The first item to address is treating everyone with respect. Too often our friends -- teachers, public servants, the pooror disenfranchised, and unionized employees -- are being demonized and made out as a drain on society. This needs to stop for us to be able to work together to solve the problems facing us today. We need to build respectful relationships with one another to address our difficult problems with common sense solutions.
EDUCATION
The first priority is to address the 2.4 billion dollars that have been borrowed from our schools. The State has made a promise to pay this back. We must honor this promise and do it as quickly as possible.
Higher Education is very important with Century College in our district. Currently there are many jobs that are not filled because there are not enough people with the skills needed. It's important that we support affordable education, to get these jobs filled before companies move out of state in search of more-skilled labor.
1. 10 years ago students paid only 33% of the education costs. Today they pay 66%. Our two-year college costs are now the second highest in the nation.
2. We spend less on public college students today than we did in 2006.
3. We are setting up a system for failure, where people are leaving college with large loans, challenged for decades to pay them back.
THE ENVIRONMENT
Sulfide mining in northern Minnesota will create sulfuric acid. We must protect the environment from this mining by-product. One small disaster in this area and we would lose many more small business and tourism jobs than are created by mining. In order for sulfide mining to proceed we must make sure that there are adequate safeguards to protect the environment and local economies.
I am against letting corporations write their own permits that have to be approved by the State. It's the equivalent of having the fox in charge of the hen house.
I am concerned that the current legislature wants to eliminate our renewable energy standards. I would work hard to protect those standards.
PROTECTING RIGHTS
When I was in college I helped 11 women who were being sexually harassed. I will work as hard today to protect the rights of those who are disadvantaged. Supporting the efforts to address the needs of homeless youth, who often are unable to defend themselves, is also very important to me.
I support Roe Vs Wade, and I believe women should be allowed birth control as part of their base health plan coverage. Contraceptives and family planning are a key part in preventing a woman from having to make a decision about abortion. I would not support any changes to current laws that would weaken a woman's reproductive rights. Pharmacies should not be able to refuse to fill a woman's prescription for birth control.
- • The government should make sure that low-income women can afford birth control at family-planning clinics.
- • I believe in sex education that does not only rely on abstinence.
- • Quality prenatal care is so important. That's the best way to achieve a healthy pregnancy.
- • If a company covers prescription drugs, it should also cover prescription birth control.
- • Some moms and their families need additional help accessing health care, and that's why family-planning programs are so important.
- • Women and couples who choose adoption also deserve support and resources.
WEDGE ISSUES FROM THE REPUBLICANS
It's too bad that instead of fixing our budget and education problems, the Republicans have given us potential issues on the ballot that will only cause misinformation and polarization. I do not support any of the changes that they have put forward or are proposing to our State Constitution.
Please contact me with any question about the issues I have raised above or concerns that you have that were not addressed.
