Rebecca Noecker, who became St. Paul City Council president in February, says her primary goal for 2026 is to “show that local government can be responsive, effective, and a force for good in people’s lives.” In practice, she says, that means “genuinely listening to and addressing constituents’ concerns—from public safety to affordable housing to climate resilience to revitalizing downtown and growing our tax base.” Downtown St. Paul, which has not bounced back from the pandemic, presents the biggest opportunity and challenge for the city, she says. Attracting more people to live and work downtown is the best strategy to “expand our tax base and lower the tax burden on our residents.”