Monthly Archives: July 2018

Politics, Twin Cities

Huge Turnout at West St. Paul Ward 3 Candidate Forum

Leave a comment

I’m so excited and proud of my city right now. More than 70 people showed up at a candidate forum for ward 3 city council candidates. Some 600 people were watching the Facebook video feed live and the number of views has doubled since then.

Standing room only to hear from the candidates.

Too bad all the candidates aren’t as engaged as the community. 

All four candidates were invited to this non-partisan event, organized by Women of West St. Paul using rules from the League of Women Voters: Continue reading Huge Turnout at West St. Paul Ward 3 Candidate Forum →

Politics, Twin Cities

Wendy Berry for West St. Paul Ward 3 City Council

Leave a comment

I’m supporting Wendy Berry for West St. Paul ward 3 city council in the Aug. 14, 2018 primary and, I hope, in the Nov. 6 general election.

West St. Paul has four candidates running for the ward 3 city council seat, which means there will be a primary. Since city council is a non-partisan role, look for the city council race on the back side of your ballot. The top two in the primary will face off in the November general election.

Why Wendy Berry?

So why am I supporting Wendy Berry? A number of reasons.

Child with a Wendy Berry yard sign
Luna with a Wendy Berry sign.

Continue reading Wendy Berry for West St. Paul Ward 3 City Council →

Politics, Twin Cities

Robert Street Debt: Where Do West St. Paul Ward 3 Candidates Stand?

Leave a comment

We’ve got a four-way primary for West St. Paul’s ward 3 city council seat. The top two will advance to the general election in November. So it’s important to know where these candidates stand.

I’ve been asking the candidates questions, including asking about Pride flags on Robert Street, the River-to-River Greenway project, and I collected their responses to the West St. Paul sexual harassment.

This week I’m asking about debts from the Robert Street project:

The Robert Street project is now finished, but paying for it is not. Like any major project, bonds were issued and we’ll have an increased debt obligation on the city budget. How will you approach this challenge?

I sent that question to [most of] the candidates on July 18 and gave them July 25 as a deadline. Here are their responses: Continue reading Robert Street Debt: Where Do West St. Paul Ward 3 Candidates Stand? →

Politics, Twin Cities

Pride Flags: Where Do West St. Paul Ward 3 City Council Candidates Stand?

2 Comments

Four candidates are competing in a primary for a Ward 3 seat on West St. Paul’s city council.

Last week I posed the following question to [most of] the candidates:

At the June 25, 2018 city council meeting, a citizen asked about the possibility of displaying LGBTQ Pride flags along Robert Street for Pride Month next year. The city council would need to approve such a move. Assuming the logistics can be worked out, would you be in favor of displaying Pride flags on Robert Street?

I sent the question on July 10 and asked for their responses by July 17. Below are their responses in alphabetical order. Continue reading Pride Flags: Where Do West St. Paul Ward 3 City Council Candidates Stand? →

Politics, Twin Cities

David Meisinger Should Never Hold Public Office Again

2 Comments

(Update: While this article was written in 2018, David Meisinger is running again in 2020 and the issues outlined here are still very relevant.)

David Meisinger is running for city council in West St. Paul. However, his recent behavior should disqualify him from public office. No one should vote for Meisinger.

Below I’ll detail three public examples of David Meisinger’s bullying, intimidating, and mean-spirited behavior. This is not what we want in our elected officials, and so I’m suggesting that David Meisinger should never hold public office again. Not city council, not mayor, not commissioner nor committee member—and definitely not higher office (which he’s hinted at in the past).

Meisinger has every right to run for office, but as voters we get the final decision. I’m detailing these instances of inappropriate behavior to help voters know the kind of person that’s on the ballot.

Who Is David Meisinger?

Meisinger has a long history of service in West St. Paul. His father uncle served as mayor, and Meisinger followed in those footsteps serving on city council from 1996-2000, as mayor from 2001-2002, then again on city council from 2003-2004, and most recently as mayor from 2015-2016. He runs a residential and commercial contracting business.

Meisinger also ran for state legislature in 2012, but lost in the GOP primary.

I’ve disagreed with some of his positions, but he’s served this city for many years and I appreciate his willingness to serve. Unfortunately, Meisinger’s recent behavior goes far beyond any political stance or simple disagreement.

Public Scrutiny for Public Officials

Let’s be clear what I’m doing here: David Meisinger is running for city council in West St. Paul’s ward 3. He wants to be an elected official (again). That means public scrutiny.

If Meisinger wanted to continue being a private citizen, I wouldn’t publicize any of this. But if he wants to represent the citizens of West St. Paul, then we deserve to know what kind of person he is. Continue reading David Meisinger Should Never Hold Public Office Again →