Issues

Taxes & Spending:

One of the major issues that faced our legislature this past session was the state budget. I chose to take a somewhat simplistic approach to this issue and made the suggestion that while the citizens of District 17B tightened and continue to tighten their belts and their family budgets, the government needs to do the same. A few common sense ideas such as the consolidation of government services between counties, eliminating certain non-essential state agencies, eliminating wasteful boards and commissions – along with their expensive studies – and implementing aggressive welfare reform would all work to help bring the State’s spending under control. By bringing our spending under control, we can continue to reduce the size of government and get it working efficiently and effectively for what matters most: you, the hard-working citizen. Furthermore, I will continue to work to make government more local in nature.

I will strongly continue to promote job growth by supporting tax cuts for small business and corporations so they can expand and succeed. When our businesses succeed, we have jobs. When we have jobs we have the means to pursue our goals and dreams for ourselves and our families.

Jobs & Business:

As a small business owner, I can understand the struggle of trying to grow a business. If you listen to the media today, they portray business as our enemy. Small business and corporations are not our enemies, in fact small business creates up to 78% of the jobs in America. Unfortunately our current system with it’s high taxes, multiple regulations, and red tape make it very difficult for businesses to succeed in our state. In the past 14 years, Minnesota has lost 22.7 billion dollars in net income and 2.5 billion in state and local tax revenue due to businesses and people leaving our state. It is time to make Minnesota a business friendly state so we can keep our jobs and people here.

Agriculture:

Agriculture is an important part of Kandiyohi County’s economy. Due to this, preserving the family farm is a very large priority for me. I was raised on the family farm. It was during those years from milking cows to bailing hay to raising hogs, I learned the lessons of hard work and common sense. Many of the problems seen in agriculture today are due to a far too intrusive government which continues to make up new regulations, requiring more premits and increasing property taxes. These things are slowly killing the family farm, making it increasingly difficult to produce goods and services in Minnesota.

Some of the areas I would like to continue to focus on in the legislature are streamlining the permit process for livestock and crop processing so that farmers can get back to doing what they do best, farming! I would also recommend reforming and updating property tax laws as they relate to agriculture, such as easing the burden on certain properties classified as “agriculture” when referendums are passed. With this, I would also work to increase acreage allowances when classifying homestead versus non-homestead properties.

Rural Minnesotans have a genuine love and respect for their land and they will do whats best for the land; it is their livelihood. The state needs to do a better job of supporting and promoting rural Minnesota and the goods and services our farmers provide.

Term Limits:

Yes! We need term limits. We need term limits to keep the ideas and energy fresh at the capitol and to remove “career politicians” who have long forgotten that they are to serve the people not their own agenda.

Education:

I strongly believe in fair and equitable funding for schools in greater MN. Some Metro schools get over $2000 per student more than those in District 17B. We have our work cut out for us keeping excellence in our education in the midst of cuts to school budgets. We all need to step up to the plate and come alongside our teachers by encouraging and supporting them. Simple steps such as volunteering our time and talents to help teach our children can go a long way in aiding our teachers and keeping our schools strong. As families and communities we must work together to ensure our children continue to achieve our high standard of education.

Life and Freedoms:

I believe in the sanctity of life from the moment of conception to the day of natural death.

I believe marriage is between a man and a woman.