6^th Ward Candidate Dean Zimmerman’s answers to Stonewall questionnaire

1. If endorsed, would you list the Caucus' endorsement along with your other endorsements?

a) absolutely and positively

2. Are you willing to make a commitment NOT to run against a DFL-endorsed candidate?

a) My commitment to not run against a DFL endorsed candidate is as strong as such party stalwarts as Hubert Humphrey III and Mark Dayton.

3. Are you in favor of a women's right to control her own reproductive system, including the right to have an abortion?

a) yes

4. Do you support extending health insurance, pension benefits, sick and bereavement pay to unmarried partners of city employees as currently afforded married heterosexuals?

a) yes

5. Do you support City funding for the Minnesota AIDS Project and the Aliveness Project?

a) yes

6. Are you opposed to measures like the Minnesota Defense of Marriage Act?

a) yes

Questions Requiring Longer Answers

7. What is your definition of family?

a) A group of people, working to build a common life, united by love and commitment

8. How do you define homophobia?

a) An irrational fear and hatred of homosexuals and their friends often rooted in feelings of doubt and inadequacies about one's own sexual competency.

9. How would you promote better relations between the Police Department and the GLBT community?

a) "Hire more gay cops" is an obvious and flip answer and "have more dialogue" is an obvious and unimaginative answer, but the truthful answer is "I don't know", but I am certainly interested in learning..

10. What experience have you had with Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender (GLBT) issues and why are they important to you?

a) Many of my friends, neighbors, constituents and family are gay. I have spent a life time working for social and economic justice, but in fact my interest in these issues is somewhat selfish, for an attack on the rights of one person or group is an attack on all. No one is free unless all are free.

11. If elected, what do you propose to do to address the lack of fair and affordable housing in the Twin Cities?

a) The city should contract with unions or developers to build good solid housing that the city could own and sell on a number of different programs, including but not limited to contract for deed, traditional mortgage; or co-operative housing. The city should also keep ownership of some of these properties as permanent rental housing and act as landlord, either thru the MCDA or to contract with private companies. The important thing is to take the speculation out of housing. Rental costs should be based on what it takes to build and maintain buildings, not on how much the “market” can gouge.

Secondarily, there are some simple things, like ease up on some of the absurd, anal codes and zoning that makes it almost impossible to rent out the 3rd floors of hundreds or thousands of Southside duplexes. These and certain basements could be made habitable with help rather than resistance from the city bureaucracy.