Let's Keep Things Clean

Reposted from my State Senate Campaign blog
http://www.ginabauman.com/blog

It has come to my attention that there has been an inquiry at City Hall regarding utility payments for my retail business going back to 2007, and that copies of the bills have been requested. Given the history and political affiliations of the person making the inquiry, I believe that I need to put out the facts before mud gets slung.

Like many other small business owners in these hard economic times I recently had to make a hard decision regarding my business and was forced to close CuppaChiodos, the coffee shop and restaurant of my restaurant and catering business. The value of the business had dropped substantially below the current market and my bank made a bid for the property greater than my remaining mortgage amount. With the sagging economy the coffee shop and restaurant operation just did not produce adequate revenue for me to match their bid and the property went back to the bank. With their full assumption of the remaining mortgage the bank has been fully paid.

With regard to my utility bills, there were times when they were applied to my property taxes, and when the taxes were paid so were the utility bills. My utility bill payments are now up to date and paid in full.

Even though I am still engaged in the catering business, closing my coffee shop in this way was one of the saddest and hardest things I've ever had to do. Over my six years of operation many of my customers became close friends and I already miss seeing them on a regular basis. But I believe, as stated by Alexander Graham Bell:

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has
opened for us.

Over the next few months I will dedicate the majority of my time and effort to this campaign for the state senate with the hope that a new door opening for me will be the honor and privilege of representing the people of District 50. I intend to run a clean campaign that focuses on issues, ideas, and record of public service and I sincerely hope my opposition will do the same.

I sincerely thank my customers and all who have supported me in my past campaigns for City Council and humbly ask for your support once more. Together we can bring integrity and effective representation of our district to the Minnesota Senate.