Many folks have asked me through my campaign why I am not endorsed by a party or partisan politicians. The short answer is - I have not sought them. Through my years of working in and studying local government, I have made the judgment call that local elections are best when they are nonpartisan. Why? Because I believe that local issues must be the focus of local elections, not the partisan divide that most of us have learned to…well, dislike.
Before I explain further, I am happy to have support from Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Greens…and the list goes on. It just so happens that I do not see a role for partisan thought in my run for City Council in St. Louis Park. That doesn’t mean I do not care about each of their values, because I do. It simply means that I do not believe there is a partisan way to plow the streets. To me, political parties are irrelevant to providing city services. So, I have chosen to stay away from those labels.
I have also witnessed partisan politics cloud decision making in local government. By removing those labels, I believe cooperation between elected officials ascribing to different ways of thinking is far more likely. I have seen this play out, and have been impressed by those local elected officials who have chosen to do so.
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Don’t get me wrong, I am not denouncing patrician politics in local elections, or those issues that people care about. I think, through my experience, that putting aside partisan politics results in better local public policy decision making, collaboration, and service to you.
My bottom line is this - I am running for City Council in Ward 3 to serve the community that has served me for a lifetime. Through the politics of this campaign, I have learned from some of my neighbors that I have been characterized in a certain way. Nothing could be further from the truth. So, if we have not met already, I encourage you to reach out to me - I would love to have the opportunity for you to get to know me. www.GreggLindberg.com.