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City Cast Twin Cities

Sean McPherson

Tane Danger

Irene Fernando for Hennepin County Commissioner District 2

 We'd like to welcome on Hennepin County Commissioner Irene Fernando, who represents District Two. Fernando is running as the incumbent in the race, and we are looking to connect with as many candidates as possible for Twin Cities elections before election day on November 3rd. Commissioner Fernando, thank you so much for joining us today.

 Now as the incumbent, I want to go back to when you first ran for this position. What prompted you to step up and decide to try to be a commissioner in Hennepin County?

 What motivates me now is to prevent structural, addressable suffering. It sounds like an odd place to begin, but as I've learned more about systems and been able to govern for eight years, the most significant systemic pain points our residents experience are addressable problems for which we have solutions. A lot of folks are feeling hopeless, and I want to express that shared humanity will absolutely prevail when we rise together in solidarity toward justice. Here in Hennepin and in Minnesota, we've demonstrated many ways where regular people are able to come together and make a difference beyond our imagining, and that's really what led me to this board.

In some ways elected office is very unique, and in other ways it's consistent with what we know. We have a board of directors that should be responsible for policy direction and financial performance and outcomes. Here in Minnesota, we appoint our executive leaders — similar to a nonprofit board hiring an executive. What originally prompted me was an interest in the issues I cared about. Like many people, in January 2017 I was seeking to get more involved, and I wanted to understand who affects transit, who affects climate action, who makes decisions on mass incarceration or youth outcomes. I kept seeing the same words: Hennepin County Commission. As a youth worker at the time, I literally thought it was an arts board — I thought, wow, Hennepin is so forward, we're asking all these meaningful questions from its arts board. It was a particular awakening to understand that this seven-person representative body is representative democracy and representative governance in action. I kept asking the next best question, and I found myself in a nearly two-year campaign. I was able to prevail, and I've been governing ever since.

 You've already hit on one of the things I get really passionate about, which is the different levels of government and how they have different roles and responsibilities in our system. I think county government is potentially the most misunderstood level of government — and you're giving me a thumbs up on that, which I appreciate. So you've been in this role for eight years, you're running for reelection — what are the ways you'd say to voters and constituents, "these are the things I have the most agency over as a county commissioner, and this is where you should be coming to me to affect change"?

 Well, in general, you should be able to approach any elected or public official, and it's my belief that we should in some way be assistive as to where and how your impact or advocacy can make a difference. Specifically, counties are the only level of government mandated by law to care for the vulnerable. For the county, that generally means foster care, SNAP — what growing up was called food stamps — and the ways in which those who are misunderstood within our systems often find themselves under county jurisdiction or county care. For those who are moved to prevent suffering, to advance justice, and are motivated against systemic injustice, I think counties are a really beautiful place to create change for areas that have systemic impact.

It sounds odd, but the county — Hennepin County specifically — has planted so many trees for our tree canopy, which has a cascading effect. So I'd say: for those who are vulnerable, and how to improve systems for those individuals, and then as we think of generational effects, those systemic decisions matter. I was fortunate to be raised through a matriarchal leadership framing, and I see counties through that lens — counties are the caregivers of government, and we're also kind of the chores of government. Both of those mean we're not as visible as other levels, and yet we are the vital infrastructure and essential services that ensure our community is able to proceed. Hennepin is unique because we're 22% of the state's population — the largest of the 87 counties. Take, for example, decisions that were before me: we have a Hennepin County library system in part because many moons ago there wasn't a decentralized system, and Minneapolis libraries at the time weren't on solid footing. So some of what I'm answering is a county answer, and some of what I'm expressing is also my belief around Hennepin County's unique responsibility, given our size and volume.

 When you talk about the statewide impact of Hennepin County, the first thing that comes to mind is HCMC, which is a very unique hospital — one you could end up in if you're injured in Duluth, or Brainerd, or St. Paul. But it's been on shaky ground, very shaky ground financially, for quite some time. What role do you see Hennepin County and the rest of Minnesota playing in securing HCMC's continued operations?

 Absolutely. The county's role so far has been that HCMC is only here because of Hennepin. There's no requirement by law to have a county hospital or a public hospital, but the commissioners before me and the commissioners at present believe a public safety net hospital should exist in our geography. I happen to agree with that very passionately, and I'm proud that we were able to, alongside so many partners — really the people — save the public hospital. We're the last public safety net hospital in the upper Midwest.

What's our role moving forward? We need a durable, sustainable financial source. Federal changes have completely upended our entire social safety net and the longstanding practice of how healthcare is financed and delivered in this country. So it's been on shaky ground in some ways, but so has everything — there's a decade-plus of a really compressed financial model in healthcare, and then COVID, and then this past year. In some ways, moving forward, we should ask ourselves what Minnesotans believe in. I was so inspired this past winter, because Minnesotans demonstrated that no one — not even the feds — gets to tell Minnesotans how we care for our neighbor. Do Minnesotans believe healthcare should be accessible and affordable? Do Minnesotans believe that, in addition to trauma care, routine preventative healthcare and mental healthcare are essential — especially when we think about domestic, intimate partner, and gun violence? I've heard over and over that Minnesotans believe in those things.

I'll take it a step further: social determinants of health are old news at this point. We know an individual's access to housing, food, clean air, and clean water directly impacts their health outcomes. So how might we, as Minnesotans, structure a system that encompasses the compassionate, practical, and imaginative caregiving we already express in our homes and neighborhoods? I'm very proud that Hennepin County gets to be part of that, because of our unique county infrastructure.

 One of the most divisive issues in Hennepin County right now is the future of the HERC, the garbage burner in downtown Minneapolis — which I think is technically just outside your district. There are activists who say it's toxic and poisoning the air, but Hennepin County, the city, and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency reviewers have all said the health risk is low, and that trucking garbage to landfills instead would likely create more CO2 emissions and health risks. Where do you stand, as you're arguing for another term, on the timeline for closing the HERC, and what can the county actually do to either make that happen faster or make it better while it's still open?

 Sure. I define closing the incinerator as closing the HERC, so there's a distinct policy position between the county and the city of Minneapolis. That's meaningful because the city is the land use authority — an authority outside of the county — so what occurs on that land is up to the city. The second reason the city matters here is that 75% of the waste comes from the Minneapolis geography: 53% from commercial sources within Minneapolis, and 22% from organized collection — the cans outside residences with the City of Minneapolis logo on the side.

I believe in concluding incineration on the fastest possible timeline, and that can happen by converting the existing facility so we can still receive waste from everyone delivering it to us. I want to be clear about a distinction here: is closing about ending incineration, or is it about not having a building there — not having a place within Minneapolis to receive waste? I believe Minneapolis must have a place to receive waste, from a climate perspective — waste should be processed closer to where it's generated, and Minneapolis is about 10% of the state's population. On the closure side, there's nuance in how we get there: zero-waste activity, reducing consumption, increasing recycling, and the policy, funding, and outcomes related to that is what we should be paying attention to. Hennepin has been putting a lot more money into those efforts with favorable outcomes. It would be meaningful for the city of Minneapolis to match or exceed that funding and accelerate those outcomes — that's not the data I've seen from that entity to date. So realistically, I won't conclude a service until there's an operational plan to replace it. I've seen trash pile up in other areas of the country without an operational plan, and that has its own public health risks. In short, I look forward to ending waste incineration inside this decade. I want to do so with a concrete plan, and we have to really reduce overall consumption and increase zero waste.

 Inside this decade — by 2030, you're saying?

 That's been my reference since I started my first term. Commissioner Conley and I brought forward a number of measures that didn't prevail in shifting the county's policy position. The state legislature's defining legislation has initiated this discussion differently, because by 2040 this waste incinerator will no longer be considered renewable energy. That's another reason I say by the end of the decade: in order for a service to proceed, you have to put money into it, and if it's not going to be considered renewable by 2040, every year we put more money into that service is money that could be spent converting it to a different service — because by 2040, we won't be considered renewable anyway.

 Commissioner Irene Fernando, you've been very generous with your time and definitely shared your passion for the work you're already doing as commissioner for District 2, and for running for reelection this November for the same position. We appreciate you joining us today, and we appreciate the opportunity to connect with all the candidates in these upcoming elections. Thank you so much.

Meet Your Candidates: Irene Fernando for Hennepin County Commissioner District 2

Twin City Guides

Tiffany Bui

Sharon El-Amin for Hennepin County Commissioner District 2

 We'd like to welcome on Sharon El-Amin, Minneapolis School Board Director for District 2. She also formerly served as chair of the Minneapolis School Board. Now she's running for Hennepin County Commissioner for District 2, and we're interviewing as many candidates as we can before November 3rd. Thank you so much for joining us, Sharon.

 Absolutely. Thank you, Tiffany. It's an honor to be with you guys today, so thank you.

 As was mentioned, you're currently serving as a school board director. Why do you want to move from that to this run for Hennepin County Commissioner?

 Just a couple different reasons. I've sat on the Minneapolis School Board for six years — I'm currently in the role, as you stated — but I've been in my community for over 30 years. Being in the community and serving on the school board, I've seen the makeup of our community, I've seen where the absence is, and I understand the need within our community. Sitting on the school board, I've always fought for academics, for safer schools, for community to be a part of what takes place within the school. But I believe the role of county commissioner gives a bigger opportunity for me to help shape our community.

I live in this community, and I see the children on the street, and I hear from families about everything they want to see — safe schools, after-school programs — and having the opportunity to build up our community is what the county commissioner role allows for. So it's moving from one side to the other, but being able to bring more resources into our community.

 As a follow-up — I think a lot of people don't know exactly what a county commissioner does. What do you think it is about being county commissioner that would uniquely let you deliver on what you're seeing is missing right now as a school board member?

 You're correct, a lot of people don't know exactly the critical role the county commissioner plays. The county commissioner's responsibility is to make sure the human services people need are there and that they're accessible. As a county commissioner, you're overseeing health and mental care, child daycare subsidies, housing stability — the property taxes, all of that is the role of the county commissioner. So the role is to make sure those things are accessible, and that the community knows about the services our county provides and has an easy, accessible way to reach them.

 Can I push on that — you're challenging an incumbent. What are some of the things that, if elected, you'd like to see happen differently — that you'd propose doing differently as a county commissioner?

 Thank you. So, again, District 2 — north Minneapolis has been home for me. I'm a small business owner, I've served on the school board, I'm a homeowner, and I've been a recipient of SNAP benefits when I first moved into the Minneapolis area. Why am I running, and what don't I see? There's an absence of leadership within District 2. I've tried on a number of occasions to reach out to my county commissioner to understand what's happening with the light rail, what's happening with the HERC — as a business owner, as a homeowner, trying to understand the things we can't get answers for.

As I've been on the ground, I thought it was just north Minneapolis, but it encompasses more than that — District 2, from a county level, is Golden Valley, southeast Plymouth, northeast Minneapolis, Medicine Lake, and St. Anthony Village. On the ground, I'm hearing the same thing: I don't know who my county commissioner is, she doesn't return phone calls, we have a hard time reaching the offices, people can't get in contact with their county commissioner. That role is too critical to be absent. The county commissioner should be at the schools, in the community spaces, providing updated information about where the dollars are going, what's happening with critical projects like the HERC or Hennepin County Medical Center or road construction in our community. Business owners I've talked to say there's just no response.

So coming in as county commissioner: I will communicate, I will be accessible, I will respond. I will keep my community informed of the challenges before us, and also the successes. I will not wait until a crisis happens before we communicate, before community is made aware, and before we have to pivot to other emergency situations — which we've recently seen.

 Let's talk about those two topics you just mentioned — the HERC and HCMC. Let's start with the HERC. I think opposition to it continuing to stay open without a set date to close has made Hennepin County commissioners very visible, at least in the press. Sharon, where do you stand on the timetable for closing the incinerator?

 The HERC has to close — there's no question about that. It's about how we get there. How do we make sure our community is educated, that we're educating people about waste reduction and recycling? Those things have to happen. The timeline from 2028 to 2040 is too big of a gap — it should be closer to 2028, 2029. We have to be able to reach it. To stretch it out that far is just kicking the can down the road.

North Minneapolis is an area with some of the highest levels of asthma and upper respiratory illness. I live in north Minneapolis, and I recently lost my daughter to upper respiratory illness. So I will push for the HERC to close immediately. But I do understand there's a process — we have to educate our community, we have to get to a point of understanding waste management and what the options are on the other side. Community should be part of the conversation. I'd like to see a board made up of community members, commissioners, and county workers who understand the path that can be taken — and clearly bring the community along with us to understand the options. Meetings should be open and public, and community should be part of it. We should be able to champion the change we need together. That 2028-to-2040 timeline — we've already been talking about this for ten, twelve years, if not longer. Put that on top of the existing plan, and it's just too long. Our families deserve better. They deserve direct answers, and we deserve to work together for the county and the city we want.

 First of all, I'm very sorry about your daughter. But I do want to push on this question, because it's obviously important to voters. You said "immediately" — both the MPCA and city and county officials have said that closing the HERC would actually lead to trucking more garbage out, and that those trucks would add to air quality problems and potentially make the situation worse. So what can voters point to — if they elect you — that would be different in terms of that timeline and those options? What can you tell them now: elect me, and we will do this differently?

 I'm stating it here, out loud, that closing the HERC will be a priority for me. I'm also stating that community will go along the path with me — that board of community members will help educate the community and sit with the county commissioners and county workers to hear what the options are and how fast we can move toward closure. So when I say immediately, it may not literally be 2027 or 2028, but we will immediately know what the options are, and the community will immediately feel like it's part of it, having real-time conversations backed by facts about what needs to happen. We don't want big garbage trucks causing more harm — that's not what the community is asking for. But we are asking for answers, and for a pathway that shows we're headed toward closing the HERC, and that's what I would do.

 Let's talk about HCMC. Sharon, as you know, it almost closed this year, and suddenly everyone was talking about how important it is and how crucial it is to the state. For the future of HCMC, what do you think the role of the county and the rest of Minnesota should be in securing its operations?

 That would've been devastating — losing our number one safety net hospital. As a county commissioner, as a leader, you're expected to bring facts to the community and be very open and direct. This didn't happen overnight. There was a recent article in the Star Tribune about 2023, when these conversations began — the medical board at the time brought forward different options and resources on what could be done, and those red flags were ignored and not shared with the community. The community wasn't aware of where the county was as far as the deficit it was facing. That's information that should be shared with the community — we have to have both the hard conversations and the win, the success stories. We have to bring community along with us.

The medical board was dissolved in 2023, and the county commissioners took over — I think that was a mistake. I believe Hennepin County Medical Center should have a board made up of medical professionals, county commissioners, and community members — the people affected by it. These meetings shouldn't be happening behind closed doors. There was a meeting in 2023 — that video should be public today, and there's no trace of it. Where's the video? Why is the public being kept in the dark about what happened in 2023, and why should we trust the same things won't happen again in 2026 and beyond if we don't elect new leadership? That county board should be made up of county commissioners, county residents, and professionals in the field — they should be the ones considering how the county should operate, with the county commissioner overseeing that budget, not behind closed doors, but with the public and the medical professionals who know the work.

 One of the conflicts between the medical board and the county board was over staff reductions — reducing HCMC's workforce, which medical leaders said needed to happen to rightsize the organization, and there was conflict over whether county commissioners approved of that. If the medical side of the organization said "we need to rightsize this organization, and that will lead to layoffs at HCMC," would you support that, based on their recommendation, as a county commissioner?

 I think we have to look at other ways to right-size that budget — where are the community partners? What we don't want is for people on the ground to lose the services they need — that's a priority for me. We need to make sure we can provide that. That looks like partnerships, that looks like building more relationships with the state. I'm thankful for the $705 million the state legislature did bring to this space, but we need stability. So we need to be looking at partnerships. We do not want to eliminate jobs, but we do want to make sure we can provide the services that the people who come through those doors — who depend on what the county has always offered — can still count on. That's partnership.

 Sharon El-Amin, thank you so much for joining City Cast Twin Cities today and doing some educating on the importance of the commissioner role. We appreciate you sharing your time with us today.

 Thank you, thank you. If there's any other questions, please feel free to reach out — my website, sharonelamin.org, is where you can find more information about me. Let's just get out and do what's needed for our community, and vote on November 3rd. Thank you.

Meet Your Candidates: Sharon El-Amin for Hennepin County Commissioner District 2

Hans Buetow

María Isa Pérez-Vega for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5

 We're very grateful to welcome back State Representative María Isa Pérez-Vega, who is currently campaigning for Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5. We look forward to connecting and interviewing all candidates who are available in advance of the November 3rd election day. Thank you so much for joining us, Representative Maria Isa.

 So Representative Isa, when you looked at the list of things that were available for you to take on, you were like, "Hmm, county commissioner — that's the ticket, that's the one for me." First of all, what does a county commissioner do? Second, what parts of it drew you into this? Because you could just stay in your current elected position and make change in your community.

 I could just stay, but I'd have to run for that seat again.

 Yeah. Well, I'm the only candidate in this race who has finished their term, and I'll answer your first question — what does the county commissioner do?

The county commissioner does a lot, and it's kind of been one of the levels of government that's not very transparent. But as the direct lead administering human services, and the decisions on ordinances and creating policies to serve the most vulnerable people within the county — for this seat, that's District 5 of Ramsey, which is the St. Paul neighborhoods of downtown St. Paul, the West Side community, parts of Highland Park, Mac-Groveland, West 7th — or if you're an original St. Paul or West Ender — and the East Side's Dayton's Bluff, and other neighborhoods. So it's a collectiveness of someone who is talking about infrastructure development — the county's annual board budget is usually a billion dollars, which is federally funded, state funded, and then funded by our property taxes, which are the highest in the state of Minnesota.

And I know that because I've served in our state legislature for two terms, and I've delivered for Ramsey County. I've delivered to all 87 counties, but I've fought really strongly for our revitalization of downtown. As a lifelong St. Paulite, it wasn't a matter of, "Ooh, which spot is open?" It was, this is an opportunity — Commissioner Ortega has been serving over 30 years and is now retiring, so it's an open seat. And to me, it's about where's the best way that Maria Isa can lead with the people she currently represents and always represents.

Because I'm the chair of the St. Paul Minnesota House delegation, I may not carry a lot of weight within the jurisdictions of other districts, like District 64 or District 67 — but in District 65B, being chair of the delegation, I've been able to facilitate and advise all of those members at the State House on what would be progressive for our overall city. How can we reduce property taxes? What does the infrastructure look like? What are their communities lacking? What county services need more support — children and family services, healthcare? Think about the county — that's healthcare, the Medicaid cuts happening at the federal level, SNAP, nutrition.

All that funding you get from the county is coming from your property taxes, and it's also coming from state and federal funding that's no longer going to be as accessible as it was when I first entered the state with an $18 billion surplus. So, someone who's already delivered millions of dollars for childcare services and housing, who helped approve the $1.3 billion historic housing budget in Minnesota legislation for all 87 counties — I've got to make sure that's going to be delivered, distributed, and accessible for the people of Ramsey County. St. Paul is where I'm from, and this is a large part of the leadership to determine our future — our businesses, our public safety, especially fighting ICE and what we've been dealing with. My background in youth services, working in juvenile detention centers on music initiatives and literacy programs — that's been my influence. So it wasn't about what seat's next, it's about how can I lead better and deliver.

 There's a lot of people who could lead better — everyone who's trying to handle the unhoused population in the Twin Cities, because there is a crisis happening right now, and there's also some finger-pointing. And frankly, Maria, some of that finger-pointing has gone to the county level in a way I didn't expect, because I didn't know much about the county. I knew I lived in Ramsey County mainly when I filled out forms — I thought about living in St. Paul, and that was it. But when I hear about the problems we're having in the city of St. Paul with encampments, what I'm thinking about is that this is a greater metro-area problem that's falling on St. Paul's doorstep. And I'm trying to understand how activists and people who are really focused on these issues at the county level can actually help, because they're being accused of not helping very much at all. So how do you think county-level leadership can step in and improve the situation for unhoused populations in St. Paul and across Ramsey County?

 One of the things is listening to our own neighbors — you can't just make decisions without the source. And I think that's been an issue with all levels of government, local government in particular. When I got the news, as the representative and chair of the delegation, that our mayor had decided to close these encampments, it was a shock. There was no pregame — the county manager, Lynn Baker, didn't know. There was a lot going on. And what I see happen a lot in government, just from being in it and learning, is that there needs to be true partnership across all levels of government instead of pointing fingers to escape accountability.

So I want to mention that right now we're in a time where we have strong partnerships that we've got to put to work, and that's not going to happen with just the leaders. First and foremost is listening to our unhoused neighbors and listening to the frontline workers — the agencies coming from the county and the city. When you talk about the Department of Safety and Inspections, that's a city agency working with mental health and behavioral health resources from the county. So — what I feel has happened isn't a direct attack on one politician or leader in government. It's an overall spectrum of, how are we going to have the creativity to deliver essential services? What we're facing right now is a deficit of those services, and how do we create the opportunities for folks in leadership to make these ordinances happen? That takes action — it takes folks with energy, and folks who come from different lived experiences.

And I want to highlight — this is myself running, but it's with a community that's been working together to become those progressive champions, to secure that funding. I don't know everything, and neither does my colleague. But we need to bring in the voices of people who've experienced unshelteredness, whether it's been for three months or three decades, and that's what it's really going to take — that direct service and impact. That's what I feel the county needs a refresh on. We've got a lot of great leaders at the county already, in Ramsey County. And they need someone to partner with who knows how to create different avenues. And I'd say it's not just about avenues, it's about rhythm — and we've had a lack of rhythm in St. Paul and in Ramsey County. That's not just happening here, it's happening across the country. But when we think about the pits and the peaks, the peaks are finding creative initiatives for infrastructure and building a tax base so we can have funding, because it's more than just a bed. It's more than just a cot. It's more than just creating more shelters. It's actually crossing the full circle of the policy sector — healthcare, right? You can't talk about housing without healthcare. Workforce — you need a job to pay your mortgage and your rent. And youth services — a lot of our young people who aren't sheltered, it's not necessarily that they don't have a cot or a bed, it's whether they feel safe, whether there's cultural competency in that. So I think we need bold leadership that comes with partners at every level of government. And definitely the county has a big hand in that, and that's also why I'm excited to run for this. This isn't anything new to me — it's about culturally connecting, and as someone with a cultural studies background, that's the influence I look forward to bringing to the county board.

 So we talked about rhythm — I love that idea, thinking about our government as rhythm. So let's talk about the rhythm of — let's say you get the votes you need, you're elected. Can you run through your priorities? What's your priority day one? What do you pivot to for month one? And then what's your priority for the first 100 days you're there? What's the rhythm of the things you're going to set up, the things you think need the most attention or tending right now that you can really make a difference with?

 Well, as the candidate with the majority of the county board's endorsement, I've been having conversations with those who are already sitting on the board, about the differences among our county districts, as well as the similarities. What's similar is — and I say "we," because it takes a board, you need four votes — is amplifying, my vote is prioritizing direct services, protecting against the federal funding attacks, and ensuring that those dealing with the aftermath and continuance of Operation Metro Surge are getting support.

And then, for the 100 days — I look at it as, here's a timeline, here's our goals. Let's try to get one through within the 100 days, and if we get one, let's get more. Can we get two birds with one stone, so to speak? So: direct services, and then community input and meeting with community — not saying "here's where I'm at," but going to where our community is at. Going to the spaces, going to where the unsheltered are, going to our juvenile detention centers, where there are kids who need love because they're still kids. Going to the food and mutual aid services that are continuing, and partnering with organizations whose budgets are also getting cut at the federal level. How do we build sustainability for these organizations in the county that offer great services — workforce training, afterschool and childcare programming — so they're not competing against each other between Maplewood and St. Paul, but partnering so we have sustainability there.

And we're going to need to do that through a third major priority of mine, which is increasing the tax base — I'm going to keep saying that. We've got to fund these county projects, and we have to reduce property taxes, or those of us so-called lifelong St. Paulites can hardly afford to manage in the spaces that are our front yards and our backyards. So it's going to take creativity — how can we do things, and what's not working? Let's not circle back to the things that aren't working. If they're outdated, we need to contemporize them. If we're still going into film, are there ways we can collaborate and digitize it? I think about things as an artist, because we know how to make things out of means of nothing — it creates an opportunity, like Basquiat's legendary artwork. Let's do that with county services. We don't have to overthink things, and I think that's an issue — there's this whole status-quo movement to politics, when really the movement is with the people. So: making sure people are engaged, direct services, community input and meeting where the community's at, and making sure we're increasing the tax base so we can fund county projects.

 Let's keep this artist comparison going. Maria and Hans, we probably both know people who are awesome at leading a quintet and would be completely out of their league handling a 15-piece band. Maria, you'll be serving a larger population, and I want to understand how you'll be able to lead this, quote-unquote, "15-piece band." Maybe you've been comfortable representing a smaller population, but now you've got to answer to more people and serve more people. How are you going to scale up to make sure you keep that contact with citizens and individuals?

 Let me get this on the record, and on rhythm, for everyone who may not have been on beat so far. I've served five million people in the state of Minnesota. I've carried legislation — I've served alongside colleagues to get laws passed, with 133 other members in a tied House. You don't get things through to the Senate unless they pass in the House, and the Senate can't get anything through with a one-person majority unless it gets through the House. So when you think about leadership, I prioritize working and pushing in collaborative efforts with those who have the political — the elected — position, and, most importantly, the crowd of people you represent. I think of it as a crowd because I'm an artist, and I'm hearing things, and I'm listening constantly.

So, being able to do that — if I've been able to do that with 133 other people in a tied House, to pass laws that folks said, "You're never going to get any capital investment this year, forget about it. You're not going to get health services after the federal government cut HIV and AIDS healthcare services — you're not going to get that at the state level" — I don't take no for an answer. And then you look at what the Ramsey County Board is: it's seven people, seven elected commissioners representing seven different districts. I'm confident I can handle representing the people who voted for me in District 65B, and it's about those partnerships. I have a great group across all levels of government who have endorsed me and want to continue partnering with me — and none of them have said, "Maybe you should stay in the House." I've heard, "Go for it, we need you at the county level, we need someone to take that action." To me, it's not about the title — representative, senator — it's about where can I get this ball in the hoop so that all the people get enough food in their stomachs and a roof over their heads. That's where I'm going to keep leading.

I also want you to know — I come from a community of activists and leadership that I was born into. I'm a Puerto Rican woman, and I worked hard to make sure our ancestral land and our families and friends were able to get access to emergency essentials. We delivered, through my leadership and partnerships with leaders throughout the state — before I even held elected office — emergency essentials to Puerto Rico during the first Trump administration. So dealing with this federal administration isn't anything new to me. It's actually — why aren't we proactive enough here in Minnesota? Why aren't we proactive enough in county services? We have to be, because I've seen the deterioration of the island of Puerto Rico due to the first Trump administration, and the negligence that's happening now in the water crisis there.

And I also want to talk about organizing a statewide Latino outreach, revamping the Latino caucus — the Movimiento Caucus — in 2022, so we could get a trifecta, so we could have accessibility to healthcare, where everyone in the state of Minnesota who pays taxes has access to it, so our kids can have breakfast and lunch. These are important values and virtues, and I'm part of that leadership. So when you ask what's going to happen as we grow into this, I think — I come from spaces where we were kids trying to figure out how we were going to afford insulin. This isn't David and Goliath to me. It's, let's pull up our bootstraps, let's get the work done, and let's be proactive about what we're dealing with right now, instead of waiting three months for an ordinance so our communities feel safe.

 So, as a lifelong St. Paulite and Ramsey Countian — Ramseyian?

 I wouldn't say that. Let's just say St. Paul. A member of Ramsey — how about "a member of Ramsey," as I'm called by my speaker of the House.

 As a lifelong member of Ramsey — if you have what seems like, based on how you're talking about your work, a rare day off where you're not doing any politicking, where would we find you?

 Oh my goodness. For breakfast, I'm definitely going to catch Lost Fox, or I like Cafe Story too — they've got a really good breakfast sandwich. I also enjoy coffee at the new Cafe Milagro on the West Side — shout out to Ale Diaz, a fantastic queer Latina-owned business in the heart and pulse of our barrio. I'd also like to say I'm going to be popping into the White Squirrel, 620 West 7th, for a good happy hour, or a late-night surprise karaoke, or maybe a DJ set I could hop on. I definitely enjoy a good steak at Mancini's with my dad and my mom. And my daughter is a huge fan of going to Cecil's in Highland Park for a good hot dog, while Mom gets a good bagel pastrami sandwich. Let's see — oh, Cafeto, great coffee, Latina-owned business on the East Side, and Mañana for an awesome pupusa. Crosskey's for some arepas. Boca Chica for a good happy hour. El Burrito—

 You're going to be so full by the end of this day.

 Believe it or not, this is kind of like my campaign life — and honestly, it's not just my campaign life, it's my everyday life. I'm from St. Paul, and when I see a business shut down, it hurts me — it pierces a little bit. And I'm always thinking, "How can I—" Oh, and Run Mit 

 — shout out to Nia. These are folks we've grown up in our neighborhoods with, and been supportive of each other's businesses and families. We're a village in St. Paul, and that's what the county is about — providing access to essential services for the village. So you're going to see me there every day, bouncing around. Vina's in Highland for some pho. I just love our downtown spaces that need to be revamped — Gambit, shout out to all the spots that are giving heart. We're fighting hard to get the boat floating and provide some life jackets.

 Maria Isa, I'm going to go eat about 4,000 calories, as it sounds like you're also doing on your day off. This sounds wonderful. Thank you for your time today. We look forward to talking to everybody who's running for one of these positions, and we appreciate you taking the time to talk about your campaign for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5. Have a great rest of your day, and thank you for your time.

 Thank you, Sean. Let's get it — Cinco de Maria Isa!

We're very grateful to welcome back State Representative María Isa Pérez-Vega, who is currently campaigning for Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5.

Meet Your Candidates: María Isa Pérez-Vega for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5

Rebecca Noecker for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5

 We are grateful to welcome on St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker, who is currently campaigning for Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5. In fact, she's so busy campaigning that we actually had to meet at an agreed-upon spot because we couldn't get the technology to work for a regular Zoom session. Now, leading up to election day on the 3rd of November, we look forward to connecting and interviewing all the candidates who are available in this election. We're very appreciative of City Council President Rebecca Noecker joining us. Rebecca, thank you for making this work.

 Sean, thank you for making it work. I love being here at the headquarters, and I'm looking forward to the conversation.

 Yes — this is the political interview with the most Trivia Mafia posters behind us. The first question, Rebecca: you've got a job, you've got a cool job, and you're making things happen in the city of St. Paul. But you have this desire to work at a different level — the county level. What prompted you to seek this seat as Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5?

 Yeah, you know, I do love my job. I've been on the city council for 10 years now. I love everything about local government — I love the way you can make a real difference in people's lives. You can work elbow to elbow with your neighbors, figure out what the problems are, and figure out how to solve them. And then you can walk around on a daily basis and see the work you've done and how it's making people's lives better. So I love local government.

But I've also become aware, over the last 10 years on the council, of all the ways in which the city can't do it alone — the ways we need other government partners involved, and in particular the county. The county does all of the human side of our community. So whether we're talking about helping our unhoused neighbors, fighting back against ICE, or bringing property taxes down, all of those things require county partnership. I'm hoping to bring some of the energy, some of the fights, and some of the experience I've built over the last 10 years over to the county, to make it a better partner.

 One prime example of "doing it alone" not working is our unhoused population. Right now at Randolph and West Seventh, and at Shepard and Randolph, we have an increased encampment — a larger encampment — and there are a lot of ways in which this is falling on St. Paul's doorstep. It is St. Paul's responsibility, but I could see a future where there's a much better relationship between county officials, even state officials, to take care of a problem that, at times, I just feel is intractable — not necessarily unsolvable, but certainly not going to be solved with the solutions available right now. So can you talk about how being at the county level might give you the ability to do more to help our unhoused populations?

 Absolutely — and I don't believe any problem is intractable. I believe there are difficult problems, but I'm an optimist, and I think working together, being proactive and strategic, we can solve even the hardest problems. But you're right, this isn't something the city of St. Paul can take on alone. And it's not a problem that developed overnight — this is something that's been going on for decades, because we haven't been investing in the kinds of services and the kind of housing our neighbors need.

We're just up the street from the Shepard-Randolph encampment. I was down there earlier this week talking to my constituents who are living in the encampment, and what they told me was: we want to go inside, and we want to go inside into a space where we can bring our partners, our friends we've made here, our pets, the stuff we've worked hard to get and that's precious to us — and we can't do that in a shelter bed. So when we talk about the services people need, what we really need is supportive housing — apartments where people can live with others, with their pets, with their property, and then services on site, like mental health, chemical health, job training, and other supports. Those are all things Ramsey County has the mandate and the budget to provide, and they need to be provided not just in an emergency situation, which we're in now, but for the long haul.

 They've had that mandate for a while, though. So do you think you being there is going to change it? I haven't seen that mandate impact the lived experience of unhoused people in St. Paul yet. Is it your agenda, with this group of seven people, that's going to change it? Because that mandate is there, and it's still not being met. So what's the difference if Rebecca Noecker is on that commission board?

 First of all, nobody does anything alone, so I think it's really important to note that everything happens in partnership — the things I hope to make happen are going to happen in collaboration. But I'll say everything comes down to leadership. On the county board, there are seven people who are elected to set the policy and direction of the county and to hold staff accountable to making those things a priority. I think my track record on the city council shows that I know how to work with six other people — there are seven council members, same as seven county commissioners. It's a nonpartisan environment, so you really have to build relationships with everybody — there's no finger-pointing at "the other side." And then you're in the details of the work. You're not just signing a bill to allocate a lot of money to something — you're talking with the people you're hoping to help, the people impacted by the problem, your colleagues, other levels of government, figuring out the financing, figuring out the legal parts, and getting it done.

I'm proud to say I have a track record of doing that. The county's most recent expansion of shelter beds was actually something I championed — I led the fight on the winter safe space, which became the seasonal safe space in downtown St. Paul, 64 additional beds, almost right after I got elected, my first year in office. That's an example of how you can work together, even from the city council, to get things done. I feel like on the county board, I'll be able to bring that same style of leadership.

 Let's open up to some of your other priorities. We've talked about the unhoused population, which I think is of paramount importance. But what are your other priorities if you're elected to this office — say, in the first couple of days?

 Yeah, there's a lot I want to do. Let me start with pushing back against ICE and the federal attack on our community. Operation Metro Surge was an intense form of this, but it was going on before Metro Surge, and it continues to this day. We need our local governments to be ready to defend our neighbors, and that takes a couple of forms.

First, I think we need a separation ordinance at Ramsey County that says local law enforcement and Ramsey County staff do not cooperate with the federal government. When you call the sheriff's office, when you come in to get your medical assistance, your SNAP, or your childcare benefits, you're not going to be asked for your immigration status, and you're not going to be reported to ICE. We have a very strong separation ordinance in the city of St. Paul — we worked hard to strengthen it even further during Metro Surge — and I think we need something like that at the county level too. I'd also move to ban masking by law enforcement at the county level. We did that in St. Paul, to make sure ICE and other agents had to reveal who they were; we also required identification. We should do that at the county level too. And the county needs to end its contract with Flock — I led the fight to do that in the city. That's a third-party provider taking our residents' data, which has been shared with the federal government without our police department's knowledge. We can't have that kind of surveillance where we don't own the data and don't know where it's going. So those are a couple of things I'd do immediately to help defend our neighbors against the federal government.

Something else we have to talk about is taxes. As you mentioned, Sean, I'm literally in the midst of door-knocking right now, and what I'm hearing at the doors is that taxes are unsustainable. People on fixed incomes, seniors, low-income folks, working families who are also trying to afford rent, childcare, groceries, and gas — taxes are a huge part of that problem. One of the things we can do is have the city and the county work better together. Coming from the city council, I know exactly what we do well, where we need help, and where there's duplication we could eliminate to bring down the amount we have to spend. But the other thing we need to do is expand our tax base. We need to bring in more businesses, more homes, more people to help shoulder the cost of the services people depend on, which go up in cost every single year.

There are huge opportunities to do that from the county side. The county actually owns critical, high-value parcels that could be put back on the tax rolls. One is at River's Edge, right on the riverfront in downtown St. Paul. There's a really ambitious vision for that site — housing, jobs, a brand-new park right along the river, bringing people down to the river, which is something we've wanted to do for a long time. But it's been sitting there vacant for 10 years, and it was vacant buildings for 10 years before that. We need to move with urgency on getting these properties back on the tax rolls. And then I'd institute a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program. Twenty percent of our properties in the city of St. Paul are totally tax-exempt — hospitals, colleges, faith-based institutions. A lot of other cities and counties in our position have created voluntary programs where those institutions can pay in to help cover the cost of the services they receive. I think that really resonates with our values in St. Paul and Ramsey County — that everyone should have a part in covering the services people depend on.

And the last thing I'll say here — I have a long list of other priorities — but West Seventh Street, right outside the windows where we're sitting right now, is a street that desperately needs investment. There was an actual void in the street — I learned it's not a sinkhole, it's a "void," that's the technical term — right outside of Burger Moe's last year. The street is literally falling apart. The county worked for years and spent $12 million in public dollars on design and community engagement for a transformed West Seventh Street, and then they abandoned the project with a Facebook post and moved the $7.3 million they had allocated to suburban, shovel-ready projects instead. That was one of the last straws that got me to say, I have to run for this seat, because our community deserves better. So I'd work to bring the county back to the table. The city has picked up the pieces — we have a plan to reconstruct the street and put the J Line bus rapid transit on it — but we need the county's investment.

 We're sharing a microphone here, so we can't do really quick back-and-forths, but I have two follow-ups based on your really thorough answer. Let's start here: didn't Chris Coleman try to do the "hey, pretty please, nonprofits, give us some money" thing years ago, and it died on the vine? Wasn't there already an attempt to get some dollars from our nonprofit neighbors, and it didn't work? Why will it work this time?

 This is a good time to be the longest-serving council member, at 10 years, and the elder stateswoman of the council at 42 — because I have a bit of a memory of how this went down. I don't remember the very beginning under Chris Coleman, but I do know that at the very end of his term — maybe this is what you're talking about — the Citizens League did a study of a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program. They talked to the heads of the colleges, the hospitals, the big nonprofits, and came back with a report that said: yes, we think you should pursue this. It's not going to be a silver bullet, because these are voluntary payments — you can't count on them, they won't totally solve your budget woes — but you should pursue it. And their final recommendation was: do it right now, because right now, all these colleges, faith-based institutions, and hospitals have been engaged in this report and are ready to work with you. Don't let it gather dust.

Right after that, we had an election. A new mayor came in with different priorities, a different agenda, and it gathered dust for the last eight years. So as soon as Mayor Her took office, I reached out and said, let's pick up the pieces. She and I have been working together beautifully on this — we're hoping to have a pilot ready in some form by the end of the year. I've been grateful for her partnership, but again, I think this is something that should be countywide.

 Here's the other follow-up, on the first couple of things you said about responding to ICE, including not permitting masked law enforcement officers at the county level. Do you have a partner in Sheriff Bob Fletcher on getting rid of the Flock cameras, and on a lot of the things I feel are a little antithetical to some of the positions I've seen him take? I don't know exactly how it works, but do you think you have a partner who can really change law enforcement at the Ramsey County level?

 Well, just like I believe there's no such thing as an intractable problem, I think everyone is a potential partner. I'll say I've found Sheriff Fletcher to be very helpful on different occasions — I actually sat down with him and a constituent who was working with another constituent, one of my immigrant constituents, who had been unlawfully detained and was facing deportation, and the sheriff was really helpful in that situation. So we've been able to work together in the past. He and I have very different views on a lot of public safety approaches, including Flock, and I've been disappointed in how he's responded to my effort there. But here's the thing about local government: no one can be a permanent enemy — you have to work with people.

So one of the first things I'm going to do, and I've already started — I've met with all the other county commissioners, and I've already met with a lot of frontline staff, because I think the people who actually do the work every day are the ones you should talk to when you're figuring out what needs to change. Policymakers often don't do that, and they end up disconnected from the work. I'm looking forward to sitting down with the sheriff and trying to understand his perspective better, trying to figure out how we can work together. I'll say, ultimately, the county board does control the sheriff's budget, and I think that will give me a bit more influence in those conversations.

 That was diplomatic — right at the end. Sitting this close to you, it's hard to be too aggressive. I've got two more questions and then we'll let you go. You'll be serving a larger population if you're elected to this role, and sometimes there are people who are really good at serving, say, 60,000 people, and come up short when the number gets bigger — they don't know how to reach people and stay connected the same way. How are you going to scale up to make sure you can really deliver that county level of representation — more square mileage, and, most importantly, more people?

 That's a really good question. I've definitely noticed, as I've been door-knocking, that the number of doors you need to hit to run a county campaign is a lot different than a city council campaign. The good news is I'm going to continue to represent a district that's entirely within St. Paul. I've been serving both my ward and the city as council president — for the last decade, and the last year and a half as council president — so a lot of the same neighborhoods I represent now. I don't think I would've taken this on if it meant leaving most of my constituents. So it's my West Side neighbors, which is also my home, downtown, West Seventh — and then adding in parts of the East Side, the Battle Creek neighborhood, Dayton's Bluff, the Highwood Hills area, and also Highland Park and the southern part of Mac-Groveland.

So part of this is just staying connected to all the constituents I already represent, and I've really been trying, during the campaign, to reach out to the new folks I haven't met yet. One of the things I love about local government, even at the county level, is that it's still very local — you're still going to run into your constituents on a Sunday morning at the grocery store when you haven't showered or done your hair yet, and I look forward to that continuing to happen to me. It's very personal, and it's not hard, if you take the time to show up and meet people where they're at.

I'm going to keep doing my community conversations, which happen once a month in different coffee shops, restaurants, bars, rec centers, libraries, and parks across the district. I'll keep doing my downtown action series, every two months, where we hear updates on what's happened to make downtown better over the last 60 days from a variety of speakers — I'm hoping to host that as Ramsey County Commissioner too, and invite my new Ward 2 council member to join me. I've actually invited the current District 5 commissioner to join me at those events every time, and he has yet to come — so I look forward to better collaboration there. And then continuing my newsletter, my social media presence, and just showing up. So much of this is about saying yes — whenever there's an event, a food drive, a clothing drive, a chance to speak to students, which is actually one of my favorite things to do as a former teacher.

 Last question, City Council President Rebecca Noecker — a little more personal. What's a day off in your district? I imagine days off are few and far between right now, but say you land on a day with nothing on the itinerary. What are you up to?

 Okay — well, I guess I can't say door-knocking, since that's my current day off. It's really hard to choose, but I'd say a day off might find me having coffee at Plata Cafe, just down the street on West Seventh — I love that I can always pick up a copy of the Community Reporter while I'm there, and I always run into constituents and people I know. I love to bike — my family and I are avid cyclists, we bike everywhere — so you'd likely find me on the Capital City Bikeway downtown, the Lilydale trail, the Bruce Vento Trail. And if there were a Saints game on that particular day off, we'd definitely bike over the Highway 52 bridge from the West Side to the game, park in the special bike parking, and go in the back entrance — you feel like a celebrity, and all you had to do was bike there.

I'd also probably want to stop into Caydence Cafe and Records, on the East Side, just a little outside my ward — it's a wonderful spot, you can pick up a record and get coffee at the same time, and we've hosted community conversations there. And then I'd say, at the end of the day, there's nothing like standing at the top of the High Bridge on the West Side. Right at Overlook Park behind you is a brand-new community garden, a wonderful gem that's brought so many neighbors together and produces wonderful food — a great spot to check out. But then just looking over the bluff at downtown St. Paul, with the sun setting off to your left, is just perfect.

 St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker, who is running for Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5 — thank you not only for your generosity today, but your spirit of improvisation, since we ended up not being able to make the remote interview work. We appreciate your time today, and again, we'll be trying to connect with all the candidates in this election as we get closer to election day. Thank you for being here, Rebecca.

We are grateful to welcome on St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker, who is currently campaigning for Ramsey County Commissioner for District 5. 

Meet Your Candidates: Rebecca Noecker for Ramsey County Commissioner, District 5

Adam Sage

*This is a free music festival on Nicollet Mall and inside the Dakota. It's a wonderful chance to get to see a show at the Dakota for free as tickets are usually a little pricey for me there. Last year I got to see Davina and the Vagabonds play the closing slot inside the club, and it was one of my favorite shows of the year. I also had the Dakota's pink peppercorn ice cream, which blew my mind. This year I'm looking forward to seeing another one of my favorite artists in the Twin Cities, L.A. Buckner, perform on the outside stage, and I'll head inside to see The New Standards close out the festival. Don't miss this! 

September brings a packed Twin Cities concert calendar, from outdoor shows and fall tours to orchestra performances and free music festivals.

Tips for a Better September in the Twin Cities

Tips for a Better September

Anna Weggel

When are you going? This weekend? Next weekend? Text a pal and pick a date for the park because September is kind of a goldilocks month for getting outside in the Twin Cities. It's not too hot or cold, and it probably won't rain too much. Here in the metro area, it may be your last chance to comfortably wade through the ankle-deep waters of the Mississippi at 

 to look for critters and crawfish and to get a great view of the 

You can also get up close to the Mississippi south of the Twin Cities – if you've been sleeping on 

, try heading over and walking the 3.8-mile 

. You'll get to walk around an island on the river, and it's so gorgeous and secluded that it's hard to believe you're right next to the airport. You might get to see some beavers cutting down saplings and swimming under the Pike Island Bridge as September is a busy month for them preparing for winter. You'll also get to see the 

, or the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers, which is a site of immense spiritual and historical significance to the Dakota people. On a clear day, you can see a distinct line where the brownish waters of the Minnesota clash with the relatively clear waters of the Mississippi. Seriously, make plans this month to get to one of these world-class parks that we have in our back yard. 

 deter you from donning that flannel. I’m ready to let go of summer with these autumnal celebrations. We have an unbelievable number of Oktoberfests; you can don your lederhosen and enjoy giant pretzels at 

, on Sept. 19, will feature live music from Gully Boys and others. For the competitive spirit, there’s a boot chugging contest. If you haven’t had enough hot dogs this summer, Insight Brewing is hosting 

, which promises “hot dogs falling from the sky.” The 

 also hosts their own celebrations in St. Paul.

I have the pleasure of editing each week’s 

 newsletter and when one of our writers, Winter, recently told me she found the lunchbox of her dreams, it’s pretty much the 

. As a mom of school-aged children, I want to challenge myself next year (because I failed big time this year) to shop local for school supplies. If it’s not too late for you to shop for your kids this year, or if you’re young at heart and can’t resist school supply shopping for yourself, check out Winter’s 

, Winter had the best recommendations. And I look forward to spending my money at these local shops next year! 

Explore Twin Cities parks, enjoy fall festivals and Oktoberfests, and shop local for school supplies at unique neighborhood stores.

Your Guide to September 2026 in the Twin Cities

 We'd like to welcome Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, who is running for U.S. Senate. The primary is today, and this primary competition between Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and Representative Angie Craig has been very heated and very expensive – if you've been trying to watch TV without running into these two, you have failed. Lieutenant Governor, thank you so much for joining us on City Cast Twin Cities on this very busy day for you. We appreciate your time.

 Now, Peggy Flanagan, you're no stranger to representing Minnesota – you've been the Lieutenant Governor – but I want to ask: how would your work as an elected official in the Senate most tangibly impact the community you live in?

 Sure. Well, I'd say a couple things. I'm running to make sure that people can afford the lives they want to live. I grew up in the community of St. Louis Park – it's where I still live with my family – and I grew up on the margins. I was a kid who carried a box of commodity cheese under my arm like a football. Section 8 paid the rent. SNAP is what kept food on the table for my family, and I'm alive because of Medicaid.

But what I also watched was my mom being a badass. She worked incredibly hard, and she went back to school – she got her certificate in phlebotomy, and we like to tease her and say she became a professional vampire. But I remember watching her walk across that stage and feeling like I was walking across it too, because I knew how incredibly hard she worked, for me and for herself. So that's what I'm bringing into this race – knowing what it feels like to stretch $20 through the end of the month, and fighting against the status quo.

I think the root of it – and Sean, you mentioned it – all of these ads, this is the most expensive Senate primary in Minnesota's history. $20 million has come against us so far: crypto, AI, tech billionaires, health insurance companies, AIPAC, and all these special interests. I'm not taking a dime of corporate PAC money because I want to be beholden only to Minnesotans. I share that with you because I think that's the root of so many things we don't have access to – like a healthcare system that works for everybody, housing, childcare, all of these pieces. As folks are struggling to afford their lives, the people at the very top are doing quite well, and that's a frustration many people share. I'm going to fight for the many and not for the money. That's what I plan to bring to D.C.

 And you talk in your own personal narrative – obviously there are a lot of ways government programs helped you and your family be more resilient and stronger, and we've seen a lot of that support fall away. A lot of what you needed and received at that time isn't as available now. I assume we're in agreement that we want stronger, more resilient communities. What can you do to make communities more resilient from your vantage point as an elected official?

 Sure, I'd say a couple things. I want to make sure that the way we've campaigned – we've done over 300 events in 112 communities – should also be the way that I govern, by being in relationship with Minnesotans, making sure folks feel like, "Oh, we know her, she represents us." That's why I'm fighting for Medicare for All. I think it's completely outrageous that I talk to families with $16,000 deductibles, who are paying 500 bucks for a med check, who are deciding whether to cover just the kids, or just mom. Our healthcare plan right now is basically to pray that nobody gets sick. Our time has come where folks no longer need to just pay for health insurance, but should actually be able to receive health care.

I'd like to get rid of prior authorization, because I don't think some person behind a desk – or worse, an AI bot – should determine whether or not you get the lifesaving healthcare your doctor prescribed. I want universal childcare capped at 7% of your income as a family. Childcare is the backbone of the economy, and incidentally, there are only four moms with kids under 18 serving in the U.S. Senate – and boy, can't you tell from the outcomes we're getting right now.

So those are some of the issues. I co-chaired the campaign to raise the minimum wage in this state when I led the Children's Defense Fund. At the time, folks said, "You're too ambitious, you're asking for too much" – to raise it and index it to inflation. But we passed that law, and over the last decade, people have seen their wages increase. Meanwhile, the federal minimum wage hasn't increased in 17 years – it's still $7.25, which is completely impossible. I want us to raise the national minimum wage.

I also fought hard – I was one of the co-founders of Minnesotans for Paid Family and Medical Leave, back when my kid was still portable on my hip. We built that coalition, we organized for it, and it passed and was implemented this year – 75,000 people have now taken advantage of this program to bond with a new baby, care for a sick loved one, or care for themselves. That matters, and we need a national paid leave policy.

And after the year we've had, we need to rip ICE apart and hold this Trump administration accountable for the terror, chaos, and loss of life they've caused here in Minnesota. I think folks have heard me use the term "avenge" – and what that really means is that the $240 billion that's been given to ICE and CBP, while we've watched health care being taken from people and food being taken off the table to fund this lawless agency, along with trillions of dollars in tax cuts for people who don't need them – enough. This is madness, and we can do better.

 Now, Lieutenant Governor Flanagan, even if these things ring true with somebody, there might be a fear that if we send someone who's really on the Medicare for All bandwagon to D.C., we're sending them to a Republican-majority Senate. Are you going to be stuck on the sidelines because you can't reach across the aisle? Realistically, you're the more progressive candidate, and the candidate with less of a track record reaching across the aisle, at least in my reckoning. So I'm trying to understand: might someone with your values be wasted on a Senate that isn't ready to work on these things because it's controlled by Republicans?

 I would say – I think we have the opportunity to take back the House and the Senate, but as you mentioned, the Trump administration will also be there moving forward, at least for the next two years. But I'm proud of the work I've been able to do with folks across the aisle. When I was at the Children's Defense Fund, I sometimes got a lot of grief from my DFL friends serving in the legislature, because they'd say, "Hey, how come you didn't ask me to author this bill?" And I'd say, "Well, Republicans are in the majority, and I can't wait two years or four years for healthy babies and healthy birth outcomes for kids and their moms." So finding that common ground is important to me.

When I served in the legislature during one term, there were only two bills from DFLers in the House that got across the finish line – one of them was mine, because I'm pretty intentional about building relationships. Regardless of my occupation, I'm an organizer, and finding common ground – my job on day one in the U.S. Senate is to schedule 99 cups of coffee with my colleagues and find places where we can work together.

I'm going to push for Medicare for All, because frankly it's what people deserve. But along the way – banning prior authorization is at the top of my list, and that has bipartisan support; I actually think we can get that done. And things like making sure Congress lives up to its end of the bargain and funds special education – the commitment was always 40% under IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and they've never met that commitment. That also has bipartisan support and is worth fighting for, for our public schools and for kids all across this country.

Those are the opportunities, I think. And as we've been doing this work, we've had DFLers coming to our events, but we've also had independents who say, "I don't have a political home, I'm just super freaked out by what's happening right now." And we've had Republicans who say, "Flanagan, I don't agree with you on everything – in fact, not a lot – but at least you're here listening to us." And I think that goes a really long way in this politics of noise and division, and just spewing absolute hatred from the White House. We can do things differently here, and we have in the past – in the way we showed up for our neighbors this winter. I don't think anyone was asking about political affiliation as they were simply trying to get food to their neighbors and make sure the people they care about weren't just scooped up off the street.

 There's a notable recent poll from the Star Tribune, KARE 11, and the Hubbard School of Journalism that found 81% of respondents worried about fraud in state government. If someone is worried about fraud in state government, why would they vote for somebody who was really high up in state government during this period of massive fraud?

 Well, I'd be really clear that fraud of any kind is completely unacceptable, and I know Minnesotans are angry – I am too, as a former executive director of an organization that served children and families. I find it completely infuriating that anyone would steal from taxpayers, but especially take resources from people who need them desperately. There's been work done to stop fraud and prevent it from happening in the first place – 60 people have been prosecuted, a hundred people have been charged. Aimee Bock, the ringleader of Feeding Our Future, was sentenced to 41 years plus 8 months. And to that, I say good.

What I also know is that Republicans are running against every Democrat on fraud – Amy Klobuchar, Keith Ellison, the legislators. And just last week, there was an ad that popped up showing Congresswoman Craig and me side by side, attacking us both on fraud. She serves on the Ag Committee – that's why they're going after her. It's all political theater to distract from the fact that this president, right out of the gate, pardoned 70 white-collar criminals who've stolen billions of dollars in Medicare and Medicaid funds. He got rid of 17 inspectors general, whose whole job is to police corruption at the federal level. And this guy is making money hand over fist out of the White House – and for the folks who paid for his gilded ballroom, their reward was government contracts. Enough. I think whoever our opponent is in the fall – Michele Tafoya or whoever it is – it's clear to me they'll be a "yes sir, Mr. President" kind of senator. What we actually need is someone who's going to stand up to the Trump administration.

And I'd say that's also a distinction between me and my opponent, who has voted with Donald Trump more than any other Minnesota Democrat. We can do better, and I think Minnesotans are positioned to make sure we send someone who's going to take on the status quo and push back against the Trump administration. As a Minnesotan, as someone who's lived here my whole life, this state has invested so much in me and in my family, and I really look forward to the opportunity to continue serving the people of Minnesota, if that's their will, in Washington.

 Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, it's primary day, it's a busy day – you taking the time to talk with City Cast Twin Cities means a lot to us. Thank you so much for your time today.

We requested interviews from most candidates running in the major Twin Cities races ahead of the August 11 primary and November general election.

Meet Your Candidates: Peggy Flanagan for U.S. Senate

 We'd like to welcome Kendall Qualls, who's the GOP-endorsed candidate for governor. Today is primary day, and we're excited to talk to every candidate we can leading up to the election in November. Kendall Qualls, thank you so much for joining us on City Cast Twin Cities today.

 I'm glad to be here. Thanks for having me, Sean.

 Now, Kendall Qualls, I wanted to ask you about how your work as an elected official would most tangibly impact the community you live in.

 Yeah, I think – not just for the community I live in, but for all communities – there are three basic things that transcend political parties. Number one, economic conditions. Everyone wants to thrive economically, not just survive, and there are things we can do in government to help with that.

Number two – look, Minneapolis has seen better days when it comes to crime. Forbes magazine rated it the number one safest city with the best quality of life back in October 2009, and we're going to get that back. That's truly the character of Minneapolis – it was never a Detroit or a Chicago. Crime is rampant in the metro as well as the surrounding suburbs, and we want to get that back.

And number three is our public school education. We used to have a marquee public education program that benefited everyone – for people like me, coming out of poverty, education could be a gateway to a very different life. Now we've seen real decline – we're near the bottom-middle of the nation, our test scores are out of whack, and there's all this other foolishness going on in our public schools. We want to get that back too. So: improving economic conditions, safer communities, and quality education for everyone.

 You mentioned in your biography a really unique history and path – you spent time as a child in Harlem and then in Oklahoma, two vastly different places. You've also talked about the importance of education, and really helping people at every stage of life, particularly if they're born into poverty. Beyond the first three things you mentioned – sure, economic opportunity, safe streets, access to education, these are all big – what else can you do in office to build strong communities where people really thrive?

 Well, I think the biggest thing right now is that people sense there's no accountability in elected officials – that we've lost our sense of community, our sense of belonging to each other. Is there a common denominator that brings us all together? Right now, unfortunately, we work and walk and think in tribes of left versus right, and that's wrong in a lot of ways. We didn't used to live like that. I want to bring that sense of commonality back, and we can do that.

But the accountability part is very important. The fraud issue in our state is way beyond out of control – it's a national embarrassment. We don't need special offices to fix this. This is called leadership. This happens in the private sector all the time – it's called embezzlement, and we handle these issues within a single calendar year. Someone's fired, someone's held accountable, someone goes to jail. For embezzlement, it doesn't take eight to ten years and an Office of Inspector General and all these other layers of government – it's called leadership. That's how we bring accountability back, integrity back, and a sense of pride to be able to call ourselves Minnesotans again, because that's been lost for a lot of the population in this state.

 Do you think the Office of Inspector General is unproductive in rooting out fraud, or do you think it just requires leadership above that station to make sure things actually happen? I'd assume even at a business level you need boots on the ground to root out embezzlement. So I'm asking: do you see usefulness in inspectors general, or do you see it as unnecessary red tape?

 It's unnecessary red tape. Listen, this could have been handled day one – Tim Walz could have fired someone. No one – I think one person resigned in the last few months, but he's fired no one. We have $9 billion that's been accounted for by Joe Thompson, the Biden-appointed U.S. attorney, and I believe there's a lot more. No one's been held accountable. It starts with the leader of the executive branch, which is the governor.

And like I said, even in the private sector, this is handled quickly within your finance department – not a special department, a finance, accounting, and audit department. These guys are full-time, they do their jobs. We don't hire outside help unless it's really serious. This isn't that – we've had whistleblowers telling us about this stuff for years.

 I want to switch gears a bit and ask about the struggles state government is having with the federal government right now, and how negative that impact can be for Minnesotans – specifically, $199 million in Medicaid payments that were recently held back. I want to ask what you'd do to improve that relationship, because – Kendall Qualls, I think you and I land on pretty different parts of the political spectrum, but on the other hand, I really don't want to see people not getting Medicaid payments they're counting on. So how can you bring that relationship back so these payments get fulfilled and people get what they need to live?

 Sean, you're assuming we're on different parts of the political spectrum – I'd bet we agree on probably 80% of the issues. Let's reverse that question: do you favor Medicaid-ineligible people getting payments of millions of dollars? No, of course not. Those payments were intended for the most vulnerable of our citizens. And right now we have people getting those payments who aren't even citizens of our state – they're in different states, all these different things. So, yes–

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