Seven candidates are vying for the state House seat left vacant by former St. Paul Rep. Kaohly Her, who resigned from the Minnesota Legislature last month after winning the St. Paul mayoral race.

Six of those candidates are seeking the DFL Party nomination and are headed to a special primary election on Tuesday, Dec. 16. Early voting started this week.

Top issues in the race include addressing rising St. Paul property taxes and the growing cost of health care and housing.

Candidates say the Legislature should do more to help the city handle costs as declining commercial property values place a greater burden on residential property owners.

St. Paul has many colleges, government buildings and places of worship that don’t pay property taxes. That poses a further challenge.

DFL candidates also say they hope to push back against the administration of President Donald Trump, who they say is “terrorizing” immigrant communities of the state.

House District 64A

The winner of the Jan. 27 special election will represent House District 64A, which includes the Union Park, Macalester-Groveland and Summit-University neighborhoods. The district heavily favors Democrats and has attracted a competitive primary contest.

Candidates had to pull their campaigns together fairly quickly: Her resigned Nov. 17, and the deadline to file paperwork to run was Nov. 25.

Registered candidates seeking the DFL endorsement include: former Deputy Secretary of State Beth Fraser; Ramsey County civil servant Matt Hill; labor lawyer Meg Luger-Nikolai; progressive organizer Dan McGrath; health care executive Lois Quam and assistant attorney general John Zwier.

Business owner Dan Walsh is the only Republican. His message is largely focused on combating fraud in state government programs.

Beth Fraser

Beth Fraser. (Courtesy of the candidate)

Beth Fraser is a former deputy secretary of state under Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and a current legislative staffer. She helped create and oversee the Safe At Home Program, an initiative at the Secretary of State’s Office that allows victims of domestic violence to hide their addresses.

Fraser said she would help Minnesota resist federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration by backing measures barring state and local law enforcement from cooperating with ICE. She hopes to address the growing cost of living by pushing for state programs that help with health care, child care and housing.

During a League of Women Voters candidate forum on Tuesday in St. Paul, Fraser said the state needs to fund programs by creating a fifth-tier income tax for the highest earners and “closing corporate income tax loopholes.”

Fraser has the endorsement of the former secretary of state she served under. Others include St. Paul City Council Vice President Hwa Jeong Kim, St. Paul Ward 1 Councilmember Anika Bowie, state Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, and state Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis.

Matt Hill

Matt Hill. (Courtesy of the candidate)

Matt Hill has worked as an aide for Ramsey County commissioners in various capacities, including on pandemic policy and the justice system. He says his top priorities are improving community safety, affordability, and trust in government.

A central feature of Hill’s campaign message is his call to do more to fight fraud in state programs.

“I think people are just sick and tired of just another story and another headline of mismanagement,” he said.

On the community safety side, Hill says he would support “fully funded, well-trained public safety professionals” and “community-centered safety strategies, including mental health response teams, youth outreach, and violence prevention programs.”

Meg Luger-Nikolai

Meg Luger-Nikolai. (Courtesy of the candidate)

Like many candidates seeking the DFL nomination, labor lawyer Meg Luger-Nikolai says rising property taxes are at the top of the mind for voters.

She supports boosting local government aid from the state and adjusting the state’s education funding formula to provide more money to St. Paul Public Schools.

“I think the possibility of having some equalization aid to make up for that lack of tax base would be really helpful,” she said. “That would take some burden off of taxpayers overall.”

Luger-Nikolai supports creating a statewide health insurance system that guarantees affordable and accessible care, increasing taxes on corporations and the wealthiest Minnesotans.

She says state leaders need to do a better job explaining to voters how they’ve fought government fraud in recent years, such as creating a dedicated office of inspector general at the Minnesota Department of Education.

Luger-Nikolai has the DFL endorsement. She is also backed by several labor groups, including the St. Paul Federation of Educators, and the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, which represents government workers.

Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, former representative Her, and State Auditor Julie Blaha are among the DFL elected leaders who have endorsed Luger-Nikolai.

Dan McGrath

Dan McGrath. (Courtesy of the candidate)

Progressive organizer Dan McGrath says his background as a “coalition builder” will help him achieve the goals he and other DFL candidates share, like addressing the affordability of health care and housing.

McGrath is the former director of TakeAction Minnesota, where he advocated for expanding MinnesotaCare, raising the minimum wage, legalizing same-sex marriage and stopping a 2012 voter identification ballot measure.

“In this political climate, what we need are people who can bring people together in order to get big things done,” he said, pointing to his experience working in farming and rural communities and with labor groups.

McGrath supports the Minnesota Health Plan — a single statewide health insurance program. It would push private insurers out of MinnesotaCare — a move he says could save money and make the health care system “more publicly accountable.”

Like the other DFL candidates, McGrath wants more local government aid for St. Paul.

Lois Quam

Lois Quam. (Courtesy of the candidate)

Lois Quam is a health care executive with long ties to DFL politics who chaired the commission that led to the creation of MinnesotaCare, the state’s public health insurance program. She also is involved in negotiations between the University of Minnesota, Fairview Health Services and M Physicians over funding the state’s medical school.

She later advised Hillary Clinton on national health care reform and served in the Obama Administration State Department as a lead on global health initiatives.

Quam says her business and nonprofit leadership — as well as her experience at local, state and national levels of government — equip her to be an effective legislator.

A top concern in District 64A, she said, is that the city of St. Paul gets the “attention it needs” from the Legislature, Quam said. Quam also says attracting businesses back to downtown St. Paul will be key to growing the tax base.

Like other DFL candidates, she says raising taxes on higher earners and corporations is the best way to fund services.

Quam has endorsements from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, St. Paul Ward 3 Councilmember Saura Jost and St. Paul Ward 4 Councilmember Molly Coleman.

Dan Walsh

Dan Walsh. (Courtesy of the candidate)

Dan Walsh, a St. Paul small business owner, is the sole Republican candidate. It’s not the first time he’s run in House District 64A. Walsh ran against Her in 2022 and 2024. In both years, Her had more than 80% of the vote.

Fighting government fraud is a top issue for Walsh, who said he thought DFLers were downplaying the problem, which has cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years.

“How could you even talk about anything else?” Walsh said. “Where should the buck fall? Someone’s got to be held accountable.”

In a candidate questionnaire with the St. Paul Area Chamber, he said his top three priorities were “public safety, public safety, and public safety.”

“We can get into many different topics, such as education, economic development, but if we do not have the ability to operate and live in a safe community all these other issues are irrelevant,” he said.

On his campaign website, Walsh said he wants Republicans to break the partisan tie and gain a majority in the House so they can more aggressively investigate government fraud. Walsh says he also hopes to lower taxes and improve outcomes in education.

John Zwier

John Zwier. (Courtesy of the candidate)

John Zwier, an assistant attorney general for the State of Minnesota, said he decided to run after this summer’s assassination of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, which took the lives of two young children and injured 30.

“There was a lot of frustration with government,” he said. “Even with a summer like we just had, and with the tragedy at Annunciation, that still we couldn’t get a special legislative session together to make some common sense gun laws that would help reduce gun violence.”

Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Zwier worked at the forfeiture section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where his work involved returning money and assets to victims of crime. He also served as a judge advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Zwier shares many viewpoints with the other DFL candidates on local government aid and affordability. His overall message focuses on advancing gun control legislation. In November, he wrote an opinion piece in the StarTribune advocating for a law requiring firearms in public to have visible trigger locks.

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Ramsey County is poised to increase its property tax levy by 9.75% for taxes payable in 2026 and residents can learn more and give input on the proposed budget at a truth in taxation hearing Thursday.

The proposed budget totals $929.25 million in 2026 — a 6.57% increase from the 2025 supplemental budget of $848.5 million. The 2027 proposed budget of $968.45 million is a 4.22% increase from 2026.

The county develops a main budget for the coming year and then a supplemental one for the year after.

About 46% of the county’s proposed budget is funded through property taxes and county officials have cited rising costs, limited revenue growth, increasing demand for services, as well as uncertainty on the federal and state level as budget pressures.

What’s driving the increase?

The biggest drivers of expenses in the county are unfunded state mandates, employee compensation and core services, according to County Manager Ling Becker.

Ramsey also has limited opportunity for property tax base growth compared to some other counties, according to Matt Hilgart, a lobbyist with the Association of Minnesota Counties. It also has high social services costs.

The rest of the county’s budget comes from intergovernmental revenues, charges for services and other sources. The county raised the tax levy 4.75% in 2025, 6.8% in 2024 and 4.5% in 2023.

The average tax increase on a residential median-value home is estimated at a 4.4% increase, or $22 per month according to county officials. The estimated median home value in St. Paul for 2026 is $289,200. The estimated median-value home in Ramsey County for 2026 is $394,700 and the county portion of the average homeowner’s property tax bill would be $1,951.

Based on the proposed tax levy approved by the board in September, Ramsey County would have a total tax levy of $434,565,563. It would have a total operating budget of $929,256,728. Commissioners are expected to set the final levy on Dec. 16 and could reduce the overall levy and operating budget. The proposed levy could not be increased.

How does Ramsey County compare to other metro counties?

Statewide, counties are proposing to raise their levies by an average of 8.1% for this coming year, according to the Minnesota Department of Revenue. That’s an increase from previous years when the average generally was around 5% to 6%. Cities are raising levies by a projected average maximum of 8.7% and schools by a projected average maximum of 5.8%.

A levy increase doesn’t necessarily mean each property’s tax bill will go up by that percentage.  New developments in communities, such as businesses or homes, for example, can offset some of a levy’s effect on tax bills. Other factors such as property valuation also play a role in final property taxes.

While some counties, such as Anoka County, have already approved their 2026 property tax levy increase, most will vote on their budgets and levy Dec. 16.

Estimated price of a median-value home for 2026

• Anoka: $338,800.

• Dakota: $384,800.

• Hennepin: $400,900.

• Ramsey: $394,700.

• Washington: $420,900.

Proposed or approved tax levy increases by percentage for 2026

• Anoka: 9.4% (down from a preliminary 9.9% figure).

• Dakota: 9.9%.

• Hennepin: 7.79%.

• Ramsey: 9.75%.

• Washington: 6.95%.

County portion of property taxes for the owner of a median-value home in 2026

• Anoka: $1,023.

• Dakota: $784.

• Hennepin: $1,530.

• Ramsey: $1,951.

• Washington: $1,020.

How the levy process works

Local governments are required to adopt a proposed levy in September for the upcoming year. That includes cities with a population of more than 500 residents, counties, school districts, the Metropolitan Council, the Metropolitan Airports Commission, the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District and certain fire protection and emergency medical services special taxing districts and regional library authorities.

The final adopted levy may not exceed the proposed levy, except in cases of levies approved by voters in referendum elections. Local governments are required to hold a public meeting on their budget and taxes after notices to residents are sent out and before the final levy can be adopted.

Other levies

Meanwhile, the total proposed levy for taxes payable in 2026 for St. Paul Public Schools is expected to be certified by the district board Dec. 16 at their regular meeting. With a special levy increase approved by voters in November, the proposed tax levy is now $253.73 million or 14.89% more than the previous year. The owner of a median-value home of $289,200 in St. Paul would see a $291 per year property tax increase — around $24 a month.

The St. Paul city council last week adopted the city’s 2026 spending plan, including a 5.3% property tax levy. For a median-value St. Paul home of $289,000, the levy will add an estimated $107 to property taxes next year, depending on factors such as neighborhood and property type.

How to learn more

The Ramsey County truth in taxation hearing will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday in the St. Paul City Hall–Ramsey County Courthouse council chambers on the third floor of 15 W. Kellogg Blvd in St. Paul. The meeting also will be live-streamed.

To learn more about Ramsey County’s proposed budget, go to ramseycounty.us/your-government/budget-finance

To learn more about eligibility for property tax relief, visit revenue.state.mn.us/property-tax-refund.

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Do economic rivalries between Texas and California or New York and Florida feel like yet another sign that America has become hopelessly divided? There is a bright side to their disagreements, and a new ranking of economic freedom across the states helps explain why.

As a popular bumper sticker among economists proclaims: “I heart federalism (for the natural experiments).” In a federal system, states have wide latitude to set priorities and to choose their own strategies to achieve them. It’s messy, but informative.

New York and California, along with other states like New Mexico, have long pursued a government-centric approach to economic policy. They tax a lot. They spend a lot. Their governments employ a large fraction of the workforce and set a high minimum wage.

They aren’t socialist by any means; most property is still in private hands. Consumers, workers and businesses still make most of their own decisions. But these states control more resources than other states do through taxes and regulation, so their governments play a larger role in economic life.

At the other end of the spectrum, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Florida, and South Dakota allow citizens to make more of their own economic choices, keep more of their own money, and set more of their own terms of trade and work.

They aren’t free-market utopias; they impose plenty of regulatory burdens. But they are economically freer than other states.

These two groups have, in other words, been experimenting with different approaches to economic policy. Does one approach lead to higher incomes or faster growth? Greater economic equality or more upward mobility? What about other aspects of a good society like tolerance, generosity or life satisfaction?

For two decades now, we’ve had a handy tool to assess these questions: The Fraser Institute’s annual “Economic Freedom of North America” index uses 10 variables in three broad areas — government spending, taxation, and labor regulation — to assess the degree of economic freedom in each of the 50 states and the territory of Puerto Rico, as well as in Canadian provinces and Mexican states.

It’s an objective measurement that allows economists to take stock of federalism’s natural experiments. Independent scholars have done just that, having now conducted over 250 studies using the index. With careful statistical analyses that control for the important differences among states — possibly confounding factors such as geography, climate and historical development — the vast majority of these studies associate greater economic freedom with greater prosperity.

In fact, freedom’s payoffs are astounding.

States with high and increasing levels of economic freedom tend to see higher incomes, more entrepreneurial activity and more net in-migration. Their people tend to experience greater income mobility, and more income growth at both the top and bottom of the income distribution. They have less poverty, less homelessness and lower levels of food insecurity. People there even seem to be more philanthropic, more tolerant and more satisfied with their lives.

New Hampshire, Tennessee, and South Dakota topped the latest edition of the report while Puerto Rico, New Mexico and New York rounded out the bottom. New Mexico displaced New York as the least economically free state in the union for the first time in 20 years, but it had always been near the bottom.

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The bigger stories are the major movers. The last 10 years’ worth of available data show South Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, Idaho, Iowa and Utah moving up at least 10 places. Arizona, Virginia, Nebraska and Maryland have all slid down 10 spots.

Over that same decade, those states that were among the freest 25% on average saw their populations grow nearly 18 times faster than those in the bottom 25%. Statewide personal income grew nine times as fast.

Economic freedom isn’t a panacea. Nor is it the only thing that matters. Geography, culture, and even luck can influence a state’s prosperity. But while policymakers can’t move mountains or rewrite cultures, they can look at the data, heed the lessons of our federalist experiment, and permit their citizens more economic freedom.

Matthew D. Mitchell is a senior fellow with the Centre for Human Freedom at the Fraser Institute and a senior affiliated scholar with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He wrote this column for the Chicago Tribune.

Since the last time I wrote about holiday pop-ups, a few more have sprung up in the east metro.

I visited three spots in the past week, and none of them take reservations, but I was seated right away at each, so go get your jingle on!

Blitzen’s Holiday Bar at Omni Viking Lakes Hotel

The Naughty and Spice and Mistletoe Martini at Blitzen’s Holiday Bar at Omni Viking Lakes Hotel. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

This hotel lobby bar hosts by far the fanciest of the pop-ups I’ve been to this year, and the prices match the ambiance. Seriously, the cheapest drink here, the Naughty and Spice, clocks in at $18.

Still, it’s worth the extra scratch if only because the drinks — there are eight alcoholic sips in total — are next-level good. That Naughty and Spice, a sort of holiday-spiced old-fashioned, features Old Forester 86 bourbon, Lustau Palo Cortado sherry, bitters and a dash of pumpkin cocktail syrup. My husband couldn’t stop raving about it, and he hates all things pumpkin spice. The pumpkin here just adds a little depth and sweetness to a very solid, complex drink.

If there’s a savory drink on your menu, I’m going to order it, and the Mistletoe Martini ($20) did not disappoint. Fords gin, nutty sherry, floral Cocchi Americano fortified wine and some saline kept me sipping and thinking about all the fun flavors, and the red and green olives made a lovely snack.

If you’re more into the sweet stuff, you can order a Dubai-style hot chocolate, spiked or not.

There’s no food beyond a cookie platter or a nutty, dried-fruit-filled snack mix, which we enjoyed.

Did I mention there’s an enormous drive-through light display on the grounds? It’s nearly $40 a car, but it’s pretty spectacular, from what I could see. And a stop at Blitzen’s afterward seems like just the thing to bring about some holiday cheer.

Omni Viking Lakes Hotel: 2611 Nordic Way, Eagan; 651-689-9800; omnihotels.com/hotels/viking-lakes-minnesota

Magic of Lights: Runs through Jan. 3 at Omni Viking Lakes. Tickets and more information at magicoflights.com/locations/viking-lake-mn/

Eagles Club Jingle Bar at St. Paul Eagles Club 33

The Eagles Club Jingle Bar at St. Paul Eagles Club 33 on St. Paul’s East Side. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)
The Gin Jingle at the Eagles Club Jingle Bar at St. Paul Eagles Club 33. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

The all-volunteer staff at this dive bar/club on St. Paul’s East Side have decked the halls with mostly vintage and secondhand decor.

They’ve also concocted a holiday drink menu with fun names like Peppermint Snowstorm, Gin Jingle, and a green drink called You’re a Mean One.

The club is known for its $10 steak or $5 burger on Wednesdays (they don’t serve food any other day) and karaoke on Fridays. There’s also bar trivia on Thursday, Dec. 18, and photos with Santa from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20.

Perhaps best of all, especially during this season of gift buying, the drinks are criminally cheap at $6 apiece.

It’s open every day from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., except Sunday, when the hours are noon to 6 p.m.

St. Paul Eagles Club 33: 287 Maria Ave., St. Paul; 651-340-9406; eagles33.com

Miracle on 7th Street Christmas Lounge at Shamrock’s Irish Nook

This is perhaps the most under-the-radar holiday pop-up in the cities.

The Snowstorm Margarita and Campfire Mule at Miracle on 7th Street Christmas Lounge at Shamrock’s Irish Nook. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

Shamrock’s has decorated its patio bar (don’t worry, it’s indoors — the garage door that opens to the patio is closed in the winter) and added a holiday cocktail menu.

We enjoyed the Snowstorm Margarita, a creamy concoction made tropical with some coconut rum and coconut milk, and the Irish whiskey-spiked Campfire Mule, which is adorably garnished with marshmallows that are toasted behind the bar.

Pair those cocktails with any one of the bar’s fabulous burgers and fries, and you have a winning combination for these cold winter nights. They’ve got a free shuttle to most games and arena concerts, too, so it’s a great place to have a pre-event nosh and sip.

Shamrock’s Irish Nook: 995 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-228-9925; crshamrocks.com

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