----------------------------------------------- St Paul Issues Forum - Election 2005 Archive and info at: http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/mayor-2005 -----------------------------------------------
INTRODUCTION TO CHRIS COLEMAN, CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR
The people of St. Paul deserve a mayor that will always put St. Paul first, bring people together around the right priorities and deliver results.
St. Paul’s strength comes from a history of visionary leaders who shared its people’s dreams and worked together to make them a reality. Chris’s progressive values and vision will give voice and opportunity to every member of our city who cares about our future.
Chris will build bridges between the mayor’s office and our neighborhoods, city council, school board, state legislature and other Twin Cities communities. As mayor, Chris will stand up for good-paying jobs, safe neighborhoods and decent affordable housing. Chris will fight for quality education, city services and transit. Chris will build consensus with leaders who care about St. Paul’s future and not pander to a president and governor whose failed policies harm our city.
Chris is running for mayor not because he thinks Saint Paul is failing. He is running for mayor because he knows we can do better.
ABOUT CHRIS
Chris’s roots in St. Paul run deep. He is a lifelong St. Paul resident, born in 1961, one of six kids in a classic St. Paul, Irish American Democratic family. His mom, Bridget, raised the family and operated an Irish imports store. His dad, Nick, Sr., championed human rights, justice and progressive causes as Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate. Growing up, Chris attended St. Luke’s, graduated from Cretin in 1979, attended undergrad at the University of Minnesota and graduated from the U of M law school in 1987. Chris and his wife Connie lived in Frogtown for five years, where Chris served as the President of the Thomas-Dale Planning Council, and then moved to the West Side and have lived there ever since.
Chris’s passions are his kids, Connie and public service. He spent eight years working in Hennepin County as a public defender and prosecutor. Proposals to build a metal shredder along the St. Paul riverfront inspired his first run for city council. Chris represented Ward 2 from 1997 to 2003. Currently, he is an investment management consultant working with non-profit organizations and he is also President of United Family Practice Clinic (serving people without insurance and/or with low income).
Chris's accomplishments as a city council member include:
- Led the fight for decent, affordable housing, including creation of the city's affordable housing policy and building of affordable housing units on upper landing
- Obtained critical funding for the Neighborhood House (Paul & Sheila Wellstone Center)
- Led the fight for historic preservation, against destruction of Seventh Place, Orpheum and Coney Island buildings
- Championed the Arts, including establishing a fund for neighborhood art and streetscape projects
- Led on the environment, signing the city statement on global climate change through ICLEA, and preventing metal shredder from being placed on riverfront
- Sponsored renaming Concord Street to Ceasar Chavez Boulevard
Chris has served on the Boards of the Red Cross, Community Stabilization Project and Riverfront Corporation, and NARAL.
----------------------------------------------- St Paul Issues Forum - Election 2005 Archive and info at: http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/mayor-2005 -----------------------------------------------
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