>> Cathy: ST. PAUL MAYOR MELVIN CARTER DELIVERED HIS ANNUAL "STATE OF THE CITY" ADDRESS EARLIER THIS WEEK.

THE MAYOR COVERED A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS INCLUDING TAXES AND A DESIRE TO RENOVATE THE AGING XCEL ENERGY CENTER.

FRED MELO IS BACK.

HE COVERS ST. PAUL CITY HALL FOR THE "PIONEER PRESS."

I HAVE TO SAY HE DID PACK A LOT INTO THIS SPEECH.

HOUSING, JOB CREATION, PLOWING, SALES TAX, REVENUE, WHAT HE WANTS TO DO WITH THAT.

THE EMERALD ASH BORER SITUATION.

>> STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESSES ARE USUALLY THE BORING SPEECH AND THEN THE BUDGET ADDRESS IN AUGUST IS WHERE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE MONEY FOR PROJECTS SO THAT'S WHERE YOU KIND OF GIVE THE DETAILS.

HE KIND OF FLIPPED IT THIS YEAR AND HIT US WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF CONCRETE AND SOME MORE ABSTRACT IDEAS.

, WHY DID HOUSING RISE TO THE TOP?

>> I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HOUSING FROM RENT CONTROL TO HOME BUYER PROGRAM THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE REALLY PUT ENERGY INTO LAST YEAR.

THERE WAS ALSO A REGIONAL SALES TAX THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE APPROVED AND THAT'S GOING TO BRING 5 TO $6 MILLION A YEAR TO ST. PAUL.

SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME MONEY THAT'S COMING IN THAT CAN BE ALLOTTED SO THE MAYOR SAYS IT'S TIME FOR A HOLISTIC CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO INSTEAD OF FUNDING A COUPLE PROGRAMS WE ALREADY HAVE GOING.

>> Eric: SNOW PLOWING.

>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING ONE.

IT'S EXPERIMENTAL, IT MAY NOT BE READY FOR NEXT WINTER, WE'LL SEE.

BUT THE IDEA IS TO MAYBE DITCH SNOW EMERGENCIES NTIRELY.

>> Cathy: WHAT!

>> TO TEST IT OUT ON A FEW STREETS, AND DULUTH DOES THIS, ROCHESTER, WHERE MAYBE YOU HAVE EVEN SIDE PARKING ONE WEEK AND ODD SIDE PARKING THE OTHER SO THERE'S ALWAYS A LANE FREE FOR A PLOW TO O THROUGH.

IN THEORY YOU WOULD NEVER NEED TO CALL A SNOW EMERGENCY BECAUSE YOU COULD ALWAYS PLOW.

HOW THAT WORKS ON A STREET THAT'S MORE DENSELY POPULATED THAN ANYTHING DULUTH HAS WITH A LOT OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS, I DON'T KNOW, BUT HE WANTS TO TEST IT ON A FEW STREETS, MAYBE IT WILL BE READY FOR NEXT WINTER, MAYBE NOT.

WE DIDN'T GET MUCH SNOW THIS WINTER SO THIS WOULDN'T BE A GOOD WINTER TO TEST THAT.

>> Cathy: SAY, I WANTED TO ASK YOU, I WAS TALK TO REPRESENTATIVE ATHENA HOLLINS, SHE'S REPRESENTING ST. PAUL AND SHE'S CARRYING A BILL FOR STATE BASIC INCOME MEASURE IN THE STATE HOUSE WHICH IS KIND OF WORKING OFF THE ST. PAUL EXPERIMENT.

DID HE MENTION THAT AT ALL IN THE STATE OF THE CITY?

DOES HE PLAN TO GO BACK TO THAT?

>> SO HE'S KIND OF IN A SECOND PHASE RIGHT NOW OF A GUARANTEED INCOME PROJECT WHERE THERE'S MAYBE -- I'M GOING TO MESS UP THE NUMBERS HERE BUT A COUPLE HUNDRED FAMILIES THAT ARE RECEIVING, YOU KNOW, $500, A THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND THEN THERE'S OTHERS THAT ARE RECEIVING THAT PLUS A LITTLE EXTRA TOWARDS COLLEGE SAVINGS.

AND SOME ARE JUST GETTING THE COLLEGE SAVINGS SO THEY'RE KIND OF COMPARING THESE THREE DIFFERENT TIERS AND THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF AN ACADEMIC STUDY.

>> Eric: XCEL AND DOWNTOWN ST. PAUL.

>> YEAH, THIS IS A GIG BUN BIG ONE.

XCEL ENERGY CENTER IT IS 24 YEARS OLD.

IT LOOKS GOOD.

I THINK MOST PEOPLE ENJOY IT, ALWAYS RATED HIGHLY FOR CONCERTS, HOCKEY, YOU NAME IT.

BUT 25 YEARS IS ABOUT THE LIFE OF A COMPETITIVE HOCKEY ARENA AS THE MAYOR WOULD SAY.

HE DOESN'T JUST WANT ONE THAT'S FUNCTIONAL HE WANT DOLLARS ONE THAT BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN OR WHATEVER BIG NAME ACT WANTS TO GO TO.

KEEPING IT COMPETITIVE, MAKING LOOKING OUTWARD FOCUSED, HAVING RESTAURANTS ON THE OUTSIDE, A NIGHT CLUB, SOME KIND OF GATHERING SPOTS, THAT WOULD BE 300 MILLION, 400 MILLION, I'VE HEARD DIFFERENT NUMBERS.

HE'S ASKING RIGHT NOW -- WELL, HE JUST RECEIVED -- WHAT'S IN THE PIPELINE IS 2 MILLION.

>> Cathy: BONDING MONEY?

>> THAT'S WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO JUST KIND OF START THE DESIGN.

GET THAT CONVERSATION GOING.

>> Cathy: SAY, HOW'S HIS RELATIONSHIP ITH THE MORE PROGRESSIVE COUNCIL?

>> WELL, IT'S EARLY YET.

IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING.

I THINK WE'VE ALREADY SEEN KIND OF A LOT OF DRAMATIC DISCUSSION WITHIN THE COUNCIL ABOUT GAZA, ABOUT HAVING THIS RESOLUTION THAT THESE PROTESTERS REALLY PUSHED HARD FOR.

TOOK FIVE WEEKS, FINALLY THE COUNCIL CAME TOGETHER AFTER WEEKS OF SILENCE AND SAID, YES, LET'S CREATE A RESOLUTION URGING JOE BIDEN TO URGE ISRAEL TO STOP BOMBING GAZA.

THE MAYOR DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY BEFORE IT PASSED.

HE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY AFTER IT PASSED.

HE WAS VERY QUIET, HE SAID HE WOULD NOT OPPOSE IT.

SO FAR, SO GOOD.

WHEN IT COMES TO RENT CONTROL, RENTER'S RIGHTS I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE MORE COMPLICATED AND VOCAL.

>> Eric: UBER IS APPARENTLY MOVING OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS MAY 1ST IF THINGS DON'T CHANGE.

IS ST. PAUL -- SPLASH ONTO ST. PAUL?

>> THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT UBER TOLD ME, THEY ARE LEAVING MSP, MINNEAPOLIS, ST. PAUL, ENTIRE METRO.

LYFT DID NOT GET BACK TO ME, BUT IF THAT HAPPENS, IT COULD BE A GAME OF CHICKEN, COULD BE BLUFF BUT IF THAT HAPPENS THERE'S GOING TO BE SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS.

CAB COMPANIES O NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO RAMP UP.

WE USED TO HAVE 20 CAB COMPANIES IN ST. PAUL, WE AVE TWO.

WE HAVE ABOUT 15 CARS LEFT.

UBER AND LYFT IND OF DECIMATED THE MARKET FOR THEM TO LEAVE NOW YOU'VE GOT TO BUILD UP, STARTUP COMPANIES MIGHT BRING IN A THOUSAND DRIVERS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 8,000 DRIVERS UNEMPLOYED OVERNIGHT.

>> Eric: WE'LL SEE WHAT WE SEE ON THAT.