How We Fund Our City

Pursue a Payments In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program. These agreements allow large nonprofits, hospitals, and universities—who are often exempt from property taxes despite using vital city services—to contribute a fair amount back into city infrastructure.   

Bring a Land Value Tax (LVT) to St. Paul. Backed by legislation at the state level (HF161), LVT would allow cities to shift property taxes away from buildings and toward the value of the land itself. In short, it stops punishing people for improving their property and starts holding big landowners accountable for letting valuable parcels sit vacant and unused.  

Rent Stabilization & Tenant Rights

Support construction of housing of all types—apartments, Single Room Occupancy (SRO), and supportive housing programs—to meet diverse community needs.

Maintain affordability through protecting current rent stabilization policies and protections against excessive rent hikes.

Implement a St. Paul Renter’s Bill of Rights, giving renters basic awareness of rules like energy and utility shut offs, and clearer pathways to address neglect or unsafe conditions as protected by statute.

Actively hold corporate landlords like CVS accountable for “hoarding” properties and driving up rents through the application of administrative citations or land-value taxes for vacant commercial properties.

Greater Density & Zoning Reform

Relax outdated zoning requirements to enable the creation of more multi-family homes, SRO’s (single resident occupancy) and “missing middle” housing.

Encourage transit-oriented development to accommodate growing populations without straining existing infrastructure.

Investigate and develop alternatives to funding the construction and expansion of existing social housing in the city rather than depending on federal funds.

Combating Blight & Strengthening Enforcement

Implement equitable code-enforcement tools to triage vacant, dilapidated properties without displacing vulnerable residents.

Reinvesting Administrative Citation revenue from bad actors into the neighborhoods they are harming.

A neighborhood improvement program modeled after Downtown Improvement Districts, but community-led and focused on public safety, cleanliness, and infrastructure in places like the Midway—especially near the stadium. If we’re investing public money there, the public should benefit.

Addressing the Opioid Crisis

Take a public health approach, partnering with county, state, and federal programs to reduce overdoses from fentanyl and other narcotics at every level from when a resident calls 911 to what tools are available to first-responders.

Expand naloxone and suboxone availability; increase funding paired with accountability for treatment facilities and mental health services.

Focus on long-term recovery support, tackling the root causes of addiction, through city-wide support for peer-programs, supportive housing, and employment opportunities.

Food Security & Nutrition

Strengthen SNAP expansion, local food shelves, and community-led programs for fresh, nutritious options in partnership with Ramsey County and the State of Minnesota.

Support community farming on vacant lots and explore municipal grocery models to improve food access through the power of bulk purchasing.

Investigate funding models to support direct- and mutual-aid programs in the city to feed families of all sizes and income levels.

Alternatives to Policing & Public Safety Reform

Grow the Office of Neighborhood Safety and fund community-centered crisis responses.

Create and expand alternative first-response teams and resources for mental health and substance use situations - treating overdoses similar to self-harm or suicide.

Provide emergency responders the training and resources they need, while reducing overreliance on law enforcement for non-violent offenses whether they are drug-related or not.

Build closer ties to Ramsey County and Public Health Partners

Facilitate neighborhood-level meetings with stakeholders from across the various government agencies and offices that cover Ward 4 to coordinate responses quickly and efficiently

Prioritize public-facing and street-level response programs to triage crises as they arise.

Supporting Small Businesses & Cooperatives

Protect existing small businesses from displacement and encourage new developments to invest back into Ward 4.

One-Stop Shop for small businesses and entrepreneurs. A single place—online and in-person—where a future business owner or DIY-er can get all the help they need and schedule required inspections online, not just over the phone.

Climate Resilience & Green Jobs

Expand tree canopies, protect our water-ways, and prioritize renewable energy solutions on roofs and other optimal spaces.

Bolster green job initiatives—such as weatherization and solar energy programs—to both protect the environment and grow our local economy.

Public Engagement & Transparency

Create more inclusive public engagement processes so historically marginalized residents have a real say in policy decisions (e.g., Hamline-Midway Library, St. Thomas Stadium, Kimball Court).

Make city decisions more transparent with better access to budgeting info and timelines.

Ensure businesses are able to thrive through clear regulations rooted in public safety and accountability, not a desire for more red tape.

Community Investment Funding for Local Entrepreneurs

Create a city-led fund to redirect funds collected from Administrative Citations to the communities they were collected from for reinvestment into local businesses and public facilities like parks and community centers

Support local investment cooperatives, like those in South Como and the Midway Investment Cooperative, in their efforts to provide community-owned spaces for community-based entrepreneurship.

Removing unnecessary zoning barriers that stall mixed-use, community-serving development—especially for cooperative housing, community land trusts, and small business spaces. These changes can prioritize affordability and livability without giving blank checks to speculative developers.

Revitalizing Key Corridors

Collaborate with Ward 1 to ensure United Village benefits locals—housing, public space, and local businesses—not just stadium visitors.

Work with community members to transform the vacant CVS at Snelling & University into a viable, neighborhood-serving space.

Expanding Child Care Options through Public Schools

Build off of excitement to provide childcare to all of our city’s young children by directing resources to SPPS to expand their existing Pre-K programs.

Streamline city processes for at-home and facility-based childcare providers to be licensed and based in our city.

Expanding Multi-Modal Options

Push for balanced transportation investments—bike lanes, walkable streets, public transit improvements, and well-maintained roads through the 1c Sales Tax and other funds.

Ensure sidewalks, crossings, and transit stops are safe and accessible to all ages and abilities through adequate lighting, striping, and bollard-style obstacles to vehicle traffic.

Support an at-grade alternative to I-94, also known as the “Twin Cities Boulevard” connecting communities, enhancing sustainability, and boosting local economies.

Prioritize upgrades to Snelling Avenue/Highway 51 viaduct between Hamline-Midway and the State Fairgrounds to unite neighboring communities.

Transit signal priority for Light Rail and BRT vehicles.

Fully-staffed and Supported Parks and Libraries

Ensure libraries and rec centers are well-maintained, with safe play areas, reliable Wi-Fi, and welcoming spaces for families of all sizes. Prioritize ADA compliance and culturally inclusive design.

Fully staff all library and recreation centers in the city, attract professionals while mentoring youth in their first jobs, improving the overall quality and consistency of family-focused services our facilities already provide.