February 24, 2023 by Philip Lewenstein

New Day, New Opportunity in Vadnais Heights and State Government

It’s a new day in Vadnais Heights in 2023 with a new mayor, two new city council members, and two new city residents in the state legislature.

In recent years, city government has been notable for lacking leadership, responsiveness, and transparency. Based on the results of the 2022 election, many residents shared these concerns. Control of the state legislature was divided with a Democratic majority in the House and a Republican majority in the Senate.

Mike Krachmer was elected mayor, replacing Heidi Gunderson, who lost a bid as the Republican candidate for House District 36B. Katherine Doll Kanne and Kelly Jozwowski were elected to the city council and join Erik Goebel and Steve Rogers, who were elected two years ago.

Heather Gustafson, of Vadnais Heights, who had been leader of Vadnais Heights 4 Change, a grassroots organization working for positive change, became the Democrats Senate District 36 candidate; she defeated four-term Republican senator Roger Chamberlain of Lino Lakes. Brion Curran, of Vadnais Heights, defeated Gunderson.

Gustafson’s victory was key to flipping the State Senate from Republican control to a 34-33 Democrat majority, giving the Democrats a majority in both the House and Senate.

The election of new officials at the local and state levels provides an opportunity to proactively address demographic, social, economic, and environmental changes and challenges.

For example, the city has been moving slowly and passively in addressing diversity, equity, inclusion, and racism; a reckoning has been occurring in the country as these issues affect businesses, schools, governmental units, and all members of society.

The League of Minnesota Cities points out that how cities welcome and integrate all citizens regardless of race, ethnicity, or color will be a leading indicator of community success at many levels.

Inequities exist in housing, education, criminal justice, health care, and economic opportunity. Systemic reforms are needed. Cities of all sizes need to participate in ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion. They need to address bias, discrimination, and racism.

Anti-Asian and anti-Semitic incidents are increasing across the country, and white supremacy exists. Racism has been declared a public health crisis.

Moreover, Vadnais Heights has a history of negative examples. The city trails many Minnesota cities on these issues, particularly several neighboring cities that have prioritized and invested in efforts to pursue equity.

See discussion of these issues in www.phils.focus.com (“My City Should Focus on Inclusion and Equity,” December 31, 2020; “Lack of Progress by City on Equity and Inclusion Disappointing,” September 30, 2021; and “City Struggles to Address Equity,” March 13, 2022).

New Mayor, Council Members Support Smart, Responsive Planning

Newcomers Krachmer, Doll Kanne, and Jozwowski campaigned as “The Key 3,” noting their similar goals and values for Vadnais Heights and urging a “vote for community engagement and smart, responsive planning.”

The Key 3 will support the city joining the GreenStep City Program as part of their vision of strengthening the environment and have pledged to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion so that every resident feels welcome and has an opportunity to be heard. The three candidates have specific plans for improved, honest communication,

Krachmer has promised a city government that is transparent, responsive, and inclusive, fostering connections among citizens and government. “Make every citizen count” was his campaign slogan.

In his campaign literature, Krachmer advocated for safe communities; a city that is clean, green, and resilient; and smart development to balance evolving environmental and economic factors and the quality of life for the current and growing population.

In his October 26, 2022, letter to the White Bear Press (“Taking care of what we have”), Krachmer provided an honest, sober assessment of challenges facing the city. Based on his door knocking, he concluded that “stewardship,” or taking care of what we have, kept coming to mind.

“The city infrastructure—roads, water services, and parks—is old and has not been adequately maintained,” he wrote. “The City Council for years has taken the approach of being a low-tax city at the expense of the infrastructure.

“Council members have kicked the can down the road. Well, we are at the end of the road.” He noted big tax increases for 2023 and beyond to maintain the city, not enhance it. “These big increases are already in next year’s budget but could have been avoided if the council had done strategic planning for the past several years instead of touting itself as ‘low cost.’ This type of leadership is not being fiscally responsible.”

Doll Kanne highlighted the need for smart development through community engagement and establishing a sustainable funding source for parks and trails. Jozwowski emphasized fiscal responsibility, balancing infrastructure needs with future planning, and support for a welcoming, diverse community.

Gustafson Helps Flip State Senate to Democrats

Redistricting after the 2020 Census helped Gustafson. Chamberlain was elected four times to the Senate, but his district became more favorable to Democrats after new maps were drawn. The new District 36 includes Vadnais Heights, White Bear Lake, Lino Lakes, White Bear Township, and North Oaks.

Unfortunately, the contest featured much negative advertising. The Republican Party of Minnesota, for example, branded Gustafson, who was not previously an elected official, as a liberal who would make us less safe. The Democrats suggested Chamberlain had an extremist, partisan agenda.

The Republican Party asserted that Gustafson would break your bank with more taxes on Minnesota families, policies that increase gas prices, and higher costs and out-of-control spending. Fear of rising crime was highlighted.

The Democrats ran an aggressive campaign to elect Gustafson with well-organized door knocking, mailer distribution, and television advertisements. She obtained endorsements from a wide range of groups representing nurses, educators, social workers, environmentalists and conservationists, union workers, fire fighters, women, and veterans as well as current and past state and federal office holders.

District 36 was the state’s most expensive legislative race. There, $1.9 million was spent by independent groups with nearly $1.4 million benefiting Gustafson (“Of 11 expensive campaigns for Legislature, DFL candidates won 9 with help from independent expenditures,” by Peter Callaghan and Greta Kaul, February 2, 2023, MinnPost).

Independent expenditures are separate from what candidates raise and spend on their own. By law, independent expenditures cannot be made in consultation with the candidates they are meant to help. While independent expenditures can be spent to support one candidate or oppose another, they tend to be spent on negative campaigns, according to MinnPost.

The Senate District 36 race, more than any other, is why the DFL won a single-seat majority in the Senate and a trifecta (Governor, House, Senate) for the 2003 legislative session, Callaghan and Kaul wrote.

Political commentators said the Democrats unexpected flip of the Senate would not have occurred without a group of four incoming senators who prevailed in some of the hardest-fought races. The four are Gustafson, Judy Seeberger, Grant Hauschild, and Rob Kupec.

In her campaign, Gustafson, a former radio broadcaster and high school history teacher who taught five years at Centennial High School, listed her top-three priorities as providing relief from rising costs—prohibiting price gouging, lowering health care premiums and setting fair prices for prescription drugs, and eliminating the state tax on Social Security; creating safe communities; and protecting reproductive freedom (“Voters’ Guide 2022,” October 5, 2022, White Bear Lake Press).

Gustafson’s campaign literature described her as “a mom and teacher, working for working families” with a focus on world-class schools, a strong economy, and safe communities.

After the election, Gustafson told MinnPost that she supports legalizing recreational marijuana and while she emphasized her family hunts, she said she supports some form of red-flag gun laws, which typically strip access to firearms for people considered a threat to themselves or others (“What four incoming majority makers for the Senate DFL are pushing at the legislature,” by Walker Orenstein, November 18, 2022, MinnPost).

“I respect the gun culture and hunting as a Minnesota tradition,” Gustafson told MinnPost. “But I’m also a public school teacher who has had to conduct five active shooter drills a year and tell my kids about which window is safe to jump out of and if the door is bulletproof or not.”

Entering the 2023 legislative session, Gustafson said her top priority is providing schools with the resources they need for students, families, and staff to succeed. She wants safe communities with increased funding for local police departments as well as support for domestic violence victims and additional community mental health resources (“2023 Legislative Preview,” January 4, 2023, White Bear Lake Press).      

Further, Gustafson favors “sensible tax relief,” especially for senior citizens on a fixed income.

Gustafson is serving as vice- chair of the Education Finance Committee, a member of the Agriculture, Broadband and Rural Development Committee, the Jobs and Economic Development Committee, and the State and Local Government and Veterans Committee.

Curran Advocates for Disability Services, Public Safety, and “Our Rights”

Curran is a senior human resources generalist and former police officer. She served on the Vadnais Heights Community Engagement Committee as did Gustafson.

In her campaign, Curran identified her top-three priorities as public safety, disability services, and our rights (“Voters’Guide 2022,” October 5, 2022, White Bear Lake Press).

Going into the 2023 legislative session, Curran is focusing on several issues she heard about from neighbors while campaigning. These include, but are not limited to, improvements to disability services, eliminating the tax on Social Security, protections for the LGBTQ+community, legalizing recreational cannabis, protecting reproductive rights, responsible management of the state budget, maximizing federal dollars to reduce state and local costs, funding public education to help reduce local property taxes, and improving public safety systems to create safer communities (“2023 Legislative Preview,” January 4, 2023, White Bear Lake Press).

Curran has been appointed vice-chair of the Sustainable Infrastructure Policy Committee. She also serves on the Human Services Policy, Public Safety Finance and Policy, and Judiciary Finance & Civil Law committees.

Curran also is vice chair of the first-ever Minnesota House DFL Queer Caucus. The 11-member caucus announced its priorities: protecting families from discriminatory laws and practices, ensuring reproductive and gender-affirming health care access, and banning practices like conversion therapy (Star Tribune Morning Hot Dish, December 29, 2022, Star Tribune).

The five newly-elected office holders are off to a strong, productive start in following up on their campaign themes and pledges. They have an opportunity to embrace the changes needed to improve the quality of life for our city and state. After several years of frustrating leadership, I am pleased to have supported the successful candidates for Vadnais Heights and the state legislature.