Brie LaPlante

Environment / Energy Many similar cities across the US and Canada are leading the way in developing climate resiliency plans for taking care of kids, elderly folks, and other vulnerable groups during climate events by leveraging public spaces like schools, libraries, and community centers. I will work to adapt these types of plans for Columbia Heights and create our own personalized strategies to keep all residents safe and healthy during extreme events. Criminal Justice / Public Safety I believe all people should feel safe and protected while living and working in Columbia Heights. That’s why I am adamant about continuing our city’s efforts in community policing, as well as expanding programs to reduce interactions between armed law enforcement and civilians, such as responding to crisis situations with paramedics, mental health resources, and social workers. Environment / Energy Beyond preparing for specific climate events, I want to lead the charge on investing in physical infrastructure, robust greenspaces, stormwater management, energy-reduction solutions and other key areas that will help us live more sustainably day-to-day, while being more prepared for climate extremes. Government Reform I am 100% opposed to our city’s current Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) program, and will work tirelessly to terminate our current contract with Flock. Housing To ensure everyone can live here safely and happily, I am also dedicated to expanding protections for renters and working with landlords to ensure our rental properties stay in the hands of small-business owners — not large commercial developers. Criminal Justice / Public Safety I plan to partner with our police department and fire department to understand what types of solutions and technologies they need in their work, which do not infringe on civil liberties or breach individual privacy. Housing As our population grows and ages, we need to build new housing options that increase density and keep rents low, ensuring our city partners with developers who can bring us a mix of townhomes, apartments, business storefronts and greenspaces. It is also vitally important for us to refurbish our aging housing stock and make sure residents are connected to programs to increase affordability of home repairs, especially those that reduce energy use and boost cost savings on utilities. Housing I look forward to actively assisting with planning and prioritization for the Rainbow site at 43rd/Central and the Medtronic site at 53rd/Central. These are important projects for adding dense housing to our city; not only to create new, affordable units, but also to increase our property tax base and expand city services with new revenues. Infrastructure / Transportation I’ll champion expansions of our sidewalk networks and painted crosswalks, create our first-ever network of dedicated bike lanes, propose adding bike racks along Central Ave, and work closely with our partners in Anoka County government, the Metropolitan Council and the Minnesota Department of Transportation to advocate for our city’s public transportation needs.