>> ERIC: WHEN WE HOSTED OUR MINNEAPOLIS AND ST.

PAUL MAYORAL DEBATES THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE INVITED THE WINNERS TO RETURN THIS WEEK.

WE ARE HAPPY TO WELCOME BACK REPRESENTATIVE KAOHLY HER, WHO NOW ALSO CARRIES THE TITLE ST.

PAUL MAYOR-ELECT.

WELCOME, MAYOR-ELECT.

CONGRATULATIONS.

WHAT'S GOING TO CHANGE?

UNDER YOUR ADMINISTRATION?

>> WELL, WHAT'S GOING TO CHANGE IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CITY HALL FOCUSED ON WORKING ON THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF OUR CITY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CORE CITY OPERATION THE WAY THAT OUR RESIDENTS EXPECT US TO.

AND THEN THEY SHOULD ALSO EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD.

WE NEED MORE HOUSING AND WE'RE GOB WORK ON MAKING OUR CITY OPEN FOR BUSINESS SO ALL THE THINGS THAT I PROMISED I WOULD DO.

>> Cathy: I WANT TO ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE AGENDA.

YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON -- YOU MADE HISTORY, IGHT?

AND YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON TO KNOCK OFF AN INCUMBENT IN 20 YEARS.

HOW DID SHE DO IT?

>> YEAH, SO THERE'S NO SECRET.

AND IT'S, LIKE, NO MAGIC, YOU KNOW, OF THIS.

IT'S THAT MELISSA HORTMAN ALREADY HAD A PLAY BOOK FOR US OF.

AND ALL I DID WAS TAKE EVERYTHING SHE TAUGHT ME ND I IMPLEMENTED IT AND WE KEPT MOVING FORWARD.

WE KNOCKED DOORS.

WE TALKED TO VOTERS.

WE HAD MEET AND GREETS.

WE PUT OUT LAWN SIGNS.

I MEAN, WE DID EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD A GOOD REPRESENTATIVE CAMPAIGN.

>> Cathy: SO TRULY RETAIL POLITICS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Eric: COMMUNICATION SEEMENTZ TO BE A BIG DEAL FOR YOU.

WHY IS THAT?

>> I THINK THAT AT THE HEART OF EVERY ISSUE THAT YOU EXPERIENCE, IT'S COMMUNICATION.

I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT WHEN THERE'S A COULD BE FLICT BETWEEN ME AND SOMEBODY, I DON'T LOOK AT WHO WAS WRONG.

I LOOK AT WHAT COULD I HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY.

AND I FIND THAT WHEN YOU HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATION, THAT'S HALF OF THE BATTLE OF SOLVING THE PROBLEMS.

>> Cathy: SO AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE FOLKS WHO THINK THE ST.

PAUL CITY COUNCIL'S PRETTY DYSFUNCTIONAL, USING WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT COMMUNICATION, HOW MIGHT YOU NAVIGATE RELATIONSHIPS?

>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO COME IN AND REALLY LEARN HOW EACH PERSON COMMUNICATES.

BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW I COMMUNICATE.

IT'S HOW DO I MEET SOMEBODY, HOW THEY COMMUNICATE.

AND SO REALLY WORKING WITH THEM AND UNDERSTANDING THEIR PRIORITIES BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE FEEL LIKE WE AREN'T SHOWING UP JEN JEGENUINELY IN THE RELATIONSHIP.

>> Eric: I THINK ST.

PAUL CITY TAXES ARE THE HIGHEST CITY TAXES IN THE STATE.

AND WITH THE -- WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, DO YOU NEED NEXT REVENUE AND THAT WOULD COME FROM A SOURCE THAT'S NOT BEING USED NOW?

>> WE'RE LOOKING AT PLANNING THE NEW REVENUE SOURCE, THE URBAN WEALTH FUND THAT I TALKED BUT TRUTHLY, WE HAVE TO BUILD OUR TAX BASE, ENSURING OUR CITY IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS, BEING ABLE TO GET OUT PERMITS AND LICENSES, BUT WE HAVE TO GROW THE RESIDENTIAL AS WELL.

WE HAVE TO BUILD MORE PROPERTIES SO THAT PEOPLE CAN MOVE INTO OUR CITY.

THAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR US TO ENSURE OF KEEPING PROPERTY TAXES DOWN.

>> Cathy: I WAS TALKING TO A LEADER IN THE NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY WHO HEARD ABOUT THE URBAN WEALTH FUND CONCEPT AND WAS INTRIGUED.

>> YEAH.

>> Cathy: SO MIGHT THAT BE PLAN "A" OR MAYBE "B" TO REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES FOR RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS?

>> ABSOLUTELY, I THINK WE HAVE TO DO ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

WE NEED TO WORK WITH THE RIGHT PARTNERS WHO CAN HELP US STRUCTURE THAT FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE URBAN WEALTH FUND UP AND RUNNING AND THAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN PHASES AS WELL BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CATEGORIES OF ASSETS THAT WE HAVE AND THEN TO SAY, WHAT ASSETS CAN WE DEPLOY RIGHT NOW, AND THEN HOW DO WE PUT THAT INTO THE WEALTH FUND.

>> Cathy: FOR FOLKS NOT FAMILIAR, HOW DOES T WORK EXACTLY?

>> SO AGAIN, THERE'S A COMPLEXITY IN THAT BECAUSE I CAN GIVE YOU A QUICK OAIVE.

YOU TAKE THE CURRENT ASSETS THAT YOU ALREADY OWN -- >> Cathy: LAND, UTILITIES.

>> AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT IERS, WE CAN FOCUS FIRST ON THE 1600 PROPERTIES THAT ARE VACANT RIGHT NOW AND THE 30 COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THAT THE AT THAT THE A CITY OWNS.

FOR IT TO TART GENERATING REVENUES BACK TO THE ITY.

>> Eric: COME FEBRUARY 17TH OR BEFORE, YOU'LL BE UP VISITING YOUR FRIENDS AT THE LEGISLATURE.

AND I WONDER IF YOU'VE SKETCHES OUT A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR ST.

PAUL IN THE 2026 SESSION?

>> ILL I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO START WORKING ON THAT, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I'VE ALREADY HAD SOME PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE TO SAY LIKE, THIS IS OUR CITY AND I'M GOING TO NEED ALL OF YOUR HELP.

AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SO WELCOMING AND OPEN TO WORKING WITH ME.

AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT MY ASK YET IS, BUT THEY SAID THEY ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH ME ON THIS BECAUSE IT IS OUR CITY.

>> Cathy: I HAVE TO ASK OF COURSE BECAUSE IT WAS AN ISSUE ON THE COUCH LAST WEEK DURING THE DEBATE.

THAT IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, $450 MILLION, TO FIX UP THE GRAND CASINO ARENA, WHICH SOON TO BE FORMER MAYOR CARTER THINKS IS A LYNCH-PIN TO REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN ST.

PAUL.

WILL YOU PLAN TO GO IN THE DIRECTION HE WAS GOING?

OR HAVE SOME OTHER WAY?

TO MAYBE HELP THE WILD?

AND HELP DOWNTOWN?

>> SO I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE OWNER OF THE WILD, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

WE NEED TO REVISIT THESE CONVERSATIONS AND TALK ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE PLAN A, B, AND C, AND THAT THIS IS A CITY ASSET.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS ASSET BELONGS O THE CITY, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT A PLAN.

>> Eric: WHEN WILL YOU START NAMING DEPARTMENT HEADS?

>> HOPEFULLY IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

>> Eric: YOU GOT SOME NAMES ALREADY LINED UP?

>> GOT 'EM IN MY HEAD.

[ Laughter ] >> Eric: ALL RIGHT, WELL, CONGRATULATIONS.

WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU AS LIFE GOES ON.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME