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Candidates have solid credentials

To the editor:
First, I want to thank the Chamber and Community Education for sponsoring the Meet our Legislative Candidates Forum. I also want to encourage everyone to attend the remaining forums, all being held on Tuesday evenings in the North Branch High School auditorium.
Second, I was surprised to hear all three candidates agree on so many issues. They all were pro-environment, pro-education, and opposed to signing a no new tax promise. Given the anticipated $2.7 to 3.5 billion deficit, PJ wisely pointed out thatÝthey would have to be crazy to sign a no tax pledge.
It has already been pointed out that there was an error in Pete Nelsonís political ad on transportation, but now he has followed it up with an even bigger error in his latest political mailing. He omitted the city of North Branch from his map of District 17B, a sort of Tom I donít care about North Branch Delaney plunder. Now if that wasnít bad enough, he did not even list Highway 95 - Interstate 35 bridge project as a transportation need.
I do applaud him on his ëEvery Child Receives a Quality Educationí statement, but Peteís analysis, in my opinion, is wrong. The argument he makes is that Twin Cities schools get more than their fair share of education funding. The amount per pupil is based on a complex formula that takes into account the number of students, number of children on public assistance, the number that speak English as a second language and so on. The real problem is that state funding for schools has not kept up with inflation. His party made tax cuts and rebates a higher priority than fully funding education. And no wonder, most of them represent wealthy suburban communities like Edina and Minnetonka, where the average resident thinks nothing of passing an operating referendum of more than $1,000 per pupil, while North Branch had their previous operating levy of approximately $300Ývoided. Now you understand why a record number of school districts have been forced to go to public for new operating levies this fall.
We are fortunate to have Monica Abress as a candidate for House District 17b. She will approach the budget crisis with a set of values that reflects a party that cares about people and works for solutions. She knows the importance of the Highway 95-Interstate 35 bridge, needed improvements to Highway 8,Ýand our rural transportation needs. She knows the importance of unions in protecting the rights of workers ñ think about all anti-union proposals made by Republicans. She knows the importance of protecting the most vulnerable in our society, and will work to hold the state accountable for equitably and fully funding our schools.
Because of those values, her experience, her listening skills,Ýand track record of getting things done, she has the support of a large number of elected officials, labor, Education Minnesota, the League of Conservation voters, and others, as her selection this year as Township Official of the Year for Chisago County certainly indicates. She is the best choice from what I believe are three excellent candidates with solid credentials in our community.
Robert G. Walz
North Branch

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