Out in Duluth: Jeff Anderson Runs for Duluth City Council

Duluth hasn't yet had an openly gay or lesbian elected official, but Jeff Anderson hopes to change that -- and a lot more -- in his run for the at-large spot on the Duluth City Council. The primary is Tuesday.

Anderson was born and reared in Ely, Minn. A resident of Duluth since 1996, Anderson has a background in broadcast journalism, including a job with award-winning CBS journalist Charles Kerault. A position as production assistant at KDLH-TV in Duluth gave Anderson the opportunity to interview many local and national politicians. He is currently a radio executive at Red Rock Radio Corp., where he once worked on-air. Anderson served for eight years in the Minnesota Army National Guard from 1996 to 2004.

I asked Anderson what it is like running as an openly gay candidate in Duluth, and how being gay on the Iron Range has influenced his views on public policy.

Andy Birkey: What has it been like running as an openly gay candidate in Duluth? Has the community been positive?

Jeff Anderson: I've always viewed myself as an engaged citizen concerned with the direction our city … and I happen to be gay. That's just one facet of my life. It does have an impact on how I view basic human rights and equality for all of our citizens, but outside of that I am just genuinely concerned for the future of Duluth and northern Minnesota.

With that being said, the community has been very positive about my candidacy in general... we'll find out how supportive the community is on Sept. 11th and again on Nov. 6th. I don't ever try and hide the fact that I am a progressive candidate; instead I try and talk about how we need to work together to do what is best for our city. Politics and partisan agendas should take a back seat to doing what is best for Duluth: creating good paying jobs; fixing our retiree health care mess; and investing in our streets and public infrastructure. These are not glamorous issues, but they are what our city council and administration need to address.

From the beginning of this campaign, I've known that some people might try and use my sexuality as a criticism of me. I'm pleased to say that up to this point, outside of a few anonymous bloggers, I have not been attacked for being openly gay. I think it's refreshing that voters in Duluth can make decisions based on your positions on issues and policy and look at the experience of candidates, rather than resorting to personal attacks.

Birkey: Do you find the Duluth area to be a friendly place for LGBT people?

Anderson: Yes. Duluth is a welcoming, inclusive, open community to people of diverse backgrounds.  It doesn't matter if you're gay or straight, black or white, the vast majority of Duluthians are accepting and welcoming.

We've had great leaders in this area including our current mayor, Herb Bergson. Mayor Bergson has been an incredible leader over the past four years, welcoming GLBT visitors to our city and recognizing the contributions of our GLBT community in Duluth. His leadership in this area has been outstanding, and I hope future mayors and future community leaders can live up to this new standard.

Duluth is also coming to the realization that a welcoming, inclusive city can translate into economic development dollars and to the overall health of the city. Author and professor Richard Florida has been working with local leaders in Duluth, and one of the things he emphasizes is that to be a growing, successful community you need to be a tolerant community. Duluth has become a much more tolerant community over the past decade and I truly believe that this will be one of the major factors to our long-term success and future growth as a city.

Birkey: What are your top-three priorities for Duluth when elected?

Anderson: Fixing our $300 million-plus retiree health care liability. Investing in streets and other public infrastructure. Re-focus our economic development efforts in an effort to create more high paying jobs in our city.

Birkey: Do you think that your being gay has had an impact on how you view public policy?

Anderson: Yes. I think that cities like Duluth need to be leaders in providing equal rights for all of our citizens. This leadership is not coming from St. Paul or Washington, D.C., so I see it as being necessary for local leaders to create change.

As a city councilor I would like to fight on behalf of our city for the right to offer domestic partner benefits. As I understand it, they are not available under current state statute (MN Stat. 471.61).  I believe that municipalities should have this right.

According to Outfront Minnesota, during the 2007 legislative session, the Legislature approved a bill to allow local government employers to determine benefits packages for its employees.  The bill was sponsored by nearly 30 legislators, the Minnesota Association of Small Cities, the Minnesota League of Cities, city councils and local elected officials, but vetoed by the governor.

As a councilor I would like to see Duluth consider an Equal Benefits Ordinance similar to that of Minneapolis.

In 2002, the Minneapolis City Council enacted an Equal Benefits Ordinance.  This requires certain contractors who provide health care benefits to spouses to offer the same benefits to the domestic partners of their employees. The benefits are not restricted to same-sex couples, nor is the law applicable to all contractors. As a Duluth city councilor, I would fully support enacting an Equal Benefits Ordinance.

I think that we should also look at the future creation of a Domestic Partner Registry.  In 1991, the city of Minneapolis created a domestic partner registry to allow unmarried same-sex or opposite-sex couples to register as domestic partners.  Because same-sex couples have little access to legal recognition of their relationship and their families, a domestic partner registry can be used to assist employers who wish to make domestic partner benefits available to their employees.  As a Duluth city councilor I would fully support the creation of a Domestic Partner Registry.

Birkey: What sets you apart from your primary opponents?

Anderson: Experience!  I have served as the vice president of the Duluth Housing Commission, chair of the Duluth Community Development Committee, vice president of the Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund, and member of the Duluth Charter Commission.

I have served on a number of local nonprofit boards including the Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank, the Bridge Syndicate and the Duluth Playhouse.

I work with hundreds of small, medium and large-size companies across the region and state and know the concerns and challenges we face when it comes to business and economic development.

I know how to get things done in City Hall and I have a vision of where we need to go as a city.

We've worked hard this summer knocking on over 5,000 doors across the city.  I've earned the endorsements of the Duluth Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, Progressive Action Duluth, LGBT Victory Fund, and the Duluth Fire Fighters Union Local 101.  I think that this hard work will pay off on Sept. 11th and again on Nov. 6th.

Birkey: Fun question: What was your favorite part of Duluth-Superior Pride?

Anderson:The festival at Bayfront Park was my favorite part.  There were so many people, many of them from Duluth, who were so supportive and genuinely interested in our campaign and what we want for Duluth.  It was a great day!  I would like to have a booth at the festival again next year, not as a candidate, but rather a city councilor.