Priorities
We have real challenges in our community and the County Board plays a critical role in solving them. My priorities include economic and workforce development, downtown revitalization, transportation, childcare and public health.
How we do this work is just as important as what we do. I’ll prioritize smooth coordination between the City and County, genuine community engagement, and effective use of public resources.
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We have real challenges in our community and the Ramsey County Board plays a critical role in solving them.
I am running for Ramsey County District 5 Commissioner to get things done for St. Paul. My priorities include economic and workforce development, downtown revitalization, transportation, childcare and public health.
Here’s an in-depth look at one of those priorities: RiversEdge.
The RiversEdge project is a powerful chance to reconnect downtown Saint Paul with the Mississippi River—a long-awaited transformation. The plan envisions housing, offices, street-level retail, and a sweeping public park and riverwalk that would invite residents, workers and visitors back to the waterfront.
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RiversEdge is an innovative public-private project led by Ramsey County that offers a lot to our community:
9+ acres of urban park space
Integrated trail systems
Expanded public Mississippi River access
A centerpiece for riverfront revitalization projects
Job creation
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The RiversEdge project has an equitable, sustainable plan:
Integration of affordable housing
Small business retention and support for local businesses
Flood mitigation, energy resilience, and bird-safe glass
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RiversEdge has tremendous economic opportunity:
Serves as a catalyst for $800M in private investment
Expands the tax base
Creates jobs
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The project timeline:
From 2015-2017, $17M was invested to clear and remediate the site for development
In 2022, Ramsey County committed $26M to the park.
In 2023, Minnesota appropriated $6.22M for design and preconstruction.
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After decades of planning and approval of an $800 million proposal, progress has stalled. It’s time to move forward with urgency to bring this vision to life for the benefit of the entire city.
Too many County projects like RiversEdge have moved too slowly or not at all and that sluggishness is hurting our community. I am running to bring a new sense of urgency to the County board and to get things done for St. Paul.
RiversEdge
Rendering of RiversEdge public plaza concept.
Source: ramseycountymn.gov
West 7th
Source: stpaul.gov
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We have real challenges in our community and the County Board plays a critical role in solving them.
I am running for Ramsey County District 5 Commissioner to get things done for St. Paul. My priorities include economic and workforce development, downtown revitalization, transportation, childcare and public health.
Here’s an in-depth look at one of those priorities: West 7th.
West 7th is a vital corridor, for local residents, for thousands of workers, and for people accessing local businesses.
Major infrastructure failures, unsafe sidewalks, and aging pavement demand urgent attention.
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West 7th needs a transformative investment :
Transit that is fast, reliable, safe, comfortable, and easy to use
Roads that are rebuilt or repaved
Sidewalks that safely accommodate people of all abilities
Calmed traffic with priority lanes for transit and emergency vehicles
Green space and an improved tree canopy
Street parking retention to support local businesses
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Ramsey County spent two decades and allocated $730 million to the Riverview Corridor project aimed at revitalizing West 7th:
Modern streetcar to improve mobility
Replacing Highway 5 Mississippi River Bridge
Additional streetscaping
These design challenges proved too steep, and the County officially, and abruptly, abandoned it in September 2024.
In June 2025, the Ramsey County Board voted unanimously to reallocate the $730 million previously allocated to the Riverview Corridor project.
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The Riverview Corridor project, and West 7th revitalization along with it, was dropped, leaving the City of St. Paul to pick up the pieces.
The County not only abandoned plans of real, overdue progress in this neighborhood, they did so without regard for hundreds of community members who invested so much time over so many years to drive this work forward.
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As of January 2026, The City of St. Paul, MnDOT, Ramsey County, and Metro Transit have made a commitment to West 7th:
Rebuilding and repaving West 7th led by MnDOT
Arterial Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) led by Metro Transit
After decades of planning and reallocating $730 million intended for West 7th, it is clear that the County left behind this vital corridor.
West 7th deserves thoughtful, effective investment that supports both the immediate needs and long-term goals of the neighborhood and broader city.
Now that there is a new, workable concept, I want to bring Ramsey County back to the table and ready to invest in this much-needed project.
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We have real challenges in our community and the County Board plays a critical role in solving them.
I am running for Ramsey County District 5 Commissioner to get things done for St. Paul. My priorities include economic and workforce development, downtown revitalization, transportation, childcare and public health.
Here’s an in-depth look at one of those priorities: Opioid Response.
The opioid epidemic is a national public health crisis. Opioids are a class of drugs that includes a variety of both legal and illegal drugs:
Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl
Heroin
Prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine
Ramsey County opioid-involved deaths have increased significantly since 2019. Most of these overdoses are accidental.
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How are opioid programs paid for?
In 2021, Minnesota joined historic $26 billion multi-state settlement agreements that will bring more than $300 million into Minnesota to fight the opioid crisis.
In 2022, Minnesota joined five more multi-state settlements worth $20.4 billion that will bring $243 million into Minnesota.
Additional settlements are in process but not yet approved.
This settlement money will be split 75% to Counties and Cities and 25% to the State. I believe that Ramsey County and St. Paul should develop a unified strategy for an effective, compassionate response.
Rather than developing separate approaches as we’re doing now, a shared plan would ensure these dollars are working more effectively to support prevention, treatment access, and long-term recovery.
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How is Ramsey County currently responding to the opioid crisis?
Safe Medicine Disposal: The county provides five free public drop boxes for unwanted medicine.
Syringe Service Program (SSP): This is the only SSP in St. Paul. It collects used syringes and provides sterile syringes, naloxone, and drug overdose education as well as other important services like STI testing and vaccinations.
Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD): This culturally-responsive service provides correction-based treatment, care coordination, and community follow-up.
One additional opioid program is notably missing from this list: the Ramsey County Detox and Withdrawal Management Center.
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Ramsey County announced in September 2025 that they’d be closing the County’s detox facility on December 31, 2025. This closure highlights the need for transparent processes and clearer collaboration.
According to Ramsey County, the detox facility ran under capacity and “underperformed expected financial targets year-over-year.”
Ramsey County planned to fill the service gap with one-time capacity-building grants to community programs. These grants are still under evaluation.*
While the County’s capacity-building plan is not yet in action, the center is already closed, disproportionately affecting our downtown community.
This closure also impacted workers.
Thirty-seven community members lost their jobs when the County closed the center. These were frontline workers dedicated to helping people through incredibly difficult times.
The County must act transparently and collaborate clearly with all affected parties. That includes bringing labor and affected workers into the conversation up front.
*Status per Ramsey County’s RFP Program DemandStar as of early March 2026.
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Our community members are suffering greatly from the opioid crisis. While I am glad to see our state fighting for accountability, it is crucial that Ramsey County and St. Paul coordinate their opioid strategies. We must ensure that settlement dollars work better to support our residents through prevention programs, treatment access, and long-term recovery.
I am running to bring a new sense of transparency, partnership, and action to the Ramsey County board and to stand up for the residents of St. Paul.
Opioid Response
Data provided annually by the MN Department of Health and posted on ramseycountymn.gov
Workforce Development
A strong workforce depends on reliable transportation, affordable childcare, and effective job training for workers across every sector. In places like West 7th, where many employees travel to hospitals, the airport, and major job centers, stalled transit planning and deferred street maintenance have created barriers to accessing work. At the same time, high childcare costs limit families’ ability to stay employed, and the early-childhood workforce remains underpaid despite rising demand.
Addressing these gaps requires coordinated investment, transparent planning, and close collaboration with our local labor partners. Strengthening the infrastructure that workers rely on helps stabilize families, employers, and the region’s broader economic health.
Affordable Childcare
Affordable, accessible childcare remains one of the biggest barriers facing working families. Research clearly shows the long-term benefits of investing in children from birth to age five, yet the current system is strained on all sides: centers struggle to pay educators a living wage and many parents can’t afford care at all. Existing subsidies leave a major gap for families who earn too much to qualify but far too little to cover full costs. Expanding support programs and exploring targeted universal models could help stabilize providers, reduce financial strain on families, and strengthen the early-childhood workforce that fuels our region’s economy.
Housing & Homelessness
Too many St. Paul residents struggle to find housing they can afford and many of our neighbors are unhoused. While our City and County have made progress in building affordable housing, we don’t have enough shelter beds and permanent supportive housing to meet our needs. We also need an equitable funding formula to make sure all counties are contributing their fair share to supporting vulnerable residents. I will work on a collaborative strategy for building more housing and shelter of all types, reaching out to those who are living outside, and funding the work equitably across the region.
