The first impression I, Publius Jr, had during the interview with Ward 2 City Council Candidate Lindsay Ferris Martin at Tin Cup’s in October 2019 was she is very Patriotic.
On the surface one might remark she is attractive and beautiful, she is, but if that is your only impression you have missed out on someone who studies the issues and makes up an informed belief on subjects in question. Her replies to questions were well researched and she supplied verifiable facts to support her beliefs. It was refreshing to be talking to someone who didn’t give her opinion based on pure emotion like many of her Liberal opponents might.
Patriotic?
In the course of the interview she told me about her Marine Corps father, and the little town in Rhode Island she spent her summers in while growing up. I mentioned I was a US Army Vet, and had met many Marines who carried their esprit de corps into their civilian lives, many who might be reading this article. She thanked me for my service. She mentioned her service to Saint Paul would be to represent her Ward to the best of her abilities influenced by her dad’s service to this country.
Fireworks
She mentioned Fireworks. She grew up in Bristol Rhode Island, where they are known for a Fireworks and Patriotic events which starts on June 14th, Flag Day. and ends nearly a month later on July 4th. Lindsay said visitors will book hotels a year in advance just to see the Fireworks and other events there. She couldn’t understand why the St Paul City Budget couldn’t provide an equal Fireworks spectacle being a much larger city. I said that our Mayor might be unpatriotic.
Lindsay on the Issues
I had to ask the one question everyone wants to know about, as this City Council Race seems to be about one issue. I assumed there were only two possible answers and there are actually three answers and Lindsay surprised me with the third answer.
How Will You Vote on the Organized Trash Ballot Question?
Lindsay said most of Ward 2 wants to Vote Yes. She personally is for an Organized Trash System, just not this one. So she said on the record, if you want to Vote Yes, Vote No, it is a bit confusing until she said why.
This ordinance was enacted in violation of the St Paul City Charter (a contract with the citizens of St Paul). Lindsay said the sampling size of the survey the City cites was too small and it wasn’t properly conducted to hang a public policy like this on the citizens in St Paul.
I volunteered the term “Trash Equity” in reference to what the Organized Trash Plan isn’t. Out of all the Equity issues Liberal candidates embrace, the Organized Trash plan isn’t Trash Equity.
Lindsay said too many loopholes exist to let people who have a business, or have more than 5 housing units off the hook. Zero-wasters, seniors on fixed incomes, people who share a trash bin with a neighbor are punished with this Organized Trash System.
So to reiterate her position, she is for an Organized Trash System just not this one, if you want to Vote Yes then Vote No to get a better more “Trash Equity,” deal.
The shootings and murders of early September where a man was murdered on Rice Street and a Good Samaritan who was helping at an accident on Edgerton and Case was shot in the head.
Do you think St Paul needs to Hire 5 more Police Officers?
She said if 5 Officers are needed then we should hire them, yet the crime picture isn’t that easy. The real number needed is much more. There needs to be enough to allow officers to not get burned out. Sending officers to a domestic problem then to a traffic accident then to another completely different situation can be very stressful. There needs to be more special officers. In her study of the issue she thinks a city of St Paul’s size needs more Officers.
Housing Issues?
i mentioned about the Habitat for Humanity Homes built on the swamp known as Willow Reserve as being more for union tradesmen make-work projects, I wondered what she thought of this. So far they don’t seem inhabited by anyone.
Lindsay replied that affordable housing isn’t just about building more units but rather improving the existing conditions of people’s property. Too many people are trapped at their location due to policies. Housing codes seem to make it harder to improve ones property. I mentioned the hundreds of registered vacant properties make the the TC Habitat for Humanity project odd.
Other Issues
I asked about side street snow plow policies, potholes vs transit spending, and bike lanes.
Lindsay said her priorities are Voting No on the current Organized Trash policy to have an honest process to get a better deal, and having a Police Department that is outfitted better to meet the safety needs of a growing city.
The other issues can be addressed such as welcoming businesses into Saint Paul and not weigh heavy anti-competitive regulations on them or think of them second and putting bike lanes where they don’t belong.
Other Issues as there are always issues not covered in a campaign, she said she would study them, take public input and make an informed decision and not make rushed decisions.
I thanked her for her time as she had to get home to help out her daughter on a school project.