Commissioner Contact Information
Rafael Ortega (email)
Ramsey County Board Office
Room 220 Court House
15 W. Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55102
Tel: 651.266.8361
Fax: 651.266.8370
Commissioner Assistant:
Ken Iosso (email)
Tel: 651 266-8367
Proudly serving citizens in the following communities (District Map):
District Councils:
Commissioner Rafael Ortega Bio
Rafael E. Ortega became the first member of a minority group to be elected to the Ramsey County Board and the first Latino elected to a County Board in Minnesota in 1994. He has been re-elected four times since then, most recently in 2010. As commissioner he is focused on protecting Ramsey County’s most vulnerable residents, building a great transportation network in Minnesota, and making sure that Ramsey County has the best staff and the best facilities possible. In his current role as Chair of the Facilities Commission, he is taking the lead on making county facilities fuel-efficient and environmentally sound. He has become a recognized leader on transit in the metro area over his time on the County Board, particularly in his role as Chair of the Regional Rail Authority from 2002-2007. He has frequently spoken on MPR and contributed to the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press. His work, and the work of all the communities and leaders who have been pushing for the same thing, has paid off for Ramsey County.
Achievements
Under Commissioner Ortega’s leadership, Ramsey County:
- Is on track to complete renovation of the Union Depot by 2012, making it a state-of-the-art multi-modal transit hub for Minnesota and employing 2,500 to build it.
- Built the Roseville Library, the state’s busiest, to LEED Gold Standard, reducing operating costs and preserving limited resources.
- Kept Ford Parkway Bridge open while it was rebuilt in 2002.
- Funded the building of 4,000 units of housing, including parts of the Gateway in Highland Park, the Upper Landing on Shepard, the American House downtown, Passages on West 7th, and Homes for Learning in Dayton’s Bluff.
- Did critical site cleanup for Sholom Home East on West 7th in Highland Park, paving the way for what the Star Tribune calls the “future of nursing homes.”
- Merged the Ramsey County 800 Mhz Emergency Dispatch Center with the City of Saint Paul to protect the safety of the county and save taxpayers more than $6 million.
- Merged county and city public health and jail facilities.
- Remains one of only 39 counties in the US to maintain a triple-A bond rating.
Background
Rafael grew up in a tough neighborhood in New York City and learned first-hand the importance of transit, education, and libraries in making it possible for everyone to contribute to society. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham University in New York City and came to Minnesota to earn his Master's degree in Social Work at the University of Minnesota in 1978.
He was a front-line social worker before becoming an Outreach Director for Minnesota Council of Churches. From 1984 to 1994, Ortega was Executive Director of CLUES (Communidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio), a Twin Cities social service agency that grew under his leadership from a $100,000 organization to one with a $3 million budget serving more than 15,000 clients.
Family
Rafael has lived in Ramsey County District 5 for more than 30 years. Commissioner Ortega is the proud parent of two children; Gabriela, a student at the University of Saint Thomas, and Emilio, who attends Central High School.
Boards and Commissions
In addition to his professional work, Ortega is very active serving on community and civic boards including the Riverfront Corporation, and the National Association of Social Workers. He has also served on the Itasca Project, an effort by business and community leaders to proactively develop the Twin Cities in a way that will strengthen the business climate and increase the quality of life for residents and on the National Council of La Raza.
