The City of St. Paul is facing a projected $26 million budget shortfall, and city leaders are searching for solutions. Mayor Kaohly Her has correctly identified one important piece of the puzzle: bringing businesses back to the City of St. Paul. A stronger business community means more jobs, more investment, and a larger tax base to support essential city services.
The challenge is that businesses do not simply return because city leaders ask them to. Businesses invest where they feel welcome, where they can succeed, and where they believe their investments will be protected.
Over the last several years, I have had the opportunity to meet with many business owners in both Minneapolis and St. Paul. A common message I heard was that they want to invest, expand, and create jobs, but many are hesitant because of the business climate they believe has developed within the City of St. Paul. They consistently cited concerns about city taxes, regulations, permitting, and public safety.
During the past 12 years, I have spent approximately five months each year in St. Paul while serving as a Minnesota State Representative. One trend that has become increasingly concerning is the growing number of vacant storefronts and office buildings throughout the city. Empty buildings are more than an eyesore—they are a warning sign that businesses are choosing to invest elsewhere.
Every successful business starts with hard work, risk, and sacrifice. Entrepreneurs invest their savings, work long hours, create jobs, and strengthen communities. When businesses succeed, employees earn paychecks, local suppliers gain customers, property values improve, and neighborhoods become stronger.
Unfortunately, many business owners believe city policies have made them feel more like targets than partners. High taxes, excessive regulations, and concerns about public safety discourage investment. Business owners want to be appreciated for the jobs, opportunities, and tax base they create—not viewed with suspicion simply because they are successful.
If the City of St. Paul truly wants to grow its tax base, city leaders must create an environment that rewards work, investment, and entrepreneurship through competitive taxes, responsible spending, effective public safety, and reliable infrastructure.
Cities prosper when hard work is respected, businesses are welcomed, and success is celebrated rather than criticized.
Jeff Backer is a Republican state representative who represents District 9B in the Minnesota House.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not represent an official position of Alpha News.
