Jim Paine Meets Supporters at Event

Jim Paine

Paine Met Supporters Tuesday Night

Candidate for mayor of Superior, and current Douglas County Board Supervisor Jim Paine met with supporters at the Belknap Lounge this past Tuesday.  There were about twenty people present for the event, at which Paine encouraged attendees to sign up to volunteer their time for his campaign, and to take home one or more of his campaign yard signs. The signs have since begun to sprout up here and there throughout the city.

Paine, a Superior native, and graduate of UW-Superior with a BA in History, also earned his Masters degree from UM-Duluth in the realm of Advocacy and Political Leadership. He is married to Katie and resides in the 7th voting district of Superior, with their dog Monty.

Jim Paine and his wife Katie

He is a Marine Corps veteran having served four years active duty, and is currently a Program Director at the Duluth Regional Care Center. Paine has represented the 6th District of the Douglas County Board since 2009, and is a member of the Douglas County Veterans Commission, the Metropolitan Interstate Council, the Douglas County Health and Human Services Board, and Vice Chairman of the Douglas County Administration Committee.

Additionally, Paine is a member of the Young Leaders Fund Board, a Superior Days Lobby Leader, as well as a member of the Superior Rotary. A Catechist teacher and Lector at Cathedral of Christ the King, he recently performed in the Douglas County History Theater’s annual USO Canteen Radio Show.

Paine presents a platform that includes concerns regarding home ownership, the environment, transportation, the labor force, and small business. He envisions a 21st Century Superior that focuses on quality of life. A brief video of Paine’s speech at this event can be view below. His platform is displayed beneath this video.

According to Paine, “Modern cities develop their economies through a high quality of life. This attracts and retains citizens that spend their money, pay their taxes and participate in their community.”

Specifics of his platform are shown below:

• Improved neighborhoods through increased home ownership and a realistic rental code
  1. Our homeownwership rate is only 55%. This is 10 points behind the national rate, which is itself at a 20 year low.
  2. Homeowners are invested in their neighborhoods and communities. They maintain better properties that increase the value of the whole neighborhood.
  3. Superior also lacks a comprehensive rental code necessary for protecting those citizens that don’t own their homes.
  4. When properties improve, the city budget improves. The only way out of our current budget struggles is to build our way out.
• Preserve and protect our natural environment
  1. Our natural environment is our most important asset.
  2. Our lake and forest are the greatest contributor to our quality of life.
  3. We have to protect and, wherever possible, improve our access to these resources.
• A modern transportation system
  1. Our transportation system was designed a century ago for a different population with very different needs.
  2. As we move forward, our infrastructure must treat all forms of transportation, including pedestrians, bikes and public transit, with equal importance.
  3. Modern transportation systems are slower, safer and more efficient. This is better for our economy, our health and our environment.
• Protect our workers
  1. City services are provided by a team of hard working, civic minded employees.
  2. These employees must be treated fairly. A good wages, benefits and working environment is not just the right thing to do, it is good for our economy.
  3. The City of Superior is one of the largest employers in the area. We have to be a leader in worker’s rights.
  4. This raises the standard for employers throughout the region.
• Promote small business.
  1. In small cities, small business is the key to growth.
  2. Small businesses provide good jobs for their employees and opportunity for their owners.
  3. The city needs to be an ally to citizens that want to open or improve their own businesses.

Paine’s Mayoral website can be viewed HERE. His Mayoral Facebook Page can be viewed HERE.

On a lighter note, don’t get our Jim Paine confused with the Jim Paine who ran for mayor of Alpharetta, Georgia in 2012. Superior’s Jim Paine is much younger!