Chris Coleman for Saint Paul

Building a city that works in a tough economy requires tenacity and vision — and Mayor Coleman has fought to keep Saint Paul’s economy strong and grow new jobs in the most difficult economy in America in decades. With nearly $1 billion in new development taking place in Saint Paul in the last three years and another $1 billion in the works, Saint Paul continues to grow and Chris Coleman continues to work aggressively to bring jobs, opportunity and prosperity to every corner of our city.

Central Corridor and High-Speed Rail: The Opportunity of a Lifetime

Central Corridor light rail — the largest single development in our city in 50 years — will bring many hundreds of family-sustaining jobs and $1 billion in new investment to Saint Paul beginning in 2009. After the project faced more than 30 years of delays in planning and funding, Mayor Coleman jump-started the City’s commitment to Central Corridor by uniting the business community, neighborhoods and labor unions around a vision of the Central Corridor as the spine of an East Metro multi-modal transit system and a tool for bringing long-term prosperity to all neighborhoods of the Capital City. In addition, we are also seizing the momentum of President Obama’s unprecedented commitment to high-speed rail to connect Saint Paul and Chicago as never before. Today, Chris Coleman’s comprehensive vision of transit as creator of jobs, energy efficiency and equal opportunity is turning what was once a dream into reality.

Bringing 21st-Century Jobs

Saint Paul is leading the way in revitalizing Minnesota’s economy. By setting the table with an enhanced transportation infrastructure and working tirelessly to recruit and retain a skilled, creative workforce, Chris Coleman is growing a city that is competitive in a global economy. As a result, both Microsoft and Cray Research are joining an expanded GovDelivery to bring hundreds more high-tech jobs to downtown Saint Paul. Coupled with the successful recruitment of Internet Broadcasting Systems in 2007, Mayor Coleman has laid the foundation for continued high-tech growth and more high-paying jobs in Saint Paul. Mayor Coleman’s economic-development efforts, in coalition with a broad array of partners, is keeping good jobs coming to Saint Paul.

A Growing Healthcare Economy

Chris Coleman understands that in challenging economic times, we must care for what makes our city strong and build upon our economic assets — and as a result, our strong and growing healthcare sector is keeping our regional economy strong. Over $400 million has been invested in new healthcare facilities in Saint Paul. Those expansions have meant both unionized construction jobs and permanent living-wage jobs at United, Regions, St. Joseph’s and Childrens Hospitals . These expansions have created jobs not only for doctors and nurses and technicians, but for hospitality and food-service workers, accountants, custodians and customer-service personnel.