50) Well Gary, I've had the privilege to represent st. Paul in the Minnesota Legislature for the past 27 years. And for the past eight years. I have been part of a team that's been constructed to propel this city forward and I want to run for mayor because I want to continue to build on the progress of the Several years and to keep the momentum going. I think I have the skills the talent the ability the context at the state the county the Met Council level and the federal level to be able to add value to this city and to keep the Renaissance in this in this city moving forward. (00:05:28) Now, you're both Democrats and for people who are again just tuning into this race. Is it fair to characterize this as a race between a liberal Democrat? Mr. Been an off and a conservative Democrat Senator Kelly is that fair? (00:05:44) I think it's fair Gary. I think that we represent two very very different wings of the political Spectrum. Really? I have a history in the legislature of being able to work with Democrats with Republicans. If you look at the legislature today and state government, you have an independent Governor. You have a republican house. You have a Democratic Senate I've Very well in that Forum doing very well for st. Paul because I believe in order to get things done. You've got to work with Democrats got to work with Republicans. You've got to work with Independence and particularly at the city level. This is a nonpartisan race. There really isn't any room for partisanship at the city level. You've got to work in Partnerships. You can't be an ideologue. I'm not one of those and I think that's the reason why I can be successful at this level as I have been at the state J better off. Would you would you think is that a fair characterization of where the two (00:06:44) of you? So I don't think it actually is I you know, you're the job of the mayor is not based on whether you're liberal conservative moderate or any other label, you know, I have the background. I've got folks like Tim Penny certainly never considered a liberal Democrat reason Congress attempt any supporting me. I've got 50 50 Business Leaders at least support him including some some chamber members members of the Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce executive board. What's important here is who's who has the skills who has the ability to be the CEO of the mayor of st. Paul? And those are the skills that I bring to this job. I've got the experience of running an organization making money and also understanding government in my years on this on the city council. This is not so much about who's liberal who's conservative who's anything labeled are not important here what's important is who can get the job done and I have the the ability to do that. (00:07:38) Needless to say given the events of the last month. There is a lot of concern about terrorism about Homeland Security in the rest. And whenever that subject comes up officials always note that when all is said and done it's the it's the local preparations that are going to make the difference as to whether or not people are are protected whether or not the response is adequate and so on so forth. What if anything do you think st. Paul needs to I would make sure that it can respond in case there would be an attack that would directly affect the city. (00:08:16) Well we need to do this. Yeah, this is Randy Kelly. I've spent most of my career in the legislature working on public safety issues the police a fire of endorsed me the public safety commissioner the Sheriff County attorney and the like because they know that I'm experienced in in that area what we have to do, of course in st. Paul is to ensure that we have a full complement of police a full complement of fire that we have a good communication system with the state and with the rest of the region here in in Ramsey County in the metro area so that we can have a emergency response that is not only adequate but is exemplary and I think we have that in place. And I think that we need to though make sure that our training keeps Pace with the new changes in the bio terrorism that we're now facing and that we have people that are skilled trained proper equipment to meet these kind of new emergencies that we you know, I hadn't anticipated just a few years ago. (00:09:30) Okay better now if anything the city should do to make sure that it's more ready to deal with with the (00:09:35) prophet. Let me first say Public (00:09:36) Safety is not a political issue Public Safety is the core function of City and County government and and anyone that makes a political issue I think is being unfair. We do need to find our Public Safety Community to the best means possible. There are other ways of doing that as well as talking to just a recently retired firefighter who said why doesn't st. Paul create a reserve unit for firefighters, you know people who have had the jobs of retired or people might want to do it. I mean, we do need additional person power in those in those areas the day of the attack Tambor XI I sat with the public safety officials in the Emergency Operations Center here in st. Paul try to figure out what it is and how thing Paul should respond and I think we've responded quite well and appropriately without without making this without frightening our citizens. I think the community's done quite well, but yes, we do need to do more. I was just discussing this issue yesterday with the head of the water utility and st. Paul because people are concerned. What are you doing to protect our water supply steps are being taken steps already been taken and we're looking at additional steps as well to secure our our citizens, but the one other thing the in addition to that first level of Public Safety that I'm hearing from people is what they need is to have an assurance that those things in their community that they hold valuable their parks are libraries the rec centers continue to be open. I had a woman call me after September 11th is that you know, the economy is different. I don't know I'm going to buy as many books as I in Barnes & Noble as I did before or Borders or ruminator bookstore, and she said what I need to know is Go to my library. I can access my books. It's a community Gathering Place people 50 Cent gain a sense of security when they can talk to each other as well. This is not the time to cut back on those amenities which the mayor's current budget would do (00:11:23) argh argh s this hour or st. Paul mayor candidate mayoral candidates OJ been turned off and Randy Kelly again. If you have a question for the candidates, give us a call here two numbers, six, five. One two, two seven six thousand 6512276 thousand or you can use our toll-free line. That's one eight hundred to four to 2828. And again, we do ask if you're actively working for one of the candidates or you've already decided who you're going to vote for let somebody else call in and get one of their questions answered. We can't enforce that. But that that would be the fair thing to do. Well, let's get to some listener questions here Doug your first go ahead, please good morning. Gentlemen. My question is for me taxes is a very important issue. Have you guys ever voted in the past? How many? Times have you ever voted to raise our taxes or have you voted to raise our taxes? (00:12:13) Can I get this j-man enough Doug. Thanks for your call. I know I've been on the council for four years. There have been three resolutions to raise taxes in the time. I've been on the council and I have never supported that I think that we can do a great job in st. Paul providing services at low cost and there are a lots of ways of doing that more efficient government consolidation of services. Some of which I've done since I've been on the council, we have to continue continue in that in that in that vein. I've never voted to raise taxes on my four years on the city council (00:12:45) Randy Kelly obviously being in (00:12:48) the legislature for 27 years since the mid 70s there were times when I imagine I voted to raise taxes. However in the last eight seven or eight years I have voted to return close to four billion dollars back to the taxpayers as last year. I was proud to have worked on and supported a 900 million dollar tax cut for property taxes for all of the state of Minnesota. But what J is sort of perplexing to me is Jay talks about supporting a zero tax increase on the city Side he voted for that and yet all I've heard in the last month is that we're not spending enough for Public Safety Parks Rex affordable housing and the like and he's refused to suggest that he would not raise taxes in the first year of his administration as I have done. So, I think what the citizens of this city can prepare themselves for if J been enough is Mayor. Is that the one of the Things that will happen is that there will be a tax increase on the part of the on the part of the city because you cannot make the kind of promises to the public employees and to all of these different groups. If you don't raise taxes as in the kind of promises that James made what I have suggested is that I will not raise taxes in the first year of my term. I think it would be terrible in this softening economy to send a signal to the residents of this city and to businesses that the first thing that you do the new mayor does is to raise taxes that is a terrible signal but unfortunately based upon my analysis of what my opponent has been saying over the last month or so, I'm persuaded and convinced that one of the first things you'll do is raise (00:14:58) taxes. Okay been turned off is that analysis, (00:15:00) correct? Absolutely, not Gary, you know, it's interesting that Randy would speculate that I would raise taxes and I never have and he has in fact dozens and dozens of time. What did raise taxes in fact he's got a last couple of years has got a zero percent rating from the taxpayer League of Minnesota. But let me talk about why I won't absolutely positively pledge not to raise taxes. It is certainly it is certainly the last option that I would consider as mayor however, especially in light of September 11th. It is possible that given our Public Safety needs we may have to come up with additional money just to find police and fire and all those other things if we do nothing else and but raise the funds for that. It's possible the household may be required to pay an additional $5 to $10 a year in taxes. I think it's irresponsible. It's a sit here today on in mid-october one month after the terrorist attack and say we are not going to we're going to rule out completely. It's irresponsible. We need to figure out what our Public Safety needs are at the same time. I think it's irresponsible to say we will close libraries if we can't if we can if we need to Divert money to Public Safety. I don't know what the future brings but I think in order to keep these options open and I think some people out there I think most people out there would understand their safety comes first and but any other hand they don't want to sit in their homes in fear. They don't want this to become nothing but a police state we need libraries. We need our products. We need our rec centers open and there is a way there is a way of running government more efficiently than we do today without raising taxes consolidation of services how we process our work how we play our streets all those things, you know, good manager and a good CEO has to look at how work gets done and and and make those changes innovate become smarter. So there is definitely a way to do it. I've got background. I've got the experience. I know how to do it in as mayor that's what I will do (00:16:55) quick word. Sponsor Randy Kelly being a responsible by given given the uncertainty of the times (00:17:03) absolutely absolutely not the fact is that one of the true success is for in terms of a fundamental success of the last several years is that the city has not raised its share of the local property taxes eight to ten years ago st. Paul was one of the highest tax cities municipalities in the state people were leaving this city in droves businesses were so frustrated that a big company like West took their 1,200 employees and left because you had a mayor in a city council that was insensitive to those kinds of needs the fact is we have a Renaissance going today because one of the reasons is that we have fiscally managed our budget of very well you have to continue that in the future particularly in a situation where you have a softening economy you have to go forward you know Jay talks about there are ways in which you can consolidate in the like and I say what have you done 1990 I created a commission Ramsey County and st. Paul consolidation commission out of that came the consolidation of the st. Paul Health Department with Ramsey County the consolidation of the election Bureau with Ramsey County. There has been nothing done lately with regard to those kinds of issues compete st. Paul. For example, Norm Coleman came forward and said, let's take a look at some of the issues and how we're providing services in this city. See if we can't bring the private sector in to bring managed competition to have been and I've put together a resolution. It's unworkable now, make sure it didn't happen Okay (00:18:45) quick response to a bed and often I want to get to my next (00:18:47) question was interesting in a forum yesterday or day before Randy said we have starved our libraries in the city and I agree with that Randy we have but Randy's not willing to work to keep those libraries open. He's ready to shut him down at a moment's notice. Also, I guess I would ask my opponent in response to West fleeing Randy. Kelly was a leader in the legislature in those days. Where was he while Wasn't he at the table? Why wasn't he working with the city leaders? Why wasn't he working with West to keep West here to keep saying Paul vibrant to keep taxes low. Randy has been alleged state to 27 years. Where has he been in tough times? It's interesting that he takes credit for good times. But yet I think you need to take responsibility at all (00:19:28) times Stuart your question, please. Yeah, thank you very much Congress sends over 6 million dollars a year in cdbg money to st. Paul to eight poor people and poor people need affordable housing the Coleman and Administration has spent nearly all of the 50 million dollars that it's gotten since Norm came into office. On other things. In fact more has been spent on demolishing affordable housing than building it. So what will you do to fix Norms broken Community Development block grant (00:20:01) system. Can I buy this is Jay Banner not okay. I (00:20:05) let me let me see if I can narrow this down a little bit because this is again one of those issues where Our I think for people who are just tuning in late. It's kind of hard to keep up on all the ins and outs of the Poke into how about if we go at it this way, how do you to differ on your approach to affordable housing? (00:20:22) It's hard to know how to do ever again. This is a banana. But you know, I clearly affordable housing is an issue. We know that we don't have enough housing. It's an economic development issue the metro area losses according to the recent study 1.1 billion dollars a year in Economic Development potential but in response to the question directly, I as mayor would designate 90% of the cdbg funds to affordable housing. I would also look at star funding Randy and I think in both talked about the designating more star funding that's a half cent sales tax. We collect in st. Paul for housing and I wouldn't use it for Downtown Development as we have in the past for Excel and Lawson and I wouldn't use it to use to move Peace Officers Association offices from sale be Dale area into the east side of st. Paul those funds have to be used for housing. We have a critical Housing shortage in st. Paul we have to address that it's an economic development crisis. It's a social justice (00:21:15) crisis or any Kelly. Well affordable housing is is it is at a critical stage here in st. Paul as well as a Metro region wherein one of the tightest housing markets in the in the nation, the next mayor is going to have to work very very hard to increase production in both downtown as well as in the the neighborhoods. I have stated in my policy papers that my goal would be to add 5,000 additional housing units 20% of which would be affordable housing in the first four years of my term in office now Jay has talked about ambiguous kinds of plans and policies. He's been on the city council for four years the community the federal dollars that's been coming in. He's had an opportunity to look at how those have been spent and he hasn't The best of my knowledge objected to the Community Development block grant monies that the FED sends to st. Paul to be used in different ways. And so what I'm saying specifically I would move put together a coalition of public-private State Foundation partnership to get 5,000 new units built in st. Paul over the next four years. (00:22:33) Okay. Should we move on to the next (00:22:35) question jaded - just one quick question briefly one briefly. I am the (00:22:39) author of the twenty percent affordable housing policy and st. Paul which Minneapolis adopted which is state is trying to adopt and it simply requires that if their City financing in the project 20% of it has to be affordable it it mixes affordable and market rate housing and I think that's a that works quite well, it's become a national model and I would ask my opponent who's been a legislative for 27 years and talks about these schemes and this ability to work with the state and the city and the federal government why he hasn't done that why where is our fordable housing that we So so desperately need if in fact he's got this working relationship and what allow us to tap State money. He's been at the state and I wish we'd have gotten some of that money that he talks so much (00:23:20) about Randy Kelly very briefly. (00:23:22) The fact is that over the last two years. I have worked with the faith community to increase the dollars for affordable housing by some 79 million dollars. The fact is if Jay would look st. Paul is receiving a fair amount of money from the state as well as the federal government for housing. The fact is in terms of affordable housing. You can't do this alone. The city can't do it alone in the metropolitan region. There are 38 thousand housing units that we are short. The fact is that there has been a partnership with the state. I have been aggressive in terms of pursuing increased resources, so that st. Paul could have more affordable housing units fact is that this year there will be about 850 new housing units. On board of which about 30% of those will be affordable. (00:24:13) All right, let's get one more question and get some answers in here before we break for news Rachel a quick question, please hi. I'm a simple voter and I've been hearing a lot about coalition's now it's been alluded to on this particular program as well as in the papers and I had just kind of a question to both of the candidates. Particularly Randy Kelly you claim to have this broad Coalition and besides affordable housing and Public Safety which you kind of touched on this program. How does that benefit a person living in the summit University neighborhood or in any neighborhood in st. Paul? What does that do for the for the people (00:24:52) well Rachel thank you for the question. The fact is that when you work in the legislature for very long with 201 members you realize that you cannot get anything done alone. The fact is I've worked with in a Democratic Senate with the Look in house in independent governor in work very effectively to put together coalition's that have gotten resources at to the city of st. Paul as mayor. You've got to do the same thing. You have got to put together Partnerships of business of Labor of government foundations nonprofit the broader Community income behind a vision that is going to improve not only the downtown but all of the neighborhoods in this city, I am very accustomed to in one of my real strengths is Partnerships and bringing together coalition's I would bring this to the mayor's office and I think it would have a significant positive impact for st. Paul J. Been turned off (00:25:52) Cole issues are very important. But you know, if I look at some parts of the city Rachel you talk about living the summit you area or Frogtown or parts of the North End, you know, those coalition's apparently haven't been at the table to resolve some of the issues in some are distressed areas of that east side of st. Paul the Randy represents. Clearly there are some issues of crime issues are housing issues issues that are in a crisis proportion and you know, if you want business as usual if you want business as usual and that would mean continued crime continued deterioration of some of our inner-city neighborhoods. Then perhaps perhaps you should vote for Randy Kelly business as usual in this economy. And in this country in the 21st century after September 11th doesn't suffice you need a coalition of individuals who understand neighborhood concerns, you need a leader who understands how to how to deal with complex Financial issues which I have and that's the kind of experience. I bring to the mayor's (00:26:48) office. We're talking this hour with the two candidates for mayor of st. Paul election day is just three weeks away and great opportunity today to find out more about the candidates where they stand on the issues again. If you have a question, give us a call six five one two, two seven six thousand you might also try our toll-free line and that number is Wait to 8 again. We ask if you're an activist, if you're a active supporter of one of the candidates, please don't call it somebody who's undecided yet get their question in will get to more of your questions in just a couple of minutes programming on Minnesota Public Radio is supported by eagle lab dedicated to improving cleaning and sanitation standards for leading Hospitality Healthcare and food processing customers worldwide on the web at Ecolab.com. (00:27:36) Like the United States. Britain says it will wage a financial war against Osama. Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network, (00:27:42) but some have doubts about the (00:27:43) plan as the largest Foreign Exchange Market in the (00:27:46) world. London has become known as the money launderers Paradise. I'm (00:27:51) Tony Kahn that story next time on the world. (00:27:56) That's today at seven o'clock here on Minnesota Public Radio, by the way, during our upcoming membership drive. We hope you'll join the community of listeners who make public radio possible with their financial support right now. Here's got a Cunningham with some headlines Greta. Thanks Gary. Good morning, an entire wing of a senate office building on Capitol Hill has been shut down following an anthrax scare and doctors say they expect to test hundreds of people new tests confirmed that a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader. Tom daschle's office contained Anthrax authorities believe the letter is linked to one that was sent to NBC news in New York a source tells the Associated Press that both carried a Trenton New Jersey postmark and had other similar markings and a similar message Afghan residents. A Taliban forces are trying to make themselves less of a target people in one part of the capital Kabul say the forces are taking refuge in a local mosque instead of staying at military bases Secretary of State Colin Powell has arrived in India from Pakistan. He's hoping to defuse tensions between Pakistan and India. But before he arrived the heaviest shelling this year erupted along the border of the two Rivals before pal landed the government criticized him for saying that the dispute in the region of Kashmir was at the heart of tension between the two countries India and Pakistan have fought two Wars over control of Kashmir since they won independence from Britain in 1947. President Bush wants to ease tensions between India and Pakistan and Shore up support for the anti-terror campaign in Regional news private aircraft can resume flying today in the Twin Cities metro area. The Federal Aviation Administration has reopened airspace in the metro area two pilots who meet certain criteria are ments. The FAA had limited access to airspace around major airports such as Twin Cities International following the September 11th terrorist attacks flight privileges have not been restored in 15 other major Metro areas, including New York and Washington the forecast for Minnesota today calls for cloudy skies in the Northeast with the possibility of rain or snow showers. It'll be partly cloudy in the far Southeast. Today from 45 in the north to 55 in the South right now in Marshall. It's sunny and 39 Duluth reports cloudy skies and 35 skies are sunny and Grand Rapids and 37. It's fair in Moorhead and 37 and in the Twin Cities. Mostly sunny skies with a temperature of 42 Gary. That's a look at the latest news. Thanks Greta about 25 minutes before twelve. This is midday on Minnesota Public Radio and our guests this our the candidates for mayor of st. Paul a state. Senator Andy Kelly and st. Paul city council member j.bennison off. They are here to take listener questions talk about the issues and give st. Paul voters a better idea of who they are and what they stand for. Our next caller is understand calling from the Ford plant. Is that right Steve? Yes. That is okay your question. I just had one question. I'd like to have a response for both of them. There's been a lot of hoo-ha in the paper about Ford Motor Company leaving st. Paul. I'd like to hear what they have what they have in stores. Far as helping forward in their employees staying here in the Twin Cities. Okay. Thank you (00:31:02) Gary. This is Randy Kelly. I am very concerned is someone who comes from the east side of st. Paul at have seen several plant closings. I can tell you it has a devastating impact on the community and on the lives of individuals that work in these facilities. I was so concerned that when the on May 9th the Ford Motor Company had their National stockholders meeting here in st. Paul. I connected William Ford with the governor. I had them meet. I had William Ford talk to the governor about their plans for this plant. The United Auto Workers have have endorsed me. They support me. I worked a few years ago to get them five million dollars to help build a robotics plant out there at the facility which is which was a coalition of Labor and in business in the Date to ensure that this this plant remain viable and competitive on a national basis. I'm very concerned. I will do whatever it takes at the city state or national level to try to ensure that we keep those 2200 good paying jobs. It's absolutely critical is 57 Acres of a facility out there and the next mayor has got to be very very aggressive about protecting that job is Jay been turned (00:32:26) off. Well, I'm willing to go to Detroit and talk to the CEO of Ford or anybody else for that matter. What is what is for need? I don't know. What is 41. I don't know but you know, one of the things I do one of the things I can do is look a CEO in the and the eyes and in the face and talk to him. I do that regularly in my job. And I have the understanding I do I know how to read a balance sheet. I know how to read a financial statement. That's an important component in putting together any any kind of a deal it is critically important to save those twenty two hundred jobs. It's a critically important for Island for st. Paul for the metro area, we can't lose those those good quality high paying jobs is it is incumbent on the next mayor to sit down to roll up his sleeves and get the job done (00:33:09) Dan your question, please yeah, I have two questions. And my first one is about the current scale back Riverway busway in the current proposal as I understand it removed two feet off of both sides of West 7th and parking between Smith and 35e. I want to know why we can't you Shepherd or 35e for this express bus service and then my second question is where they sit on go for State ethanol go for State drag their feet and it still stinks down here. And would they give the Gopher State a deadline or shut them down? (00:33:41) Okay every this J Bono, you know Randy talked earlier about coalition's and how important that is and he's right but Randy Kelly delivered Gopher State ethanol and a bus way that the neighbors did not want the neighbors did not need go for State ethanol has caused. Mom's health problems noise problems odor problems and as a city council member we have been working very closely with go for state to try to resolve those issues. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked the city is now in litigation to try to shut Gopher State ethanol down at the same time. We continue to work with them if we could save those jobs and we could resolve the issues. Certainly that's the best option but we also have to take the approach that number one number one issue is Citizens safety and health will continue to move in that direction and hopefully the judicial process will work its way quickly in terms of the bus way. We did not need to spend forty four million dollars. I believe in a bus way that people didn't want the original proposal was a was a line down West Seventh Street, which would have which would have impacted parking would have impacted the community very detrimentally. That's not leadership. That's just ramming something through the community that Community doesn't want doesn't need and in fact, it's (00:34:53) harmful. We couldn't agree more our disagree more the fact is that J is dr. Know. He's against everything the fact is we need to be looking to the Future and anticipating hundreds of thousands of more people in this metropolitan area. St. Paul has to be linked to a comprehensive public transportation system in this region. The fact is that the Riverview busway does that it takes us from a Mall of America and the airport and it connects st. Paul to that light rail Transit line the next move we have to connect st. Paul to Minneapolis down the central Corridor. The fact is Gretzky used to say when somebody would ask him why he was such a good hockey player. He says I focus on where the puck is going to be not where it's at. Well, the trouble is you've got to look to the future if you're a leader and you've got to take positions that position your community for the future. That's what I've done in the transportation area and I can tell you that's what I done with Excel Arena. Jay would have probably said we don't need a new Arena. You don't want to do that the same thing he's doing with the Saints there much stop the scenes from moving. This is the customer they want to they want to a new facility or whatever. You got to work with him. You can't just sit back as a leader and say no no, no fact is let me move to the Gopher State ethanol. This is the first ethanol plant Urban ethanol plant in the nation. They have problems. You have to correct those noise problems. You have to correct those those odor problems. They're working toward that they need to be given a deadline. The fact is there's 250 some good paying jobs there and is this economy softens? Those jobs are going to look more and more desirable. (00:36:40) Let me let me respond. This is a bad enough that busway all projections are there will be 800 additional Riders 450 million dollars, you know, sometimes a leader has to say no to bad projects. Sometimes a leader has to say, you know Public Funding. Spare money has to be spent wisely. I'm an advocate of public transit. I have been I will be but that doesn't mean you spend money foolishly in terms of the Saints. I had a press conference yesterday indicating. I want to work with the Saints. I want to work with the administration to renovate Midway Stadium. The city is not in the position today to spend 40 million dollars on a new downtown Stadium for the Saints. We have limited resources. I don't believe the Saints situation is broken. It needs to be it needs to be repaired. The the stadium needs to be renovated. No question about it. But why spent forty Million Dollar on a downtown st. Stadium when you can correct the problem right in your own backyard in addition. It doesn't create any Economic Development to spend 40 million dollars to move a baseball team from the Midway which generates great Economic Development down over there which the fans love for all sorts of reasons to move a downtown. It's been 40 million dollars partially text taxpayer money is not a Decision, you know, you can't spend taxpayers dollars foolishly. It can't be the pork barrel King. You can't be the pork barrel mayor and expect to be fiscally responsible and then take the pledge that you won't raise taxes. Some of the things Randy Kelly has proposed and has in fact supporting the path has resulted in increased taxes and will result in increased taxes to st. Paul citizens (00:38:15) Jay. You need a vision for the future. You cannot always say no you have to make calculated strategic decisions to move your city forward Dayton's says they had sat here for 12 years losing money. What did they do? Jay votes against keeping Dayton's downtown st. Paul US Bank, they want to bring two hundred twenty two hundred jobs to the banks of the Mississippi River Jay votes. No Jay, you've got to stand for something. You can't just be dr. Know all the time. You can't be a naysayer. That is not leadership. (00:38:54) It's let me respond to that. You know, my opponent accuse me of being doctor. No, but what I am is dr. Fiscally responsible. I do have a vision for stamp. All my vision is to make smart Investments for the people of st. Paul. Where do you get the most bang for your buck? Where do you create the most jobs the best paying jobs so people can afford quality housing. My vision is to strengthen our neighborhoods the best libraries in the country the best park system a world-class school system for a world-class city. That is what makes a city strong not spending 40 million dollars on a new Saint Stadium downtown that nobody wants it is foolish. It is fiscally irresponsible. You can't throw money down the toilet, which is exactly what Randy wants to do (00:39:40) Dave your question, please you're a first of all you have a great show second time concerned about two things one is the city, but I'm also concerned very concerned about the school districts. A question is mirror. How will the how will you work with the st. Paul's School? And their superintendent (00:39:56) Gary, this is Randy Kelly good great question Dave. The fact is when you look at successful City's Central cities around America. The ones that have made The Comebacks. There are a couple common ingredients one is that they have strong mayor's secondly they have mayors that have become engaged in the public education system. I feel so strongly that the next mayor is going to have to work more closely with their school district in ever before and with this new superintendent that I have pledged to create a cabinet level position in the mayor's office to do just that one of the strategies that I would use is to tap and harness that tremendous resource that we have in this city, which is our higher education institutions. We have enough undergraduate students faculty and alumnus to be able to one-on-one Mentor every struggling kid that we have in our Saint Paul public. In system, the next mayor is got to focus on education. If you're going to have a healthy City. You're going to keep families in this city. You've got to be engaged in in the question of Education. Okay better not. (00:41:06) Well, they're my opponent goes again saying you won't raise taxes and creating another administrative bureaucracy in a cabinet level position for Education, you know, we have a cabinet level position the superintendent of schools. We need to talk to the superintendent. She is a fine superintendent. I was on the search committee that hired the superintendent why not talk to what we have why not engage the school board? Why not engage the citizens. My wife is a public school teacher here in st. Paul the fifth grade teacher and I can tell you some of the issues I won't I probably don't have the two hours to talk about it. But you know what let's let's go into the school system. Let's work with our experts that we have. Let's not create another hundred thousand dollar-a-year cabinet-level position. The experts are out there. We have Folks at the University. We have folks in our Public School System. We don't need another another administrative position, but what one Thing you gotta work with the schools. In other ways. We have many students in this city who don't have access to computers. They don't have access to computers. And obviously that's the technology we use today if we close our libraries if we cut the hours as this mayor's budget proposes, which my opponent supports cutting Library hours. No no, no. No you support Randy you say this is your (00:42:18) budget - and you say that's right your budget you voted (00:42:21) for a zero to X. That's right (00:42:23) increase for the city. Now your your responsibility as a city councilman member is to look at this budget into Mandy when I (00:42:31) was it's unacceptable. It's unacceptable to cut Librarians. It's unacceptable to cut ice skating rinks. It's unacceptable to cut the parks maintenance. Those are the things that create a Vibrant Community. Those are the things that can in fact help the school system and this mayor the mayor who supports you who you want to follow in his footsteps and say business as (00:42:51) usual you (00:42:53) support that. I do not I said I do not we won't cut those hours. We're not going to cut the heart of the community (00:42:59) out. Let me ask one follow-up on the education front schools really all around the state say they don't have enough money. St. Paul just passed a school levy increase last year if the school board says gosh, you know, we're still short of money and next year. We want to go to the voters and ask for some more money. Would you as mayor support (00:43:26) that request? This is Giovanna, you know before I say, yes, I'd have to examine the how the money is being spent. But again, I'm not going to sit here. I'm going to be honest with you. I'm not going to take a pledge never to support not to support a tax increase for the public school system if we're using our money wisely today and we still don't have the resources if we still have 30 to 40 kids in the class. My wife has over thirty fifth grade kids in her class some of some of whom have special needs some of whom come from families who don't speak English as a first language. I don't think we can shortchange our kids if it's a if it's appropriate if it's necessary and it would ultimately Kate's our kids. Yes, I would it is unacceptable to have 40 to 50 percent of our kids who enter ninth grade not graduate in four years. It's unacceptable to have 40 percent of our kids who enter the public schools not be immunized. This is our future. This is our future Workforce. These are our future citizens. We can't shortchange our Public Schools Randy Kelly. (00:44:24) No, it's too soon. We the taxpayers accepted the proposition this last fall just a year ago to increase by 21 million dollars the amount of money going to the st. Paul School District a clearly. We need to see how that money is being spent whether it's making a difference. It's far too soon to be suggesting that we increase property taxes again for schools. The fact is I think that st. Paul and particularly this last legislative session. We did pretty well and it's not always a question of resources. It's a question of what kind of Is you are employing to get the job done Jay suggested that I would be creating a new position J. That's not what I'm suggesting a cabinet-level position. The mayor has about nine staff people in his office. One of those deaf people would be focusing on improving the education the public education as well as a private education system in st. Paul, but no, I would this next year far too soon for us to be increasing property taxes. Sjs. Suggesting (00:45:31) Marguerite a your question, please this is for Senator Kelly and I'd like to hear from Jay been about as well. What kind of support can we expect ending racial profiling given that you voted against all of the Democrats on the issue of mandatory data collection in the racial profiling bill that was passed recently. (00:45:52) Good question. The racial profiling issue is I think all of us both Jay and I agree is absolutely unacceptable. You cannot tolerate that. I certainly would not tolerate racial profiling in the city of st. Paul. I believe what the state did in terms of appropriating more money to assist in this area as well as setting down a framework of requiring policies by a police department better training toll-free number in the like in the combination with what the city has done. I believe that racial profiling will decline dramatically if it if it was in fact occurring much in st. Paul in the next mayor is going to have to monitor that very carefully and if what we've done so far is not working the next mayor has to step up to the plate and work with others to make sure that racial profiling is eradicated in this city Jay been enough (00:46:49) clearly racial profiling. And I think all of us agrees is an appropriate, you know, I think indicate it earlier. I'm an immigrant to this country to so I have some understanding of how a profile impacts individuals. Let me say that the city of st. Paul I believe has the model racial profiling policy in the country. It was it was conducted through the work of Chief Finney the NAACP the Department of Justice and it will be a model nationally the state program. I think if you ask around yes, the communities of colors they will tell you that it is simply a joke. They were cut out of the process at the last minute. It doesn't work and you talk about coalition's here that is a part that communities of color the NAACP and other communities of color are certainly part of the Coalition that should have been at the table when the deal was cut at the legislature. They're discouraged. They're they're they're distressed that they were not included. The state model doesn't work. Now as mayor saying Paul II would be very proud and I will implement the the the city policy but I I think the mayor saying Paul has a position of leadership Statewide and as mayor saying Paul I would be looking to strengthen this state racial profiling policy. (00:48:00) Would you gentlemen reappoint Chief Finney as a police chief if you're elected? Ready Kelly. Well, first of all, we can't answer (00:48:09) that legally would be a felony. If you did go ahead Randy. It's okay, though. Thanks. I will certainly keep my options open. My sense is in listening to you think he's done a good job as Chief I do I do I think he's done a good job. I think he's been the right person at the right time the right place Jay better and I think he's done a very good job to I (00:48:31) think being police chief, maybe the hardest job in the city or you may or might be second. The chief has the toughest job. It's a tough job and I got to tell you Chief and he has done a lot of good including whiz I indicated the racial profiling of policy that he was instrumental in. I think we have one of the best police forces in the country and a lot of that credit goes to Chief any (00:48:50) Mark your question, please. Oh great. Thanks for taking my call this as a great show. I have a very simple question. You've talked a little bit about the the st. Stadium. I just want to clear a position. Will you pledge not to use any taxpayer money or create any new surcharges to local businesses to fund a stadium? (00:49:10) This J. Been enough Mark. Thanks for the question. I've been clear in my position. I will not support a increase in the sales tax or any other tax while there's a downtown entertainment tax to fund a saint or a Twins stadium what I would support if Carl Paul had decided to move the twins to st. Paul and his baseball got his house in order. I would consider certainly using a user fee if they want to add a ticket tax for so folks go to the game would pay it and I would go I'm a huge baseball fan. I was in Cooperstown for the induction Kirby Puckett and Dave Winfield with my 17 year old. I would use parking revenues and Gameday and hotdogs tax certainly whatever that would be appropriate but I think the voters have spoken. I would not support any kind of general tax to support a baseball stadium downtown (00:49:56) public funds to renovate Midway Stadium. (00:49:59) I think public funds to renovate Midway it we certainly would be appropriate can remember Midway is used by the community as well. It's used by high schools is used by football teams high school teams. It's used for concerts. So yeah, I think That's a certainly a multi-use facility. That is a Community Asset and I think has proven so but it's much cheaper much cheaper to renovate Midway Stadium than it would be to build a 40 million dollar baseball stadium in downtown st. Paul Randy Kelly. (00:50:24) Well, first of all the Twins and the Saints are tremendous Community assets. The first goal of any leader has to be to keep the twins in Minnesota to keep the Saints in st. Paul that said, I believe that if major-league baseball gets its axon act in order addresses the issue of salary caps addresses the issue of Revenue sharing for smaller markets such as the metropolitan area then as mayor I would certainly be aggressively pursuing a common sense approach to seeing if we couldn't put the twins in st. Paul. I think the twins open air ball park in st. Paul along with the why The arena would make a major major contribution of making this a Major League City a spurring Economic Development and the like in terms of the Saints. We have to sit down with the Saints there. The user they say they don't want to be at the current Stadium. They don't think that you can adapt much as we found that you took the old Civic Center and you to head to put 30 or 40 million dollars into that old Civic Center and everybody said it isn't going to work anyway, and so you don't spend good money after bad by taking a facility that isn't going to work for the 21st century. So you sit down with the Saints and you say what do you need? What do you want? How can we put together a package that is going to serve your needs as well as the needs of this of this city. And that's the approach that I would take a we don't dictate to people. You've got to stay here. You've got to say they're there the users they can get up and (00:52:06) leave Gary. Can I ask Randy a question? I don't think the Mark's question whether he would support a increase in taxes to fund a stadium. I've not heard the answer that I'd be curious. Would you support a tax increase to support of public financing of a baseball (00:52:23) stadium Jay? What I have said is that in addition to user fees in addition to naming rights in addition to parking concessions and and the like if in dealing with the downtown business Community if they felt that there would be a tax needed on food and beverage I would certainly entertainment entertain that that's exactly what we did in Minneapolis. We allowed Minneapolis to do that for food and beverage to in order to build the Metrodome. That is a reasonable sort of a thing meet with the people who are in business and st. Paul consult with them and see if that's a reasonable (00:53:02) proposition. So the answer is yes, but you won't support additional funding for our schools. Thank you. Let me just say something about the Saints and what we asked a very briefly what we asked about the Saints yesterday is to sit down to see what their needs are, you know, the mark of a leader is to sit down with with the community groups with the Saints. Whoever it may be and talk about the issues. We don't have to give away the store the city sometimes has to be a tough negotiator. You don't have You know the Saints are tough negotiators. It's a great asset. We need him in st. Paul but let's do it reasonably. Well, that's not give away the (00:53:35) store cheap. What you did is you when it had a rally and you said we've got to save this facility. We can't let the Saints leave this facility. They are the user J. (00:53:46) We have about a minute little more than a minute left. If you're if you're elected. What's the first thing you're going to do is Mayor now. I know each of you have a long list of things you want to accomplish. But the first thing you do if you're (00:53:57) elected first thing this Jenna first thing I would do and I've already talked to him. I would get George Latimer on the phone and tell me what's next put together transition team talk to folks but some folks who didn't support me. I think it's important to get them on my transition team and and begin to make that transition. I would bring it downtown developers and business people together in a room and I'd say what is it that you need to keep saying Paul moving forward? I had a conversation developer the other day. He said it's never been done (00:54:25) Randy Kelly. I would the Thing I would do is Market St. Paul to our closest neighbor which is Minneapolis. You have almost 400,000 people across the river in the fact is most many politicians think of st. Paul as North Dakota or South Dakota or East Berlin the fact is when they get over here and they discovered the amenities and the buted the sense of place in all of the things that we have going for us. They come back. We need to Market this city to our closest neighbor that would be a the fastest thing that I do and I think we have to continue to focus on keeping a strong economy and particularly in this uncertain time with a downturn in the National (00:55:11) economy gentlemen, we're out of time but I really appreciate you joining us. Good luck to both of you here. Thank you Gary. Thank you Gary. St. Paul Mayor candidates, Randy Kelly and J been enough joining us here during this first hour of midday. These two candidates have many many many more forums scheduled between now and election day. A so if you're in st. Paul and you want to hear more we suggest you stop by one of those forums. We also say that you are suggest that you marked down on your calendar Sunday, November 4th the Sunday before the election two o'clock. We will be doing a debate live at the Fitzgerald theater and we'd love to have you come by what looks to be right. Now the final debate before the election that Sunday November 4th two o'clock. If you missed part of today's program will be re broadcasting this program at 9:00 tonight. And then tomorrow we'll be joined by the candidates for mayor of Minneapolis incumbent Sharon Sales Belton and Challenger RT. Rybak will be joining us tomorrow on midday. (00:56:09) Hello. I'm Bill cling president of Minnesota Public Radio this week Minnesota Public. Radio will begin (00:56:13) its fall on-air fundraising campaign. We know that (00:56:17) now more than ever the service that we've been providing and will continue to provide speaks for itself when you need us (00:56:23) most we're here for you with up-to-the-minute news analysis and information we To keep you abreast of important news events as they happen and to help you understand them in turn. We hope that you'll respond to our need to continue to strengthen him BR when we do ask, (00:56:39) this is Canada bfm 91.1 Minneapolis. And st. Paul right now partly cloudy and 42 degrees partly cloudy through the day with a high in the upper 40s.