Ray Zeran on the Issues
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Labor
Our entire economic system is based on work. As a worker, I have always felt we have to have a good relationship with our employers, but there must be some give and take. Now, as a small business owner, my perspective has not changed so much as it has been enhanced. As both the employer and the person doing the work, the number one thing I see is that the work that gets done pays for everything. The work that gets done in the field creates all the resources that pay the person who does the bookkeeping, that pay the suppliers—everyone throughout the business chain gets paid because of the work that gets done in the field. Without people doing that work, nobody profits, nobody gets paid, and nobody can use the goods or services that are being created.
Because so much depends on their work, we should honor and respect workers more than our society typically does. The technology that creates a digital world can multiply the results of that work, but sometimes something is still zero—somebody has to do the work. You may order groceries online, but someone must bag and deliver them; they don’t magically materialize anywhere. Without somebody doing that work as a front-line worker, our society will break down.
During the COVID pandemic, we have begun to move toward honoring those who put their bodies in harm’s way to make modern society work. We’ve started to progress, but we have a long way to go. And we need to start rightly evaluating the work done by front-line workers. Front-line workers have created more and more value with fewer and fewer resources as long as I have been in the workforce. People have been doing more with less and getting paid less because wages haven’t kept up. That’s not right, and we need to make it right.
We need to preserve and defend the right of every worker to join a union if they choose to. Being part of a labor union creates democracy in the workplace so that union member has a say in their workplace. It prevents someone else from siphoning off all the resources and leaving them with nothing but a worn-out body. Workers deserve to benefit from the work they do, and a union gives them a level playing field to ensure they can do that.
Transportation
As your Anoka County Commissioner, I will vote to restore funding to the Northstar Commuter Rail so that event service can be restored and commuter service can be restored to previous levels. Commuter riders need a service that is predictable and consistent.
The service cuts to Northstar that happened as a result of the funding cuts implemented by the current Anoka County Commissioners have negatively affected everyone in the county. Commuter riders have fewer trips available and have no ride home if they have to work late. Event trips have been eliminated, and people who purchased Twins seasons tickets planning to use Northstar to get to games have had to make other arrangements or simply not go. And the reduction of trips has made the problem of traffic from the Highway 10 reconstruction even worse.
Ridership on Northstar will return to expected levels if funding is restored and more trips are run, and event service is restored. This restoration will give commuters an additional option and alleviate the traffic problem on Highway 10 simultaneously.
Transparency
The current Anoka County Commission operates with an unprecedented lack of transparency. They do not hold any debates or discussions in committee or before voting. It is unclear where or how decisions are made. There is no public discussion on how or why they are making long-term decisions for the county. There are no public comment periods or opportunities for public members to offer input or ask questions about decisions before the commission.
This lack of transparency is a problem for several reasons:
– Citizens need to know what their government is doing. People affected by decisions should know the results and the process that led to those decisions. Without access to relevant information, they cannot hold government officials accountable or respond to decisions that affect them directly.
– Citizens have a right to participate in their government. Public engagement helps government officials make better decisions. Without information about what the public wants and needs, elected officials cannot make decisions that serve everyone they were elected to serve.
– Transparency and openness are the best tools we have to fight corruption and retain public trust in government. Openness is essential to the democratic process. Secrecy creates an environment with the potential for corruption and the abuse of power.
As your next County Commissioner, my commitment to you is that I will always be as open and transparent as possible with you regarding my votes and the reasons behind them. I will seek out and take into consideration the input of members of the public as part of my decision-making.
It is vitally important that we elect commissioners who are committed to transparency and openness so that we can see these practices changed for the health of democracy in our county.