Whether we are white, Black or brown, all of us deserve bold public leadership to continue the work to make Saint Paul the most livable city it can be for all its residents. We have a historic election in front of us where we could have a city council that’s rooted in community-driven leadership, working with residents to realize a vision of a multi-racial democracy and caring economy. As clergy and residents of Saint Paul, this vision is what we believe Jesus meant when he said to love your neighbor.

One element in realizing this vision is a ballot initiative asking Saint Paul voters to support a 1% sales tax increase to fund much-needed road repairs, improvements to our parks and bridges. If you have driven around St. Paul lately, you know how badly we need this additional funding. My (Adam’s) old car won’t survive another season of potholes like we had this past year.

The new sales tax will make it so that all who live and come to our city to work and play contribute an additional billion dollars of generational investments to update and care for some of our most critical roads, parks, and rec centers. Through this new funding, we can get a new community center on the East Side. We can have a new multi-sport/multi-use athletic complex in our city.

This is another chance we have to work together to create a healthier and more connected St. Paul. Our roads — like our schools, parks, and libraries — are a product of the collective effort we make to care for our neighbors, and it’s clear from the state of disrepair that we have been neglecting our responsibilities.

It can be tempting to avoid or postpone our communal obligations, but faith calls us to do the right thing, not the easy thing.

That’s why we were disappointed to see the St. Paul Area Chamber come out against this proposal (“Kyle, Kulas: St. Paul sales tax referendum? Let’s hit ‘pause’,” Oct. 29). St. Paul’s businesses depend heavily on our shared infrastructure, so their collective voice should speak in favor of the sort of investments that get customers in the door.

Unfortunately, their solution excuses all of us, businesses and the rich included, from contributing to the funds needed for the roads, bridges and parks we all benefit from. They propose to spend less on our collective needs and kick the can down the potholed road. That’s both bad budgeting and doesn’t reflect the mutual accountability that is the foundation of being a community.

Rich families still spend more and thus end up paying more in sales taxes. And the state doesn’t tax most of what regular working people spend their money on, since housing, groceries, clothing, and medicine are all tax exempt.

The Chamber fails to acknowledge that sales taxes are part of a balanced revenue system that meets our collective needs and that the real burden on poor families is not the cost of services, but the lack of them.

Ultimately, we have an opportunity to continue moving in the direction of abundance and mutuality, and the perspective the Chamber is offering steers us in a different direction.

This week, Saint Paulites will vote on whether to fund essential service throughout the city. Let’s come together and pave the way for a better future.

Adam Blons is senior pastor, Macalester Plymouth United Church. Minister JaNae Bates, Camphor United Methodist Church, is director of communications for ISAIAH, a coalition of faith communities.

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