Some people think St. Paul’s current organized trash collection system stinks. No matter where you side on that issue, I think we can all agree that the legal missteps the City made in moving forward with that system were particularly foul. Simple analysis in 2017 should have led officials to understand that a referendum could …
Trash, fees, franchises … St. Paul keeps making costly legal mistakes. Why? Read More »
St. Paul’s City Charter is the city’s version of its constitution. It should not be easy to change. Yet, without much if any public awareness, input or debate, our City Council is on the verge of adopting an ordinance to amend the City Charter to give the Council broad power and authority to impose civil …
Let’s know more before we let St. Paul levy more fines Read More »
There appear to be numerous opportunities for citizen engagement on land-use issues in St. Paul. The process is usually initiated by the Department of Planning and Economic Development (PED). A vetting by the local district council follows. Next is an intermediary review with public hearings before the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) or Planning …
Hearings on St. Paul Land-Use Issues Are So Much Wasted Breath Read More »
Saint Paul STRONG is a non-partisan organization. Our mission is to improve open and representative government by encouraging and supporting open and transparent public processes, engaging and empowering resident participation and building a stronger, more inclusive Saint Paul. Anyone who has been around Saint Paul politics for long recognizes that, for all intents and purposes, …
DFL Endorsement Process Picks Favorites, Discourages Newcomers, Limits Debate Read More »
Opinion editor’s note: This article was submitted by David Durenberger, Shirley Erstad, John Mannillo and the other members of the steering committee of Saint Paul STRONG, which describes itself as “a nonpartisan, community-led organization dedicated to improving open and representative government.” Durenberger is a former U.S. senator from Minnesota. Erstad is a former candidate for the …
St. Paul elections: DFL is trying to put a thumb on the scales Read More »
Saint Paul STRONG has observed the Ford Site decision-making process playing out contentiously in our city. A recitation of this process was recently the subject of an opinion piece by Council Member Chris Tolbert in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. What has not been addressed are the reasons why this is increasingly the subject of …
“The City Attorney said so,” is often the response that we, the public, get from City Hall when we are confounded by some process, procedure, or final action that otherwise makes no credible sense. When we seek to understand a council vote or mayoral decision shrouded in mystery, “It’s-the-opinion-of-the-City-Attorney” is a great strategy to stop …
I testified on behalf of Saint Paul STRONG today regarding limiting email deletions in favor of a Bill introduced (HF 1185) at the Capitol. Thank you to Don Gemberling from our Steering Committee for helping organize the effort and to Tom Erickson, a supporter of Saint Paul STRONG for their help and testimony. The Bill passed …
Public Email communication must be preserved to ensure government accountability Read More »
Thanks to a unanimous Supreme Court decision, St. Paul seems finally to have “found religion” concerning its problematic $32 million Street Assessment Program, known as the Right of Way maintenance assessment (ROW). The City has conceded that it has no defense to the 2011 court challenge by two Lowertown churches and it has now made …
Strong Blog Picture this: a row of buildings along the northerly Mississippi River bluff in Saint Paul from the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers near Fort Snelling to downtown. Not just any buildings, but 65’+ buildings that stand well above the 40’ or so tree line. How do you feel about that? Has …
Planning Commission jumps the gun on Corridor Critical Area issue Read More »
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