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THIS IS NOT VERBATIM I am Mark Andrew and I am running for mayor as a proud DFLer. I have a bold vision and a proven track record to take our city to its next level of greatness. I am running for Mayor because I owe everything to the city I love. I was born and raised here. I went to our public schools, and my kids went to our public schools. I went to college at the U, where I drove a taxicaband never got a ticket. I wrote for the DailyI was the first editorial writer in the state to call for Nixons impeachment! I was co-chair of Earth Week, and the first President of MPIRG. I was elected 5 times to the Hennepin County Board. I am not just from Minneapolis. I am OF Minneapolis, and I am running to make a great city even greater. It is within our reach to fulfill our destiny as a world-class city in OUR time. Our pioneers made us great by dreaming large and seizing the will to make those dreams come true. They built the first permanent crossing of the Mississippi at Hennepin Avenue. They harnessed the power of water to create the largest milling industry in the world. These things happened because our city had leaders to dream of horizons beyond our imaginings. The question before us is: Do we want to rest on our laurels hoping our successes will take care of themselves? Or is this a time to make a move towards history and greater prosperity? If we are not moving forward, we are moving backward. I believe this is a season for our city to soar. This is our time. My vision is clear: make us the greenest city in America. Attack the opportunity gaps.

And push an economic agenda that is about jobs, jobs, jobs, expanding our tax base to reduce taxes and grow our population by 100,000 strong over the next 20 years. Just as Van White Boulevard connects North and South Minneapolis, I will reach from South to the North to unify our city with a common agenda. We will invest in job training and build community equity to make our schools safer and more inviting. We will deliver streetcar service to Central Avenue and build new greenways in north Minneapolis, and connect new transit lines to downtown and commercial areas. We will transform Hennepin Ave as a green, arts-focused corridor from the Walker all the way down to the river, and add water and green space downtown to increase our safety and beauty. And we will accelerate our work with the RiverFirst plan to bring the worlds 3rd largest riverfront to life. And let me be clear; I strongly support the environmental principals and goals of Minneapolis Energy Optionsalways have, always will. As the greenest candidate in the this race, my commitment to exploring all options for renewable energy unwavering. But leadership is about having a vision and about executing one. I learned this as a leader when we passed LRT, and saved the Stone Arch bridge from the wrecking ball; and fought for pay equity for women, domestic partnerships, and womens reproductive health. None of these were done by me alone. They were done with colleagues, allies, advocates and partnerseven adversaries. I have both public and private sector experience, and together we will get things done. Today it is you who will make the decision to stay the course or to lead our city to its brightest future. It is you who will choose the leadership of our city for the next era. A citys people see themselves through the eyes of their Mayor. When the Mayor reflects optimism and hope, so do the people.

When the mayor advances an agenda to address our collective failingsthe wage gap, the opportunity gap, the housing gap, the achievement gap,--the people see the gap in our own humanity, and they rise to fill it with hope and action. A mayor knows that all of us is better than one of us. Its as true for a city as it is for a family. As your mayor, I will push back against injustice and celebrate our progress in conquering it. I will lead on closing the gaps because it is right. I will lead on the environment because it is who I am. I will lead on jobs and growth because it is our opportunity. I will lead on fiscal responsibility because it is fair. I will lead on equality for our Somali community and all communities of color because it is who we are. I will not wait for you to come to me. I will come to you. You will find me in our schools, in our neighborhoods, in the mercados and corner stores, in the parks. And you will find me hard at work fighting for fairness, job creation, environmental justice, equity and prosperity. I will not rest until every one of our citys people has an opportunity to live their own dreams, live in a safe neighborhood, get a good education, enjoy the rich bounty of our cityour parks, our neighborhoods, our schools, our arts and culture, our place of worship, and our homes. The is my vision for our city. This is the future of our city. I have a bold vision and a proven track record to make our great city great for everyone. Im Mark Andrew and I ask for your endorsement today. Thank you