Joy Marsh Stephens plans end of 160 years of Unequal Privilege - Hennepin County Commissioners

Aug. 4, 2012 - PRLog -- Joy Marsh Stephens tells IBNN NEWS, “ If elected to office, I will prioritize fiscal responsibility that spurs growth, the creation living wage jobs as a path out of poverty; Building a 21st century workforce and ensuring Equitable Investment of Public Resources." Joy, a mother of four also says, ”It's important that Hennepin County also focus on closing the Digital Divide across the whole county. Access and communication are the most important things for residents that have suffered through tough economic times while being governed by some who only cater to Hennepin Counties 1%."

Joy’s commitment is more then the voters in Hennepin County District 1 has heard from the incumbent Mike Opat. Opat, whose taking points include an unjustified “promotion” of Hennepin County like nothing is wrong and voters should feel secure with his leadership hasn’t done much to address the high unemployment, lack of new businesses and the standstill of economic development in the areas he attempts to govern from the 24th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center.

Incumbent Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat says he wants smart public works projects, especially roads, bridges, bike paths and impaired lake cleanup within the county’s inner-ring suburbs and improvements for neighborhood livability issues, including improving criminal justice and redeveloping blighted areas. But his constituency need look no further that the blighted areas at Brookdale Mall that sat vacant for years and denied residents from Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, and the fringe of Minneapolis the convenience of having jobs in their community.

Joy Marsh Stephens want to represent her district by serving the cities of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, north Crystal, northwest Minneapolis, north New Hope, Osseo and Robbinsdale by being a real voice in3 diverse communities that have been ignored by policy, people and politicians currently self-serving and only catering to the 1% in the county. "The evidence is readily available. We just have to look at all the blighted areas in district 1 and ask, how can this continue to be the status quo in Hennepin County?"
Joy Marsh Stephens has been a homeowner in Brooklyn Park for 14 years with her husband John and four children; two of who are in college and two are teenagers.  She works at UnitedHealth Group as a project manager, focusing on using technology to improve business processes and reduce costs.  It is work that enables her to use her natural analytical, problem-solving and collaboration skills.  Joy is proud of her lifelong commitment to community service, including the last three years that she has spent leading people of faith from across the NW suburbs in numerous efforts to expand economic and racial equity.  

Joy cares that all youth in her community have a path to prosperity.  She recognizes that our state is becoming increasingly diverse and that most children of color leave high school ill prepared for college or the workforce.  With socio-economic health being the single greatest factor in academic success, Hennepin County can play a substantial role in strengthening families and communities so that all children can achieve in the classroom and in life.  As a mother she understands that the entire community does better when everyone in it does better.  As a hiring manager she worries how employers will fill future jobs as Baby Boomers retire in the years to come.  As a taxpayer she wants all residents on a path to economic opportunity in order to increase the tax base and reduce the increasing burden of property taxes on homeowners.

Through years of faith-based organizing for racial and economic equity, Joy has learned that the only way Hennepin County will achieve its goal of a future where its residents are healthy and successful is to target investments in the areas that need them most.  This means ensuring that all residents enjoy a high quality life with equitable investments in all aspects of the County's discretion including health, housing, public safety, parks, roads, and libraries.

Joy says, “We must act together to reverse the growing trend of racial and economic division, celebrate our increasing diversity, and create strong communities across Hennepin County.” Those are words Hennepin County residents of District 1 need to hear.

Vote for Joy Marsh Stephens in the primary on August 14, 2012 and again on November 6th.  For more information about Joy, visit her website by clicking here: http://joyfordistrictone.com/meetjoy.html.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thK7f_Fk724