Robyn Gulley

Robyn Gulley earned a high school diploma from Wichita Southeast High School, a bachelor's degree from the College of Santa Fe in 2003, a graduate degree from the University of Minnesota, Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs in 2008, and a graduate degree from Central European University in 2011. Her career experience includes working as an education specialist.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have lived and worked in Senate District 65 for my entire adult life.

I come from a working-class family. My father drove bus for metro-transit and my mom taught dance. I am also a mom to four children in a beautiful, blended family in West St. Paul.

In my experience, the biggest issues that are squeezing working-class families have been the costs of childcare, housing, healthcare, and college tuition. Once elected I hope to be appointed to serve on the committees that will tackle these issues so I can apply my experience and background to improve the lives of working families.

In order to make these priorities real, I support renewed focus on eliminating fraud from our public programs and focusing state resources on these areas that would have the greatest impact.

I currently serve on the West St. Paul City Council, the University of Minnesota Board of Regents and work as the Midwest Regional Coordinator of the Doctor's Union with SEIU.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Affording our Lives!

I plan to champion policies that help working families, particularly in the areas of childcare, housing, healthcare, and higher education.

Specifically, I support the Kids Count on Us coalition effort to create a childcare system that actually works.

I also support building a universal, single payer healthcare system to lower costs and expand access to care in our state. I support extending the North Star Promise that currently provides tuition free college to students from families making less than $80,000 per year to families making less than $150,000 per year. I also hope to make it easier for cities, counties, and our state to invest a portion of our financial reserves in affordable housing projects!Defending our Diverse Community!

I have spent my career working as an organizer for labor and human rights. I worked for five years at the Human Rights Campaign organizing for marriage equality and earned a Master's Degree in International Human Rights Law. I will see a big part of my job as a State Senator to defend everyone in District 65 from attacks on their human rights and dignity. Regardless of one's race, gender identity, country of origin, background or who you love, I will fight to defend the rights of every member of our community and will never support legislation that compromises on these core values.Investing in our District

Every neighborhood in District 65 is in need of significant support for projects large and small. I will to bring bonding dollars to our community and support big projects like the land bridge over interstate 94 that would reconnect the Rondo neighborhood.

I will fight to increase Local Government Aid to cities, counties and school districts so we can hold down local property taxes which disproportionately impact working families. I will also work to change the formula to take into account that St. Paul's largest employers (the state a large healthcare non-profits) pay no taxes to support the community.

Finally, I will work to ensure the pensions for our teachers and public workers are protected!

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about Healthcare, Childcare, Housing and Higher Education. I also hope to work on protecting and defending labor and human rights in our state.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Senate District 65 DFL Convention has endorsed my campaign. I am also proud to earn the endorsement of a dozen labor unions, including: the Minnesota AFL-CIO, the Minnesota Nurses Association, AFSCME, the St Paul Building and Construction Trades, and St. Paul Federation of Educators. Numerous climate and environmental justice organizations, including: the Sierra Club, MN 350, Friends of the Boundary Waters, Clean Water Action, and more. State and local officials, including US Senator Tina Smith, Attorney General Keith Ellison, along with current State Senator Sandy Pappas and a majority of the St. Paul and West St. Paul City Council members have endorsed our campaign!