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SAINT PAUL, MN -St. Paul businessman and attorney Bob Long, a former City Councilmember, today announced that he will continue his campaign for mayor and run in the September primary. Long declared that he will be a mayor who will "Do what is right for St. Paul, and not be a captive of special interest groups." Long cited his broad-based support, extensive experience and vision for the city’s future as his reasons for running.

Stating that he will be the reform minded, fiscally conservative and common sense Mayor that the city needs, Long cited fundamental differences between himself and his two major opponents.

"Jay Benanav ‘just says no’ to economic progress and new jobs for St. Paul. Randy Kelly ‘just says yes’ to pork barrel, back room politics and spending our tax dollars for special interest groups," said Long.

Long cited Benanav’s votes against keeping Dayton’s downtown department store and the US Bancorp West Side Flats Urban Village Project. That project would have created 1000-2000 new jobs and 700-900 units of housing on the old American Hoist & Derrick Property, a polluted site on St. Paul’s riverfront that has remained vacant for over 20 years.

Long was also critical of Kelly’s sponsorship of spending $40 million of state money on the controversial Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Proposal along West Seventh Street. That project will require more than $100 million in additional local property tax dollars to fund. "It is obvious that finding additional transit options for St. Paul is crucial to our future," Long said. "The answer is not a $200 million fixed busway that destroys local businesses and tears apart a community."

Saying that he would be the common sense democrat between Benenav and Kelly, Long said "The people of St. Paul want a common sense mayor who will represent their interests, not just those of special interest groups."
"St. Paul wants a mayor with the energy, passion, and vision to lead this great city of ours. I will bring the best qualities of our last three Mayors to City Hall: George Latimer’s love of the city and vision, Jim Scheibel’s passion for people, and Norm Coleman’s ability to rally the business community for economic development."

Long has focused his campaign on four priorities:

1. new jobs and business growth;
   
   
2. building and rehabilitating more housing;
   
   
3. healthy kids and families; and
   
   
4. safe and livable neighborhoods.

He has pledged to continue momentum in downtown and along the riverfront while emphasizing greater reinvestment efforts in the city’s neighborhoods through the creation of a Neighborhood Redevelopment Corporation.