Minnesota and North Dakota Voter's Guide

Forum Communications Co., in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Minnesota and of North Dakota, is providing this voter guide to help keep you informed ahead of the 2024 election.

  • Learn where candidates running for office in your community stand on the issues.
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Voter Guide

Burnsville City Council Member {_getChooseLabel(this.selections.length)}

As local legislators who sometimes have executive power, council members can propose ordinances, set administrative policy, and authorize the budget proposed by the mayor. They oversee all city activities, including city services, programs, licensing, and public safety. Mayoral appointments to city government typically require council approval. Learn more here: https://www.lwv.org/blog/voting-local-matters-why-vote-city-councilUse the MN Secretary of State’s Candidate Filing page (https://candidates.sos.state.mn.us/) to find specific candidate contact information.

Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.

  • Candidate picture

    Dan Gustafson
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Chris John
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Cara Schulz
    (NP)

Biographical Information

Why are you the best candidate for this position? (750 characters)

If elected, what will your top three priorities be and why? (500 characters)

How do you plan to engage with and represent all members of our diverse community?(500 characters)

What steps will you take to ensure transparency and accountability in city government? (500 characters)

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As a Navy veteran I know what it means to serve, and as an accountant keeping spend under budget is my day job. My wife and I chose Burnsville twenty years ago because we fell in love with the city. We planted our roots here, became involved, volunteered our time, and we raised our two boys here. It is said if you love what you do you won't work a day in your life. I have loved every minute of the past 12 years that I served on the city's advisory commissions. It has been a great blend of my passion and skills. In running for city council I feel that I am applying for my perfect job. I hope the voters feel the same way, and I earn their support.
First, I want to ensure the unlined landfills are remediated. We need to ensure the contaminants are cleaned up and removed away from our water source. Second, I want to ensure our staffing levels at city hall are back to the optimal levels. We need to stop policies that underfund our city. We need to keep our public safety staff at levels which match our population growth. Third, let's make the Center Village Vision a reality; help revitalize the Burnsville Center in any way we can.
In the past several years Burnsville has done an excellent job of moving towards community inclusion. The city started our own PRIDE and Juneteenth celebrations. Both celebrations have experienced sustained growth since their inception. Now our city is in the midst of possibly eliminating both celebrations to make way for a pilot neighborhood grant program that nobody has been asking for. I believe we are engaging our diverse community better by continuing the original celebrations instead.
Burnsville is planning a needed facility upgrade over the next several years. To fund it they are increasing the franchise fee on utility bills. My opinion: if we really believe in what we are doing , we should show the political brevity to call it what it is - a tax increase. As city leaders we are vested in making decisions that are in the best interest of the city. With that responsibility we owe it to our constituents to be completely transparent in how we are asking them to fund it.
Campaign Website http://caraschulz.com
Contact Phone 6127354386
Facebook (Full URL) http://www.facebook.com/caraforburnsville
Campaign Email Schulzcaral@gmail.com
Since joining the City Council in 2016, my priority has been to empower residents and promote equity. I believe democracy works best when everyone has the knowledge and confidence to participate. That's why we created a citizens' task force so our residents could rewrite our city code, ensuring transparency and fairness.

As a USAF veteran, I know the value of service and integrity. I’ve carried these values into my work, focusing on compassionate, community-driven solutions like our behavioral health unit and neighborhood grant program, giving residents a real voice in decision-making.

I’m a staunch advocate for women’s rights & inclusive policies that strengthen our community. Burnsville is my home, & I want to continue working with you
Top Priority is Public Safety: Continued support for Behavioral Health Unit, increasing First Responders.

Community Revitalization: Encourage business redevelopment which is already in full swing thru city, Launch the Neighborhood Grant Program, and create an arts commission to attract people to work, play, and live in Burnsville.

Old Freeway Landfill. Remediate site to protect drinking water, eliminate landfill, redevelop to bring in millions for school 191 funding & lower taxes on residents
As the only woman running for council this year (and the only woman council member currently), I bring a perspective unique from the other candidates. I have a track record of creating inclusive initiatives like the Citizen’s Code Review Task Force, which involved diverse voices, and completely rewrote our city code to modernize and be more representative of our community. By building stronger connections, I ensure our government reflects the needs and values of every community member.
I support open data practices, broadcasting meetings, and making public records easy to access. I involve residents early in the decision-making process, with wider community notifications on issues which affect those resident. What caused me to to first run for office was a desire to help residents be more informed and involved and to shift decision making power back to you.
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The League of Women Voters of Minnesota and North Dakota crafted the questions sent to the candidates in the Spring of 2024. They reached out to candidates based on contact information in their public candidate filings. Candidates with email addresses were invited and reminded with emails. Candidates with only mailing addresses were sent a letter. Candidates with phone numbers received a phone call as well.

Candidate responses are published as they responded and have not been edited, except when responses were longer than the given character limit. In those cases, the responses are truncated.

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