Star Tribune Editorial Board's 2023 endorsements for St. Paul City Council, collected

Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

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St. Paul's City Council is in for big changes as all seven seats are up for election. Four seats are open because incumbents are not running again. With their departures, the council will lose more than 30 years of experienced leadership.

And, with at least four new members, most of the council will be new to the job when they are sworn in early next year. The council will address much-discussed issues, including crime, rent control modifications and expanding the city's housing stock for all income levels. With legitimate concerns about the city's deteriorating infrastructure — especially roads — they'll handle the results of the ballot question that asks voter approval for a 1% sales tax increase to fund nearly $1 billion for streets and parks over 20 years.

In addition, the council should rethink a poorly conceived and costly 2024 ballot initiative for a special levy increase to fund child care for low-income families.

St. Paul's central city First Ward is the city's most economically and racially diverse, encompassing lower-income areas in Frogtown and the North End, middle incomes in Midway and Union Park, and more affluent neighborhoods on Summit Avenue and Cathedral Hill. The position is open because former member Dai Thao left office last year and appointed interim member Russel Balenger agreed not to seek election.

Eight people are vying for the seat. Most are well-versed on issues facing the ward, and they represent the diversity of the area with a variety of backgrounds. Three are immigrants or come from first-generation immigrant families, half are women and five are people of color.

Of this field, we give the edge to Anika Bowie (anikabowie.com). The small-business owner, community organizer and political strategist has worked on numerous campaigns and understands government operations. She's a native of the Rondo neighborhood and has helped manage six-figure budgets through work with a local NAACP branch.

Bowie is running an energetic campaign, and her grassroots work positions her well to reach across communities to serve the diverse groups in her ward. She supports the sales tax increase but questions whether there is another funding source for the child care proposal. Bowie is endorsed by several progressive groups, including AFSME and Women Winning, as well as numerous DFL elected officials, including Mayor Melvin Carter.

Also mounting strong campaigns are school counselor and Realtor James Lo (jameslo.org) and business owner Omar Syed (omarward1.com). Both oppose a strict 3% rent control cap, though Syed says he supports some type of rent stabilization policy as well as the proposed 1% sales tax hike for infrastructure and parks. Lo opposes the 1% ballot initiative. Lo has the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce and teacher's union endorsement, as well as support from numerous former and current elected officials. Syed is a citizen member of the St. Paul Planning Commission and is supported by current Council Member Jane Prince and several community members and business owners.

Candidate Yan Chen (chen4ward1.com) is a research scientist who has studied the St. Paul city budget. She believes reallocating current funds, not necessarily raising taxes, could better address city needs.

And Suz Woehrle (facebook.com/suzforward1saintpaul), is an IT representative and biking and pedestrian advocate who favors both tax increase initiatives. However, in the future she would look to other funding sources such as PILOT, or Payment in Lieu of Taxes, which asks non-taxpaying entities like hospitals, nonprofits and universities to contribute toward city services.

The DFL did not select a candidate in this race. Five candidates sought the St. Paul DFL endorsement in April, but following just three ballots in nearly 10 hours, the convention ended when participants walked out, with Bowie leading Syed by a handful of votes.

Also running are Lucky "Tiger Jack" Rosenbloom, an educator, Travis Helkamp, a construction project engineer and Jeff Zeitler (jeffzeitler.com), winemaker and entrepreneur. They did not participate in Star Tribune Editorial Board interviews.

Second Ward residents have two serious candidates among the four running in the City Council race — incumbent Rebecca Noecker and Peter Butler. But Noecker, who was first elected in 2015, gets the Star Tribune Editorial Board's nod (rebeccanoecker.com).

Her pragmatism and thoughtfulness stand out. On St. Paul's rent control policy, for example, she worked with other council members to pass necessary exemptions to the 3% requirement, recognizing that a stringent cap would deter developers from building housing the city needs. (It's worth noting that the Editorial Board was not in favor of the original policy, but we appreciate that Noecker understands that St. Paul is not immune to the laws of supply and demand.) She also favors a balanced public safety strategy that includes targeted violence prevention as well as increased police funding. And Noecker rightly thinks that the proposed 1% sales tax is the fairest way to pay to fix St. Paul's crumbling streets after years of underinvestment.

The incumbent has long championed child care in St. Paul. She helped override Mayor Melvin Carter's veto on a plan to ask voters in 2024 to raise property taxes to subsidize child care for low-income families. On this subject, the board disagrees. We argued in August that the plan as currently envisioned is too costly and lacks specifics.

Noecker's most serious challenger, Peter Butler, has many years' experience working for state and local government and, if elected, would bring a financial background to the council. This background gives him a more realistic view of certain city projects, like the Rethinking I-94 initiative, which the Editorial Board sees as noble but in need of clearer goals. St. Paul would also benefit from a more tax-averse council as residents have raised alarm about high property taxes. However, Butler's skepticism extends too far; he opposes the 1% sales tax that the board argues is necessary.

With four of seven current members stepping down, the council risks losing important experience and city know-how. Noecker will have the longest tenure on the council if re-elected and can play an important guiding role for less-experienced colleagues. This experience, combined with her thoughtful and deliberate approach to policy, makes her an excellent choice for Second Ward residents.

Artist Noval Noir is also running for the seat, but her knowledge of city issues and policy specifics is sparse (novalnoirforward2.com). The fourth candidate, small-business owner Bill Hosko, declined an endorsement interview (billhosko.org).

Residents of St. Paul's Third Ward will be pleased to find four passionate and engaged City Council candidates on their ballots Nov. 7. Because of his balanced approach to the major issues facing the city, first-time candidate Isaac Russell gets the Star Tribune Editorial Board's nod (isaacforcitycouncil.com).

Russell's decade of experience working on policy — as a legislative assistant in the Minnesota state Senate and now as the director of public policy at the Center for Economic Inclusion — has produced a pragmatic approach to policy that we admire. And his past — having experienced homelessness and food insecurity at a young age — has given him a unique perspective that would be valuable for the City Council.

The board agrees with Russell's prioritization of public safety and the full funding of police while also engaging in violence prevention initiatives, like giving families the support and programming they need to keep young people busy and out of trouble. We also concur with him that St. Paul's rent control ordinance, while well-intended, has been ineffective in addressing the affordable housing crisis.

We are also aligned with Russell's perspectives on two proposed tax increases in St. Paul: He is reluctantly in favor of St. Paul's proposed sales tax increase to address years of deferred maintenance on its roads and other infrastructure, and deeply skeptical of a proposal that would raise the property tax levy to fund child care for lower-income families, citing a lack of a detailed budget. He also understands that the city must avoid becoming known as anti-business.

That isn't to say Russell's challengers aren't impressive. Saura Jost, the DFL-endorsed candidate and St. Paul native, comes to the table with the sensibility and expertise of a civil engineer — a perspective that would undoubtedly be valuable as St. Paul grapples with infrastructure issues (saurajost.com). Though we do not agree with Jost on a handful of the issues, including rent control, she shows considerable promise as a candidate.

Two more candidates join Jost and Russell on the ballot. Patty Hartmann, an attorney with an independent voice who is running for the Third Ward seat a second time (patty4ward3.com), does not support the sales tax increase or the proposed child care plan. Troy Barksdale, an impressive Macalester College student with an admirable interest in public policy (barksdale-for-citycouncil.info), lacks experience, but we applaud his candidacy at a young age and hope to see him on the ballot again.

St. Paul City Council member Mitra Jalali is a former teacher, and she certainly does her homework (mitrajalali.com).

Jalali was first elected to the council in a special election in 2018 and won a full term in 2019. She knows the challenges facing St. Paul's Fourth Ward — housing, zoning, transit, safety and more — and takes strong progressive positions on these issues. Yet she was fairly practical when discussing her preferred policies with editorial writers, acknowledging nuance and competing interests. As an informed candidate, she is the better option over challenger Robert Bushard, who, despite showing appropriate concern at the level of crime in the city and empathy toward homeless residents, is not the best choice for the Fourth Ward (bushard4ward4.com).

When asked about climate change, Bushard described it as "Bolshoi" — referencing the famous ballet and opera theater in Russia. In other words, it's an act. In another instance, editorial writers asked him about his opposition to the city's proposed 1% sales tax increase, and to identify and address the best counterargument to his own position. He said there wasn't one.

Jalali, on the other hand, not only cares about climate change but understands the role of a City Council in fighting it. One council member can't save the planet, but they can promote policies that encourage energy-efficient buildings and less driving — which Jalali has done. In an interview with editorial writers, she also thoughtfully incorporated opposing views into her own thinking. She easily named the best counterargument to her support of the 1% sales tax increase — that it's regressive — but she ultimately supports the proposal, as does the State Tribune Editorial Board.

The board also agrees with Jalali's assessment that the city's potential child care program is ill-defined and unwise as proposed. Her understanding of what a council member can actually do to solve the city's biggest problems, rather than merely naming them, makes her the better choice.

The Editorial Board does disagree with several of Jalali's positions. She favors St. Paul's rent control policy, although she did advocate for an exemption on new construction before the council approved a package of amendments she did not support.

Jalali is also a member of the policy advisory committee on the Rethinking I-94 project and is enthusiastic about a different future for that corridor, while the board has expressed skepticism of the project's seemingly conflicting goals.

St. Paul City Council President Amy Brendmoen has represented this north-central ward for 12 years but is not seeking another term.

Former Brendmoen aide Hwa Jeong Kim is best-qualified to step into the position. Kim currently serves as executive director of Minnesota Voice, a nonprofit that encourages voting and civic engagement. She was born in Korea, raised on a farm in rural Minnesota, and attended Hamline University. She has experience in policy research and a history of working with Fifth Ward residents and across several levels of government.

If elected, Kim would work to increase affordable housing across income levels and support making zoning changes that would allow for more density. Other priorities would include city policies to combat climate change, well-resourced and community-centered public safety, and workers and renters' rights and protections. The Editorial Board disagrees with her position on rent control — she wants to maintain the most restrictive interpretation of the city's current ordinance.

Kim is endorsed by the DFL, Democratic Socialists of America and numerous unions, progressive groups and DFL elected officials. She told editorial writers that the DFL and DSA have "overlapped, shared" values in areas such as LGBTQ rights, climate change and worker rights, so she is proud to have both endorsements.

Kim is in favor of the 1% sales tax increase to support roads and parks but adds that the council must find ways to alleviate the pressure on taxpayers. To that end, she hopes to explore a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program to get contributions from city property owners such as colleges and other nonprofits that now benefit from exemptions.

Also running is Nate Nins, a technology professional who helps government improve communication and engagement. He is a military veteran and former librarian who describes his political ideology as nonpartisan. Nins, whose campaign has not appeared to be as active as we would like to see, told editorial writers that he worked with Kim on community councils and tended to agree with her on the issues.

Candidates David Greenwood-Sanchez, a political scientist and former program evaluator for the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor, and Pam Tollefson, a former paralegal and editor, did not participate in the Editorial Board's endorsement interviews.

Incumbent City Council member Nelsie Yang is running for re-election in the Sixth Ward and, with some reservations, the Star Tribune Editorial Board sees her as the best candidate in the field (nelsieyang.com).

In 2019, Yang became the youngest council member (at 24) and first Hmong woman on the council. At that time, she was a community organizer and former union steward who won the ranked-choice contest to represent the northeast St. Paul ward after four rounds of counting.

The Editorial Board endorsed one of her opponents then because she had more extensive experience that was directly applicable to serving on the council. But we also acknowledged that Yang was a strong campaigner and candidate. As the daughter of refugees, she said her parents once had to work for poverty wages, and that inspired her to become politically active as an advocate for social and economic justice.

Yang has been an engaged and productive representative for her ward. She worked for the city's $15 minimum wage requirement and earned sick and safe time for workers. She is a self-described racial equity organizer who wants to build a society free of systems of oppression, bigotry, white supremacy, racism and discrimination. Yang has been endorsed by the DFL and Democratic Socialists of America, as well as numerous other progressive groups and labor organizations.

She has helped protect LGBTQ communities and supported small businesses owned by people of color, women and millennials because she believes prioritizing them increases job opportunities and helps revitalize and build neighborhoods. Yang supports the 1% sales tax increase to fund roads and parks, as does the Editorial Board.

But the board is concerned about her adamant support for a strict interpretation of the city's rent control ordinance. She says she wants to remove amendments that were added after the city recognized the negative impact the ordinance has had on development in St. Paul.

Yang's sole challenger is Gary B. Unger, a retired longtime 3M employee who describes himself as a lifelong East Sider who has been active in city groups for 50 years. He's running because he believes leadership for his community has gotten "off track" and strayed from the values of the neighborhood. Unger told editorial writers that his major concern is funding for police and other first responders. He opposes the 1% sales tax increase proposal and wants to see greater city focus on "bread and butter" issues such as fixing roads and maintaining buildings.

Unger does not appear to have run an active campaign.

Jane Prince is not running for re-election after two terms on the council. Six candidates are vying to replace her, and five would be new to elected office if successful.

Cheniqua Johnson, a foundation program officer endorsed by both the DFL and labor organizations, is best-suited to serve the southern portion of the city's East Side (cheniquajohnson.com). Poised and well-versed on the issues, Johnson has worked at almost every level of government as a staffer for elected officials locally and in Congress. She would bring to the council that knowledge of city, county and state operations and the relationships she's developed while advocating for St. Paul at the Legislature and with other units of government.

She said her priorities include housing, public safety, economic development, improved city services and investing in businesses and the workforce. Johnson served on the committee to select St. Paul's police chief and believes that officers must be held accountable for their actions as public servants.

With a ward that is about equally split between renters and homeowners, she said she'll advocate for both. Johnson says over 60% of the Seventh Ward is Black, Indigenous or people of color and that it includes many immigrant families and residents younger than 35. She said she can be counted on to represent those voices on the council.

Johnson grew up in southwestern Minnesota and moved to the East Side after attending college at the University of Minnesota. Though she supports the 1% sales tax proposal for roads and parks, she also wants to examine how the city could receive payments in lieu of taxes from property owners such as nonprofits and colleges that currently receive exemptions.

The Editorial Board has concerns about Johnson's advocacy for a citywide cap on rents. She said rent control is a "nuanced" issue and that the current ordinance must be revisited because it isn't working for renters, developers or landlords. We'd urge her to keep that balance in mind if she's elected and consider how rent control policies have most often proven to be counterproductive.

Another strong candidate in the race, Pa Der Vang, is a St. Catherine University social work associate professor (paderstpaulcitycouncil7.com). A former Ramsey County mental health planner and crisis worker, she holds a University of Minnesota Ph.D., is a founder of the civic group Hmong Women Achieving Together and chairs the Minnesota Board of Social Work.

Vang said as a council member she would work to ensure "efficient use of our tax dollars" through regular reviews of programs and spending to better prioritize city services. She supports the proposed 1% sales tax increase for streets and parks.

Vang is endorsed by Prince as well as OutFront Minnesota, the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce PAC and the St. Paul Historic Preservation Political Committee, which issued a co-endorsement to Johnson.

Foua-Choua Khang, a county and community liaison for a health care company, told editorial writers that her campaign is about "potholes and puppies." She says the city needs to attend to basic services such as repairing, plowing and maintaining its streets. And because Khang says she and others in her neighborhood have been attacked by dogs, residents must keep their pets under control.

Candidates Alexander Bourne (alexjbourne.com), a photographer, and Kartumu King (kingfor7.com), founder of a group called Accountable Cultural Brokers, did not participate in our interview process. Neither did candidate Dino Guerin, a retired firefighter who works for the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office and formerly served on both the St. Paul City Council and Ramsey County Board.

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For more on the Nov. 7 elections, see the Star Tribune newsroom's voter guides for Minneapolis and St. Paul. Our recommendation for approval of St. Paul's ballot question on a 1% sales tax increase is here. See also our full list of endorsements in City Council races in Minneapolis. The Editorial Board operates separately from the newsroom, and no news editors or reporters were involved in the endorsement process.