Candidate Viewpoint: Cottage Grove City Council candidate Tina Folch

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Hello, neighbors. All of us have our reasons for wanting to run for elected office. As a resident of 15 years and a mother of two boys, I am seeking to be a Cottage Grove City Council woman because throughout my lifetime, I have always been passionate about public service. I view this as a way to positively contribute to the community in which I am raising my family and further my commitment to all of you.

My background includes having obtained a master’s degree in public administration and management. Professionally, I have dedicated my career to pursuing excellence in government and have been privileged to work for the Senate, the League of Minnesota Cities and the Minnesota departments of Public Safety and Employment and Economic Development. These experiences have given me a wide breadth of expertise in law enforcement, transportation, emergency management, economic development and good government administration. As a volunteer, I have served Cottage Grove for two years on both the Planning Commission and the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. Previous to that, I served as the Apple Valley representative to the Cedar Avenue Corridor Transitway Study Commission concerning bus-rapid transit and light-rail planning.

The reason I want to make a difference as an elected official is because I believe this next decade is going to be a very challenging era and I am the most qualified of the candidates to assist in steering the helm. I see that our economy is still teetering on the fence of recovery. Municipal government needs to brace itself for the impact of the impending federal “fiscal cliff” of spending cuts and tax increases. Furthermore, I am greatly concerned about Minnesota’s significant difficulties in simply maintaining its existing roadway and public works infrastructure.

Our community needs to have well-informed leaders who know to proactively analyze issues, plan strategically and facilitate community conversation. I am a proven leader in implementing statewide initiatives and excel in these areas of skill. Furthermore, being a certified Minnesota emergency manager by the Department of Public Safety’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management and a graduate of the state’s Emerging Leader’s Institute, I have extensive training in crisis management, contingency planning and leadership.

As a life-long dedicated public servant, my personal mission has always been to make our state and local community a better place for all of us to thrive. I promise to always ask the hard questions, demand clear answers and put the interests of our entire community first. Moreover, I am committed to taking a conservative financial approach to future community investments in light of national concerns and ensure that no subset of residents are imposed with unfair assessments or substantial property tax increases.

I would like to ask for your support. Please vote for “Tina” and commit our City Council to greater gender balance, knowledgeable leadership and sensitivity to residents’ needs. If you would like to speak with me, I can be reached at 651-304-0652.

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