Speed Campaigning tonight

Tonight there will be a "speed campaigning" session at the Fieldhouse restaurant in Crystal. What I understand that means is you can get fast answers to the questions you have about what the candidates positions are on the issues. I think that makes a lot of sense and I plan to put in an appearance. I wish that the Forum would have been more question and answer and less candidate statement. Folks have already heard our statements and I believe most people anyway want to know what we have to say on the varying issues out there.

One thing a lot of people have been asking me is how I would deal with the diversity in the district and how to reach more diverse people and get them involved. As I looked at the candidates all 11 of them are white and all 11 of them (probably) came from average middle class homes. Also as I go around to the committees and meetings I see a LARGE amount of white middle class folks but rarely do I see anyone of minority background or even a different economic background.

The fact is, MANY of the people in the district are NOT white middle class. One way I can see to reach more people is to simply go to them. Have meetings outside the district offices, hold meetings at Meadow Lake, at Northport, at Lakeview or somewhere in Robbinsdale or Crystal. GET OUT THERE!! And be inviting make it community friendly, offer childcare, offer food. Figure out what folks need to get more involved and bring it to them. If we do not think outside the box, we will all be sitting inside the box looking and mirror images of each other. How will we adequately serve the district interests if we do not look like the district population?

I said this at the Forum and a lot of people disagreed with me, when we were talking about the possible moving of the district offices I said I thought that it would be nice to have a more "open" location. Where people feel more comfortable getting to it. A lot of the candidates said they thought the current location was centrally located. I agree from a location standpoint, but from ease of access I do not agree. Most of the meetings I've attended are in the boardroom, which is located up an elevator and down a small hallway. Also, parking isn't very accomodating either, you have to walk quite a distance to get to the actual building.

What I meant by open is to have a building you could park in front of and walk in and access the conference area on the first floor. Also, make it a more "open door" policy and have open houses so people can come and see the offices. Invite people in and they will feel more comfortable coming.

Thought you'd want to know.