1) Please tell us a little bit about yourself: My name is Reiner Nelson, I am a West Duluth resident, I work for a small business installing furnaces. I worked for the railroad til I was 30 yrs old., they downsized and I went into heating and a.c. trade and that takes me til now. I enjoy hunting and fishing and outdoor activies with my family.
2) Family: Wife: Randi, Daughter; Jenni, Son: Carl
3) Educational background: High school and two apprenticships and life experiences.
4) Employment background: Railroad and heating and cooling.
5) Volunteer background: assistant for little league coach for 5 years.
6) Hobbies: hunting and fishing and any outdoor activities.
7) Your address and contact information: 1024 S. 72nd Ave. West, Duluth, 218-624-3506.
8) The Hillside and the Lincoln Park neighborhoods are some of the most ethnically diverse areas in the city of Duluth . How do you see this ethnic diversity as an asset to Duluth ? Because it gets a person used to dealing with different ethnic groups from when you were young all the way through your life. As you get older you get more in tune with what other people are like.
9) Some people blame the increase in neighborhood problems such as crime on immigrants from Chicago , Milwaukee and Minneapolis . Do you think it's true? From what I hear, yes.
9a) If so, what do we do about it?some kind of residency requirement. There are people that have lived in Duluth that need help that are not getting it and the newcomers are walking in and getting all they need.
9 b) If not, why not?
10) It is estimated that 15 percent of Duluthians are living below the poverty line including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65. What are some of your ideas to bring Duluthians out of poverty?We need to bring better paying jobs to the northland, make us business friendly, we have the people and resources to make new businesses grow.
11) The city has a mandatory recycling law yet walking by many people's homes it is obvious that they do not recycle. Is recycling important? recycling is important. I think many more people are realizing it themselves. I was slow at this myself but now I'm on board also.
12) Why do we have a law on the books if it isn't going to be enforced? They keep adding laws to make it better but they never take the old ones off the books.
13) Over-flowing garbage cans are a problem in lower East Hillside . Many of the homes where this is a problem are rental units. What kinds of ideas do you have to prompt landlords to encourage their tenants to take better care of their property? Put the cans on the porch, no in all seriousness, people have to take a little pride in their own environment, common sense and respect of one's property, whether or not they own it or not. Treat it with respect.
14) In the last census, Duluth had a dearth of people age 24 to 35? What can be done to attract and keep this population in Duluth ?Once again good jobs, but we have to keep spending down also so that our people can afford to live here too.
15) This city has yet to settle the retiree's health care budget. What type of action would you take? Without knowing all the inside information, I would keep up what the Bergson administration started and look to more options when elected.
16) Is paying for health care a problem that needs to be addressed on the city, state or national level? If we had a national health care plan (like Medicare) the city and state could move on to take care of city and state problems
17) Have you or anyone you know, had trouble paying a health care bill or worried about how much health care would cost? Not to my knowledge.
18) Do the city departments work well together? How can inter-department work be done more efficiently? As far as I know they do.I guess when I get there as mayor we will find out.
19) What makes you unique as a candidate for Mayor? I am a worker ant like most of the people in Duluth. I feel that I am in touch with some of the problems we all have. I am not a politician, but someone who would like to see this city move forward to a bright future. I would be a hands on mayor, that is I will be out there in the neighborhoods finding out what we as citizens need. We don't need status quo, we need fresh eyes to bring positive attitudes back to Duluth.
Thank you, Reiner Nelson, just remember Duluth Can Be Finer With A Vote For Reiner.
