DULUTH — Tara Swenson flew solo in her appearance as a candidate to represent Duluth’s 2nd District City Council district Thursday afternoon, after her opponent, Howie Hanson, chose not to participate in a forum hosted by the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce and the News Tribune.
“Really, why I’m running is for my kids. I have a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old, and when I moved to Duluth 13 years ago, I fell in love with this city. I fell in love with the lake, and I fell in love with that small-town feeling that one person you knew was two people away from knowing the person you needed to know,” she said.
If elected, Swenson would represent the city’s Lincoln Park, Piedmont and Duluth Heights neighborhoods.
Her opponent, Howie Hanson, editor and publisher of Duluth Times, an online publication, formerly served on the Council but lost his seat to the late Renee Van Nett.
Swenson has worked in a number of industries, including retail, health care, engineering and insurance, currently in a human resources role.
Street maintenance concerns apparently were one of the major motivators for Swenson to enter the race.
“This past winter when school was closed multiple times because of snow removal, it was very frustrating as a parent. So when we think of roads and infrastructure and streets, it’s really making sure that they’re paved and plowed. I think that is a public safety issue for our community, and it’s something we really need to invest in,” she said.
Swenson suggested a lot of frustration also could be addressed through better communication about how the city plans to proceed with addressing street problems.
She said her motto is: “Nothing changes if nothing changes.”
Peter Passi covers city government for the Duluth News Tribune. He joined the paper in April 2000, initially as a business reporter but has worked a number of beats through the years.
