Mike Hilborn
1. What are your three biggest issues facing St. Paul in the coming years and what are your plans to address them?
Taxes – Saint Paul has the highest sales tax in Minnesota, 9.88%. Higher than Minneapolis at 9.03%. Saint Paul has the highest property taxes in Minnesota. Saint Paul is the most expensive place to live in Minnesota and the most expensive place to run a business in Minnesota. Of the top 5 cities in Minnesota, Saint Paul is the only one have lost population. Over 500 business have left Saint Paul since 2020.
2. St. Paul residents currently face the highest effective tax rate in the state, one that has the potential to increase again significantly in 2026 with proposed county and city property tax increases and a school district levy on this year’s ballot. What are your plans to address the growing financial pressures on St. Paul’s residents while still providing the services expected of city government?
We are going to root out waste, fraud, and abuse. We are spending money we don’t have. For example, Saint Paul wants to spend 140 million dollars on a 4.5 mile bike lane down Summit Avenue. On a street that was recently resurfaced. Drive down Summit Avenue and then drive down Grand Avenue. Grand is potholed and torn up. Summit is smooth. 80% of the population doesn’t want to spend 140 million dollars on a bike lane where a bike lane already exists. And lose over 1,000 trees. If the city is wasting money on something like this, can you imagine the money they’re spending on things we don’t know about? We are going to lower taxes and bring back business. Saint Paul is a great place to have a business. I’ve had a business in Saint Paul for over 30 years because up until the last few years it was a great place for a business. I will bring us back to that.
3. While perceptions of crime in St. Paul may not match reality, with crime rates, especially rates of violent crimes, continuing to fall, our city still has rates close to double that of the rest of the state. How do you plan to address public safety concerns, both those perceived and what is happening in reality, in the city?
We have a serious crime problem. Our crime is too high. Telling people that a terrible crime rate is falling is like saying a business is losing less money. The business is still dying and will be out of business soon. We have to lower crime immediately. And we all know we can. We just saw it happen. We simply have to hold criminals accountable. If you commit crime in Saint Paul, you’re going to prison.
4. Downtown St. Paul has long been struggling and, in the past few years, has faced multiple buildings being condemned and changing hands in foreclosure. What are your plans to stabilize downtown St. Paul in order to revitalize what is an important economic engine for St. Paul?
Our beautiful city and our beautiful downtown is failing for three primary reasons. Highest taxes in Minnesota. A crime rate that is double that of Minnesota. And, people sleeping on sidewalks and tents. If Saint Paul is the least expensive place to run a business, businesses will come back fast. Saint Paul is a great location to run a business. I94 and 35E run right through it. An international airport less than 15 minutes away. Our own municipal airport. A working river. Lots and lots of empty buildings. Restaurants that are struggling but surviving. If you are the most expensive place to run a business, people will leave. If you’re the least expensive, people will rush in.
5. On August 27, tragedy struck Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis where two children were killed and 17 others were injured by a mass shooter. How do you view the City’s role in reducing gun violence and what measures can the City take to curb future mass shootings?
We need armed guards and police at our schools. It doesn’t make any sense to me. We put armed guards at banks to protect our money. We have guards and police at airports to protect our travelers. We have guards and police to protect our sports stadiums. How in the world do we not protect our children?
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