The “lower chamber” of the Minnesota legislature has two representatives per senate district for a total of 134. Representatives are elected every two years.What your state legislature does affects many facets of your life—the taxes you pay, the highways on which you drive, public schools, the state-supported colleges and universities you or your children might attend, the state parks that provide recreation for you and your family, social programs, funding for the judicial system.A candidate forum for this race is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JiGETio9ik&t=92s. More MN forums are available at https://www.lwvmn.org/2024-candidate-forums.
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* Restore our education system to the gold standard it used to be. Our kids are our future and we are not preparing them for success as adults if they can't read, do math, or understand science.
* Securing safety in our homes, schools, and communities. Violence has risen in our communities since the death of George Floyd. Leadership in Minnesota did not contain the violence then nor since. Feeling physically safe in your surroundings is key to ones mental health stability and well-being.
* Addressing the affordability of daily living. Everything costs more, groceries, gasoline, gas & water, clothes, etc. Mental health is negatively affected by anxiety when everyday costs of living have increased more than take home pay. MN can do better.
I support businesses with tax cuts and reduces regulations and mandates. Recent legislation had added heavy burdens to small businesses. I would work to cut all taxes so people can keep more of their hard earned money and businesses won't have to pass higher tax costs from government mandates on to the consumer.
Legislation, like the law, should be blind to color. We are all created equal under the law and our laws should be written without creating an advantage or disadvantage based on racial or ethnic difference.
I would support stronger goals with measurable outcomes be added to the Education standards for the teaching of earth science. Standard must include a basic understanding of what CO2 is and how without it the earth would not have plant growth. Student proficiency per grade level in science in MN is a dismal 39.9%
I have a lot on my to-do list if re-elected
-Public Safety for All: As a former law enforcement officer, I will continue to advocate for mental health resources for first responders and for safe gun ownership and accountability.
-Equitable Services for our Neighbors with Disabilities & Mental Health Needs: The costs that families pay for disability and mental health services is untenable. I will continue to prioritize affordability and work with advocacy groups and DHS to improve systems.
-Preserving our Rights: As Vice Chair of the Queer Caucus, I chief authored the recently passed ban on the legal “Panic Defense” when our neighbors are harmed due to bigotry. I look forward to advancing further protections to ensure bodily autonomy as well
We all have been hit by inflation and higher prices since coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a combination of both higher corporate greed across our supply chain as well as natural increases in prices because we are paying our economy’s workers better.
I support cracking down on price gouging by companies and seeing how the state government ensures companies cannot attach junk fees to every transaction. We must continue investing in our state’s workers and preserve their economic gains
We need to continually evaluate the systemic obstacles to success in Minnesota. Prosperity across the state’s economy is impossible without guaranteeing equal rights, fair pay, and protection from discrimination.
We must reduce the disparities between our state’s white majority and the numerous racial and ethnic minority populations. Educational outcomes, access to health care, and family preservation are a few of the examples where these disparities remain, and I will work toward closing them.
As the Vice Chair of the Sustainable Infrastructure Committee this past Biennium, I learned how we can leverage federal dollars to build and restore our state’s roads, waterways, and built infrastructure to mitigate the effects of climate change. Minnesota will continue to experience droughts, strong storms, milder winters, and erratic temperature swings as climate change settles in for the future. We need to build flexible infrastructure that can move us toward net zero emissions.
