Residents
of St. Paul’s Highland Park and Macalester-Groveland neighborhoods
will enjoy a unique opportunity this November. Libertarian candidate
Tylor Slinger is running to represent his Ward 3 neighbors, facing
off against opponents John Mannillo, Eve Stein, and Chris Tolbert in
a four-way race for an open seat on the City Council.
It
will be St. Paul’s first use of the ranked choice
voting system, allowing each voter to rank candidates in
the order of their preference: first, second, and third choices.
With four candidates in the race, it’s likely that no candidate will
emerge with an immediate 50%+1 win, prompting consideration of
voters’ second or third choices.
Tylor
Slinger is well-known to libertarians as a leader and a champion of
civil liberties, and he’s now becoming familiar to many in St. Paul
as well. He has been an outspoken critic of the proposed gay
marriage ban, and as LPMN Executive, co-sponsored the LPMN’s resolution
opposing this ban, a stance which garnered considerable media
attention. Most recently, he appeared at the William Mitchell
College of Law to debate
the marriage issue. Demonstrating the types of out-of-the-box
solutions he’d bring to the table for the people of St. Paul, he
introduced a zero-tax stadium proposal
that could allow a new Vikings stadium to be built but without taxes
upon anyone. He would advocate a similar approach for any new St.
Paul Saints stadium. More concerned about solving problems than
taking a controversial stand, he has not been afraid to tackle tough
issues, speaking about the failure of the nation’s drug policies at
an event covered by this article.
In
his campaign, Mr. Slinger has not relied on the traditional methods
of gathering endorsements from special interest groups or conducting
fundraising in order to spend large sums on advertising. Instead, he
has focused on what he believes matters most: meeting as many of his
neighbors as he can and listening to their concerns. While all of
the candidates have done this, Mr. Slinger has been hard at work
doorknocking since June. His legwork has revealed some surprising
stories of city neglect and heartless bureaucracy. He found several
homeowners who are upset about property damaged during city
maintenance projects, which the city then ignored for years despite
repeated pleas. One resident was forced to demolish an upper story
of his home because it was found to violate a single city code. As
City Councilor, Mr. Slinger would not reflexively stand behind city
regulations, but instead would stand up for his neighbors by
challenging ordinances and requirements that do not make sense.
 |
| The candidates discuss city issues at a debate on October 19. |
A major issue
for Ward 3 is the redevelopment of the Ford Motors manufacturing
plant, a large facility scheduled to close in December. Prompt
action on the Ford site will ensure that it doesn’t remain vacant and
devolve into a center for crime, but can be quickly rebuilt into a
vibrant new community. Given the city’s current direction, a strict
zoning scheme is likely to be employed, with city planners attempting
to redesign the area based on their own wishes rather than what is
actually needed. This could lead to prolonged vacancy of the
property, extended maintenance costs for taxpayers, and even
litigation as prospective buyers fight over zoning designations.
Instead, Mr. Slinger advocates a better solution: flexible zoning
based on the Houston
model. This would allow a mix of residential and
commercial establishments, so the area can evolve based on the actual
needs of the community.
Another
major issue has been the Project for Pride in Living (PPL) decision
by the City Council to disregard their own procedures, a case which
has upset many in his neighborhood. Mr. Slinger has spoken against
that decision, calling it favoritism toward a major developer,
exempting them from requirements that they had enforced upon others,
a situation which thrust the city into a court battle. He believes
that when requirements are enforced, it should be done equitably,
even for large or politically-connected interests.
In this interview, Mr. Slinger discusses his
views, the city budget, and other issues of importance:
All
four candidates have participated in two debates so far. A radio
forum can be seen here,
and the standing-room only debate attended by 180 residents on
October 19 can be seen here.
Mr.
Slinger stands out from his opponents as someone who can truly
represent his neighbors. He is not a major property developer like
Mr. Mannillo, so residents need not worry about the conflicts of
interest that may arise when a developer of city properties also sits
on the City Council. Also, Mr. Slinger has not been endorsed by
Mayor Coleman as Mr. Tolbert has, so residents can rest assured that
he won’t be representing the Mayor to the neighborhood, he’ll be
representing his neighborhood to the Mayor.
Tylor
Slinger knows all too well that many of his neighbors have been
struggling to pay their bills and mortgages in this sluggish economy,
and he will fight against property taxes and other city fees which
burden residents. He will always listen to residents’ concerns, is
ready to offer new ideas and fresh solutions, and is eager to
represent his neighbors on the St. Paul City Council. Please support
Tylor Slinger for City Council on November 8.
His
website is http://www.slingerforstpaul.com,
his facebook page is Elect
Slinger for St Paul, and his email is tylor@slingerforstpaul.com.
Concerned
about the expansion of government control and the erosion of
individual liberty? Please consider joining
and becoming active with the Libertarian Party of Minnesota.
Libertarians support liberty on all issues, all the time.
Libertarianism is a philosophical and political movement to promote
personal freedom, voluntary consent, a genuinely free marketplace,
and peace.