District 6 Candidate Q&A: Janet Kitui

biography

Janet KituiThe Edina resident holds a master's degree in business administration and is currently director of procurement at Normandale Community College in Bloomington.

Ms. Kitui has served in various community roles, including serving as president of the Southview Middle School Parent Council, serving on the Edina Housing Task Force, serving on the Transportation Committee, and contributing to the Edina Climate Action Plan. He said he has actively participated in social initiatives.

More information about Kitui and her candidacy can be found on her campaign website: JanetforHennepinCounty.com.

question 1

Overview and priorities: Why are you running for Hennepin County District 6 and what are the main issues you are focusing on in your campaign?

Kitui: I'm running because representation matters, it informs the issues that are spotlighted and highlighted, and leads to more innovative and lasting solutions. In Hennepin County, disparities in education, employment, health, housing, income, justice, and transportation are most pronounced between residents of color and their white counterparts. As we begin our work from this common perspective, we shift our teaching lens to focus on efforts to address these disparities.

Question 2

Financial management: How will you balance fiscal responsibility with the need to invest in local services and infrastructure?

Kitui: I intend to follow the model of the state constitution, which requires us to have a balanced budget. Collect tax revenue commensurate with county expenditures.

Question 3

Public security: Can you outline strategies to improve public safety and strengthen trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve?

advertisement

Kitui: No matter what we look like or where we come from, we all want to be safe in our homes and communities. Now is the time for us to fully fund and expand public safety. That way, every home has a professional to keep us safe and address the root causes of crime. The county took the bold step of placing a social worker in the police department to follow up. The most prevalent issues in community safety include domestic violence as well as undertreatment of mental health crises and addictions. Assist the police if they have a co-responder accompanying them. The co-respondent must not be an employee of a police station. This is because it gives[co-respondents]access to health information that is not available to law enforcement.

We need to build a shelter for people fleeing domestic violence in Hennepin Sixth District. There are no shelters in 16 cities for people fleeing domestic violence.

Question 4

Economic development: What plans do you have to support the growth of small businesses, ensure fair labor practices, and promote sustainable development in your district?

Kitui: From my experience as a small business owner, I understand what it takes to grow our economy and create jobs. I will work to reduce the tax and regulatory burden on Hennepin District 6, businesses and entrepreneurs, and implement zero budgeting.

• We provide low-cost financing to expand your business.
• A nonprofit organization that works with small and medium-sized businesses to provide support for scaling up.
• I support workers who want to unionize (and who should unionize without employer interference). I support workers' right to collective bargaining.

Question 5

Land use and development: How do you address development challenges, such as managing green space and promoting affordable housing?

Kitui: Outdated land use policies and processes limit our ability to ensure that all residents of Hennepin County District 6 have a place to afford with strong schools and good jobs. Make it easier to build all types of homes, ADUs. Reduce barriers that drive up the cost of building a missing middle section. Eliminate exclusionary zoning practices that have exacerbated racial housing disparities. Streamline processes and approvals to build more homes at lower costs. We know a crisis is brewing when our communities' hard-working teachers, nurses, firefighters, and waitresses struggle to keep up with rising housing costs.

Question 6

Southwest Light Rail Transportation Project: What is your position on the current 24.5-mile extension of the Green Line to Eden Prairie, and how will you address the community and financial concerns raised by some residents and legislators related to this project? mosquito?

Kitui: Community involvement is essential to avoid lawsuits that sometimes halt SWLT construction and increase SWLT construction costs. Hennepin County knows where we want to go and how we want to get there. It is the government's responsibility to support these needs in the most cost-effective manner possible. I will work to ensure that Hennepin County District 6 and our county's business priorities are reflected in our county's transportation funding, including the roads and light rail that are the lifeblood of our county's economic prosperity.