MINNEAPOLIS CENTRAL LABOR UNION COUNCIL, AFL-CIO

COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION

 

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR CANDIDATES REQUESTING ENDORSEMENT

(Please print or type)

 

                                                                                                                                       DATE___April 18, 2001__

 

 

NAME __Commissioner Dean Zimmermann, Mpls. Park & Recreation Board                                                           

 

ADDRESS __2416 17th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404-4049                                                                    

 

BUSINESS PHONE                                                                HOME PHONE   612-722-8768                             

                                                                                                 (612-724-3888, Campaign Phone)

 

POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION:

Do you consider yourself to be DFL _______  IR _______  OTHER ___Green Party                                              

 

CANDIDATE FOR WHAT OFFICE ___Minneapolis City Council, Ward 6                                                            

Are you the incumbent in this office?                              YES __________         NO __X                                          

 

CAMPAIGN TREASURER NAME AND ADDRESS  ____Janet Busse                                                                 

___                                                                                           5349 Abbott Avenue South, Mpls., MN 55410        

 

HAVE YOU EVER RUN FOR OFFICE BEFORE        YES ____X______             NO __                                   

If yes, what office(s)?  What year(s)?  ___Mpls. Park & Recreation Board: 1993 and 1997                                       

 

HAVE YOU SOUGHT ENDORSEMENT FROM THE CENTRAL LABOR UNION BEFORE?

YES __X_  NO ____  If yes, what office(s)?  What date(s)? __ Mpls. Park & Recreation Board: 1993 & 1997

 

HAVE YOU EVER RECEIVED CENTRAL LABOR UNION ENDORSEMENT?

YES __X_  NO ____  If yes, what office(s)?  What date(s)? __ Mpls. Park & Recreation Board: 1993 & 1997

 

ARE YOU, OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN, A MEMBER OF AN AFL-CIO UNION?

YES __X_  NO ____  If yes, what union(s)?  What year(s)? __AFT (1968-1972); Teamsters (1967-1969)             

 

ARE YOU OFFICIALLY ENDORSED BY:  DFL _______  IR _______  OTHER ___Yes: Green Party               

 

WHAT ENDORSEMENTS (OTHER THAN POLITICAL PARTIES) DO YOU HAVE?

      Green Caucus-DFL                                                                                                                                               

 

WHAT ADDITIONAL ENDORSEMENTS WILL YOU BE SEEKING?              AFSCME 14, Sierra Club         

                                                                                                                                                                                 

 

 

WHO IS YOUR SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON LABOR ISSUES? __Mpls. Labor Review, Work Day        

MN website (www.workdayminnesota.com), AFL-CIO website (www.aflcio.org)                                                    

 

DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE A LABOR LIASION PERSON?

YES __X_  NO ____  If yes, name:____Jennifer “Jenny” Heiser (AFSCME Council 6)                                            

 

Please complete the entire questionnaire and return it to the Central Labor Union prior to                                            

 to allow time for the screening committee to review your background.

 

If you have any resume or additional background information – please send it to us with this questionnaire.

 

We have scheduled your screening for Thursday, April 19, 2001, at 4:00 p.m. at the CLUC office, 312 Central Avenue, Room 542, Minneapolis, MN  55414.

 

PLEASE CONFIRM THIS APPOINTMENT.  If this date is not convenient, we will arrange for an alternate time.  Call Linda at (612) 379-4206.  You may fax your questionnaire to (612) 379-1307.

 

IF YOU ARE ENDORSED BY US, WE WILL NEED A HEAD AND SHOULDERS BLACK AND WHITE OR COLOR PHOTO.

 

Lm.Opeiu #12 afl-cio

 

2001 COPE CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

Designed for City Council and Mayor Candidates only

 

1.   Would you support continued improvements to the Living Wage policy?

 

Yes, our current living wage policies are weak and bare bones.

 

2.   Why are you seeking labor endorsement?

 

      Unions are the only real tool that working people have to protect themselves and their families from being exploited by big business.  Our democracy cannot flourish without strong unions.  Unions need people in public office who are unequivocal in their support for the interests of ordinary people.  I want to be a voice for  poor and working people. 

 

3.   Do you support prevailing wage?

 

Yes.  The basic issue is an honest day’s wage for an honest day’s work.  This should not be about the survival of the cheapest.

 

4.   What is your position on contracting with private entities to provide public services that are currently provided by public employees?

       

      Most such suggestions are poorly disguised attempts to bust unions.  The end result usually means a reduction of wages and benefits for the people actually doing the work.

 

5.   What role do you see Local Government as an employer has in addressing the PERA funding gap?

 

Pension plans are, in essence, promises to workers that they will be secure in their retirement.  Government bodies have an obligation to honor those promises.  How this current gap is to be filled, I don’t know.  I look to Union leadership to help me with this one..

 

6.   What do you view as the core programs and services of Local Government?

 

Clean water supply; sustainable sewer system; fire protection; police protection; street maintenance and an efficient and user-friendly public transportation system; free education system for all; decent housing for all; recreation services; a reliable supply of electricity from clean renewable sources and clean air, lakes and rivers.  I am concerned about the gap in maintaining and rebuilding the infrastructure of the city.  We need some very creative policies to insure that our great grandchildren have a continued source of reliable heat and power

 

7.   Do you support the shift of property tax burdens for school operating referendums from business property to homeowners?

 

      No.  If a shift is wanted, let us shift away from property taxes in general.

 

8.   What is the role of the City of Minneapolis in providing for jobs and economic opportunities for people in the metropolitan area?  Can you point to specific actions?

   

      Being the center city with the downtown core, we of course do provide many jobs for people throughout the metro area.  Our role is to see that businesses here provide safe living wage jobs.  The city must also make sure that we provide training opportunities for all of our youth – our biggest asset is a highly-trained and diverse workforce.  City support of such groups as the OICs and the Green Institute have helped hundreds of inner city youth to become self-sufficient productive members of society.

 

 

 

9.   Would you promptly consult the Central Labor Union Council on issues of interest to our membership?

   

Yes.

 

10. What do you believe is the appropriate use of Tax Increment Financing?

   

To give financial assistance to a project that will give something back to the city.  Probably its best use is to provide low cost housing.  It can also be used to create jobs, add amenities such as green space or for historic preservation.  My concern is that we tie too much of our tax base up in TIF.  Also, it is easy to fall into a situation of giving away the store to those who need it least.

 

11. Do you support “Buying Union” made products and services with City dollars?

 

Yes, buy union and, when possible, buy locally.

 

12. Do you support a permit code and competency system for the Trades that welcome input from union contractors and Trades persons?

   

Yes.  Any time that the process of creating public policy includes listening to those who actually know something about the subject at hand, this is a good thing.

 

13. Please describe your campaign strategy and how you see labor assisting in your strategy.

   

I am endorsed by the Green Party.  I have a many-faceted approach that will rely on a large pool of people, of all ages, who are active in various social and economic justice and environmental organizations.  We shall be doing massive voter registration drives among young people and with constituencies that normally have poor voter turnout, such as the Native American community and renters.  Labor can give my campaign a big boost by helping me identify volunteers in the 6th ward, helping develop some coordinated literature drops, including sample ballots, phone calling to members in the ward, free publicity in union publications and last minute literature drops.