Discourse
It’s time to change the discourse. We’re divided and it’s coming from the top. Our political parties are playing a zero-sum game by ratcheting up the rhetoric and it’s time to admit that our representatives aren’t doing enough to change party leaders’ minds.
The thinking at the Capitol is that we can’t let the other side get a win. This thinking isn’t putting Minnesotans first. It’s putting politics first, and I’ll never do it. I’ll find good-faith Republicans and work with them. I’ll also make it clear that I am someone they can work with. This is how this gets better.
Healthcare
Medicare For All. Yesterday.
Economy
We’ve got to put our money where our mouth is and help the people most affected by the pandemic. Taming inflation will be our next challenge and the two obvious levers we have to reduce your family’s exposure are getting your taxes down and your wages up.
Wages
I’m a small-business owner and I know that I get better results when my employees and contractors get paid a living wage. Big box stores and gig-economy apps are paying people wages so low that the government needs to support them. It’s a shadow expenditure for the state and I’ll fight to end it. I was a vocal proponent for the fight for $15/hour from the beginning.
Broadband
The pandemic did not affect each household the same. Many workers and all students were asked to log on full time, and for so many in this district that was an impossible task. The DEED broadband task force is there waiting for projects to fund, it just needs local politicians to step up and lobby. I’ll do for 33B what local leaders did for Scandia.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure for our neck of the woods means roads and bridges maintained. I’ll fight to ensure our projects are funded. I’ll also work to ensure that Hwy 36 is finished and far less dangerous.
Education
First of all, let me just say how proud we should be of our school district. In these incredibly challenging times, we were able to keep schools open and kids in the classroom. This was an incredibly important step to getting these kids back to being kids again.
Two free meals a day for every child, regardless of their parent’s income.
I’ll work hard to make sure that funding for schools never gets cut and that our teachers earn the salaries they deserve.
I’m very interested in revamping how our school lunches are sourced. They’re inadequate and we’re missing a real opportunity to educate our children in how to make and prepare nutritious meals. Our farmers in the state and in the valley grow and raise some of the best food in the entire country, what a disservice to our children to throw all this frozen junk at them.
Environment
The protection of the St. Croix River and the watershed that feeds it will be one of my top priorities. The stakeholders we have in place are true heroes, I’ll make sure that they’re empowered, funded, and helped in any way they need. This river will be in better shape when I leave than when I started, I promise.
On a macro level, there’s so much more we can do to decarbonize our economy as well as reduce the disgusting amount of plastic we generate. Minnesota needs to be an even larger leader on these issues.
Cannabis
The time to legalize marijuana was five years after the first state did it and we saw that it was manageable. Decriminalizing it alone will still leave people in limbo. It’s time to do what so many other states are doing.
Taxes
Taxing the ultra-wealthy (don’t worry, that’s not you) was a common practice for 70 years in this country. We built a nation full of roads, bridges, schools and so much more with that money. I’ll never vote to raise your taxes before the top 2% begin to pay their fair share.
Seniors
What a scary period of time this pandemic was for our seniors. Cut off from the families they love so much and losing their friends and neighbors. Please know that I saw your generation once again make a sacrifice. I’ll be your champion at the Capitol.
Our assisted living facilities will need help bouncing back from the pandemic and I will work to make sure that they are able to retain staff by working to ensure they’re paid higher wages. It’s hard and important work, these caregivers – whether they’re in facilities or in-home – deserve much more pay.
Crime
I want to thank the police for their continued efforts at keeping this valley safe. What an incredibly important job you do, and thank you for your professionalism. I’m not defunding anything.
I like some of the modern thinking on partnering your units with social workers and mental health professionals. Sometimes a guy with a gun isn’t the best solution and I’ll fund any program that looks promising. Too many young people in distress are dying. So many of these lives would go on to be great if the intervention was handled differently.
COVID
I think our elected officials had a tough job trying to balance public safety and the economy. I believe initial shutdowns were necessary and the right call, but mandating vaccines – especially in children – is too far. Many people and families need more time to get back on their feet, we should continue to postpone evictions.
Agriculture
With one eye on the watershed and the river, I look forward to working with farmers to make sure they’re able to continue to run their family farms and their way of life.
Guns
I oppose the NRA and find that most gun owners do, too. I believe we’re missing some common ground on guns. The NRA uses its clout to block legislation that makes guns safer. Smart guns, trigger locks, technology, and safes are all topics that the NRA have stymied in the past. When you talk to gun owners they’re completely ambivalent about these solutions being present, but the NRA stops them from happening. Again, there’s common ground here if we’re able to talk with each other.
Local and Independent Media
Our hometown media are feeling the same pressures that any industry would experience in a time of innovation and consolidation. I will fight to preserve our local media sources so that voters can make better decisions. Saving the local newspaper will be a lot easier than trying to build a new one. This has to be a larger priority.