Two candidates are vying for the Anoka County Commissioner District 7 seat, which represents Columbia Heights, Hilltop, and Fridley. The Northeaster spoke with incumbent Mandy Meisner and challenger Taher Herzallah to hear key points offered by their campaigns. Following is a summary of our discussion with the candidates, which has been supplemented by campaign information from their respective campaign websites.
Taher Herzalla
Taher Herzallah is a Columbia Heights resident and community advocate, and currently serves on the Anoka County Parks and Recreation Commission. He has 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector, and served as a lobbyist in Washington, D.C. until moving to Minnesota in 2022. He is a Ph.D. student and teaching assistant at the University of Minnesota.
His priorities would revolve around enhancing public spaces, ensuring that aging residents have access to essential services such as transportation and affordable housing and ensuring sustainable growth in the city that is balanced and equitable.
He also wants to ensure citizens feel connected to their elected officials, saying “I’m focused on fostering community engagement and transparency. There’s a strong feeling that the county is not accessible to residents. We don’t allow for public comments and that’s something that needs to be looked at. I want to make it easier for citizens to have their voices heard and valued.”
He said his six years as a lobbyist for Palestinian rights on Capitol Hill have prepared him for the role. “It makes you have thick skin. You have to be assertive in things you’re passionate about. I’ll be a champion for citizens. I will not let District 7 be set aside.”
Mandy Meisner, incumbent
Mandy Meisner is a resident of Fridley and was first elected as the District 7 county commissioner in 2018. She is currently serving her second term.
She believes her time in office and the relationships she’s formed will serve her well if reelected. “The advantage is time. I’ve had almost six years to establish myself and learn the process of governing and building key relationships. I’m a connector and a collaborator and I don’t care what letter is after your name. I like to focus on the issues. But even though I’ve established myself, there is still lots of work to do, and that drives me,” she told the Northeaster.
She highlighted her efforts to combat food insecurity by securing $3.5 million in state and federal funding for a larger building for the Southern Anoka Community Assistance food shelf, and getting $200,000 in funding for a new pavilion in Kordiak Park, which will be built in 2025.
She also said that as the chair of the Human Services Committee, she would continue efforts to strengthen the workforce in District 7, as well as focus on community development to ensure city infrastructure and buildings are safe and up to code.
Finally, she told us key issues she would continue to work on include addiction treatment, mental health, homelessness, public safety and schools and education.